There are many things that I could tell you about the summer I lived in Louisiana. I could tell you that there is nothing that could prepare you for the heat and humidity. I could tell you that southern accents are incredibly charming and southern gentlemen do in fact exist. I could explain how beautiful it is to just sit in a kayak surrounded by lily pads in a pond. How vibrant and alive New Orleans truly is. The thing is that every place in our world has a different pulse, no place can ever be exactly like another. Living in Abita Springs helped me flourish because it forced me to experience life from a new perspective and to appreciate my freedom.
I quickly learned that there would be obstacles (mostly in the form of mice, sometimes snakes). The quaint little cabin we lived in gave us some of the most unexpected and best nights of our summer. I fell in love with everything about this place. The humid air hit me like a wall when I first arrived, yet when I left I missed the sticky coat I was used to wearing everyday. The beautiful thunderstorms that would rise suddenly, would be gone just as fast as they came. I enjoyed riding a bicycle to work in the mornings, my hair constantly smelling like chlorine and living in my lifeguard suit. Falling into bed at night exhausted and reading until I fell asleep was one of the most peaceful things. The cabin began to feel like home, Abita Springs began to feel like home.
There aren’t many days that go by that I don’t think about what that summer gave me. This sweet southern town gave me a sense of happiness and freedom that I would not have felt had I stayed in my comfort zone at home. I couldn’t possibly fit the entire story of that summer into just one small article. The point that I do want to get across is that we don’t have as much time as we think we do, especially as college students. If you are given the chance to turn your world upside down and rediscover yourself, your beliefs and your truest passions then don’t resist. Whether you are given a unique opportunity or a chance to do something drastically different from what you’ve always chosen, you should take it.
When you challenge everything you know by discovering new things, you will also discover new things about yourself. I sought freedom and adventure, I wanted to be spontaneous yet independent. That summer strengthen my bond with my best friend, taught me to appreciate nature and serenity, and gave me new pieces of myself I had no idea I had. I left that summer knowing I would miss Abita, but I knew that it had given me something that I would keep no matter where I went, confidence in myself. If you are given the opportunity to travel, meet new people, find a different way to live then I would encourage you to take it fearlessly.
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” -- Henry Ford
