The Consequences of Thinking Too Much

So you know those days when you just overthink everything? Today is one of those. From big things, like the economic recession, to little things, like the fact that my boyfriend might not be able to come home and celebrate Easter with me, I am stressing the hell out. And to be honest, most of this stress is unnecessary and irrelevant.

Let's look, for instance, at my fears about the economic recession and what that means for my future. I am a college student, as I have said before. Right now, companies have reported that they project hiring 22 percent fewer new graduates from the class of 2009 than the class of 2008. That statistic scares me. That means I have 22 percent less of a chance of finding a job. And this is just one prediction. Along with this projection, there are sources around every corner telling me that I have to take a serious unpaid internship over the summer and put in 60 hours a week in order to get into the temp pool somewhere so that I might get hired someday. Those are chances I don't really want to take.

On the other hand, I have to remember that I attend one of the best universities for getting a job after graduation. I am also fairly intelligent - while I'm no Suma Kum Laude, my gpa is considerably above average. I'm also involved in extracurricular activities and I haven't been without a job for an extended period of time since high school, whether that meant a paid internship, working as a research assistant for a professor, or processing orders at an apparel company. And on top of all this, I have extreme alumni connections through school and sorority. So I'd say I have a pretty good chance of being in that other 78 percent that gets jobs when I graduate next spring.

Now let's talk (briefly) about my other focus of overthinking. My boyfriend not coming home to celebrate Easter with me?? Calm down. It's situations like this that slap me in the face, make me take a step back, and realize: You're WAY overthinking things. One thing that I gained from my mother (so exactly, and from such a young age, that I am starting to think it's actually a genetic trend) was the tendency to consider the worst case scenario, and to replay that scene in my mind until I am so worked up and upset about it that I take action on it. A lot of people do this. It's unhealthy. While I don't disagree with those who feel that preparing for the worst is only being realistic, I have to say that doing so takes more of a toll on my mental and physical health than it's worth. I would so rather just not think about it, knowing that something really bad could happen, and just have an overall blanket response: oh well. Not in my hands. Moving on.

So from this point on, I'm going to try to do that more often. Praying more, thinking less, letting go of more things that are not in my hands and that I can't do anything about. Economic problems? Bring it on, baby - I can take it.

For Lack of a Better Title: The Intro

I always thought my life should be a TV show - maybe something like F.R.I.E.N.D.S, or Days of Our Lives, and hopefully nothing like Jerry Springer or Dr. Phil. My days are constantly filled with drama or conflict or ridiculous situations that people just normally do not get themselves into. In order to keep a record of this mad dash I like to call my life, I decided to start a blog. Half the time, I don’t know if I’m just being ridiculous or if I have justification in my feelings, so please, comment on my posts. Let me know what I’m doing wrong. I may not take your advice, but hey, at least you can get some stuff off your chest.

The blog's title, Artificial Sweetener, is inspired by my tendencies (as you will read) to sometimes try to see the bright side in things, even when there isn't one. College is teaching me to change that. Part of my journey through college is a social boot camp, teaching me that fake is not always best, even if it's what's popular, and that sweet isn't always preferred, especially when it's dishonest. Let me tell you it’s been a bumpy ride but I have faith that I’m learning from my mistakes.

Now for some things about me.

I am an international relations major with a global marketing minor. Someday, I want to work as the International Marketing Director for the Walt Disney Corporation. That’s a real position – look it up. I am a sorority girl… but please don’t let that fact prematurely skew the way you view my opinions. Yes I am sometimes ridiculous and off-the-wall and as someone once told me “speak in superlatives,” but I am not an idiot. I am often just misunderstood because I look the way I do.

So with that in mind, please, enjoy. This is me. Let’s be friends.