Kevin Coughlin, Period 8, 12/23/20, Day C

 Kevin Coughlin

Modern Mythology

Period 8

12/23/20

At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

I have two main goals that I want to accomplish before the end of the year. I want to finish my last college application, because that is due on January 1st. I only have one left, and it is for my dream school, so I really want to get that done and out of the way as soon as possible. Also, and somewhat counterintuitively, I want to be able to relax, unwind, and really appreciate that this awful year is finally over. Even though virtual school this term may not have been necessarily as rigorous as ‘normal’ school, we have all been in a very high stress situation for the last 10 months and I think that it is very important that we all take this opportunity to unwind. In addition, college applications have been happening over the past month, and i think that makes it even more important to be able to relax for a week.

How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

I’ve been very stressed for the last two months or so. I was finishing my Eagle Scout rank in October and most of November, and then I had to move to college applications because I had an Early Action 12/1 deadline. So, I haven’t really had a chance to settle down for a while. So I think that if I can finish my first goal of finalizing my college application that is left, I will have shown resilience by being able to last this long without a non-stressor period. I also am a chronic procrastinator and  I was strongly considering not applying because of the lengthy supplement. If I accomplish the goal of submitting the application, it shows resilience also because I was able to submit it and did not succumb to my lazy nature. I think that it can be difficult to unwind after being wound for so long, so I also think that if I complete the second goal, I will have fully bounced back from the last 2 months. It also will help to end the year on a more positive note.

How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

I think that the pandemic and the other awful things that have happened this year have significantly increased my need for a break. I think that if this year had been more normal, it would have been a necessary break still, but not to the level that it is now. Everything has been made more difficult during the pandemic, so I think that these goals have been made more difficult, but also more important.