Natasha Bedingfield once sang, “I’ve got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine, I’ve got a love, and I know that it’s all mine.” As Emma Stone once proclaimed in her role as Olive in Easy A, this may be the “most annoying song ever.” But what she didn’t say was how much of a true message the song contained. Having a place where one can go to self-meditate, relax, or just get away from the world is something everyone should have. Especially in college when it becomes all too easy to get wrapped up in the routine of going to class, working, studying, and trying to squeeze a social life into your schedule.
Going to college is hard enough without having to leave the comfort of home and when seeing your family on a daily basis becomes seeing them only on holidays and those occasional weekends when the laundry has become the new carpet in your room. You’re used to having to do homework in high school, but the homework and studying in college is like comparing a run in the morning to a 5K: hard and exhausting. These changes come fast and won’t stop because you’re feeling insecure and unprepared. Being able to adjust is essential.
As a sophomore in college, I still feel overwhelmed at times and have that feeling of bolting. For me, my escape lies in a small town called Dexter in Maine. The rustic cabin on the lake that my grandfather helped build has been a constant place where I can reflect on life and just enjoy myself. Now I’m not saying everyone travel over 1,000 miles to get to their destination – that’s just how it played out for me. I’ve been going to this cabin about every year since I was born, so I naturally found comfort in going there (although I recommend choosing a place where airfare doesn’t burn a hole in your wallet).
It also depends on the person; those who would rather pull out their own hair than step into a place with no cable or Wi-Fi would probably not enjoy something out in the country. So find a city, a favorite hotel, or even somewhere on campus. You’re never going to find anything if you don’t look. Because trust me, when the time comes–and it will come–where you’re on the brink of dropping out of school and moving to some Amish village, you’ll want someplace to calm you down and keep you sane.
So whether you’re an incoming freshman and the time comes when your roommate just won’t stop irritating you with her messiness, loudness, or friendliness with all the local boys, or a senior losing your mind over what to do with your life when college comes to an end, find a place. A place where you can go to forget about these problems and just get away from the world, if even for a few hours. So during these first few weeks of school when the homework and studying will never again be this light, explore. Get to know your campus and city, and you might just find your own escape. Because sooner or later you’re going to find that the white noise of life is going to get to you. And when it does, go away to your own pocketful of sunshine for a sweet escape.