adapt

     Adapt, in various situations, is a word most commonly used succeeding an event of significant change. It demonstrates the attempt to come to terms with the circumstances that are at hand and the changes that take place. Not within the extent of our control, these inherent changes in our lives happen whether we want it to or not. They do not take into account our state of mind or our well-being. With or without preparation, being prepared to acknowledge the revision in our lives and to change with the change is fundamental in our daily routines. We have to fit in seamlessly with the unpredictable world of events. It is not so much of a choice we can make. When we are confronted with unforeseen changes in our lives, our first response may be to either run away from it or fight against it. However, no matter how we choose to deal with it, the change has been done and dealt.

     Adaptation is not biased, unlike evolution. Given by its successive and positive connotation, evolution is geared towards a period of improvement. Adaptation, on the other hand, is necessary when we simply need to make adjustments because of a change in circumstance. It is neutrally grounded in the fact that it occurs in both good and bad occurrences, not just the ones that benefit your situation.

     Today, adapt has become a harder word to grasp. The word emerged in the early fifteenth century from the Latin word adaptare, which means “adjust,” coming from ad- (“to”) and aptare (“join”), from aptus (“fitted”). Adapt also meant “to undergo modification so as to fit new circumstances” starting from 1956. To adapt has become something so much more than simply adjusting our routines or recovering from a cold. To adapt is to be able to continue being you in the face of change, to make yourself suitable for the current situation.

     Adaptation can be either simple or arduous, depending on the situation that instigates us to accommodate for the shift in our lives. It is something we unconsciously do on a daily basis. It is fitting the context of our lives in with the much larger context of our surroundings. Due to the fact we are constantly making these changes, having to evaluate ourselves in terms of how we deal with change can be difficult to notice. We make adjustments and react in accordance to the changes in weather, the path we take to school, work or any other destination, the management of our schedules, and the calls and messages we receive without putting much thought into it. Due to the fact we are constantly making these changes, having to evaluate ourselves in terms of how we deal with change can be difficult to notice. But, how can we define ourselves as a certain person with a certain personality if we are always changing? Who are we to say that who we will be seconds, days or even years from now won’t be the same as who we are right now? There are people who will say that there are constant shifts in your life rather than singular, sporadic ones, where some are so minute they seem irrelevant, while others are ineffable in their magnitude. Ultimately, things are always changing. We are always changing to remain parallel with the surrounding world.

OED Online. "adapt, v.". Last modified December 2011. Oxford University Press. http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/2110?rskey=nws0wQ&result=2&isAdvanced=false.

Online Etymology Dictionary. “adapt (v.)”. Accessed November 3, 2012. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=eclipse.