School breaks are an ideal time to re-evaluate the way you have been living your life; to reflect on the last few months, and plan for those that are coming up. They’re also a great time for relaxation and vacation. Over our winter break, I went along with my family on an eastern Caribbean cruise in the days after Christmas. I was overwhelmed coming out of finals week, adjusting to life back home, and the hectic coming-and-going of family around the holiday. Going on this cruise was not only a nice reprieve, but it pushed me to think about my life and the future. Today I will be sharing the five things I realized about leading a good life in those four days.
- Disconnect from the internet.
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In a world where people are ever more tied to our phones and the arbitrary societal expectations they create, I continually become more and more stressed about “keeping up.” Everybody wants to be on trend, to keep up with whatever is going on in pop culture and the news. On a cruise, you often do not have internet access unless you pay for it, and as crazy as it sounds, I enjoyed it.
People my age have been attached to our phones since middle school, so the idea of not being able to contact anyone or not keep up can seem a little scary. What will happen if I can’t be socially relevant? The answer I discovered is pretty much nothing.
Obviously, in this society, it is impossible to not be on a computer or phone, but even taking a few days away from social media or your phone entirely, if possible, can give your life perspective. Take the “me time” and stop worrying about what’s going on with everyone else – focus on you and focus on the good.
- Nourish yourself.
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On a cruise, one of the best parts of the ship itself is the food. Whether it’s each evening’s sit-down dinners, or the 24-hour buffet and ice cream, food is everywhere, and it’s good. I know my parents say they prepare to gain weight on each trip simply because they love the food so much. This emphasis on nourishment, or perhaps over nourishment, is even more exemplified by the availability of alcohol everywhere. People tend to go overboard.
On dry land, people have an issue of under-nourishing themselves. Our culture has been perpetually centered on diet for 150 years, and there is constant pressure to conform to the images of others. What I realized is that always having food available can be a good thing for a lot of people. It can ease a food scarcity mindset and encourage people to nourish themselves. Just slow down, and listen to what your body needs; don’t overindulge.
- Go outside.
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Ok, this one may sound like a dumb addition to the list, but as a person who hates going outside, this was a revelation to me. On a cruise ship, there are many things to do, but most people choose to spend their time sunbathing or swimming. I’m not the biggest fan of swimming, and being a redhead, I can’t tan, so sunbathing feels pointless.
What I realized is that breathing outdoor air, and feeling sun on your face is (shockingly) a great way to feel grounded and energized. Standing outside and literally touching the grass can work wonders for many things, like grounding yourself or stopping a cycle of negative thought. Even in the winter, breathing in some nice cool air can soothe my brain. So as simple as it is, make a point to go outside or at least open a window each day, stay in touch with the world’s natural rhythm and not the increasing pace of society.
- Get Involved.
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This is something I’ve always tried to do but going on this cruise put this in perspective for me. My family and I decided to check out “one-hit wonder” trivia on the first night of our cruise. Though the crowd was mostly people over 60, it was still fun to guess along, especially since I love music. Somehow, I ended up winning this competition, and as I walked on the stage to accept my cheap medal, I realized that what I had been missing in my first semester of college so far was involvement in activities.
In high school, I was a student involved with many activities, and though it could be too much at times, I highly enjoyed them. But in being overwhelmed with moving all the way up the coast to go to college and simply starting a new chapter of my life, it had been a bit hard to do that. As humans, we need community, and people need acquaintances with similar interests (even though it’s great to have friends with all different interests too). Do something to reach out to your world – make something with people, join a club, volunteer, or just do something that gets you out of your room and into the company of other people. It can be so hard, but it’s worth it.
- Explore the real world.
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The point of a cruise is to travel, right? To see some new places, be exposed to new cultures, and put your life in perspective are the common goals of travel. You don’t have to go far to find perspective in other cultures and places. Even getting in the car or on the train and going somewhere you haven’t been is both refreshing and exciting. You get to see and learn something new, and you can see there is still a world rich in culture beyond what people all share as a society through means like the internet. Whether you’re in Boston or the rural Midwest, California, or the swamps of the Florida Everglades, there is variance in the real-life culture right where you are. I implore you to go out and see it and find other cultural happenings that are occurring near you.
In summary, sometimes people need to shift their perspective to take care of themselves. As humans, we deserve nourishment, access to the outdoors, exploration, involvement, and a world outside of the internet. If you pay attention to these needs, you can live a far more focused and perhaps more productive life.