Don’t miss out on the simple pleasures in life because of an anxiety of being left behind by society or from the hustle and bustle of work. Sometimes it’s best to destress and ignore the outside world by taking time to enjoy life and thrive. 

This last Fourth-of-July weekend was when a lot of people went camping or visited parks to watch the sky glow with firecrackers. There were also a lot of people simply slowing down to enjoy their well-deserved free time with friends and family, often sitting to chat or catching up on hobbies that they haven’t had any time to pursue. 

This last weekend, I chose to read a couple books (Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie and The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan), sketch (see sailboat image on right), and paint my nails (see image left). I know some friends who went to shoot off fireworks in Wyoming and some friends who finally had a day off to go visit their loved ones across the continent. It was an overall great and relaxing weekend for everyone.

I propose that people should take more time in their evenings to enjoy simple pleasures. Take the time to read for an hour before bed or go sit and sketch the sunset in a park near your home. Simple, small tasks like this can bring joy into your life and can have a huge improvement on both your mood and health, as it allows you to recharge before getting back into the game.

As I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth-of-July weekend, I look forward and encourage more relaxing weekends where time simply slows down for just a moment, allowing everyone to enjoy life. Doing small things like baking your favorite dessert (mmm, cheesecake) or getting to that hobby that you keep putting aside, whether it’s athletic or artistic, can really change your outlook and perspective. Taking some you time always makes a night-in feel amazing. 

Nightlife Writer Anna Hoover can be reached at blogs@collegian.com or on Twitter @Hoovanna_Disny.