Hold On

Posted by Dr. Irma Lopez on
November 30, 2020
Emily Harrington free climbing in Yosemite National Park.

“The final stretch is the hardest part”—you’ve heard that saying. We are nearing the end of the semester, and getting to the finish line after months of preparation can be tough. Negative feelings must be overcome or a disastrous outcome could result.
 
This is best shown in endurance athletes. Earlier this month, Emily Harrington became the first woman to free-climb El Capitan, a 3,000-foot-high monolith in Yosemite National Park, in under 24 hours via the Golden Gate route. She used only her hands and feet to pull herself upward; ropes and other gear were there only as a safety measure.
 
As a student, I spent three summers working at Yosemite, so I am familiar with El Capitan. The thought that somebody could climb such an awe-inspiring rock is mind boggling, but Ms. Harrington did it. A New York Times article revealed two strategies she used to surmount the challenge--worth keeping in mind as we prepare for final exams.
 
1)  Keep a constant pace. Knowing how to pace yourself while studying for finals is crucial to finishing the course. Emily Harrington knew she had only 24 hours to complete the climb if she were to be counted among the elite group of three men who had done it, so she carefully planned and timed her route in 41 sections and stuck to it. She gave herself some latitude in her timing for unanticipated situations, and it paid off: in the hardest section she slipped, which left her with a nasty gash in her head and a moment of panic. She fought to regain control of her emotions: “I kept thinking, ‘Why am I still hanging on?’” she said. “The final five pitches felt scary in my current state, but I pulled over the final lip at 10:30 p.m. in disbelief.” She had completed the ascent in 21 hours, 13 minutes, and 51 seconds.  
 
2)  Bring out your mantras. At this time in the semester, it is a mental battle. You are worn down by university life and struggling to stay focused. What do you say to keep yourself going? Repeat this saying as you finish the different segments of your studies so you stay on schedule and in good spirits. Harrington repeated the following mantra as she climbed, and it kept her calm, focused, and motivated: “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.”
 
I wish you the very best of luck as you prepare for finals. I would like to leave you with an inspiring quote from Emily Harrington to remind you that what we strive for is possible if we take up the challenge we have set for ourselves with hard work and a positive attitude. She wrote, “Impossible dreams challenge us to rise above who we are now to see if we can become better versions of ourselves.”
 
Here is a link to the article on Emily Harrington, with a photo of her climbing the sheer face of El Capitan.