Free Time: oh what to do...
Situation: you're a recent college grad with maybe a day or two to enjoy life without the crippling pressure of employment, the future, and what to eat for dinner.
Solution 1:
Have a cat or two and just watch them (while you're also taking care of them unconditionally) as they are so effortlessly themselves and worry-free.
Here they are in all of their glory! On the left, we have Tom, a sassy, only-wants-to-be-pet-when-SHE-wants-to-be-pet-type-girlie. We love her. In the morning, I have to bring her food to bed (not pictured) because she is such a sleepy girl. On the right, we have Phisher, my first and only son. He is a sweet-hearted boy who will squeeze his way in between you, the rice bowl you just made, and the TV screen--all time is cuddling time.
They're my children, and yes, the white blanket you see is my potential-cat-accident-prevention-shield from my beloved bed. Without these two, I'd be able to take more weekend trips and buy more clothes, but I'd also be sad and more existential.
Apparently, watching cats go about their business is a type of meditation, and when I found this out, they became a part of my mindfulness practices instead of just being free-loaders in my room.
Solution 2:
Sign up for pottery in your last semester of college for one last shot at learning a trade.
Suppose you've ever seen SpongeBob, especially episode SB-129, where Squidward travels through the landscape of time and even past time--you may see some themes. But, if not, that's what these were inspired by--my love and devotion to SpongeBob.
This was my first time working with the pottery wheel, and I'm pretty proud of the resulting products.
Solution 3:
Go outside! Hug a tree! Skip a rock, and if you can't just throw the biggest rock and listen to its ~plop~. Practice knee mobility! Listen to the sounds of water and birds!
Going outside is FREE. Yeah, did you forget? The outdoors is FREE. Except if you support your local botanical garden, hand-pick strawberries, or ride a train through a canyon (or go to New Jersey, where every beach costs money). But it's mainly free, and that's why I love it.
The beauty of nature is taken for granted. Its imperfect symmetry is a wonder to our world. Nature's strength, resilience, and power are scary yet motivating. When I'm overwhelmed, tired, or sad--nature is there for me, with no judgment, no expectations, and if it's an extraordinary day, a little rock for me to sit on.
In elementary school, we had recess (obviously), but our playground was very, VERY special. There was a section of woods where we could climb trees, run through the weeds, pretend to be characters from The Spiderwick Chronicles, or hide from our friends and journal because life as a 7-year-old is hard.
Solution 4:
Write poetry!
Poetry has been a dear friend of mine since before I was nine. Poetry was always there, from being shoved in the back of the family car for 10-hour road trips to being alone and feeling more isolated. To be overtly dramatic about life or get the raging thoughts out of my head onto paper. It is one of the most forgiving and accepting writing practices ever to exist; for that, I'm obsessed.
*Please be gentle here. I'm being vulnerable and sharing my journal with you.
Solution 5:
Sit and stare at a wall, practice mindfulness, or stretch.
No, I will not be publishing a photo of a wall or me looking my worst, staring at it, or stretching...that would be weird.
What I will do is talk about one of the essential practices in my life (and it should be yours too). First, get off the internet when you don't NEED TO BE this is hard for me, too, and it's literally the first step. But once you get that control, anything is possible.
Alright, we have control; social media sites are closed--now what? Sit. Either on the floor, on your bed, in a chair, or whatever tickles your fancy. Get comfortable and think about how your body and the ground support you.
Yeah, it's meditating. I meditate when I walk to school and when I'm having a tough time with, you know, everyday stuff. Sitting with yourself and letting your thoughts be free to go is one of the most liberating feelings.
Practicing this has helped me be more present in my daily life. The present is a present, and sometimes I look for another present, whether in the future, on my phone, or in the past, but nothing quite feels the same as the now. Tapping out of the time world and into the physical world of sensations, breathing, how my body feels when I touch my toes, and just how I feel when I sit with myself.
Being reminded that we are just silly little human vessels on a huge floating rock is humbling and comforting to me.