HOW TO ESCAPE CLINTON, NEW YORK (PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY) 198CollegeHillRd Clinton,NY

Picture this. You’ve finished your last exams and submitted your final papers before embarking on a much-needed and well-deserved break. Whether it be fall, Thanksgiving, winter, or spring break, every single one of us knows the grind of the last few days all too well. It’s the only thing standing between you hitting the road to your childhood bedroom, white sand beaches, and everything in between is the travel between Hamilton and wherever your final destination may be. Travel is often more stressful than it should be: the journey spent thinking about traffic, assignments you might’ve forgotten about, grades you’re waiting on, etc. However, if you’re physically leaving the hustle and bustle of college, you should be able to mentally escape as well. Travel is what you make of it, so no matter whether you are traveling by bus, train, plane, or car to home or your break destination, there are always ways to make it enjoyable, relaxing, and fun!

Make a playlist! If you’re driving alone, carpooling, or on a plane or train, make a playlist. Depending on how you are traveling, you may not be able to belt out your favorite Taylor Swift song, but making and listening to a collection of your favorite songs is a sure way to keep your spirits high during what could be a long journey. And if you’re alone in your car or with a friend or two, have a karaoke session!

Sleep! This one is pretty self-explanatory. As long as you’re not the one driving the car or bus or flying the plane, sleeping and slipping into dreamland is a foolproof way to pass time.

Play road games. Try to find license plates from as many states as you can! If you’re driving through multiple states, the chances of finding at least a few unique plates is pretty high. You could also try naming as many things in a certain topic as you can.

Try to list all of the fifty states, every sports team in a certain league, or someone you know whose name starts with every letter of the alphabet. The possibilities are endless!

Draw or color. I know drawing in a coloring book may sound childish, but research has shown that coloring can help relieve stress, decrease heart rate, ease anxiety, and help with relaxation overall. Also, it’s fun! Read. If you’re lucky enough to avoid car sickness at the hands of reading, crack open a book and fall into a new world. Not only is this a perfect way to pass time during a long travel day, but also a great way to escape any stress that may be leftover from the final academic days before break, allowing you to explore stories and settings beyond your own.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of ways to pass time on a long travel day, as you probably figured out on your own. However, it’s important to find ways to occupy your time. Staring straight ahead and growing bored is a very good way to get in your own head and induce stress and anxiety that you certainly do not need heading into a week intended for a mental rest. Take care of yourself and try to find ways to pass the time and mentally escape the academic and social stresses that reside in Clinton, New York.