Today I learned that it’s a marathon. I took a test for my Discrete Structures class and I was looking forward to seeing how I did. I was sure that I did alright because in the middle of the test the professor ordered us to use our books after seeing the unsure look on our faces. So I got my test back and I fluncked that test as hard as possible. I was distraught by this grade because I knew exactly what I didn’t do to do well. I was well aware of all the days I could of studied or went to office hours. I had more than enough time to prepare with all the snow days we’ve been having but I still did poorly. So after being upset for a little while I realized that one quiz didn’t determine or not whether I was going to get the intended grade I wanted for this class. My overall performance is what would determine if I got the grade I wanted. I realized that it’s very rare that one single act makes a key difference. The idea ‘it’s a marathon’ asserts that one should pull themselves out of the present and look at things in the longterm perspective. The idea asserts that one should sacrifice the present for the future. I believe this is a positive idea because it reduces the weight of the day. Losses in the day doesn’t mean that the game is over. Though wins in the day doesn’t mean that the score is settled. The negative of this idea is that requires effort to constant step back and look at things in the longterm. Human beings by default are oriented in the here and now. One has to fundamentally switch their psychology to see things in this way. It requires discipline, patience, and grit. One thing to add is that I shouldn’t beat myself up when things don’t go as planned. Don’t focus so much on on one lost that you can overlook the opportunities that are throwing themselves at you. The goal is to be better than yesterday. That is a goal that is always achievable. I love this idea because it means that for the most part you always have a chance to turn it all around. Something I hate about this idea is that hardly anything is set in stone. A perfect example of this idea from my personal experience is that logic class from last semester. My performance starting out was horrible. But I decided that I was gonna pass that class and I did everything I could think of to do so. So, Della, make it a habit to look at things in the longterm.