It's official ! I made it through my first week back at school. Granted this week would be the easiest out of the semester with syllabus', the reason I'm proud of myself goes far beyond that.

I took the past semester off from school. While all my friends wee moving their things back in and telling tales of their colorful vacations, I was packing up my things and making arrangements to take leave from the University.

I think what scared me most out of the whole thing was the idea of not coming back. I had the love and support of my family and friends, but knew this break was something I needed. For so long, I have put my happiness, my well-being on hold to be in school and take on new challenges, but those same things were destroying me in the process.

With tears streaming down my face, I made my way back home and did not look back.

The first couple of weeks were rough, I was bored out of my mind, didn't have a job, and all my friends were either at school or busy with their own commitments. This is when I realized I needed to refocus myself, my mind. Reminding myself that this break from school was to better myself.

I began doing more of the things I loved to do, whether I was good at it or not. I went to art museums and fell in love with each piece, indulged myself in every flavor of Ben & Jerry's ice cream until my mouth was numb, ate at fancy restaurants with a wine selection that reach the floor, and opened myself up to new relationships with other creative souls like myself. And in those short 6 months, I evolved.

People always make jokes of others " finding themselves " after brief recesses on life, but I believe I truly did. Without all the negativity I'd been surrounded by previously, I was able to see myself in a new way; a happier way. I can look in the mirror and smile, which is something I wasn't able to do for awhile.

My advice to those reading, don't be afraid to take time for yourself. Granted, my approach in missing a semester of school might not be ideal for you, but there are thousands of non-dramatic ways to be happy. Read a book for fun, go on a vacation, surround yourself with positive talk and people who celebrate your presence, fall in love with the hidden parts of yourself and be amazed at how much you flourish.