The past few weeks I have been in a funk. I sleep too much and am only motivated to do just the bare minimum of my daily responsibilities. I haven't been my best self and I haven't been able to pinpoint the problem.
I was discussing said funk with a good friend of mine at lunch this week and explained my dilemma to him. He came to the conclusion that I needed to "do something." I was a little offended and defensively explained to him that I do plenty! I go to the gym when I'm free, I'm involved on campus, I work hard and get my school work done in a timely manner and I make time for my friends as well. He responded by elaborating on his advice: I need to get out of my routine. I need to go explore or discover. I need a change of pace that will allow me to take a break from my daily life and remind me of what is outside of my bubble.
I thought on his words for the rest of the day and wondered what on earth I could do in this town that could be "different" and not drain my wallet of the little that it's worth. Not even 48 hours after this discussion, I receive a text saying, "Hey!! (Other friend) and I are going to NOLA for beignets in a lil bit if you wanna come!!!"
I immediately responded with enthusiasm and informed my mother that I would be taking a quick trek down the interstate to get some beignets and return the same night. The rest of the evening was filled with a joy that I couldn't have even dreamed up myself. We spent the car ride talking about real things and intellectual ideas and abstract thoughts instead of just gossiping and listening to the same old music over and over. I got to explore the town of New Orleans in my own way and my own time with two people that are extremely dear to my heart that makes everything just a little more exciting. I walked the streets for hours and never really grew tired because I was so glad to just be there in the moment in such an eclectic city with incredibly special people.
I slept like a rock that night. I woke up refreshed and happy instead of groggy and irritated. Those 6 hours of spontaneity provided me the battery charge that I needed. I think sometimes we get so stuck in our routine that we forget to really live our lives. We eat at the same restaurants and we watch the same Netflix series over and over and we stop trying to make new friends. We major in what will make us the most money as opposed to what will give us joy and we stop loving unconditionally and we just start tolerating.
My wish for you (especially students during this holiday season who will just want to lay in bed all day and take a break) is this- Eat at a different chicken place. Introduce yourself to that person you always walk past on the way to your 9 AM. Watch a movie you've never heard of and take a new class at the gym in an area that you struggle in. Take a trip to New Orleans with your best friends and eat beignets just because you have a full tank of gas. Explore and discover. Get out of your funk and be spontaneous and remind yourself that life is too precious to be trapped into a routine.
