For me, my summer's are usually spent traveling to places across the United States whether it be Florida or somewhere out west. I honestly felt like I was extremely cultured compared to people in my small hometown (and I probably still am), but my mindset has completely changed this summer. So many people I have met at college have gone abroad and for some this isn't their first time in the last year! People are not only going to Europe, but to Jerusalem, Australia, and parts of Asia...places I can never imagine going. I catch myself thinking I will never be able to spend a semester away like that...
This summer I have one vacation planned which I leave for TOMORROW (!!!!) and I am so excited to be headed to Charleston and to be somewhere new. This is rare that I do not really go anywhere until the end of the summer, but this is partially due to me being in summer school.
But with social media, I feel like my weekend trip does not equate to the dozens of girls who have studied abroad or who have gone to exotic places with their families. I know social media is just a highlight reel of everyone's trips because strangely enough, many people say upon returning from their abroad trips that their time was actually very lonely. And I just sit there like ???? You were on the trip of a lifetime.... (Disclaimer: I am not trying to put down people who went abroad, I have been abroad before for a few days and it was amazing!)
I honestly do not handle jealousy or FOMO very well. I feel like I haven't done enough with what I've been given and this summer I really found myself thinking like this. Inevitably, I have unfollowed the people that I don't really interact with, but are constantly going places this summer. For me, this is a way of me making strides to compare less and enjoy what I've been given more (no matter how harsh people may think I'm being towards others). I just have to remember that I cannot always sit and be down on myself about my current situation and to instead relish in my slow, easy summer before the school year kicks in because honestly after the school year I had, I really did need time to get myself together mentally more than a trip thousands of miles away. I know that my trip with my mom will be more meaningful to us given the season of life we are in at this very point in time.
For those of you who have spent their summer at home and/or close to home, have you felt like this?
xo,
Bailey
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