Crayola Calm:

It's funny how, in our stress for exams, we revert back to our childhood. We get our little box of Crayola Crayons and our packages of colored pencils and we draw. We doodle on our notes, we make pretty signs and write notes to our friends. Anything but focus on the up-coming week. The simplicity of little colored pieces of wax and pretty pictures takes our minds off of life and everything that's difficult.

My parents sent me a "care package" today - one of the generic ones that are mailed through the schools's housing office. It was the "exam stress" package, and along with the fruits and the snacks was a little bucket of toys. A geometric puzzle, a tub of play-doh, beach balls, cards, bubbles. All the things that kids would pull out of their toy boxes when they're bored. And I flipped. I was so excited. My roommate got the same thing and she was just as excited. We sat down and compared our toys and played with them.

It makes me think of the parties we have in college - not the crazy house parties, but the ones when boredom sets in and you just start inviting people over. And what do you get out? Board games. Sorry!, Trouble, Monopoly, Candy Land. The fun games that amused us through indoor recess and rainy days.

But there are always the people who roll their eyes - they wont pick up the crayons or indulge in the immaturity of board games, or run free during a game of tag. But why? Why not let go and just play. Why not laugh with your friends and let your life go? Your life isn't going anywhere - all the stress - the homework and bills, the phone calls - will be there when you get back. Why do we feel like all of the joys of childhood must stop after a certain age, an age when we become "too cool" for them?

Bring joy to someone today - Color them a picture, give them a silly grin. 

Tag!

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