Being a
senior in high school, I am constantly thinking of the future and what it will
be like. What will my life be like in college? What will my life be like after
college? What kind of job will I get? Will I even get a job? I already know
that a white collared job will probably be boring and challenging, but this
video made me realize that other aspects of adult life could be mundane as
well. As an adult, I will have to do dull tasks such as doing laundry, grocery
shopping, and scheduling dentist appointments. These things will likely make me
yearn to be an irresponsible child again. This is why I am trying to enjoy
having as few responsibilities as possible right now. For some reason, my
parents and guidance counselors seem to disagree with this idea. I realize that
sometimes good things can come from mundane chores. They keep me busy and help
me to have a greater appreciation for free time. In his talk, David Foster
Wallace demonstrates that errands are not always terrible. He says that they
give us time to think about our lives and the lives of others. He also points
out that everyone else you see in traffic or in lines at stores is probably
going through the same thing as you, maybe even something worse. Though it can
be hard to think that life does not revolve around you, it does not. This is
why I think it is ridiculous when people get mad at workers at fast food
restaurants. Working in one of those places must be bad enough without rude
customers. Wallace’s talk has certainly opened my eyes and made me feel better
about the future, as I am sure it has done for many others.
