Tag Archives: Aaron Harder

College Stress

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By Aaron Harder

We all get stressed out sometimes. In college the cause of this stress is generally having a lot of schoolwork due at the same time. It might seem like your professors coordinate and plan this. After four years in college, I’m convinced …

Complaining about these conspiracies is not that productive when there are tests and paper deadlines approaching. So here are a few steps to help you deal with stress:

  1. Sleep: Stress and lack of sleep makes people grumpy so not sleeping while feeling stressed out means you’ll become super grumpy, making a stressful week even worse. Be sure to get plenty of sleep. It will be worth it.
  2. Eat on a regular basis: Stress and hunger can be a bad combination, but when stressed, it is easy to cut things out your life. Some things will need to be cut out when busy; however, food is not one of them. Try to keep a schedule and eat as healthy as you can during a stressful week.
  3. Reward yourself for accomplishing certain tasks or steps: Give yourself goals to reach. For example, if you study for a test for an hour you can take a break and talk with friends for a little while. Or when writing a paper, bribe yourself with your favorite cup of coffee. Give yourself something to look forward to!

Stress is an inevitable part of life and being able to handle stressful times may take work and practice. I hope these tips help you relax and develop the skills necessary when feeling stressed out.

Being Present

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By Aaron Harder

Have you ever had those moments when you just zone out? Not because of what was going on around you was boring, but because you had so much else on your mind. I find that during times of stress or business I have a hard time staying in the moment.

However, I sometimes struggle with paying attention to things when life is great. Staying present and in the moment can be challenging, but important.

Here are two reasons it is important to be in the moment and to be present during happy times:

  1. DON’T PUT ALL OF YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET. This might sound negative, but if you are really excited about something in your life (you start dating someone, get into your top college, get a puppy, etc.) it is easy to put all your excitement and joy in that relationship, school, or thing. However, this can be dangerous because that relationship or thing may not always be there. If it leaves, so does your joy. Life is much bigger than any one relationship; activity, college, or thing so enjoy all life offers.
  2. VALUING OTHERS. I notice that when I have something in my life that is a big enough deal to me (what college I want to go, what job I will do, who I will date etc.), I spend most of my energy thinking about this thing. Sometimes, so much so that when others are talking to me, I tune them out so I can think about whatever it is that’s on my mind. However, not listening to someone can be incredibly devaluing, you’re insinuating that whatever they have to say is not as important as what you want to think about. Do not tune others out, what they have to say is important, and listening to others is a great way to practice selflessness.

 

I am not saying that choosing a college, dating someone, or getting a puppy is not important, these things can be incredibly important. However, listening to others is equally of value and importance. Being present in a conversation or class values whoever you’re talking to, plus learning how to stay present and in the moment will teach you how to enjoy that big moment you’re looking forward to even more. The next best thing to one source of joy is two sources of joy, so stay in the moment and enjoy where you are at.

There’s Plenty to Do

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By Aaron Harder

One of the many reasons I love attending Baylor is all the opportunities the university offers students. Certainly Baylor sets up its students well in post-graduate life with connections, a great education, and life-long friendships, but there also great opportunities to participate in as an undergrad.

Yes, Baylor is full of student organizations spanning almost every possible subject. However, Baylor also offers a lot of activities for students to do regardless of what club, organization, or Greek life group you join.

Baylor has a great theater program that produces at least two plays or musicals per semester. There is also an improv comedy group that usually performs three times a semester. In the fall there is Pigskin, which is the performance of the top eight acts from All-University Sing, during Homecoming Week. After Dark during Parents Weekend is a showcase of the artistic and musical talent Baylor has to offer and is a really cool show. In the spring there is All-University Sing, as well as Diadeloso, which is a campus-wide holiday in the middle of a week in April where students get the day off of classes and Baylor brings a ton of festivities to campus as well as a live band (last year it was Needtobreath).

While the Baylor football team and games are really exciting and (finally) competitive on a national scale, our athletic department is not just a football team. Baylor has nationally ranked women’s and men’s basketball teams, nationally competitive tennis teams, competitive baseball and softball teams, and a historically famous track and field team that currently boasts a few reigning national champions. Baylor also has a national championship winning equestrian team and usually top five nationally ranked acrobatics and tumbling team. Now one does not have to go to all of these, and obviously not every is interested in ALL of these sports, but the fact remains that there’s an abundance of great teams to watch and cheer for.

So bottom line, Baylor is great place to take advantage of watching some great sports, talented theatrics and live performances. Best part? Most of these events are free to students.

Sing Season!

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By Aaron Harder 

My first experience with All-University Sing was when my sister participated in it while she was at Baylor. I thought it was cool and entertaining, but certainly it would never be something I would do. I was the athlete, the guy who played sports, and thought there was no way I would perform in a musical act.

Man, I was so wrong.

