No one wants to feel trapped, yet so often it is unavoidable. People were not meant to live their entire lives within a two-mile radius, but in the college environment, it can be hard not to. As students, we sleep, eat and party in the same place our minds are supposedly being molded into their final pseudo-adult form.
On a college campus, it can be hard not to feel as if one is part of a museum exhibit with tour groups constantly ambling through our space, scrutinizing the places we inhabit as if no one actually lives there.
Honestly, it can all be a little bit demoralizing. It’s no wonder college students often find themselves falling into a pattern. Up, to class, grab coffee, study, repeat. Living is easy when you don’t have to think about your next move.
You know what else is easy with a routine like that? Going stir-crazy.
Zoochosis, a phenomenon first observed in zoo animals, is defined by In Defense of Animals as “mental anguish made visible by abnormal behavior… a common indicator of poor welfare.” Animals experiencing zoochosis have commonly been observed exhibiting “monotonous, obsessive, repetitive actions that serve no purpose.”
Sound familiar? That’s probably because you’ve experienced it too!
In a 2021 article for Psychology Today, ecopsychologist Vaughan Wilkins explains that during quarantine for COVID-19, humanity collectively experienced a very concrete type of captivity, more concrete than the social captivity he claims humans experience by simply existing in the 21st century. Wilkins also noted that the “subdued malaise” that comes with captivity is a reaction to trauma that is commonly associated with the beginnings of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Wilkins said that the best thing we can do for ourselves in this scenario is to accept that we are animals. We were born to be a part of nature, so we should get out into it! Walk the Bulldog Mile, hitch a ride to Gray’s Lake Park to soak up the sun or, if you’re feeling super adventurous, join the Drake Outdoor Leadership Club and explore the world outside of Des Moines! Anything to break the routine.
Of course, going out into nature doesn’t have to mean going for a hike if that’s not your jam. Go to a concert – Wooly’s usually has some good ones. Explore the Iowa History Museum, or the Science Center of Iowa downtown, both of which are on DART bus routes. Even something as simple as finding a new coffee shop for your weekend debrief can do wonders!
You don’t have to go far to find new things either. Check out a soccer game, or take in Free Movie Fridays with a friend or two. As long as you’re seeking out something new, you’re doing it right.
Life is meant to be colorful. It can be easy to lose sight of the wider world, but don’t forget to look up once in a while. At the risk of sounding incredibly cheesy, every second that passes is one you’ll never get back.
That’s not to say every moment will be great. Believe me, I’ve had my fair share of moments I wish I could scrub from people’s collective memories, but even the bad stuff deserves a certain degree of appreciation. Without them, the good parts of life wouldn’t taste half as sweet.
So go on and get out there! Be spontaneous, even if you don’t think you’re, “that kind of person.” Explore the Downtown Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings from 7 a.m. to noon or go hunting for northern lights on a whim. Go to an open mic night, like the ones occasionally hosted by Mars Cafe in Dogtown, or buy a ticket to that concert you saw a poster for last week.
Best case scenario, you’ll make a memory worth holding onto. At the very least, you won’t be bored.
Good luck out there, Bulldogs, I believe in you!
