On October 19, I discovered a great market event in Chiayi City called 雞啤節. After studying all day, I was exhausted from sitting in front of my desk, reading the same boring books over and over. So, I made a quick decision—I decided to take a break, grabbed my keys and phone, and drove to Chiayi City.
I felt it was time to spend some quality time with myself. There were so many things I needed to do that I was feeling overwhelmed. As I drove, I could feel the wind blowing against my face, and I listened to music in my headphones—a truly wonderful experience that helped me release some of my stress and anxiety.
I really enjoy the atmosphere of the marketplace. There, I bought some delicious fried chicken and ate it while walking, observing the people passing by. I strolled leisurely, sometimes stopping, savoring the saturday night. It made me feel alive again, as if all my stress didn’t matter anymore. I also experienced the joy of being able to make my own choices as an adult.
I found that I prefer traveling on my own rather than with friends, simply because I can go wherever I want without needing to consider others’ feelings.
Anyway, I encourage everyone to try traveling alone. The experience is very different from going out with friends—it allows you to listen to your inner voice and understand more about what you truly want!
Journal 2
Once again, it was time for the annual school celebration, and this was my second year attending. Just like the first time, I came with my good friends. In the afternoon, I suggested a picnic, so Erica and I headed to the The Phoenix Boulevard. We bought lots of delicious food, spread out a picnic mat, and enjoyed the peaceful, refreshing atmosphere of nature.
At night, we watched the long-anticipated school celebration fireworks. It was a truly moving and breathtaking moment—one I’ll remember forever. Interestingly, we saw many couples that day, and we felt a bit envious and reflective. There’s still a sense of longing and excitement for romance, so seeing all those sweet couples stirred up a little jealousy. But honestly, spending the celebration with a close friend was also a great experience. We laughed freely, shared lots of gossip, and took many lovely photos together.
After the celebration ended, there was a slight sense of emptiness, as if time had flown by. This event we had looked forward to for so long was suddenly over. But as the saying goes, the journey matters more than the destination. Perhaps the true value of the celebration lies not in the day’s excitement, but in the time we spent together preparing and anticipating it.
After moving up to sophomore year, my former roommates and I all moved off campus, and with everyone getting busier and having different activities, it became harder to find time to meet up. Scheduling a dinner together was quite a challenge, but fortunately, during midterm week, we finally had some free time in common and managed to go out for a meal!
We went to 龍坐鐵板燒 in downtown Minxiong, and it truly lived up to its reputation—the food was fantastic! I think I’ll be going back often. Over dinner, we caught up on each other’s lives and shared updates, which made me really happy. Even though we hadn’t seen each other in a while, it wasn’t awkward at all; it felt just like our freshman year days living together.
After dinner, we took a group photo to remember the moment. Looking at it, I couldn’t help but feel sentimental; compared to our younger selves in freshman year, we now looked so much more mature.
Later, we decided that just having dinner wasn’t enough, so we spontaneously headed to a nearby KTV, just like we used to do in freshman year. Although we’ve been there many times together, it never gets old because we’re with the right people.
Even though we can’t go back to the days of living together in the dorm, I’m so grateful for having them as roommates. Those dorm days will forever be memories I’ll cherish.
Hope you enjoy my journal!
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