Recently I took a trip to Palo Duro Canyon in Texas. I went with my roommate Anita and our two friends Katelyn and Kiersten. Not only was it a beautiful day outside and perfect for a hike but doing a weekend road trip with my friends was something we've been trying to plan since we met. An important part of the college experience is making memories with those who mean the most to you. I met these girls in August and it feels like I've known them for years, we have so many laughs together and this trip was so satisfying.
Satisfy's dictionary definition is "to fulfill (a desire or need)", and boy did I need a day trip like this. Being disconnected from the world was probably my favorite part of it all. No cell service in the canyon meant no Snapchat or text messages to cloud the experience. Most of the time my phone was in my bag and my attention was on my camera and my friends. We need more time in our lives to really set aside and focus on whats going on in the moment. With crazy lives and a full college schedule that can be tough, but it really is essential to your mental health and overall happiness. So I challenge you, my loyal reader, family member or friend, next time your phone is about to die (and you don't NEED to for communication or work) let it die. Or go to that event with your phone on do not disturb, do not be afraid to find a spot out of cellphone reception. Obviously be safe and smart about this but not having access to the online world, is not always something to panic about. If hiking or an adventure isn't your speed or won't fit into your schedule, a nice bubble bath with your phone in the other room or a movie night with friends - phone free, are also perfect ways to disconnect. I'm not trying to preach to you because this is hard for me to do, but during this trip, I made memories and had laughs that I wouldn't have had if we were trying to choose the right filter for our Snapchat or figure out the right caption for our selfie.
I hope you guys enjoy these photos (aren't my friends just the prettiest!!) and can take a step back from the hustle and bustle of your crazy everyday lifestyle every once in a while to disconnect from the everyday world and reconnect with yourself a bit!
