Stressed? Just say "hakuna matata"

Whether you’ve just started college, you’re stuck in the middle, or you’re on your way out, you’ve got a lot to think about. How are you going to survive at THE Johns Hopkins University? How are you going to compete against all your over-qualified classmates? How are you going to get a job or get into grad school? How are you going to stand out in a sea of sharks?

Now that your heart rate has been sufficiently elevated, take a deep breath and say “hakuna matata.”

Seriously, say it.

In case you didn’t know (though you should), the phrase means “no worries” in Swahili. If you haven’t learned this from The Lion King, then promptly redeem yourself and your childhood by watching the movie. It’s tempting to drown yourself in a sea of worries when you live in the rigorous Hopkins environment. However, that is the quickest way for you to break down and fall behind. Think of it this way: some admissions officer, who is very familiar with life at Hopkins, saw in you, at the very least, the potential to graduate from Hopkins. That officer also saw in you the potential to enrich the Hopkins community.

You deserve a pat on the back for that.

It all boils down to what you want to get out of your time at Hopkins. If you want to have academic success, then study smart. If you want to gain connections and resources, then network strategically. If you want to get into a top tier graduate/higher level program, then stay focused, and utilize the help of those who have already accomplished similar goals.

(You want all three? Then you need superior time management, but we’ll talk about that in another article.)

So once again, take a deep breath and say “hakuna matata.” Hakuna matata does not mean that you should forget your goals and not have a care in the world. It means that you shouldn’t stress yourself out. Easier said than done, I know. But if you keep telling yourself “hakuna matata,” then you’ll be one step closer to practicing it.

It all works out in the end.

What good does worrying actually do? Does it make you feel better to be in an anxious state, while making no actual progress on the situation? Teach yourself to recognize a stressful situation, consider the pros and cons of different solutions, and then come to a conclusion. We all worry, but in order to reduce the stress and anxiety that comes along with worrying, make it a point to remind yourself that no situation is so great that you should lose your sanity over it.

Failed your first midterm? Study smarter and work harder in order to ace the next one, and make sure your homework, quiz and participation average is high.

Didn’t do so well on the GRE, MCAT or LSAT? Take a Kaplan course next time.

Having relationship problems? Communicate openly with the other person and work together to come to a resolution.

Don’t know what you’re going to do after graduation? Start looking for internships or speak to your professors about your interests.

Remember: no situation is so great that you should lose your sanity over it.

As you go about your day, take note that everyone is going through or has gone through some type of trial. Overcoming hardships is part of what differentiates the state of simply being alive from the state of living life.

The next time you find yourself in a pit of worries, take a more action-oriented approach to your problem, and reassure yourself that you will get through it. Look back at your past and remind yourself of the times that you struggled, and be encouraged because you made it. Look ahead to the future and know that five years from now you will smile and breathe a sigh of relief as you reminisce.

Now live in the present, and remember: hakuna matata.

PS: If you find yourself in a state of chronic worrying, contact the Counseling Center and set up appointment.