Summer is many things. It is sleeping in. Enjoying sunlight and ice cream until 8 o'clock in the evening. Seeing old friends and missing some you've lost touch with. Catching up with family. Reading books for fun until 3 o'clock in the morning. Alternatively, staring at my phone scrolling through Pinterest until 3 o'clock in the morning. In this haze of 80 degree weather, time is split between well-mannered frivolity and laziness. Something about the beautiful weather and lack of commitments lies the perfect breeding grounds for procrastination and stagnation.
Often seen as a chance to refuel and disengage from the hectic demands of the academic year, I feel that Summer is commonly treated as a delusion. A pleasant one. But I see the promise of a 3 month long vacation as a candy-encrusted path to a black hole. Suddenly 2 out of the 3 months have slipped away and I find myself ordering textbooks and buying school supplies in a rush! Not to mention that the monies I worked so hard to earn during the school year have dwindled to nothing thanks to paying off loans and impromptu shopping sprees. Never before have I been so excited to get back to my work study job.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So those lines above are there to represent how long it took me to get back to writing this post. The sun rose and set as the days passed by to really prove my point. (okay, I exaggerate - it's actually only been 2 days) After I renewed my inspiration to write this, I was frustrated with the absence of my muse. Asking why some sentences flow faster than others assumes that creativity is this vessel you can access on command. But that's not how this works. It's more like sunlight. Constantly present, but not always visible or appreciated. We've all had our cloudy days and seemingly endless nights. Despite this, I'm really trying to keep writing - if for my sake only. For now, I'm only really sure that I'm the only one reading this blog (if you're there, friends, please leave a comment!). And that's fine - being satisfied with sifting through my thoughts alone and all that. :)
Speaking of being left alone to ponder life - Summer is the prime time for deep thoughts and conversations. (nice segue back to the main topic, I know ;) ) Especially after leaving for college in the city, the return to my small town home is painted with a new palette of experiences. The difference between "knowing" that there is more to the world and actually having that fact resonate with you is a subtle, but important one. And I know that there's still so much I don't know. I'm only 19. Of course I'm barely scratching the surface on what life has to offer. But being cognizant of my travels through this blog and journal entries (it's a diary if I'm being honest, haha) helps process through the day to day.
Daily happenings don't seem to account for much in the "grand scheme of things", but in actuality, they do. Your today shapes your tomorrow. And every yesterday used to be your today. So "carpe diem"! (Whoo Latin!) Here's hoping I take my own advice.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Hidden Talents: Observations from the Microwave
At the beginning of the school year, you couldn't walk down the hallway of my dorm without saying hello to at least 10 different people whom you made awkward eye-contact with on your way to the water fountains. During the 28 steps from my room (yes, I've counted) I could see into a lot of rooms because during the last hurrah of summer, everyone had their doors open. For, y'know, air circulation. We were also all in that stage of "some of the people I meet here are gonna be some of my closest friends" because we'd all watched Friends and How I Met Your Mother - and where did they meet? oh yeah, in college. The possibilities were endless. "Is it you? Or you?" Having your door closed was never an option. What if you met your new best friends when they saunter into your life through that very threshold? Too risky to slam the door on that opportunity. (Was that pun too painful? Did you even get it? *sigh*)
And every orientation activity, floor meeting, and retreat had the same, "Name, Hobby, Favorite Color, 2 truths and 1 lie" kind of deal. (To help along this frenzy of friendliness) As a result of these games, you tend to remember people by what you first associated them with. "Nicole, Nutella" for example. Yes, the premise of the game was to say your name and a food that you liked which began with the same..oh, you get it. (Nutella is delicious though) Despite the knee-jerk-reaction of "Hey, there's Phil -Peaches" you start to gain a familiarity with the campus.
