by jmccoy3 on April 21, 2022
Campus
Julia McCoy ’22
Calendar notifications. Emails. Schedule planning. Applying for jobs. Oftentimes, college students are always focused on what is coming next and what they need to be planning for their future. While this is certainly important and leads to success after graduation, there is also a need for students to remember to take advantage of some of the more fun opportunities that come about in their four years here.
The best way to do that? Be spontaneous!
Two weeks ago, after the Providence College Men’s Basketball Team made it to the Sweet 16, a number of students made the decision to go to Chicago to cheer the team on. Trips were booked on Saturday or Sunday night for a game that was happening the following Friday. With little turn-around time, students had to jump at the opportunity to go. Although the team did not win their game against Kansas, students who went were excited to have made the trip to watch PC’s first Sweet 16 appearance in 25 years.
Obviously this is an extreme example and one that is not feasible for every student. But that does not mean that spontaneity is not an option for everyone. It can be as simple as going to or ordering food from Thayer Street for dinner on a Tuesday night or randomly going out for ice cream after a test. Even just deciding to take a walk off campus or sitting on Slavin Lawn when it is sunny out can be a nice break in the day. Overall, the importance of spontaneous decisions is that they do not require any premeditated plans.
For seniors especially, there exists an interesting tension in the final semester of college. Yes, you are planning out your next steps after graduation and thinking of what to do after college, but you are also trying to take in the few months that you have left at PC. The ephemerality of senior year will become overwhelming if you are too busy focusing on how little time you have left. As cliché as it may sound, living in the moment is the best way to handle these fears of not having enough time left.
There is of course Senior Week to look forward to, and having a plan of events for our final week on campus will help students feel like they are making the most of the time that is left. However, in those last few weeks of the semester, try and take in all that you can with friends at PC. Whether it is a quick walk to LaSalle Bakery or going to your last few events in McPhail’s, being spontaneous is bound to create lasting memories that will be exciting to look back on.
In the past two years, so many things have been canceled or changed that people seem to be putting a lot of pressure on making things perfect when they finally do happen. Oftentimes, that can lead to a sense of restlessness and anxiety. Instead, as we look to enjoy a continually reopening world, the best moments can be found in quick, spontaneous trips.