Finding serendipity and falling off ski lifts

KAITLIN GOODHART
FEATURE EDITOR
@itsskg

    Those who ski or snowboard traditionally tend to rant about how amazing it is and how peaceful the scenery can be. I needed to experience the awesome feeling of snowboarding for myself, and after that experience I would take one look at these people and think, how is falling in a pile of wet, cold snow fun? No thank you.
Growing up with Canadian parents you would think I would love the snow and have some awesome snow sport super powers. Instead, my family preferred the heat of the cabin and the views of the snow from the windows.
College is a very stressful time, for most of us at least, and we forget to pay attention to the lack of serendipity we have in our lives. We are so focused on balancing our busy schedules, we don’t balance in me time. Up until last weekend I was comfortable getting my peace and quiet from a yoga studio. After being manipulated into going snowboarding in Brian Head, I took one look at the ski lift and saw my life flash before my eyes.
I managed to make it onto the ski lift and while going up the hill staring at the action figure sized people, I forgot about everything that I had been stressed about. For the few minutes this serendipity feeling lasted,  a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. This feeling made me realize how much unnecessary stuff I was worried about. As students, we worry about every little detail in our lives from exams to the amount of water we should be drinking each day. The stress we create for ourselves causes us to sacrifice small things that make us happy.
It’s pretty amazing what five short minutes of serendipity on a ski lift can make you realize. Imagine what an hour of complete me time would do; you could probably cure cancer. Stop sweating the small things in life and take a second to reevaluate what is actually important and what seems to be important.
A small amount of stress is healthy; it keeps you motivated to succeed. But too much stress can be harmful to you physically and mentally. It is safe to say we have all experienced a mental breakdown. Don’t make the mistake I did and get too lost in your serendipity while the ski lift is approaching the top of the mountain. You will not be ready, you will fall off, and it will be extremely embarrassing.
Be selfish everyday and do one thing that makes you feel happy, alive, and at peace with yourself. Don’t be afraid to try something new, even if that means falling off of the ski lift. You never know, falling in the cold, wet snow can be more relaxing than you think.