By Emma Chastain
One of the more wholesome and inclusive trends to come out of this year of restrictions has been the “romanticize your life” trend. It is inherently individual, inclusive, and not something that you can only watch someone do on their TikTok or Instagram, wishing that you were them. The romanticization of one’s life is a personal experience, and can be different for everyone. What will make you feel as though your life is more poetic, adventurous, and fulfilling? This, for some, may be taking better care of themselves physically, writing short stories, or going on adventures. The latter seems to be just out of reach for a number of reasons. Travel is expensive, and as of the last year or so, dangerous, and in some cases, downright irresponsible. However, there are countless ways to make the most of your summer break by taking smaller, local (to California at least) adventures.
There are 51 State Parks in the Bay area alone. Granted, they might not all be enticing enough for your desired adventure, but many of these parks are within a two hour drive. Muir Woods National Monument is one of the few places in the world where redwood trees grow, and is only an hour away. Mount Tamalpais State Park, about 39 miles from Benicia, or a 52 minute drive, also has redwood trees. Pack a lunch, wear the right shoes, and don’t worry about hotel stays because money doesn’t have to completely control your adventures. Day trips can be just as adventurous as week-long planned vacations. If you plan it right, they can be even more so.
San Francisco is a world famous city, filled with countless cultural influences. Museums such as M.H. de Young Memorial Museum (“the de Young”) and the Legion of Honor have free Saturday visits for Bay Area residents. Pieces of history from thousands of years ago are right at your fingertips. Going to “the City”, as many of us call it, doesn’t have to be such a strictly planned, expensive event. Ferry tickets are only $7.50 each way for people under 18. We do not often enough enrich our lives with the rich resources that many people pay thousands of dollars to see.
Instead of spending time consuming videos and pictures of people romanticizing their lives, figure out how to do it for yourself. How many of those posts will give you happy memories? As a generation, we need to take advantage of modern opportunities rather than letting modern technology rule our lives. Experiencing art, nature, and culture isn’t a taxing, pricey endeavor. There isn’t an excuse for not letting yourself have these adventures, regardless of how small.
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