College can be a stressful place. The constant deadlines, studying, trying to balance a social life, while attempting to plan your future can get very tiring at times. According to recent studies, college students are becoming more and more stressed, with high levels of depression. It is important to take time to get away from college and relax, even if it is just for a few hours.

Recently, a group of friends and I went on a day trip to Maine. I didn’t even realize it was a mere hour and a half car ride from Boston, and it was a fun ride with friends. We arrived at the seaside town of Ogunquit and ate some incredibly tasty seafood at a local lobster shack. Sitting out on the deck watching the boats go by and listening to the sounds of the oceans instantly made me relax. The small town perched along the coast with cute boutiques and small finishing boats dotting the docks emitted a feeling of peacefulness often lacking at school. The laid-back vibe and the beautiful weather made it feel like a vacation. I tried clams for the first time (not a huge fan) and was taught how to eat a whole lobster. Some pretty amusing memories were made.

Then we went for a walk along the coast line, climbing over rocks and tidal pools, clambering to the edge. There were barnacles, mussels, crabs, algae, and tons of little crevices which captivated our attention. It was fascinating and fun to go on an adventure which seemed so different from our usual walks around Boston, even though we were less than two hours away. Once we realized the tide was coming back in, we quickly headed back to the bluff and walked around the town. While we were only in the town for a handful of hours, it felt like we could totally put our worries about school behind us and just live in the moment. Everyone needs a breath of fresh air every now and then, and it feels great to get out and do something new.

While it may seem impossible to leave campus because of all your commitments, if you spend the couple hours you usually dedicate to Netflix to leaving campus, you may be surprised what you find. As soon as we returned to campus, we returned to the rhythm of college, but it was very refreshing to take a break from our usual routine. Take the time to recharge for your mental health and because you’re young and in college. This is a great time to make memories with your friends and I guarantee 20 years from now you’ll be laughing at the ridicoulous things you did on your random trips.