Carpe Diem, Essay Example

Seizing the day means living in the moment. Often we make promises to ourselves that that we will do something tomorrow or next week. Most times we must decide what is important to us at the time. I find myself not having time for what I really want to do because I have some much other stuff to do that is more important at the moment. Seizing the day and living life to the fullest sounds like a great way to live life, but there are some drawbacks to this lifestyle as well. Nonetheless, it can be successfully done if one makes wise choices. Living a life according to carpe diem can have both positive and negative effects.

People have often told me that I am too uptight and that I need to loosen up and live a little. This has been a difficult task for me because I have friends who have lived on both sides of the concept of carpe diem. On the outside, it seems like people who seize the moment have a great time. I have a friend that has been my friend for several years. She does everything spurt of the moment and never plans for anything. Being young, most people say that is how you should live. She is also a procrastinator; she waits until the last minute to do everything. Having fun always comes first to her. As a student, she maintains a descent average, but if she put more time into her studies she could be an exceptional student. Nevertheless, we balance each other by telling each other when we need to tighten up or slack up.

One advantage of seizing the moment is the fact that it is exciting. Waking up each day doing whatever you choose has to be exciting. My grandmother always said that my grandfather did not let anything worry him. He lived one day at a time. The fact that my grandfather lived to be 95 years old is very encouraging to me when I think about carpe diem. My grandfather was a simple man. He worked the land and would help anyone he could. He once told me that every day is an adventure for him because he never plans what he will do the next day. He always found something to do each day. He worked in his garden, hunted and trapped animals, and even had time to babysit his grandchildren. He never had to take any prescription medication for high blood pressure, cholesterol, or diabetes. I believe he lived a healthy, long life because of his outlook on life. Up until the die he died he was active and encouraging. He never complained and found joy in simple things in life.

As a child, my mother read me a bedtime story about a little red hen who worked all summer preparing for the winter. The other animals on the farm sat around enjoying each day. When the winter finally arrived, the other animals wanted the little red hen to share her harvest with them because they did not prepare for winter. The little red hen refused. When I think about it from this perspective, it seems that carpe diem may be a bad idea. Because the other farm animals were seizing the moment, they were not prepared for the winter. As a child, I did not understand the moral of the story. Now I understand that being prepared is important in so many aspects of life. An adult who does not work and just enjoys each day will probably end up homeless or living with their parents for the rest of their lives. So, be unprepared can be seen as one of the negative outcomes of carpe diem.

Making decisions in a hasty manner can be both positive and negative. I have always been told when I have to make a decision in haste to go with my first mind, or the first thought I have. For me, this has been true when taking tests. I have made some really good choices when I took multiple choice tests that I was unsure about. The first thought I had was usually correct. Often, when I erased an answer and choose another one, I got it wrong more than I got it correct. However, there have been times when I have made the wrong decisions when I made them with haste. For example, one time mother gave me the option of going to the mall on Saturday or attending a football game that previous Friday night. I really wanted to do both, but I knew she would only allow me to do one. I decided to go to the football game that Friday night. When I got there, I realized that my best friend was not coming because she had to babysit her little brother. He parents had made a deal with her to keep her little brother while they went out to dinner. In return, they would take her to the mall the next day. Had I thought through my decisions or just called my best friend, I would have made a better choice.

Teenagers are under a lot of pressure to fit in or be cool. Often being cool or fitting in means doing things that you may not agree with. For example, teens are pressured to have sex, smoke, drink, and even steal. All of things can have lasting effects that could alter the course of one’s life. Being caught up in the moment and having sex can lead to an unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease. Likewise, using drugs or stealing can lead to jail time which can ruin your life and chances of being a successful adult.

Seize the day, but with discretion. I believe carpe diem must be used in moderation and with good judgment. It is always fun to live a little and enjoy life. However, I believe that life is too important to make needless mistakes. As young adults, we have to be guided by adults who have made mistakes and learned from them. They are then able to help us make the best decisions in life. When we make good decisions as young adults that will ensure that our future is productive and successful. Laying a positive foundation for the future is so important today. Honestly, the foundation that we lay today will determine if we will be able to seize the moment as adults.