Everyone needs a happy place. Whether that is a state of mind, a physical location, or both, it’s one of the few solutions to making it through life. I’m writing this from my happy place, which is both a legitimate location and a frame of mind: Milliken Park.
Being outdoors in the sunshine, especially following a long spell of rainy confinement, fills me with bliss and childlike excitement. (I mean this in every sense of the phrase. My friends and I got to the park, dropped our stuff in a patch of shade, and I ran a few circles around them, doing my little happy jig.) Even though I have piles of homework to be done, being outside in the fresh grass, wrapped in a blanket, listening to birds chirping and the wind rustling the leaves makes homework a little easier. It takes me away from the school mentality and allows me to return to my own appreciation for learning, not just simply getting an education.
Away from the humdrum of school paraphernalia, I can relax and enjoy the time I have to myself in an environment that is tied to no obligations. The occasional (and often accidental) nap is always refreshing, waking up in a Narnia-like world beside a textbook that brings me back to reality. It’s not altogether unpleasant.
When I can’t get out to Milliken Park but still crave mindless downtime, I bundle up in a cozy blanket and binge watch Parks & Recreation. Not equivalent to the wonders of the Park, but certainly good enough. A little mindlessly innocent laughter can do the world a bit of good.
Long story short, if you’re struggling with being overwhelmed with obligations and assignments, maybe it would be in your best interest to take a break! Go visit your happy place. Whether it’s driving around with the windows down, scarfing down a Cookout milkshake, or vedging out in front of a TV or laptop screen, so be it! A small amount of mental relief can never hurt, and hey, maybe your happy place will be just what you need to get you going again.
