The first returning week from school is very unpleasant. Especially if you spent days under the sun relaxing, engaging in leisure activities, drinking yummy beverages, not opening your laptop and/or reading a book. Sounds like a week everyone wants. Well, my week, like others, was the exact opposite.
Spring break in college has expectations. I really wanted to get out of the cold for a week, but time and money got in the way. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to many wonderful places in the past couple of years, but I was feeling eager to go away somewhere for the week. Then I took a step back. Traveling is a privilege. I’m surrounded by many hardworking individuals, and feel a sense of guilt when I get to travel and they don’t. With everything going on in the world at the moment; I looked at the bigger picture. One week of spring break travel wasn’t going to change my life.
So, what did my week off entail?
-I watched my boyfriend’s dog for two days.
-I spent my mornings and most evenings playing rummy and/or solitaire.
-I went to see “The Batman” movie (I recommend it).
-I watched a lot of the news.
-I went through my closet and donated/sold some clothes.
-I hung out with some friends from home.
-I completed some homework for the following week.
-I perfected my skincare routine.
-I cleaned my mother’s car and my car.
-I ate dinner with my loved ones.
My point is that my week was far from boring, even though my mindset prepared me for a very boring week. Sometimes a relaxing week is exactly what humans need. I probably wouldn’t have had time to complete the things I listed if it was a normal week. Say I went to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, I most likely would’ve felt way more behind since I wouldn’t have done homework on vacation. In fact, I’m glad I went home.
Another matter that I’ve realized when I go home is how much I want to get out of my hometown. Obviously, it’s wonderful to see my family and old friends, but other than that, the small town reminds me of so many things I dislike. The place also provides a sense of comfort since I grew up there, but as I become older, I aspire for newness. I believe that’s why travel is such a key role in lifestyles. It helps you forget about your real life, usually for a short while or can help grasp a need for an entire change.
Another element that contributes is social media. The majority of people choose to post the good aspects of their lives. Vacation is one of them. A couple of nights I laid in bed scrolling through sunset pictures, beach photoshoots and group tropical bar pictures. Who wouldn’t want to be in their shoes?
I learned from this past week off. I love alone time (sometimes a little too much), so that could be a huge contributor to my findings. The next time I’m on some kind of break and don’t participate in travel, I will have a completely different outlook.