This past weekend, I left Worcester for the weekend for some quality family time in New Hampshire. It is a tradition in my family to ski with our family friends every President’s Day weekend, so I figured I would keep it up, despite no longer living at home. It is not every weekend I get to see my family, plus the chance of a non-Kimball dinner and a room for one is a very tempting offer.Â
We skied for two days at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, NH. My family and I are moderate skiers I would say, usually sticking with the greens and blues. However, my brothers and I were eager to try a couple of black diamonds this time around. I wiped out on ice not once, not twice, but three times! While that was not ideal, we all need to be humbled every now and then. I enjoyed catching up with my family friends and spending time with my parents and brothers. This included watching a lot of curling on the Olympics, going out to eat in Lincoln, and playing board games.Â
While this may not sound like a necessarily fun weekend as a college student, this was exactly the weekend that I needed. Going out on the weekends with my friends is always a good time, but a change of pace, specifically to a calmer pace, is important. I felt well-rested, less stressed, and rejuvenated for the schoolweek ahead of me. I felt no FOMO either. I knew what I was missing on campus, and that it would be there in future weekends. I enjoyed this past weekend with my family just as much as I enjoyed the previous weekend out with friends. They were both fun, just different kinds. I hope this quick story serves as a reminder that choosing a slower pace for the weekend is perfectly normal and valid. Whether you leave campus or not, a weekend away from the going out scene can work wonders, if you let it.