Or you doubt that “it all” means anything. Your roommate makes Phi Beta Kappa while you can’t remember how to say “Hello” for French exam in seven hours. You are certain to fail, you’ll never get into law school, and meanwhile your philosophy final makes you doubt that we can even talk about things like “French” and “you” and “law school” with any meaning. And then you imagine trying to explain that problem to your cousins over Christmas break. It’s no wonder every semester a Dean sends out a letter reminding the student not to judge his self worth during the cold, dark, lonely days of examinations, days of staying up until the sun rises again and you wonder whether you will ever go to sleep — until that ill advised nap right before your paper is due.

One might imagine that religion is designed quite well for this. But in times where people find time for four hour walks with friends and noontime naps, no one has enough time to go to religious services. My e-mail inbox is full of desperate pleas for people to make a minyan, the ritual quorum required for most Jewish prayer. Chevrutot, traditional one-on-one text study, fell by the wayside during the last few weeks of classes. And I wonder whether a commitment to “all that religion stuff” would make these days easier. I also wonder what we think we’re doing at college if we don’t have time for real, holy learning.

Of course, I also whether we can talk about “we.” So maybe today isn’t the best time for wondering. Back to economics.