Anticipation: Consuming Distraction or Spirited Motivation?

By Jonathan Lam on 12/25/15

Tagged: the-homework-life the-homework-life-opinion

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What is anticipation? Anticipation is the act of predicting, of guessing, looking forwards to, and preparing for the future. For good or for bad, we anticipate all the time, from anticipating failing scores on a final exam to the joy of a merry Christmas.

But what is its purpose? What effect does it have on us?

The Goods

Anticipation is one of the best motivators. When anticipating negatively, it can cause eustress, or "normal stress." (Of course, if you're anticipating the text you haven't studied for next period, then it can cause the distress, the stress that we usually recognize.) But even in a positive situation, it can very much drive a person to do more, to prepare for the happy event. In terms of Christmas, this means finishing up school and giving that final push before the long winter break, to push forwards the last bit of December in order to allow themselves a break.

The Bads

Sometimes anticipation builds up excessively, and the eustress turns to distress. Frenziness builds up before the holidays just as our class of frantic students fill up the media center during study hall the period before a chemistry test. People rush about to buy those presents (Wait, Santa doesn't buy our presents??!! just as us students comb through the textbooks to gain understanding that we should've had a week ago. We hammer Dr. Nuzzo with questions just as parents might wait for replies to party invitations. To some people, (especially perfectionists, Christmas can be more of a stresser than the joy it's supposed to be, and the anticipation consumes us. In addition, another con of a positive anticipation is the is the distraction it can cause. It's a bit of an obvious downside, but I've felt its pull especially in bowling, which is quite a mental game.

In terms of Christmas, our family has had the tradition of Christmas at our house for many years now, and it's something we can (almost) count on. And even from the beginning of December can I feel the accelerating draw of the Christmas spirit. Overall, I think it's had a positive influence on me, helping me to finish out some of the last days of the semester and the year; but sometimes it leads me dreaming of a white Christmas with lots of family and fun and presents and food.

Merry Christmas! And don't let the anticipation take over!