On Monday night, already tired of the week, my roommate turned to me and said, “Do you have plans for the long weekend?” I was thinking about all the assignments and due date notifications on my phone screen, and how my weekend would look, trying to finish everything on time, when she suggested taking a trip for the weekend. I laughed it off at first because it sounded insane. Thursday night came around, and we were at the airport, no itinerary, no plan of action, just flight tickets and accommodation booked. I decided to say yes.
The days before booking the trip were full of hesitation. I thought about every possible reason why this trip was the worst idea ever: due assignments, upcoming exams to study for, and the money being spent on flights. It kept adding up, and felt like the most irresponsible decision ever. But then, I thought about what made this trip a good idea, and said yes before I could talk myself out of it. And I’m so glad I did!
Saying yes to the trip gave me so many opportunities that I would have never encountered by endlessly working on homework. My roommate and I already got along really well, but traveling together and navigating through an unfamiliar setting brought us so much closer. That’s when I learnt how different it was to live with someone and travel with them. Along the trip, there were many moments when we didn’t agree with each other, and we got through the situation by learning how to accept our different opinions and find the best solution. As someone who usually enjoys travelling alone, I was forced to accommodate another person. There were many instances of miscommunications and misunderstandings, but we learnt how to communicate with each other and really understand each other as individuals, not just roommates. We would disagree during the day, but by nightfall, we would be enjoying pizza or immersed in taking in all of the city views.
I always thought I was a spontaneous person, but going on a trip without an itinerary stressed me out. I needed at least some structure, but we had nothing. This was a new experience for me, and looking back, it wasn’t bad at all! Walking around the city with no idea where to go next gave me the chance to walk into a bakery that looked interesting and have the best slice of lemon cake I have ever had. I probably would not have walked into that place if I already had a place on my itinerary. This taught me to embrace spontaneity and sometimes allow impulses to take over. I gave myself the chance to explore an unfamiliar city and find peace in the chaos. I saw that the simple and imperfect moments mattered more than planned perfection. Growth isn’t always planned; it is chosen. You choose to grow by allowing yourself to do something differently.
This experience forced me to look back and think about how many opportunities I missed out on while overthinking, all because I wanted to stick to the routine, something that felt familiar. This trip was the best idea ever, because when else will I escape my routine so freely and see the world? Being in a small college town is really fun, but taking trips out to the city shows me how much more the world has to offer. The assignments, classes. And the endless routines will be there when I return, but the chance to take trips like these will be rare.
You won’t remember the week you stayed in, but you will remember the trip you took to escape reality for a while. The most memorable parts of your life are the spontaneous happenings, not the planned details. So say “yes” before you overthink it.
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