Fighting Against the Sunday Void

Fighting+Against+the+Sunday+Void

I never know what to write about for “From the Desk.” It’s the most vague column here at the Ram by a longshot. “Who’s That Kid” and “Editor’s Pick” have specific, defined instructions. But “From the Desk” could be about literally anything. 

It’s far too premature to use this as a platform for reflection on Volume 105. We just started! I also don’t feel like I have any groundbreaking wisdom to share with our readers. This feels like the place to share my tips on productivity or my niche hobby, but I don’t really have any of those either.

I do know one thing for certain. As I write this column, it is currently the worst day of the week by far: Sunday. 

I’m never productive on Sundays. Like at all. In fact, I lied one paragraph up. I’m writing this on Monday, because I couldn’t bring myself to do it on Sunday. That’s the chokehold that this wretched day has on me.

I haven’t thought about why I feel this particular way about Sunday. But after some brief reflection, it makes sense. I’ve worked hard throughout the previous week. On Friday and Saturday, I typically do something fun with friends to enjoy the time off. Life is good. Next week is still far away, and the only things that are really important are having a good time and making memories. 

But then Sunday hits, and a wave of anxiety rushes over me. “What am I doing with my life?” and “Get it together, man” are questions I usually ask myself when my eyelids first open on Sunday. There’s an entire week of school and real life in front of me, and I don’t want to deal with it. 

I always end up getting through it okay, but it’s the dreary anticipation that sucks the life out of me. Beyond that, I think about all the things I did over the weekend and how incredibly stupid and meaningless they were. My thoughts are almost exclusively negative. This isn’t comparable to any other day of the week. Even on Monday, the traditional pick for worst day of the week, I have classes and a bunch of things that have to be done. At least I feel productive. In terms of awful days, Sundays are in a league of their own.

I’ll take you through a typical Sunday for me while at Fordham. First, I’ll sleep until whenever nature decides it’s the proper time for me to rise. If that’s 2 p.m., then that’s 2 p.m., I don’t make the rules. Then, I’ll watch football for several hours. At that point, the day is pretty much over. I’ll go to the Ram budget meeting on Sunday night and then continue to stress about the coming week. It sounds fun, I know. 

Now I’m aware there are obvious changes I could make so Sundays are more bearable. You might be saying, “Don’t sleep until 2 p.m. and maybe you won’t feel so awful” or “Why don’t you wake up and seize the day?”

First off, be realistic. I’m not Superman. I’m a 20-year-old male who both enjoys sleep and requires lots of it. But seriously, I know there are changes I could make to make Sundays a little more bearable. It can’t be healthy to consistently feel negative on the same day every single week. 

I’m not a great goal-setter. Usually, I just do things without really considering a bigger picture or what the “endgame” is. But I’m gonna try it here. Publishing this column will serve as a way to hold me accountable.

We’ll start with some baby steps. First, I want to be up before noon on Sundays. That seems realistic for me. Then, I want to do something right when I wake up. Whether that’s doing a little homework, finishing a Ram article or going for a walk. Something that’s productive yet not at all intimidating. That way, I know I accomplished something even if it’s super small. 

The “Sunday Scaries” are not at all unique to me. I know most people my age feel the same way. But who knows, next Sunday might roll around and my newfound plan will work wonders. I might have to pick a new least favorite day! Maybe Sundays will make an all-time comeback. That probably won’t happen, but I’m still going to give it my best shot.