College life has a way of being all-consuming. As midterms come and go, finals loom over our heads, and we mute Canvas notifications to feel some semblance of peace, it can be hard to feel like we’re ever truly catching a break. As a college student, it seems normalized to believe that if we are not actively studying for the next exam or spending every waking moment working towards building that resume, it is a waste of time. We can always be doing more. Right?
It can be hard to remember that life is so much more than a letter in the grade book. This is why two of my close friends and I decided to book a weekend trip to New York City in the middle of the quarter, spontaneous and irrational to some, but it was exactly what I needed.
There is something incredibly special and almost magical about stepping outside of your daily routine and choosing to experience something new. For me, that was experiencing the beautiful New York skyline, stepping outside of my comfort zone, and experiencing something so remarkably different from my day-to-day life. It was a weekend spent trying different matcha lattes, shopping in SoHo, people-watching in Central Park, and seeing the sights that I have only been able to witness on TV. It became a prevalent reminder that there is so much of this world to experience far away from our own college experience. Even in the smaller moments, giggling over dinner, getting ready for the day with my friends in a hotel room, or navigating a new transportation system, there is something so exciting about experiencing the new, creating memories that you will not forget.
This trip has made me realize (or perhaps remember) that we college girls deserve joy, rest, and adventure as much as we deserve a good grade in class. I see it as less running away from our responsibilities, but getting to know ourselves and the world. When expectations are constantly being thrown in your face from school and work, it is easy to forget how to just enjoy the day. It is a humbling feeling to look around and realize how expansive the world is, how much there is to see and explore, and how insignificant our lives seem on a bigger scale, something that travelling to a new place makes you reflect on.
A weekend away doesn’t have to mean travelling across the country, like my friends and I decided to do. It could be exploring a new part of our own city that you haven’t seen before. Maybe it could mean just going home for the weekend and visiting your loved ones. Perhaps it looks like reconnecting with a part of nature you haven’t reconnected with yet. What matters is the concept of adventure and exploration. Rest and relaxation. The reminder that you are more than the stress of academics brings.
My trip to New York reminded me of why I chose the stress of being a working college student: so I can have the privilege of experiencing new places with my friends. It gave me the space to breathe, relax, and the ability to come back to school with a newfound motivation and gratitude for life.
So! I say book that plane ticket. Make a Pinterest vision board. Rally your friends. Save your money. Take that trip.
You won’t regret it.