This past winter break, I found myself reading All About Love by Bell Hooks which taught me so much about relationships, friendships, and self-love. One of the important takeaways from the book was the importance of living in the present moment and the appreciation of stillness. Going back home from a busy semester felt very weird. I was used to taking a full course load of classes on top of a busy work schedule, volunteer hours, and more. I found myself in the bad habit of trying to do productive things all the time, whether it was picking up an extra shift at work or spending hours on my computer trying to find internship postings for the summer. As a senior, learning how to live in the present moment and appreciate stillness is incredibly important. I am at a point in my life where I am getting ready for a huge transition. While some of my friends have full-time jobs lined up for them post-graduation, others are still looking for a job or even planning out their applications for graduate school. We are at a point in our lives where anything is possible and can happen.
One way that I practiced stillness over break was by spending time reading. When I was a child, I used to spend hours reading on my Kindle. Once I went to high school and was reading for class constantly, I did not make the time to read for fun at all. Reading over the break, for me, was a way to tap into my inner child and spend time away from my phone. I learned over break that scrolling through my social media platforms constantly was not benefiting me in any way. While I spent all of my time at home, it was a bit hard seeing some people make the most out of their winter break whether it was going on vacation or experiencing new things. Spending 30 minutes to an hour reading was a great way to dial off and take a step away from the FOMO.
In addition to reading, engaging in less planned activities made me enjoy the present moment more. I am a huge planner and having a mostly open schedule left the room to get away from those habits. The best days that I had over winter break were the ones where I did not have much planned out for the day. Whether it was spontaneously meeting up with a friend to shop at Target or going out to the mall by myself, I enjoyed not having much planned out and seeing how things went. While planning is important, there is also beauty in going with the flow. You learn so much about letting go of things you cannot control, doing the most with what you have, and getting a newfound sense of appreciation for the little things.
As a senior, there is so much pressure to know exactly what you will be doing post-graduation. There were many times when I stressed out about what was going to happen and what would be my next adventure. However, I learned to not stress too much about what will happen next in life and enjoy what is going on right now and at this moment. Take a moment right now to revel in your surroundings. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and just be still — you will learn so much.
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