On a whim this past week, my friend and I decided to do something out of the ordinary. Summer can get monotonous at times, so when an opportunity comes along to switch things up, taking that opportunity can lead to a lot of fun and, perhaps, something to learn. My friend and I's out-of-the-ordinary opportunity came in the form of an indoor trampoline park. What we learned was that sometimes, unleashing your inner child for a day can be the best thing you do for yourself.
We walked in sort of apprehensive. First of all, even though the park is marketing toward kids and adults alike, it seemed very much so geared toward mainly kids. That's not counting the fact that Kidz Bop was blaring throughout the place. The bright lights, the arcade games, the vibrant colors -- it all appeared to be a kid-like place. Here we were, two college students, totally out of our element, thinking we just made a mistake paying so much to walk inside. However, once we got into the place and started to explore, our apprehensions disappeared.
First of all, trampolines are fun.
I had not bounced on one in years, and let me tell you, it was such a cool experience getting to bounce on one again. I soon found myself running across them and seeing how high I could propel myself. My friend did most of the same. We then went over to this area with trampolines that led to basketball hoops. Instead of dribbling the ball on your way to the basket, you became the thing bouncing. Surprisingly, it is much harder to make a basket when you are bouncing than when you are on solid ground. Food for thought.
After this, we made our way over to the foam pit. This was where the real fun happened. There were three ramps and a trampoline that you could use to propel yourself into this pit. Being the only two people in the park, we decided to make full use of them all. Screaming YEET with all of my strength, I ran and twirled in mid-air to land ungracefully in the foam.
I probably looked like an idiot, but I had so much fun.
We spent the next hour or so going between the foam and the trampolines. We made fools of ourselves, especially when we collapsed to the floor crying with laughter upon hearing the Kidz Bop version of Crazy Frog by Axel F. come on the speakers, but by the end of it, we both appeared from the empty trampoline park laughing and truly happy we came.
Sometimes, you're going to look like an idiot. Sometimes, you're going to do things that are silly, such as throwing yourself into a pit of foam while parents look on in confusion. But, sometimes we need these moments. My friend and I both have said it was the most fun we have had in a while, going to the park and acting like kids again. As busy college students and adults, we should give in to our more childlike nature and just have some fun every now and then.
You may look silly, but you owe it to yourself to have some fun. Go to your local trampoline park, playground, or amusement park and just let yourself relax and enjoy it. Give up the worries of adulthood and just be a kid again when you have the chance. The reward you will have mentally will make all of the silliness and potential (probable) embarrassment worth it.
Happy bouncing!
