High school gets tough. The occasional escape is often needed. There are moments in life when it does not matter where you are. Moments when you are completely in your own mind. You need to look for these moments. I’m talking about going onto a field at 12 a.m. to stargaze. I’m talking about driving to Cedar Grove Court after a long day to look at the city lights. I’m talking about going to the chapel at Xavier at 12 a.m. (when the school was open for an activity of course) to sit and pray. I really do not think I could have made it through the past four years without these moments. Life can make you panic and feel like you have no idea what is going on, so these kinds of risks bring a sense of peace and grounding. I’ve brought quite a few people to these locations where I’ve been at my lowest, highest, or feeling nothing at all. I wish I did not show certain people these parts of myself or included them in my favorite parts of the world because they did not deserve to experience it with me after getting to know who they are. However, some of my happiest memories have been made in those spots with other people. Even though some memories are sad or painful, you can’t let it change that place. Finding beauty in little home towns, suburban neighborhoods, huge nature trails, beaches and riverbanks is one of the only things that has brought me out of my mind and into connection with myself and my surroundings. It can be scary or sound like a waste of gas and/ or time however, when you take a risk and make snow angels on a baseball field as a first date, take your friends to a random field just for a sunset or drive with your sisters to a parking lot to stargaze; the risk is worth it. It is not about where you are; it is about who you are with, even if it is yourself. It is about the rushing feeling of completely dropping any problems you have any time of day or in any  weather, just to accomplish something you’ve never done. These 12 a.m. trips don’t just happen at 12 a.m., they happen at every hour of the day—you just have to find it. Go somewhere. Ground yourself. Take a deep breath and take it all in.