Readers’ Forum March 21

235

Align passion, success

As a film major with a pre-nursing roommate, the common question “What’s your major?” almost always yields awkward responses and sends my insecure mind into self-doubt and re-evaluation. The reaction to “I’m going into nursing” tends to be far more enthusiastic than the reply the average arts major ever receives.

Why can’t we take this misperception about the “impossibility” of lining passion with success and kick it to the curb?

A New York Times article titled “The Incalculable Value of Finding a Job You Love” explains a point most people miss when it comes to this situation — passion is key. “Ask (yourself) whether any activity has ever absorbed (you) completely … then prepare for a career that entails tasks similar to that activity, even if it doesn’t normally lead to high financial rewards.” Passionate interest alone can’t pay the bills, but it is indeed possible to make a living off of something you enjoy. Those seemingly useless majors actually do possess the power to create pathways to productive careers.

Passion and success can coexist. Pursuing a major you love, even if it happens to be viewed as less than practical, is completely fine! With love for a subject as your base, quality work is sure to follow. Film majors and nursing majors alike can lead accomplished lives as long as passionate talent and drive are present, and no one should cause us to second guess that.

Brooke Taylor

Mesa, Arizona

Gym music inappropriate

The music played on the radio has noticeably changed, and sadly, the music played at the BYU Student Fitness Center has followed suit.

Music is consistently played that is sexually suggestive or communicates anger.

I look around at the non-millennials who attend that gym sometimes. When certain songs are played, especially at the thought-deafening volume at which they are, I feel embarrassed in front of them. The First Presidency published suggestions for us under “Music and Dancing” in “For the Strength of Youth.”

My spiritual sensitivity is almost always dulled when I walk out of that gym. The music is so loud and the messages so perverting. I understand the difficulty of standing up to the masses. But this is BYU! I get the idea, “your gym, your music.” But I do not understand how the notice on the bottom of that flyer, “songs that do not adhere to BYU standards will not be considered,” is so blatantly ignored by those who wrote it. BYU has never been about kowtowing to what is popular or socially acceptable. Surely with all the music options out there, we can find something upbeat enough for a gym, but clean enough for BYU.

Brian Brown

Holladay, Utah

Stop procrastinating now

As college students, we face challenges in our bid to gain a degree. These challenges range from transition issues and academic woes to financial concerns. One that is usually cast aside and treated lightly is procrastination.

A recent study by the American Psychological Association found about 90-95 percent of college students procrastinate on their school work. Alarming, isn’t it? Please consider your recent assignments. How many did you do on the due date? I know I am part of this statistic. Human beings tend to occasionally put off things that need to be done, but it becomes a serious problem when we do this consistently.

One might ask why we do this to ourselves, knowing very well we might regret it later. One reason I’ve heard my peers give is that they perform better under pressure (their mental prowess increases when there is a tighter time constraint). But we are more likely to make mistakes when we are under that much pressure. I can remember times when I’ve had several assignments or projects due about the same time and my ability to work under pressure has failed me. The result was disaster.

There are several techniques to combat this. If you feel your procrastination is getting out of hand, please seek help before it becomes a chronic affair.

Kwadwo Boakye

Accra, Ghana

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