Ah, spring break.
It’s the time of year college students all across the country take a break from drinking and partying for more drinking and partying. I’ve never been much into the craze of getting as drunk as possible and standing on a beach with two million other inebriated 20-somethings, but a part of me has always felt a little left-out. Not because I particularly like waking up the next morning with a hangover and someone else’s pants, but sometimes I envy the freedom of my peers. Such a carefree attitude, one of party now, consequences later.
It seems all my life I’ve been little miss goody-two-shoes, always trying to get ahead in life and never really living in the moment. I spent summers in middle school taking classes so I could take advanced classes in the fall. I never took part in the traditional vacations in high school or college. Even now, with the short week of glorious freedom from class I have coming up, I’m planning on doing homework.
What is wrong with me?
I do it to keep up my GPA. Apparently that honors cord is worth more than my sanity. I think I’ll write a note, so when I finally keel over from stress they can be sure to chisel a fancy 3.70 on my tombstone.
No! I refuse to let it end that way. This year, I’m going to act like the college student I’ve always wanted to be. I’m going to be crazy, enjoy life and not worry about anything. Watching the Aztec basketball game last night was a good start to living dangerously–I know nothing about basketball! But I need to kick the intensity up a few notches next week; push life to the edge a bit. Perhaps I’ll start out easy by staying up past my 10:30 bedtime. Heck, I might even try to make it to midnight once or twice. Perhaps I’ll shake off the one-piece swimsuit and rock a bikini this year. Maybe I’ll get even more crazy and jump in the pool less than 30 minutes after my fish taco and margarita lunch. No room for diets or wussies here!
Just because I’m not venturing to Mexico (I’m good at getting lost there) or one of America’s top “Spraang Breaaak” (that’s how the cool kids say it, right?) destinations doesn’t mean I can’t have fun in the sun at home. There are plenty of things I can do here in San Diego. For example, perhaps I’ll go hiking–it’s quite a trek to my mailbox and back. We have a great beer scene here as well. I just have to make sure I’m wearing my ID bracelet, because I know I’ll be pretty gone after one or two sips. Hopefully someone will find me and return me home like a lost puppy. Now that’s an adventure!
Spring break doesn’t have to be the best time in life, but it doesn’t have to be the worst, either. I feel good about my decision to finally act like the teenager I should have been 10 years ago. Maybe this will be the start of a new, adventurous life for my still young self. I can still be one of the cool kids, too, right?
