The human brain, it seems, led a very glum life for a very long time. Negativity has been weaved into the human genes since 200,000 years ago as a survival skill, but even with drastic changes to our society, we haven’t been able to shake that instinct away. From worrying over an outfit, or attending to the constant thread of pessimism from politics and the environment, negativity dominates our world. As students, the massive pile of managing the high school life looms behind our backs with every step -- much like the lofty backpacks shoving us to the ground. It’s difficult not to fall into the black void of negativity in such times, but during a year of pessimism, it is necessary to adopt a more hopeful and positive mind.

Being a student is not easy. There are times when we need to tackle long nights, stiff shoulders, and that science test threatening to ruin our future. Indeed, it is the fear of the future that keeps most people on their feet. But what really is pessimism, that crafty virtue that always oozes into our mind under our noses? Pessimism is the tendency to see negativity; it is the fear and worry of the future; it fabricates those terrifying “what-if” situations: What if I don’t get into college? What if I humiliate myself in front of my class? We think that it’s that pessimistic mentality and thoughts of worry that keeps us “surviving”: it is the fear of failing to reach that ideal future all of us dream about.

Yet pessimism does quite the opposite. According to Gabriele Oettingen, an NYU professor of psychology, “High optimism will predict high effort and success.” With elevated expectations, we strive harder in order to obtain that expectation, such as achieving a decent grade on the final or making a new friend in your class. Optimism fuels you to achieve new goals on the next level, and it doesn’t install fear and anxiety into your brain. While school can be stressful, optimism offers a more productive method of approaching it. Rather than pulling out your hair over a homework problem, positivity could produce other solutions, like speaking with a teacher or simply resolving it in various ways.  

Optimism, however, is often portrayed as something silly and giddy. Many believe that staying positive is about keeping a smile on your face and disregarding the negative sides of reality. Yet according to Liz Mascolo, General Mill’s business unit director, optimism “doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re shiny and happy at all moments of the day, but it does mean that you have the ability to look at a situation and while it might be tough, you’re able to see around that corner and see the possibility… versus the difficulty.” It is also essential to own a sense of “pragmatic idealism,” a balance between realism and idealism, to achieve the success one desires. Ben Goldhirsh, the CEO of the publishing company Good Worldwide, states: “Dreaming big is great, but you must also take practical steps to turn it into reality.” It is that mixture of hope and realism that breeds a successful school year away from the overwhelming stress and worries, and it is that mixture that we must endeavor to obtain.

Leah Weiss, a Stanford professor who specialized in mindfulness at the workplace, said that “anyone can achieve optimism—the trick is to find purpose in work and life.” For example, school is not for college, but it is to venture untouched territories of knowledge and experiences, and it is where you can socialize with friends. Such a mindset is also an example for one of the six different ways to become more optimistic, according to NBC News -- to see things in a more positive light, or as experts call it, “positive reframing.” Dr. Aparna Iyer, assistant professor and psychiatrist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, explains, “If a client expresses that an entire day was ruined because it was dark or rainy outside, [she] would challenge him to focus on what may have been gained during that time,” like reading a book or relaxing indoors. It is the focus on the smaller picture rather than the hovering negative picture we need to focus on, much like the previous examples. If we practice these skills constantly, our brains will begin automatically to focus on the more positive aspects of life and will eventually overrun our pessimistic nature.

The second method of becoming more optimistic is to keep more optimistic company. Just as how a friend’s mannerisms can rub onto you, their emotions can also influence you. A pessimistic company will, naturally, expose more negativity into your daily life. Fortunately, an optimistic company also releases positive energy. Having someone happy and confident around you will naturally heal your pessimistic instinct, but this does not mean to cut connections with those who are pessimistic from your world—it simply means to expand your network a little bit, and then maybe you can rub optimism into your friends’ lives as well.

The third method suggests that you spend less time with media, and more specifically, the news. According to Iyer, “the news and the current state of media and politics can make it very hard for people to be optimistic. The reality is that the moment you turn on the news or read the paper, you are likely to be barraged with negativity and a bleak outlook on the world…” It is true that the world, especially this year, has not been truly positive, but rather, it has been a year where we are bombarded with worrisome and preposterous news. Although avoiding the media is not wise, limiting your intake of negative news could improve optimism.

Writing in a journal every day is the fourth path to take to a more positive mind. Whether it is something as small as waking up before your alarm or saying hello to your favorite teacher, write positive and gratifying experiences throughout the day. A study led by the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology proves that writing a few notes of what you are grateful for links you closer and closer to optimism, confidence, and even health.

Acknowledging what you can and cannot control is the fifth technique. According to Kimberly Hershenson, LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker), “while some people may be unable to deal with uncertainty, positive individuals are able to adapt and thrive.” She continues: “Accept what you can and cannot control in the situation.” For example, one cannot control or change the grade they receive on a quiz, despite how low it is. An optimist would not panic or deny a low grade, but they will attempt to improve in the future by studying harder and engaging more with the teacher. This action of focusing on the future instead of the past defines an optimist.

The sixth and final solution to discovering a more optimistic life is, ironically, recognizing negativity. Like possessing “pragmatic idealism,” paying attention to negativity fends away optimism’s deadliest trap: sucking someone into their fantastical and unrealistic reality. Optimism, as stated before, is not fanciful thinking and it is not about keeping a smile on your face, but it is about detecting better solutions during distressing times, and it invigorates one to march forwards despite all the trenches and barriers that might obstruct the pathway. Optimists acknowledge those obstacles, otherwise known as negativity, and seek a trail around it.

One could say that life as a student is stressful and dismal, but actually, it really is not. As people, we are vulnerable to pessimism; our eyes have been trained by our instincts to recognize a storm, but not the rainbow that strikes across the sky afterward. Let optimism steal you away from the endless pessimistic thoughts, and let it triumph over the completion of a single homework. Let it radiate in the school hallways and classrooms. It is time to amend our pessimistic lives.