It was late August 2023, the end of my first-year orientation at the University of Portland. Although I could not have been more ready for change and independence, my parents were anxious to leave me and return to Hawaii.
In an attempt to reassure them both, I said that if all else fails, I was going to romanticize my newfound life – which I consider the ultimate strategy for surviving the difficulties of college.
Of course, I first had to explain what it meant to romanticize life to my parents.
The method of romanticization aims to glorify the ins and outs of daily life and offers an optimistic take on an undesirable situation. Who’s to say a basic walk can’t be a hot girl walk or your daily coffee can’t be fashioned into a trending aesthetic?
Now, almost a year and a half into my college career and quite literally drowning in assignments, readings, Beacon articles and Pilot Dance Team practices, the strategy of romanticizing my chaotic yet beautiful college life still holds up.
I was recently reminded of the importance of idealizing the mundane and often burdensome routines of our daily lives when I came across this video on my TikTok feed.
In the recent video, user @tatee.pdf takes another perspective on education.
“What a blessing it is to be so busy in college,” they captioned. “What a wonder it is to only have to worry about passing my classes.”
It may sound cheesy. And don’t get me wrong, I sure do love to complain when it feels like there is just too much to do and not enough hours in the day to do it. But in most cases, over-romanticizing your responsibilities and stressors is the only way through.
Ultimately, your daily chores, to-do lists and study sessions need to get done, so you might as well relish in the process.
What a blessing it is to prepare my very busy yet satisfyingly color-coded weekly planner every Sunday night.
How lucky I am to spend hours on end in the library to produce work I am proud of.
How grateful I am to enter my dorm room to a greeting from my best friend who also happens to be my roommate.
What a privilege it is to drag myself to the gym, move my body, and be a part of such a talented dance team.
How fortunate I am to challenge my mind every day.
If the word “romanticize” isn’t in the vocabulary of your life, I promise it makes every rainy walk across campus and repetitive day of classes bearable — and maybe even entertaining.
So, what's the harm in pretending you're the main character in the movie of your life?
Though in this movie, you won’t have a laugh track to back up every joke that doesn’t land, you will definitely not survive an explosion unscathed and you won’t always end up with the love interest.
But hey, I never said romanticization was a miracle worker.
Kalena O’Connell is a News Reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at oconnell27@up.edu.
