It’s 8:00 AM on a Friday morning. As I brush my teeth, I have one thing on my mind: today is acai bowl day.
It’s 11:00 PM. I’m finishing up the last bits of my homework while getting infuriated at how many people in my GroupMe don’t know when the midterm is. As I snap my computer shut, the sound of drunk girls walking down to frat row reaffirms that it’s time for me and my roommate to change into our “going-out” outfits. We get into our matching UCLA hoodies and sweatpants and walk over to Westwood Village while commenting, “It’s so dead tonight!” We say this regardless of whether there’s a hoard of girls lined up at SNU or if it’s genuinely empty because it helps us (delusionally) believe that the rest of the world is not having fun if we’re not at the scene. As we walk over, we chat about whether we should re-enter our frat era, what we liked and didn’t like about Sofia Richie’s wedding dress and re-analyze the same interactions for the 50th time.
It’s 11:25 PM. We’ve reached dipnmix, our house of worship, sanctuary and the site of our weekly tradition. If you’ve never been to dipnmix, the sketchy vibes (they open at 4 PM and always have random girls hanging out in the storage room) make their desserts taste even better. Dipnmix genuinely has the best crepes and acai bowls (unlimited toppings!) but it’s the experience that brings us back every week. The entire thing is mildly chaotic, time-consuming and a thrilling opportunity to people-watch. There are minimal social interactions since you order at a kiosk. The best part is, there seems to be a different girl making the bowls every week. Once, while we were waiting for our order, two girls wearing the Urban Outfitters corset top and leather pants walked out from the back and started making our orders. It tasted immaculate!
Tip: Sometimes, it takes up to 30 minutes to get your order. It really depends on who’s on shift (or whoever just came out from the back room) so remember that this is just a part of the journey.
It’s 11:50 PM. After eavesdropping on girls who ditched the frats early or random groups gossiping, our acai bowls are ready to go. We make an effort to eat less than half the bowl by the time we reach our dorm because the next step is crucial.
It’s 12:15 AM. As soon as we reach our dorm, we quickly change into our pajamas (club shirts we’ve had since 6th grade) and then put on a show while we munch on the rest of the bowls. The warm bed, blasting AC, cold dessert and top-notch entertainment just ties everything together. The latest show we obsessed over was Jury Duty.
As you can see, my roommate and I’s tradition is extremely simple and low commitment. There are no big risks, financial demands or planning required. But when I think about what makes me most happy in life, my Friday night walks to dipnmix are one of them. I love that I get to spend at least an hour just catching up and de-stressing with my roommate. Something about walking at night seems to encourage honest vulnerable talks and a sense of deep appreciation.
The one and only rule is that we don’t stress over what needs to be done tomorrow. College can become so overwhelming quickly, regardless of whether you plan out every hour of the day. Some days are extremely difficult, some feel strangely empty and some just feel monotonous. Being intentional about devoting time to small things that make me happy has contributed significantly to learning how to prioritize balance in my life. It doesn’t have to be getting an acai bowl every Friday night but if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, creating small traditions that you can look forward to every week can be so helpful!