Year of Happiness and Well-Being by Megan

Year of Happiness and Well-Being by Megan - January 2016 Scholarship Essay

Besides the usual eat healthier resolution that too many people make and break every year, this year I decided to take a different look at resolutions and picked one that would help me out in multiple ways. My resolution for the 2016 year is to depend less on technology. I know, this may sound crazy, but I see various ways that I can benefit from it. Depending less on technology will enable me to gain a better interest and respect for the material I need to discover, allow me to become more in touch with the world that I am missing while staring at a computer, phone, or tablet, and give me more time to relax and enjoy life. Even though this may be a challenging task, I see it as one that if given the right amount of work, can really pay off in the end.

As a college student, sometimes we feel that we do not have enough time to accomplish the tasks at hand, so we turn to the internet for a quick and easy answer. Doing this, does not help us learn or gain any understanding of the material we need to learn. With my resolution, I will be required to spend a few more hours in the library obtaining information the old fashioned way. I see myself benefiting from this as I will be reading more about various topics, therefore, learning more in the process. Even though this may seem time consuming, I will obtain a respect for the knowledge I gained and for the topic itself.

One of the major problems with our society nowadays is the amount of time we spend tuned into the various types of technology we own. Technology has increased the amount of problems we have socially. This year, I plan to put down the phone or tablet and close the computer and reach out to those people physically around me. I want to build a better relationship with those around me, rather than those hundreds of miles away from me. This will allow me to build better networks with people who actually matter.

Finally, with that extra time I will not be on technology, I will have more opportunities to enjoy life. Whether that be taking a nap, watching a sunset, taking a walk through campus, reading my favorite book, or laughing with friends, I see 2016 as the year of happiness and well-being. I will probably learn more about myself in the upcoming year, than I have in the past 18 years that I have been alive. To some people, technology is everything, but sometimes you have to lose everything to gain yourself.