In the spirit of my first post in this series on the “qualities of an adventurer”, I’d like to share my deep, deep appreciation for my partner in crime (study session crime, that is…): Pandora Radio.
Pandora’s endless array of music options has kept me going through long nights of studying, nights that might start with “The Black Keys Radio”, transition to “That’s What I Love About Sunday Radio” and end with “Schuyler Fisk Radio”. I’m sure you all can relate to the joy of hearing the first few notes of one of your favorite songs and the excitement that comes with checking the thumbs up to ensure that the song comes up at a later date; those moments are enough to keep anyone going through an endless date with an Organic Chemistry textbook!
For me, the best part of Pandora is the element of surprise. No matter how many thumbs up’s or down’s you click, you can never be quite sure of what song is going to slide into the viewing screen next. In this way, the wonder of online radio is an adventure in its own right.
This week, I’d like to invoke a little power of evolution on this series. Instead of focusing on the qualities that make up an adventurous person, let’s take a look at one of the quintessential features of any good adventure: the element of surprise.
Surprises are not only present in every good adventure, though; they inevitably pop up throughout the course of everyday life as well. Whether you like surprises or hate them with every fiber of your being, you’ll have to agree that this aspect of life makes adventures more accessible to everyone. If all it takes to start out on an adventure is waking up and getting out of bed, people who don’t necessarily have the desire to travel to exotic lands or try an extreme sport have the opportunity to enter into the realm of exploration.
Sure, it can be difficult to “take the plunge” and trust that you’ll be able to face whatever surprises life throws at you. We wouldn’t be human if we never doubted the rationality/logistics/safety of certain situations or ourselves. However, if you can learn to get high off of the anticipation of the unpredictable elements in life, you will never lack adventure.
Approach your week with this new perspective. Don’t be so quick to frustration when surprises change the course of your day; think twice before clicking the thumbs down for that bewildering song on Pandora Radio. View life as though every day is a new adventure and look forward to the surprises that keep it interesting!
I’m going to defer my final remarks to Helen Keller, who said it best when she said, “Life is either a great adventure or nothing.”