Time is Not Real, But Here’s How to Make it Last Longer

By Rachael Gerron 
Web Content Assistant Manager 

Do you ever feel like time is flying by and you ca not figure out why? Last week, I turned 20 during my last week of classes, in my fourth semester of college, yet I still feel like I was just in high school.

Every time I check my Snapchat memories, I am amazed at how long ago things were, because it feels as though nothing has changed. I saw that two years ago today, my best friend and I were singing along to “I Love You” by Billie Eilish in the rain, and I realized nothing has changed because we still do that.

Do not even get me started on the fact that Billie’s album came out over two years ago.

Maybe two years just is not as long as we think it is— especially when half of that time was spent in a pandemic that prevented us from doing anything for months. This could also be attributed to the collective trauma from the past year— being kicked out of school due to a pandemic, police brutality and living in a country with a divisive political climate.

These events all affected us to different degrees, but ultimately, I believe that we have blocked out that time from our memory to an extent.

Even without the added layer of trauma we have collectively experienced, our perception of time is always subjective.

Have you ever noticed that a weekend full of activities that bring you out of your everyday routine seems to last so much longer? But in reality, that weekend is still the same 48 hours that you had last weekend.

The difference is, instead of spending that time sitting in bed, watching Tik-Toks and doing mind-numbing homework, you are stimulating your brain with new exciting things for it to process.

Here is a short video diary I made about this concept:

According to Psychology Today writer Steve Taylor, the simple solution to slowing downtime is to fill it with new activities.

“Unfamiliarity slows downtime. If you want to make the next year pass a little more slowly, bring some new experience into your life,” said Taylor.

Of course, this is not a new concept, but realizing that we have the power to slow down our perception of time is the first step to making our life last longer— or at least to seem like it is.

I plan to, and I encourage you to, be more conscious of how you are spending time. Start being more intentional and try to engage in new experiences every day!

Featured Image by Rachael Gerron