I just started my first full-time semester of university about a week ago, and one of the top tips for being a good university student is to build rhythm or routine. 

I don’t know about you, but I’m always expecting the world to end. I don’t mean to be self-centered, but I really want, believe, and think the world will so-called ‘end’, or go through global spiritual and supernatural events during my lifetime. Maybe this is just because everyone around me has said so, or perhaps it’s because things aren’t looking so great—almost wherever I look. 

Anywho, in cases of the world ending, there’s the classic, “AI becomes smarter than humans and takes all major power, regulating humans to preserve Earth’s lifeforce,” type story, right? Another similar take: when aliens invade silently by creating clones of human beings and slowly taking our places. 

In both of these cliches, a greater, non-human force is able to easily replace and substitute humans, generally in all of life. These stories imply humans are predictable, easy to play with, and simple con targets. (Naturally, this insults you, the human viewer, and tends to make you sympathetic to the human protagonist). I am also offended, and a little scared, honestly.  

I don’t want to be predictable, not in ways that endanger me or make me vulnerable. Is there danger in patterns? Are people watching us (You? Me?) close enough to catch our weaknesses and take advantage of them, or invade private spaces?  

My go-to argument (to comfort myself) is this: Humans are actually quite unpredictable. 

The truth is this: Emotionally, humans are actually quite unpredictable. 

After all, isn’t that what so many different psychology articles preface with? Humans are emotionally unpredictable and unstable? 

All these movies are why I want to retain my unpredictability. I want my routine to hypothetically be so complex and undecipherable that any imposter trying to play me in the story of my life would be a walking red flag to anyone who knew me. 

There are two things stopping this. 

One, in the movies, the AI and aliens are always smarter, and can watch you every second of your life. They analyze you with their tech that’s centuries ahead of us and get to know you (statistically at least) better than you know yourself.  

It’s hard to beat that technically, and tech is not my specialty, 

Two, successful, efficient people have routines, and I am and aim to be a successful, efficient person.  

There’s not much getting around this. I’m a beginner at being structured in life, so using roundabout time management concepts is not yet at my skill level. 

Make the most of your opportunities because these are evil days.

Ephesians 5:16, God’s Word Version

For example, many people recommend Bible routines, and routines to trigger certain habits you want to develop, and routines for exercise, and on and on. 

It is beautiful how God has done everything at the right time. He has put a sense of eternity in people’s minds. Yet, mortals still can’t grasp what God is doing from the beginning to the end ⌞of time⌟.

Ecclesiastes 3:11, God’s Word Version

I can really relate to the verse above. I don’t want to worry about time at all really, and for me, there is a sort of bliss in accepting it’s God’s thing and stepping away from the quantum physics. I think it’s awesome for those who have the energy to question and research the very fabric of time and space to do so and also ask God, but I will leave it to the physicists. I’ll ask in heaven and take just a little bliss for now.

I haven’t figured it all out yet, and I don’t imagine I will without God’s help. However, when He’s helped me solved how to completely, foolproof, avoid watching aliens and AIs, I will certainly let you know.  

Until then, I will be focusing on small steps I can take to make my routines approachable, with less checkboxes. 

---

What do you think? To what extent do you like a routine to go? How do you practice routines without prioritizing schedule over content?