Why you (and me) need to leave the house.

    I'm sure you've all heard of the saying, 'You only live once.' And I'm also sure you've heard that time seems to go faster as you get older. Well, these are both, at least in some way, true. Time, or at least our subjective perception of it does seem to go faster. Not due to lightspeed time dilation or anything fancy, but simply because the older we get, the fewer new experiences we have. If you think back through your memories, I'm sure you'll find that many more seem to fall from when you were younger, experiencing so many new things. But, the older we get, the more stable things become and the more the days start to blend together. I'm sure that especially during covid, you felt everything meld together into some amalgamate memory. Well, how can we stop dying so fast?

    The answer is simple: Do more. You only get one life, and you shouldn't spend it obsessing over grades and higher-paying jobs. Find a balance that works for you. Be willing to try more new things, and spend more time outside the house. I might sound like a hypocrite for writing this, seeing as I spend a large portion of the day in my room, but do as I say, not as I do. But I think that helps reinforce how hard it can be to enjoy life. When everything around you is telling you to sit down, study, get a good job and continue the cycle with your kids. But what will you have to look back on after all your hard work? When your body isn't capable of doing the things it is now?

    As a society, we need to value recreation more. And just vacation in general. It's ridiculous that you're called 'Lazy' for taking a vacation. If it was such a crime, why do businesses give you a vacation? There's nothing wrong with some time for yourself, and the people around you. Spend time with friends, family, pets. Take a moment to just stare at the beauty of the planet we live on. And just think about what you really want to do with your life. Once you chose a path, you're more or less locked in. So, chose a path with some side routes.

    

    So, overall, I think we need to try more new things. Like traveling, new foods, new hobbies, new skills, new anything! Find something you enjoy, and own it. It doesn't need to be 'productive,' or 'useful,' it just has to be something you can enjoy thoroughly. Stop spending time inside the house, and explore the thousands of miles of beautiful earth all around you. This is the only life you get, so make it one you're proud of.

- The Real David Alexander Negromo-Osagie Black