TryoutsWhile I did participate in sports at Baylor as a track athlete, I eventually left the team because it was becoming too much of a time commitment. I spent the next year of college volunteering at different ministries and hanging out with friends; however, I felt like something was missing. I had some friends try and talk me into doing Pigskin, a smaller version of Sing, I was already committed to a few things and said no.

I then saw how much fun my friends were having being involved with Pigskin, so I decided to join Sing Alliance that next spring. While it was way out of my comfort zone at first, I really enjoyed being involved in a Baylor organization. Participating in Sing was also really unique; you just cannot get that experience anywhere else.

AllianceFriendsBottom line is: I love doing Sing because of the unique opportunity it presents and because of the friends I made during practices and performances. Sing not only gave me something to do, besides sitting on my couch, it was a ton of fun! So if you decided to come to Baylor, truly consider doing Sing at least once, you may really enjoy it!

Getting Involved!

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By Aaron Harder

I was very involved at my high school where I ran cross-country, threw shot put and discus for the track team all on top of training in the off-season! I also loved to go to my high school’s FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) once a week and sporting events throughout the year. I tried to spend as much time as possible with my friends, coaches, and fellow athletes.Track

When I arrived at Baylor, I decided to walk-on the Track and Field team, which took most of my time and energy. After a long freshman year I stepped away from track and found myself going from being super involved, to just going to class and coming home.

I felt out of balance, and it took me two years to figure out what was missing! My junior year, I found Sing Alliance, a group of non-Greek students that compete in All-University Sing. Sing is a competition between student organizations held every spring.

After joining Sing Alliance and making new friends, I realized what I was missing the whole time was community. Since then I enjoy going to class and seeing friends all over campus.

So my recommendation to you all is to join an organization in college. Don’t just go to class and then do homework, be involved! Because believe it or not school will eventually end, and so will the opportunities it presents. Take advantage of all that is at your fingertips and engage!

SING

The Importance of Coffee

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By Aaron Harder

Pic 1If you don’t drink coffee right now, that’s awesome. However, that will probably change by the time you graduate from college. During my first two years of college, I did not partake in the consumption of this wonderful drink. But by my junior year, I had developed a lovely habit of drinking coffee. So why should you care about whether or not you drink coffee…well, the truth is you shouldn’t.

I love coffee – not just because of the taste, but also because it is something that reminds me to slow down and rest. The times I love to drink coffee are not necessarily the times when I need caffeine. I love to drink coffee during my quiet time, when hanging out with friends and while with my family on holiday or vacation.

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For me coffee is a reminder to forget the stress of life and to enjoy the moment. In college, both the past and future are constantly on students’ minds. We tend to dwell in the past when reflecting on previous mistakes or life experiences. Plus, college students always tell funny stories of things they did freshman year or crazy moments in high school. At the same time, everyone is always asking your about your future plans after graduation. You only spend roughly four years at college, so thinking about what comes after is somewhat natural. So trying to be present while in college can be difficult.

So for me, relaxing and drinking a cup of good coffee helps me slow down and enjoy where I’m at in life. It is a way for me to be present in life, not focused on the past or future. It is similar to how God designed the Sabbath – work, work, work, then rest and refocus on the present and on God.

Therefore, “coffee” is actually incredibly important in college. Not only is it delicious and stimulating, but having time for “coffee” is really about being present in a world that blurs by at times. Whether or not you drink coffee, find your way to spend time being present and content in the moment. If not, college life will pass before you ever enjoy it.

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What To Do When You’re Stressed

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By Aaron Harder

Sometimes when stressed I feel like this dog.

Sometimes when stressed I feel like this dog.

We all get stressed, whether we want to or not. It happens. While we can’t always avoid stress, we can control how we handle it. So here are some helpful tips on what to do when you are stressed.

Perspective

Use stressful times to grow. Although growth can come with some pain, it can be a great teacher. When working out, it is the stressing and tearing of muscles that makes a person stronger. So as hard, and maybe even annoying, as it is, try and learn from the stress.

Be Proactive

For type-A people, this tip might be really obvious, but for those who are not type-A, try making a to-do list or schedule. Writing out all the things that are causing stress helps get them out of your brain and allows you to get organized. Plus, you can cross off items on the to-do list after completing each project, which lets you feel accomplished.

Be Real

Do not be prideful about how stressed out you are. I am guilty of being stressed and then bragging to all my friends about how stressed I am. At times, it seems like everyone is just trying to “one-up” each other with how much we have to do or how little sleep we get. Don’t brag and complain at the same time about things that are not healthy. It’s like bragging about who is the sickest; it just doesn’t make sense.

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Eating food like this during a stressful week is probably not the best idea.

