Some people have a natural ability to locate places or things, or in some cases, they can actually read a map. In other cases, some people are absolutely hopeless when it comes to this. I'm happily one of those people. I can stare at a map all day, but when I don't know what the building I'm standing next to is, getting lost and not knowing where I'm going just makes life interesting. It can also be frustrating because I end up staring at a bunch of shapes on a screen for 20 minutes attempting to read a map.
I never hated not knowing where I'm going or where I end up. I mean, yes, it sucks. It sucks even more when you end up in another state. When this happens more than twice, it's easier to remember which roads to turn onto. Thankfully Indiana and Kentucky are close enough it just made the trip 15 minutes longer than it should've been. However, I love telling people a drive to a museum, that ended up having been shut down, turned into one of the funniest stories I've ever told. Not only that, but I found a part of Louisville I fell in love with and sadly cannot remember the name of.
Being a huge fan of everything local, I loved every store I passed and discovered the Please and Thank You coffee shop. Not only that, but as I was walking around, I noticed the spaces in between the buildings had strategically built green benches and game tables.
After that extreme encounter, I never wanted to get lost again, even if I found some of the coolest places I've visited in Louisville. Sadly, I'm still not great at getting where I need to be without getting lost. At least the next time I got lost I was on campus.
Alot of people find the same places on campus their "thinking spot" - the library, the fountain, or the SAC. Happily I know mine won't be the same spot that many others have. I know I can't stay in those spots for hours on end since they are in hidden parts of buildings, but for just a short reprieve, they will do. I know people don't like to go outside and explore because they don't know where they are going, but sometimes that is the best part. If you don't know where you are going, what's the big deal about getting lost?
It is seriously okay to get lost.
I've gotten lost on campus, in the city, and even in the music I listen to. I have nothing bad to say about it in hindsight and I'm glad about that. Now when I'm around the areas the places I found are, I feel more comfortable and can actually recognize some surroundings now. In the end, I have some fun stories from turning down a wrong street and finding something else or just stories where I admit my embarrassment from crossing a state border.
If you wanna get lost, go ahead, and to make it even more interesting, bring a friend.
