Sometimes I forget the beach exists. I’m so caught up in running from my internship to my classes to my job to club meetings to Payson that I never look up to recognize the beauty around me. I never slow down for a second to just remind myself how lucky I am to go to school somewhere as beautiful as Malibu.
I, like many other students, often fall into the trap of filling every second of every day with various activities organized with the sole purpose of building a resume. It’s hard not to in a place with as many opportunities as Pepperdine. But while that 4.0 GPA and endless extracurriculars may seem like the best ways to entice a potential employer, they leave little to no room for self-care, fun or an intentional appreciation of our environment. As Socrates said, “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.”
When my friends invited me to watch the sunset at Zuma on Sunday, I almost said no in favor of homework and chores. But once I saw the sky shift orange over water so blue that it literally seemed to glow, I couldn’t believe that I had even considered staring at a book in my room instead of soaking in the wonder just outside my door. In those moments, I felt peace for the first time in weeks.
Staying busy can feel like a necessity for success, but there’s so much more to life, and Malibu, than work and school. There’s a whole magnificent world of beauty waiting beyond your commitments. All you have to do is lift your head and see it.
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Follow Ryan Harding on Twitter: @ryanhardingCA
