Written by Aditi Sharma of IIT Kharagpur

Whenever there’s some special occasion coming up, we love to spoil ourselves by splurging money on new clothes, accessories and the like. Eventually, we get bored of our new clothes and want to buy newer ones. We just never seem to be satisfied with what we have, we are always expecting more. When we were in school we were literally obsessed with clearing the JEE. Once through, the IIT tag became so yesterday. The next big thing is getting admission in a top Bschool. Once we’re through Bschool, we wish to be flooded with exciting job offers. After all, what’s the point of all our prior accomplishments if they can’t land us the job we’re vying for? And this just goes on and on and on…

Our yearnings and desires just seem to have no end. Right from our tender years we’re being trained to strive for success. We have started turning to the cost-benefit analysis of every sphere of our life, be it our profession, passion, or even our personal relationships. It seems we’re subconsciously programmed to by the all-pervasive society to be like this.

Consumerism is now deeply entrenched in today’s youth. Mention
the word ‘lifestyle’ and people associate it with expensive accessories, dining
in fine restaurants, or going to exotic locations for holidays. Their health –
be it physical, mental or spiritual – has become a secondary issue. They want
quick appreciation for their capabilities and qualifications. This constant
struggle provokes them to rise up the ladder of prestige and power in a short
span of time, which in turn leads to insurmountable stress, not to mention the
health problems that follow.

According to a new Lancet study, India has the highest suicide
rate in the world, with the maximum number of youngsters on the brink. Suicide cases
amongst the young, wealthy, and the educated are the highest. Why are we doing
this to ourselves? Instead of taking charge of our lives, we have become
vulnerable and slaves to our own dreams and desires. Someone rightly said, ‘The
world is full of educated derelicts.’ The singular purpose of motivating us to
put our nose to the grindstone is that we can lead a life of fulfilment. We’re
senselessly throttling down the abyss of our aspirations and desires – an abyss
with no end. How about taking a breather before you start doing that? It’s high
time we take a pause, stop setting unrealistic goals for ourselves, and start
appreciating what we have.

Aren’t we the happiest in college, with just a few hundreds
in our pockets and an irreverent tune on our lips? Life is much more than the
car one drives or the money one earns. Live a little bit for today, and a little
bit for tomorrow. Just slow down a bit, take some time out for yourself, go out
for an ice cream… live each moment as it comes. It’s these small moments of
happiness that add meaning to your life. One day, your life will flash in front
of your eyes: Make sure it’s worth watching.