Given the typical trajectory of the “New Year New Me” mindset, I promptly moved through the five stages of grief for our fallen friend, 2022, on January 1st. Denial of my fading collegiate youth. Anger at the fact that I now have a much less frequent excuse to play Taylor Swift’s “22” as a tribute to the times. Bargaining for any semblance of willpower to actually stick to a resolution this time around. Depression as I scrolled longingly through my Fall Quarter camera roll, missing my friends three weeks long lost. And finally, acceptance (and even excitement) for the beautiful year of memories and growth to come.
In the spirit of fresh starts, this excitement for things to come is naturally paired with a mindfulness of what changes need to be made. Enter the daunting and ambitious promises we make to ourselves for resolution in the year ahead. If there’s one thing that anyone who knows me can attest to, it is that I am a resolution girl through and through. Beyond just New Year’s, my brain settings are programmed with a heavy-handed autocorrect, constantly making little notes to:
- Actually start checking my email 2. Read more, 3. Develop a cooler music taste, 4. Stop biting my nails, 5. Have patience, and etc. etc. etc.
I tried to point my hopes in the direction of making an intentional effort to find excitement, contentment and peace in my life. I scribbled down a lengthy list of means to this end, brainstorming how and why each point could help me to feel more fulfilled. My favorite and most ambitious goal was to commit to an adventure every day.
Because the life of an undergraduate student is one filled with meetings, classes and car-lessness, my friends and I have come to prize these so-called adventures. Any chance where we could escape into nature for a hike, beyond Westwood to a new restaurant or snag last-minute concert tickets served as a mental health checkpoint. While these big excursions are wonderful, a true adventure can take place at any place or any time — it is simply a moment when you are undeniably present in your life, surrounded by love.
My understanding of what it means to adventure shifted drastically on my first day back this quarter when I drove with a friend to HomeGoods.
The day was bleak. The relentless rain soaked through my non-waterproof clothing, physically weighing me down in a manner that seemed to mirror my emotional weight. Despite my instinct to flock to my bed at the soonest moment possible, I was tethered to the promise of accompanying this errand. I went begrudgingly.
Slowly but surely, the love for my friendship seeped into my bitter brain and began adding a rose-colored tint back into life. The effortless conversation, the catching up and the laughter bestowed on me the Midas Touch — the rude employees became a hilarious anecdote; the terrible traffic allowed me to sit with my friend for a bit longer; and the rain would only make the hike we planned to take next week more luscious and green.
What at times had felt like a very bad day was then saved by running a silly errand with one of my best friends. This was an adventure in itself — a mundane moment in life that filled me with so much gratitude and joy. We should all strive to have a little adventure, whatever that may mean, every single day.