Tuesday 30 January 2018

Life’s Playgrounds: Finding Small Moments in Larger-Than-Life Experiences

By: Dallas Carter
 
Harlaxton Manor, even though a thick fog, is grand and beautiful. If you ever take a quick glance at it from the top of the back gardens, it will almost appear fake — as if someone is holding a postcard against the landscape.

            Living and studying at Harlaxton can be a surreal experience and is undoubtedly one of life’s bigger moments. Our lives are full of these moments. From graduations to birthdays, we all experience events and opportunities that seem bigger than ourselves. There is a certain magic to these moments, but sometimes we can go too far trying to make these experiences perfect.

            In the case of Harlaxton, a busy schedule in the manor and trips every weekend can begin to feel overwhelming. When we put too much pressure on events to be perfect, we can fail to enjoy our experience.

            When I was in middle school, my mother and I took a trip to Chicago to see One Direction in concert. At the time, the trip was a huge moment in my life and I wanted everything to go exactly as planned. Of course life isn’t perfect, so neither was the trip. We could have focused on the fact that I forgot to pack my outfit for the concert or complained about the bad weather, which had ruined our beach day. Instead, we looked past the inconveniences and focused on the small unexpected moments of joy.

            On the four and a half hour drive home from Chicago, we stopped at every rest stop and played on the accompanying playground. We discovered jumbo seesaws and wooden-bench swings. We didn’t take any pictures or make any Facebook posts about our stops, but when I think back to this trip, the playgrounds are what I remember the most.

            Upon arriving at Harlaxton, I had plans and ideas of how my semester was going to go. I wanted everything to be perfect and had high expectations for my every moment abroad. But I now have to remind myself to find the playgrounds alongside my study abroad experience.

            Whether it’s exploring Harlaxton village on a rare sunny day, eating cheese and grapes in a small village square, or listening to “The Clash” while drinking hot chocolate at a local café, small moments influence our larger experiences.

            My first weekend trip to London is a perfect example of little pieces making up the bigger picture. We got lost trying to find Kerb Market, but stumbled upon a local college campus and got a peek into student life in London. The pub we planned to spend a few hours in after our walking tour was full, but we ended up eating at a pub that locals said has the best bangers and mash in London.

            Each plan that falls through or situation that becomes stressful is simply another opportunity for a new moment. We didn’t find the market, but I now have amazing pictures of the streets of London that I wouldn’t have gotten before.

When we look back on our time at Harlaxton we aren’t going to remember the missed opportunities, but the times we laughed and the happy memories we made. We will remember the little moments of joy hidden throughout every day. So even if your classes are hard or you’re homesick or you miss a train, take the time to find one of life’s many playgrounds and swing for a while.

No comments:

Post a Comment