As the gentle ocean tide recedes, the sun blazes down on my skin, incinerating all my worries and giving me the perfect tan. A soothing breeze rolls in as I bury my toes deeper in the sand — thank goodness I’m at the beach.
Then, all of a sudden, my head jerks up and I’m by myself in a cubicle in Clemons. I have succumbed to daydreaming once again, and now my mind is racing with worry about the test I am supposed to be studying for.
These episodes happen all too frequently, as daydreaming has become a cognitive waste of time and a hindrance to my productivity. My mind goes off on a tangent, throwing away any realistic knowledge, and before I know it, I’m in a fantasy world. Getting back on track takes twice as long and requires even more strenuous brain energy.
Daydreaming doesn’t just take time away from studying and accomplishing daily tasks — it leads to an ultimate sense of disappointment, as daydreams rarely match up to reality.
I learned this quickly after coming to college. During senior year, when I received my acceptance letter to the University, I daydreamed about being exactly where I am today. I envisioned studying in a silent, tranquil environment, surrounded by antiquated books and other diligent students.
However, my imaginary library excursion was much more serene than my current state. In reality, I am baggy-eyed, sleep-deprived and haven’t showered in the past two days — hence, my solo cubicle in Clemons. Furthermore, I don’t think I’m half as productive as I envisioned myself in my high school daydream.
By daydreaming, we visualize what we don’t have in the moment as better than it actually would be. We escape, creating a place where everything is more attractive than reality. However, time and time again, reality cannot live up to what we’ve created in our minds.
It’s easy to escape the conflicts of everyday life, to run from our problems and give up. But living in the moment, though difficult, is far more practical and constructive, and doing tasks we don’t necessarily want to do is part of reality. That said, if you see me in Clemons during the next few days — probably wearing the same flannel and looking like a zombie — tap me on the shoulder to bring me back to reality.
Madison’s column runs biweekly Wednesdays. She can be reached at m.ruddy@cavalierdaily.com.
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