WP2: Wanderlust | San Francisco

San Francisco was the destination of my most recent trip, and I am no stranger to the place. I have roadtripped up to the area to visit extended family on several occasions and always had positive memories associated with it. My family decided to make a last minute trip out of the week that separated July and August of this year, however, the caveat was that I would plan the trip for the family. The entire process taught me the value of patience and organization.

My lack of patience has always been an imperfection of mine that I’ve struggled to work with throughout my life. I attribute this impatience to my perfectionist habits that want things to be done quickly, efficiently, and without mistake. But the planning process for this particular trip was far from perfect, which made me stressed and upset. In particular, the hotel that we planned to stay at had a system error and overbooked rooms. Consequently, we were booked for a room they didn’t have available. They had not caught this error until the week prior to our stay. Other hotels in the immediate surrounding area were either booked at capacity or did not have a room that could accommodate our family. Long story short, we did end up finding another hotel in the general vicinity, however, this issue taught me how to adapt to unanticipated situations and to place a focus on problem-solving.

This newfound patience has served me well, especially since transferring here to USC. I realized that I do not get as frustrated at little imperfections or disruptions to my day, and instead, roll with the punches. I have been able to adapt quicker to uncomfortable situations and have more tolerance during times of conflict resolution. Feeling these negative, hostile emotions to a lesser degree has made me more productive and willing to branch out of my comfort zone, as I feel more comfortable with the idea of imperfection. Further, this trip showed me how much I value organization.

Part of the planning process was creating an itinerary with detailed instructions, time tables, and information. Putting all of these items into a neat and organized document gave me immense satisfaction and took away a lot of stress that I was feeling. Being organized gives me structure, which helps me work through the negative emotions that my perfectionist self feels during times of uncertainty. Finding a deep need and desire for organization has helped me quickly establish routines in new environments.

I firmly believe that it is during times of hardship that we learn the most about certain situations and, most importantly, about ourselves. The key is that we keep learning about ourselves and find what works best for us. While some operate on a routine, like myself, some will be more free-spirited in their approaches to their days, which is perfectly okay. Moreover, we must also continue to find solutions to our problems, instead of placing all of our energy into dwelling on the negatives of the circumstances we find ourselves in. Building patience and tolerance for uncertainty or imperfection takes time, but brings the greatest reward of mental and emotional peace.

Next: Greece