True Life: I Over Analyze

I find myself over analyzing people, situations, and questions, way to often for my taste. In some scenarios this can be a good trait to have because I take the time to make a plan or really figure out my options. Therefore, this can often be helpful in academic situations when it comes to writing papers, making observations, etc. However, other times I find it can hinder my ability to make a decision or take a chance or misinterpret what should be a rather simple concept.

This can be an annoying vice because it causes me to stress out or make things a bigger deal then they really are. For example, more than once this semester, I have stressed myself out thinking that I did horrible on a test or an assignment. After worrying for a week or two waiting to get my grade back, I come to find out that I actually got a pretty decent grade and that I stressed myself out by nit picking all the things I thought I did wrong.



Sometimes, over analyzing can make your social life harder as well and social media doesn’t make it any easier. I don’t know how often I have thought someone was mad at me or completely misinterpreted a situation because of facebook comment I saw or a lack there of facebook comment. I find this also often happens in text messages, where we assume someone is saying one thing when they are saying another. Therefore, after getting a sarcastic comment or receiving a really short text I find myself trying to find the meaning behind this and how to respond accordingly.

This vice also use to hinder me a lot when it came to the opposite sex because I would over analyze my feelings for someone. If I really liked them, would we work out, does he like me? Then if he does like me how should I act? Over analyzing all these things makes finding someone you like a whole lot more stressful then it needs to be. It also has kept me from taking chances because I am so busy over thinking that I miss my opportunity.



On the fun side, my over analyzing has made me really good at being a “detective.” By this I mean I find that I can often figure out plots to movies or books before I should, especially when I know there is a twist. Although this can be kind of annoying to others if I share my thoughts during the movie, it is quite fun for me. For instance when I watched the movie Shutter Island I knew there was going to be a twist. Therefore about 15 minutes into the movie I guessed the ending just by analyzing a few things in the movie. I can also remember predicting the bad guy and ending to the movie Angels and Demons about half way through the movie by the way the scenes were set up, the lines they used, and the way the character was acting. Although my friend I was watching it with was kind of annoyed, he couldn’t help but be impressed by the accuracy of my over analyzed prediction.