You don’t have to leave forever to feel “free”; it can be as simple as leaving on Friday and returning on Sunday.
Something I think people don’t utilize enough is the idea of leaving just for the weekend. People often get caught up in work, school and extracurricular activities that are time-consuming and often draining. And when the weekend approaches, relaxing at home or in your dorm sounds like the most appealing option.
I myself am also no stranger to that experience.
However, I realized that when I fill my time with things I enjoy and that bring me fulfillment, I feel more rejuvenated than I would from virtually doing nothing. One of my favorite ways to spend my time is on short road trips. Leaving on a Friday and coming back on a Sunday is enough time to experience and do things you don’t have time to accomplish during the hectic week.
I remember one weekend, I almost canceled a short trip because I felt too overwhelmed with assignments.
Instead, I got my things together. I spent the weekend somewhere unfamiliar and had a great time connecting with many people and trying new things. When I got back on Sunday, I felt refreshed and ready to complete the unfinished assignments that didn’t take nearly as long as anticipated.
Having exciting plans to end the week is also a great motivator to complete everything you need to get done, so that way you can actually enjoy what you have planned without stress hanging over you. I think our society has a way of overcomplicating things when most of the time it really is simple. We convince ourselves that joy and excitement have to be extravagant or perfectly planned, when in reality, they can be any break from your normal routine.
Everything in life isn’t permanent; not your college schedule, not your current worries and not even the people and places you are currently surrounded by. It’s important to enjoy things now and experience as much as you can. We waste so much time waiting for the “perfect time,” but life doesn’t slow down to provide you with the perfect time.
Our lives are like seasons, changing constantly and never the same. No chapter lasts forever, and neither do the opportunities that come with it. Don’t miss the small windows that give you opportunities to learn and grow.
Gwen Stefani’s “What You Waiting For?” captures this mindset perfectly. It’s a reminder that you have the power to create a life you are excited to live. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple “yes.”
You don’t have to leave forever to feel free; freedom doesn’t always look like moving away or starting over. Freedom can be packing a bag on Friday and coming back Sunday with new memories and perspectives.
The beauty of your life is that you are in complete control of yourself. Understanding that no matter how busy or overwhelming life feels, you can allow yourself to experience all the ways you can feel “free.”