Sometimes, as students, we feel this pressure to stay on campus and take advantage of everything that the Mount has to offer. We are told that if we don’t, we will miss out on the college experience. However, there is a whole world outside of the little one we have created on campus. It is just as important to get off campus, to explore the outside world and discover yourself as more than just a student, but as a young adult learning more about the world.
When you get to college for the very first time as a freshman, everything is so exciting. You get to be independent and think for yourself. No parents around to tell you what to do or who to be. You are in charge of your own life and your own decisions. As a freshman you arrive to the Mount and think, “wow, my campus is so beautiful and there are so many opportunities here.” And all of that is very true. With over 80+ clubs, volleyball nets, a beautiful grotto at the top of the mountain, great food, and freedom beyond your wildest dreams, why would you ever leave campus?
Well, the shiny new toy gets old after a while. You get involved with maybe one or two clubs, and you find that schoolwork starts to suck the life out of you and eat away at your time. You get into this cycle of just going to class, doing your work, trying to remember to eat, and then every once in a while you attend a club meeting. For some people this is a fine way of living out your college days, but for others it can become a boring routine. Of course, you can always take a walk around the beautiful campus when you feel swamped with work. Breathe some fresh air, sit in the grass, make some friends, and enjoy the breeze. All of that is great, but what happens when it starts getting cold?
I don’t know about you, but cold weather has this debilitating effect on me where it feels like everything is dreary and there is no point in getting up. This is how I felt all week while looking out my window and not seeing a single soul outside braving the sheets of rain. It felt isolating to stay on campus day in and day out in my little side of the dorm room. It is in these moments where I realize that it is important to get off campus.
Sometimes, as students, we feel this pressure to stay on campus and take advantage of everything that the Mount has to offer. We are told that if we don’t, we will miss out on the college experience. However, there is a whole world outside of the little one we have created on campus. It is just as important to get off campus, to explore the outside world and discover yourself as more than just a student, but as a young adult learning more about the world.
I know that being in the small town of Emmitsburg, there doesn’t seem like there is very much to do, but a 20-minute drive in either direction can be really good for you mentally and physically. That 20-minute drive helps you clear your mind and think of something other than school. In downtown Frederick, you can weave in and out of lots of little stores and restaurants and explore everything from an antique hat shop to a vintage soda pop shop. On the other side, you have Gettysburg, where you can explore any of the many coffee shops and stores where they sell everything from soaps to crystals. Just getting off campus and walking around these stores and restaurants on a rainy day or even a day where you just feel overwhelmed by the stresses of being a college student, can help a lot. Take off the “student” hat and put on the regular civilian hat. It is truly a healing experience to get out of the four walls of your dorm and just go out to have fun and get away.
If you don’t have a car, then I urge you to enjoy the breaks that we have and enjoy being with your family and friends back home. Cherish that time you have with them and go to the grocery store with your mom or the movie theater with your dad. This Fall Break, step out of the student mindset and enjoy your time just living.