Fast paced city life or the empty open road where nothing but fresh air hits your skin and the sound of a pin dropping is the only sound you hear?

Sometimes with all the craziness that is our life, we need to get away and relax for a little bit. We all need a vacation at one point or another, even if it is just for a few days.

Vacations are supposed to be filled with fun, relaxation, and a time to not have a care in the world.

When a person goes away for vacation, they usually try to find a place where there is plenty of cell service, and some kind of Wi-Fi. But, what if a person went to a place with little to no cell service, no available Wi-Fi, and a place where time just seemed to stand still?

A place where you can forget about the world you live in, and just focus on you.

***

In the summer of 2016, I went on a well over due vacation to Poland where I stayed with my grandmother, who basically lives in the middle of nowhere. I mean, farmland and all. From the moment I got there, there was a feeling of emptiness in the air.

At first, this emptiness felt weird and not natural. But after adjusting within a day or two, a person somehow gets used to it. Actually, getting a moment of peace to yourself – don’t get me wrong, I missed cell service, but it was nice to not have to worry.

Time seemed to stand still. I didn’t have to worry about anything that was on my schedule. All those worries just seemed to have disappeared suddenly.

I’ve lived in the city for my entire life. I never really felt stress free while being here. Trust me, I love New York City, but sometimes it gets to be a bit too much.

Every now and then, a person needs to get away and go to a place where there is a feeling of emptiness. Sometimes the city life can just get to a person, and a breather is needed.

I know when I went to Poland, being away from all the craziness that is New York City, helped me clear my head, and I was able to have a better grasp on different situations. I may not have had the best experience while over there, but that walk along the long empty road with my grandma’s dog, did wonders for my mind.

***

Sometimes we get all caught up in the excitement and drama that is our life that we forget to take that quick second to breathe. We forget that we are human, and that we are not invincible. We all need to take a moment for ourselves.

I’ve learned that living in the city, people are constantly in motion. We move all the time and we barely stop. In other countries, they take their time. They are in no rush. We are all in constant motion, we who live in the city, move faster than any other. We never have time for anything. That’s something we need to change in our lives.

Now, I don’t mean you have to go to Poland to go get your mind clear, but I do suggest going to a more secluded area where you actually have to interact with other human beings.

With being in a secluded area, you realize really fast that having your face glued to your cellphone helps no one but yourself. You may be in a secluded area, but the people there actually see where they are going, and actually stop and ask for directions. People actually talk to each other.

Walking is another way to get a hold of your mind, and get it clear. Everyday was a new adventure walking down that old empty road and not knowing what was further down. It gets your mind thinking, and makes you wonder what else is out there.

I know that many of us are facing the last semester of college. Which means time keeps moving faster and faster. We wish time would just stand still. But it won’t. It is all on us to figure out what we are doing after graduation, time to think about paying off those student loans, deciding if we are going to grad school or not, and many more things that fill our minds and bodies with stress. But just because life is moving fast, doesn’t mean we can’t slow down our busy schedule to take a moment for ourselves.

Vacations don’t last very long, but we must find a way to make the best of them. Whether it is for a few days or a few weeks. We have to find a way to just breathe.

Just like our phones, that we seem to be addicted to, our minds need to be reset.

We are humans, not machines.

Just breathe.