After the campus has calmed down from the surge in its population thanks to the freshmen class, everything reaches a nice...lull. Now, don't get me wrong - monotony is nice. In a sort of "too numb to mind" kind of way. I'm only kidding. Routine brings a steady rhythm to our generally busy lives and being certain that waking up at 8:45 leaves the perfect amount of time to get to my 9:20 class is a beautiful thing.
As everyone settles into their lives on campus, however, unless you befriended someone, you start to lose track of acquaintances. Typical case of "making the world a little bit smaller". While the initial reaction might be one of isolationism and unfriendliness, that's not the case. I think people are just as friendly. They're just also more comfortable. The residence hall transforms from where you sleep to a type of home. Which I think is lovely, actually.
When this shift happened, I found myself to be discovering all sorts of beautiful surprises. Walking into the building to someone playing the piano. Smelling freshly baked cookies wafting up the staircase. Being offered said cookies (they were delicious). Watching some scenes of The Fight Club as I wait for my ramen to finish cooking. Having a flute practice accompany my late night cuppa tea. When people feel relaxed enough to let strangers in to see their sparks of brilliance, vulnerability becomes mutual. The amateur pianist, stress baker, action film junkie, and night owl musician share with their temporary audience a sense of awe. The shared space becomes an inspiration. A testament to all that led to this fragment in time.
Reflecting on these moments, these flashes of creativity and expression are truly what we live for. As individuals, we each have talents and interests that we choose to pursue. And the fact that I was able to share - for a moment - experiences that encapsulate another's passion is something to be grateful for. I think that finding a love for something that resonates with your soul is fundamental to the human existence - but sharing that love is a precious gift.
And although the moments must end and strangers sometimes stay strangers, we never quite forget those sparks of brilliance we've shared.
And every orientation activity, floor meeting, and retreat had the same, "Name, Hobby, Favorite Color, 2 truths and 1 lie" kind of deal. (To help along this frenzy of friendliness) As a result of these games, you tend to remember people by what you first associated them with. "Nicole, Nutella" for example. Yes, the premise of the game was to say your name and a food that you liked which began with the same..oh, you get it. (Nutella is delicious though) Despite the knee-jerk-reaction of "Hey, there's Phil -Peaches" you start to gain a familiarity with the campus.
After the campus has calmed down from the surge in its population thanks to the freshmen class, everything reaches a nice...lull. Now, don't get me wrong - monotony is nice. In a sort of "too numb to mind" kind of way. I'm only kidding. Routine brings a steady rhythm to our generally busy lives and being certain that waking up at 8:45 leaves the perfect amount of time to get to my 9:20 class is a beautiful thing.
As everyone settles into their lives on campus, however, unless you befriended someone, you start to lose track of acquaintances. Typical case of "making the world a little bit smaller". While the initial reaction might be one of isolationism and unfriendliness, that's not the case. I think people are just as friendly. They're just also more comfortable. The residence hall transforms from where you sleep to a type of home. Which I think is lovely, actually.
When this shift happened, I found myself to be discovering all sorts of beautiful surprises. Walking into the building to someone playing the piano. Smelling freshly baked cookies wafting up the staircase. Being offered said cookies (they were delicious). Watching some scenes of The Fight Club as I wait for my ramen to finish cooking. Having a flute practice accompany my late night cuppa tea. When people feel relaxed enough to let strangers in to see their sparks of brilliance, vulnerability becomes mutual. The amateur pianist, stress baker, action film junkie, and night owl musician share with their temporary audience a sense of awe. The shared space becomes an inspiration. A testament to all that led to this fragment in time.
Reflecting on these moments, these flashes of creativity and expression are truly what we live for. As individuals, we each have talents and interests that we choose to pursue. And the fact that I was able to share - for a moment - experiences that encapsulate another's passion is something to be grateful for. I think that finding a love for something that resonates with your soul is fundamental to the human existence - but sharing that love is a precious gift.
And although the moments must end and strangers sometimes stay strangers, we never quite forget those sparks of brilliance we've shared.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)