A Little Fresh Air

Sometimes I think we all need a little fresh air, something that takes us away from whatever stresses have been placed upon us (French quizzes, Chemistry study problems, and entire plays to be read and analyzed in my case).

This weekend seems to have been a rough one for my entire hall, there have been breakdowns, meltdowns, struggles with roommates- it's a bit like the whole world is finally realizing that the semester has begun, and the hard work that this entails from here on out.

So what do we do? Well, in my book, we enjoy our escapes where we can get them. My Theatre 101 teacher explained that there are three ways to handle conflict in the real world: you can escape from it, you can observe it, or you can tackle it head on. Sometimes, I think we all need to do the first, and there's nothing wrong with scheduling the time to take a day or two to yourself, so long as you continue to be accountable for the work that does still need to be done. Maybe you do your laundry a day early or you spend an extra hour studying for that quiz so you can do something exciting the next day.

I needed an escape this weekend, being far from home and officially in the swing of things has made me a little bit homesick and a little bit stir crazy. So I took Friday night off to go to My Tie with my friends, and I spent Saturday hiking in the area and seeing some really beautiful water falls.

I know that today I have to crack down and get my work done, but I feel better for it because I was able to go a couple things for myself and forge bonds with friends that are just as vital as any class in college, I think.

This is one of the beautiful falls I hiked to yesterday, Rainbow Falls.

Being from Arizona, I don't see a lot of newts or salamanders, so getting to hold one was pretty exciting for me, to say the least.

Admiring Falls Park

We went out on a limb- literally.

Pre-My Tie photo with my friend Anna- every time I see that beautiful background I have to remind myself that I actually live here!