"Life only happens once."
It's a simple thought and yet an overwhelming one at the same time. Life only happens once. You get one chance, one opportunity, to make of the most of that moment. The clock is always ticking, the seconds flying by as time succumbs to the boring blur of routine.
But for me, this week was anything but ordinary.
I woke up this past Wednesday around 7:30 am, made myself some avocado toast, and sat down to start my makeup. Thinking I was just going out with my mom, I was in no hurry, taking my time getting ready. Out of the blue, my phone starts buzzing, my close friend's name and picture lighting up the screen. I pick up in a hurry, wondering if something was wrong.
Instead I hear, "Want to go on a spontaneous beach trip?" Taken aback, I stutter to form a response to her question but end up with an eloquent answer of "Uh, um, hold on, let me check with my mom." With mom's approval, all of a sudden I was racing to be ready in 15 minutes to go off on some unknown wild adventure.
After getting picked up, my friends turn to me and go, "We're going to Big Sur by the way." For you non-Californians, Big Sur is a three hour drive from where I live now—not exactly a casual drive. We started driving south, planning to get there in time to beat the lunch rush. Opting for a coffee stop an hour into our drive, we continued on south, fueled by soy cocamochas and lattes.
Driving along the sheer cliffs that dominated the northern Californian coast, I felt a sense of peace washing over me. Music blasting, windows down, it felt like nothing could go wrong in that moment. It was the stereotypical sort of summer adventure, but I was more than happy to spend it with good friends. After weeks of being stuck at home, falling into a dull routine, this trip reminded me that it was still summer. Sure, I was eager to be at college already, but I realized that this carefree summer would never happen again. Most likely, I would never get the chance to be this spontaneous with my friends again either. This summer was rife with opportunities and in my haste to get to college already, I had missed out on some of them. I had missed out on being able to make memories with the people I would be far apart from in just a few weeks.
I had missed out on living this summer because I was so concerned with my future life at college.
As we come to an end to our summer, I want to remind all you college freshmen—anxious and excited to leave already—to make the most of your few remaining days here. The summer of 2016 will only happen once. Take the time to talk to old friends who'll be across the country in a few days. Or go out for food with someone you might not have seen this entire summer. Or even have an actual talk with your parents without mentioning something to pack for college.
Make the most of your time here Class of 2020. College is just around the corner, but don't forget all the people you've met and experiences you've had here—at home. No matter where you're headed off to in just a few days, home will always welcome you back with open arms.
