The Flight of Finals

Ya know how geese fly south for the winter? Well I kinda do the same thing when a semester is coming to a close… I call it “the flight of finals”.

It seems I have a theme of running away on a weekend trip the week before finals rather than going into full Rapunzel mode and locking myself away in a room (to study), and while I know that probably doesn’t seem to be the most responsible decision, there’s no changing my ways. I don’t mean to diss anyone that has their mind on the school grind but I find the more time I put towards stressing over finals the lower my scores turn out! So in line with the overall goal of education – broadening your mind – I choose to combine self care and travel to keep myself sane and excited about learning!

This is going to sound super whiney, so don’t say I didn’t warn you, but California is a huge state. This means lots of great options for exploring new places, but also a lot more travel time in order to reach your destination. Probably the most popular NorCal getaway year round is Lake Tahoe; it has boating, paddle boarding, jet skiing, wakeboarding, hiking, mountain biking, snowboarding, sledding, skiing, partying, gambling, should I keep going?

Since Tahoe is such a hot destination we loaded up the car and hit the road before the sunrise, because who’s got time for traffic?! First things first we hit the snowy slopes on the way into town but lemme be the one to warn you; you get some pretty weird looks when two 20-some year olds show up at a sledding park 20 minutes past opening… but it is totally worth it!

To shake the stress of finals we sledded (not as skilless as it looks!), gambled, perused the shops with warm drinks in hand and took in the natural beauty around us! On our way out of town we made a detour past Emerald Bay to soak up the striking scenery and frosty air before heading home.

On the other side of the mountains we stopped in the historic town of Placerville– let’s call it experiencing history first hand for my American History final– a key location in the California Gold Rush and the Pony Express.

The point of all this madness of a 48 hour vacation is simple. Smiles, fresh air and spending time with a loved one are the essential ingredients that make you and your heart happy and healthy… and stressing over a test does not. So take it easy on yourself and embrace the real December full of holiday cheer and not the one built on finals!