Sleeping

While this seems like the first thing you sacrifice when stressed, it might be the most helpful to keep. Getting stressed out is easier when you’re tired, so making time to sleep can be really beneficial. Eating right, drinking water and exercising also help reduce stress.

Find Humor in Life

When stressed, do something fun or find something to laugh about. Laughing is a great stress reliever and serves as a reminder that being stressed is not the end of the world.

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Authenticity

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By Aaron Harder

Pic 1

It’s been raining. I mean really raining since I went to bed around 9:30 last night. OK, I am totally kidding. Who goes to bed a 9:30?!

But it really has been raining since then, and now, almost 13 hours later, it’s still raining. I love the rain so it does not bother me, but still 13 hours straight of rain…that’s a long time. And despite my love of rain, I almost skipped class this morning simply because I did not want to get my backpack soaked through (as it turns out my backpack is pretty much rain proof, which was a great surprise for me this morning). I use a five-subject notebook for my five classes, so if it got wet, school would become very difficult.

As I was debating whether or not I should go to class, I remembered that today in my Leadership and Communication class, we were discussing authentic leadership. I really didn’t want to miss the lecture, so I braved the weather and walked directly to class, or rather the bathroom outside of my class to dry off, and then to class.

The class was one of the best lectures I have ever heard. We discussed how authentic leaders have strong morals, self-discipline, passion, compassion and others’ trust among other things. Essentially, this type of leader is a person who everyone would want to follow.

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But the big take away was not about the ingredients of an authentic leader, but was about how an authentic leader accepts his or her own unique story. So often I count myself short of someone else because I did not struggle like they did, or I am not as talented as them, or what I am good at is not as cool as what someone else can do. What a load of garbage!!!! God made us all unique. We are not copies. Everyone has different struggles, talents and abilities for a reason.

This morning opened my eyes to how sad it is that I, and others, discount ourselves because of our uniqueness. Now I am not saying that being a lone wolf is good either. We were made for community, but communities are not very successful when everyone does the same job. In fact, a community would fail if everyone tried to do the same thing or be the same person. For many, the idea of community has been warped into conformity.

So, instead of discounting and downgrading your own story, talents and abilities, know that you were given them for a reason. Now that may immediately disappoint some of you because you may not be as “popular” or flashy as others. When you have these thoughts, ask this question – who decided that our talents and abilities were supposed to be compared with one another? It’s ridiculous how much joy I lose when I compare myself and my abilities to others. And honestly, it’s useless to do. I was made to be unique and gifted to do only what I can do. My story has value. I have value not in what I can’t do as compared to someone else, but I have value because I was uniquely created to do what I can do. And guess what? Your story and life have infinite value because of who you were created to be. Your story is unique for a reason. So stop comparing yourself to others, and enjoy knowing that God created you with a unique and caring design.

Am I Nervous or Just Going to Throw Up?

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By Aaron Harder

Have you ever felt so nervous that you feel like you’re going to throw up? I get this feeling all the time when I have to give a speech or a presentation – heck sometimes even before a flag football game.

If you’re like me, you understand that almost unreal amount of energy you have while waiting for your turn to give a presentation. No amount of rational talking to yourself helps. It’s just raw emotions making a ruckus in your stomach. You have an internal debate where you try to calm yourself down while also desperately trying to pay attention to what is happening in front of you. Heaven forbid if you have to take notes on the presentation in front of your own. Let’s be real teacher – it’s just not gonna happen.

I wonder if teachers sit in the back of class and observe who has the most nervous ticks before getting up for a speech. I would criticize those professors, but I would totally do the same thing.

Anyways, a couple of days ago, I began looking at these moments in my life in a different way. I confess I did not come up with this solution on my own. God seemed to drop it in my lap using a few emails from my mom and some cool videos and Facebook posts I saw while “studying.” What I am suggesting is not a microwavable, instant success formula. Embracing this idea might take some time.

So, here it is: Instead of getting nervous about what might happen, get excited about what might happen. When you think about college, lots of questions can make you nervous. Will I get accepted to my dream school? Who will be my friends? What classes will I take? What if I don’t like my roommate? Instead, try to get excited about the new opportunities available to you! Think about the interesting classes you get to take, the roommates that may become best friends and the chance to make friendships that could last a lifetime. It may take some time to fully embrace this idea, but in the end, it will make you more excited about college instead of being filled with dread at the thought of a university.

I was really nervous about climbing my first Fourteener, but the view is much from the top than the missed opportunity at the bottom.

I was really nervous about climbing my first Fourteener, but the view from the top was a thousand times better than the missed opportunity at the bottom.

 

 

I am glad I took the opportunity to speak and share the gospel at my church. I remember being really nervous about it, next time I am going to look forward to the opportunity instead of being nervous about it.

I am glad I took the opportunity to speak and share the gospel at my church. I remember being really nervous about it. Next time, I am going to look forward to the opportunity instead of being nervous about it.