Everyone speculates about something every day, but do we really think about why? Well, I have. I believe that most of the time speculation is pointless, and we waste time and energy every single day discussing things that don’t affect us and that we can’t control. This is why I’ve decided to share my thoughts to the City High population so that we can all be more efficient with our time.

Things are going to happen, whether we think they will or not. Drumpf may be impeached, or he may not. Liverpool may win the Premier League, and they may not. Speculating about these things won’t change the outcome of them, rendering most discussion of these topics pointless. 

There is a lot of pointless speculation on social media. I’ve read countless Instagram comments about who will be on “The Bachelor,” who will win Euro 2020, and other uncontrollable things that don’t need to be speculated about.  What people don’t realize is that they are wasting their time focusing their mental energy on things they can’t control. I’ve seen the most brainless speculation on social media and it angers me how much more meaningful work could get done in the very limited amount of time we have, being high-schoolers. 

However, speculation is human nature, and some of the time we spend speculating is for the sole purpose of entertainment. The talks about The Bachelor and Euro 2020 are fine as long as one doesn’t spend too much time and energy on them. We all need things to argue about, and arguing about things you are passionate about is good for you. 

Regardless of this, there is a fine line between pointless speculation and informational speculation. Discussing current issues is encouraged, as it leads to learning and considering different points of view. However, getting hung up on something you can’t control will only lead to anxiety and unnecessary actions.  

I always try to be cognizant of my speculation, and doing so has helped calm me down in many different situations. For example, I auditioned for the All-State orchestra last Saturday, and after my audition I started speculating about whether I would get recalled. Then, I reminded myself that worrying about this won’t help me and that I should just let what happens happen. When I got recalled with possibly the best cellist from West, I accepted it. Whether I get in or not is uncontrollable. I’ll just do my best and let life go on.