This weekend I was lucky enough to visit Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville, IL, a place I have been dying to go to for a couple of years now after some friends and I had tossed around the idea but plans had fallen apart.
I'm lucky enough to be in good shape and heat tolerant (not saying I still don't work on these aspects though!) So, I broke off from the group after our tour, looked at some of the less explored spots, and *might* have illegally climbed one of the mounds. (I didn't know! There were no signs!) I also hiked up the largest mound (the one in the picture), which is totally allowed. The grounds plus the museum made for a great trip, I hung around for at least 3 hours checking out the sites.
Now, did people look at me oddly considering I was a young woman, alone, and wearing more hiking gear than most of them? I don't know actually, maybe they did, but I was having too much fun to notice. Wouldn't I have rather waited for a weekend when someone else was in town to go with me? Let me tell you, friend, there is no time like the present. I'd rather not waste my weekend in a Starbucks on my computer looking at everyone else's great summer adventures. I'd rather make my own. Following my own 50 Per Cent Theory, I'm working on doing the things I want and diversifying my life. I work hard during the week, I meet new people and exercise in the evenings, I read and learn new skills (I have officially mastered the Rubik's Cube after a month and a half of practicing), and during the weekends, I do even more. I go to concerts and movies by myself. It's not the terrible awkward ordeal everyone makes it out to be, it can be great actually. I cry, laugh, and dance freely and reflect on everything as it's happen. (As always, I try to be safe, which does rule out some events). Do I still harbor some little day dream that if I go out by myself some amazing guy will approach me and ask me out? Sure, but as soon as I get to where I'm going I end up getting caught up in the moment and forgetting all about that.
I'm so sick of seeing article on websites like Elite Daily saying that being single/introverted/alone is great because you can eat pizza and be lazy all the time without anyone judging you. Being alone isn't great. Life is great. No matter who you are with or without. Just because you are alone doesn't mean you have to be lonely. It's not about your relationship status or your friendships even, because sometimes you are caught somewhere where being with your friends isn't possible. Just being in the moment and doing things for yourself can change the way you view everything in your life. And later you will have great stories to share and places to show people.
I'm lucky enough to be in good shape and heat tolerant (not saying I still don't work on these aspects though!) So, I broke off from the group after our tour, looked at some of the less explored spots, and *might* have illegally climbed one of the mounds. (I didn't know! There were no signs!) I also hiked up the largest mound (the one in the picture), which is totally allowed. The grounds plus the museum made for a great trip, I hung around for at least 3 hours checking out the sites.
Now, did people look at me oddly considering I was a young woman, alone, and wearing more hiking gear than most of them? I don't know actually, maybe they did, but I was having too much fun to notice. Wouldn't I have rather waited for a weekend when someone else was in town to go with me? Let me tell you, friend, there is no time like the present. I'd rather not waste my weekend in a Starbucks on my computer looking at everyone else's great summer adventures. I'd rather make my own. Following my own 50 Per Cent Theory, I'm working on doing the things I want and diversifying my life. I work hard during the week, I meet new people and exercise in the evenings, I read and learn new skills (I have officially mastered the Rubik's Cube after a month and a half of practicing), and during the weekends, I do even more. I go to concerts and movies by myself. It's not the terrible awkward ordeal everyone makes it out to be, it can be great actually. I cry, laugh, and dance freely and reflect on everything as it's happen. (As always, I try to be safe, which does rule out some events). Do I still harbor some little day dream that if I go out by myself some amazing guy will approach me and ask me out? Sure, but as soon as I get to where I'm going I end up getting caught up in the moment and forgetting all about that.
I'm so sick of seeing article on websites like Elite Daily saying that being single/introverted/alone is great because you can eat pizza and be lazy all the time without anyone judging you. Being alone isn't great. Life is great. No matter who you are with or without. Just because you are alone doesn't mean you have to be lonely. It's not about your relationship status or your friendships even, because sometimes you are caught somewhere where being with your friends isn't possible. Just being in the moment and doing things for yourself can change the way you view everything in your life. And later you will have great stories to share and places to show people.