I never thought I'd consider getting a tattoo. I never thought my mom would be keen on the idea, either. But my family is full of surprises.
I was scrolling through Pinterest on my computer, adding pins to my 'Ink Ideas' board and growing inspired with each passing design. My mom looked over my shoulder every few minutes to give her opinion—I reassured her I wasn't getting carried away. I'd made a timeline for myself: find a tattoo, commit to the idea for at least a few years, and if I still liked it by the time I was twenty-something, maybe have it done. It's perhaps a too responsible way of thinking.
"If you're going to get one, then it should be something that tells you to calm down," she said.
I think it was meant as a lighthearted joke, but it stuck with me. Since then, I've been looking for designs that accomplish just that. As funny as it sounds, I like the idea of having a permanent reminder on myself to breathe. It's like a checklist with one easy step.
There are a handful of things I need to do before summer ends. Finish my summer reading. Complete scholarship applications. Write this blog post. On top of that, pack for college. Sometimes, I lie awake at night after a full day of interning and think, What am I doing? I agreed to fill my summer with all of these activities fully-aware that I'm going to college this fall. When did I give myself permission to do that?
Writing has always been my hobby—a creative outlet I used to de-stress from senior practicum hospital rotations and piles of homework. But because of college and my PR internship, it's slowly becoming the focus of my work and education. And I love that! I never imagined I'd start a blog, take an honors writing course, or get published in the local newspaper. But it also means I need a new hobby.
These past few weeks, I've made a conscious effort not to write for a few hours each day, regardless if I'm working on a blog post or short story. It's easy to overwork yourself when most of your time is dedicated to one thing, so creating outlets for yourself that are separate from school and work is key to preventing burn-out.
I'm by no means an athletic person, but whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed, I like to go on runs. Putting my headphones on and watching the sky fade from blue to orange in the evenings never fails to clear my mind. Additionally, I've been attending a beginner's aerial yoga class at my local studio, where I stretch, take deep breaths, and feel the blood rush towards my head in an attempt at the inverted butterfly.
I don't have a set schedule for exercise. When my brain becomes cluttered with to-do lists and bouts of self-doubt, I know it's time to go for a run or schedule a yoga class. I treat it like deleting the hundreds of unnecessary pictures on my phone, or cleaning out my room. It's an immediate reset button. That said, I hope to develop some sort of routine when I go to college. I even signed up for UT Tae Kwon Do! (I haven't attended since middle school—wish me luck.)
In addition to physical activity, I think it's important to feed your inspiration in your downtime, which is my excuse for reading books and watching television. My go-to comfort reads all have protagonists who study writing—"Fangirl" by Rainbow Rowell and "Again, but Better" by Christine Riccio included. One of my favorite television shows, "Jane The Virgin," follows an aspiring writer who faces tough love decisions, crime lords, and an accidental artificial insemination. Though I definitely don't relate to these characters 100%, their passion for writing drives me to become a better writer. Their stories inspire me to create my own.
Of course, I wouldn't be able to do this without the friends who encourage me on a daily basis. Spending time with them is my favorite way to de-stress. Whether I'm ordering pho after yoga, line-dancing at a Filipino sports festival, or getting horrendous tan lines at the beach, I forget all of my worries when I'm with them. Knowing I have close friends to confide in makes my endless to-do list incredibly easier to face.
So yes, I still have to finish my summer reading, apply to scholarships, and pack for college. On top of that, maybe find a tattoo idea that I can stick with for a couple years. But by taking a step back every now and then to recharge, gain inspiration, and spend time with my friends, I know I'll be able to get more done without losing sleep.
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