Ihave noticed that we have become a less-patient people. We hate standing in line, watching commercials, being held up in traffic and especially, if you’re anything like me, waiting for food.<\/p>\n
We live in a society that is obsessed with instant gratification \u2014 it’s practically built into our subconscious to want things right away. I am not going to pretend I’m not guilty of this as well; I hate waiting more than five seconds for pretty much anything.<\/p>\n
Our generation as a whole could probably be diagnosed with ADD. The other night I was watching TV with friends, and as soon as a commercial came on, everyone instantly became enraptured with their phones. We can’t stand not to be engaged for even 30 seconds.<\/p>\n
Instant gratification is cool. Doing what I want when I want is a great thing that I will always appreciate. But is it better for you? When we become impatient with inanimate objects like the TV during a particularly long commercial, it conditions us to become impatient with each other, and that’s not so good.<\/p>\n
I don’t want to complain about technology. That’s not the point, and it’s not entirely to blame for our generation’s decrease in patience. I don’t have the answer for why we want things right away, but I do have a few suggestions on how to regain your patience.<\/p>\n
1. Read a book. This is good life advice, but it’s also a very disciplined activity. Amidst classes, homework, club activities, part-time jobs and a social life, it is almost impossible to find time to read anything longer than a tweet. If you can make time to sit down for 15 minutes every day to read a book, you’ll feel great when you finish it.<\/p>\n
2. Don’t use a microwave. This sounds less like a helpful tip and more like a conspiracy theory. Microwaves are fine, but I have noticed they have an influence on how long I’m willing to wait for something. Why slow-cook a meal when you can microwave it for 30 seconds? Because microwaves cause you to scream in frustration when your freezer-to-stomach ratio is less than five minutes, that’s why.<\/p>\n
3. Write letters to your friends. This sounds cheesy and unnecessary, and sometimes it can be. If you see someone every day, what would you have to say in a letter? I’ve been exchanging letters with a friend from high school since we graduated. We do use normal platforms of communication as well, like texting and Snapchat, but try to have at least one person with whom a primary source of communication is letters. It’s more fun than it sounds and it gives you something to look forward to when you check your mailbox.<\/p>\n
4. Avoid being on your phone at social gatherings. It’s a pet peeve of mine when people ask me to “hang out,” which translates to “let’s all sit in a circle and stare at our phones.” At first it’s weird being the only person not browsing your Twitter feed; you won’t be sure what to do instead. My roommate introduced me to the UNICEF Tap Project. It provides a day of drinking water for every 10 minutes you don’t touch your phone. Suggest doing this at your next outing; everybody wins.<\/p>\n
I can’t guarantee that these suggestions will change your whole life, but they will keep you from having a nervous breakdown the next time you’re stuck in line at the post office. You’re welcome.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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