My intention was to launch this blog as soon as I started going to university in August but... Taking the time to actually write posts proved more challenging than I initially thought. I think I set very high standards for my writing and it made me reluctant to actually sit down and write. Seems a bit backwards, doesn’t it? Wanting to do something so well that it requires time and effort, but getting scared of not doing it well enough and therefore putting in less time and effort… That isn’t going to get me anywhere, is it?
Jönköping has been treating me very well so far. I have to admit that the actual academic work hasn’t been that challenging. Our courses aren’t exactly fast-paced... Which is both a relief and something that bothers me. Sometimes it's great to not have a ton of work to do for school, sometimes it leaves me feeling mentally under-stimulated and restless. Either way, my not-so-busy school schedule has allowed me to explore a lot of new things in my spare time!
That's what I was originally planning to write a post on - all the new things I’ve tried since coming here. I tried to think of special events, the unusual, unexpected and really spectacular stuff. The moments that made me go "Wow, this is so cool! I can't wait to tell people about this!".
I started writing a list but I soon realised that it wasn't enough. A list of fun experiences, no matter how long, just couldn't explain the feeling that I have... It’s hard to put down in words but I feel content in a way that I don’t think I’ve ever felt before. Sure, life isn’t always a smooth ride. I still have days when I feel like crap and want to stay inside in my pj’s and not talk to anyone. And yet, at the end of the day I have this feeling that life is good. It really is.
Sure, recording podcasts and taking meditation classes has been awesome. The kick-off was basically 10 days of non-stop fun! Visiting Dreamhack, Gränna and Visingsö was great as well. I could probably write long blog posts on each and every one of these experiences (and many more) but it still doesn’t explain that contentment that seems to be residing inside me nowadays.
I realised it is actually all about the small things and the people you share them with. They add up to a richer, more fulfilling life. I feel blessed to be surrounded by so many kind, caring and genuine people that make me think hard and laugh even harder. Not only have I found great friends in fellow Swedes, but I have also become close with people from Belgium, Austria, Australia, England, Czech Republic, Germany, China… I truly feel like I have seen a little bit more of the world through them, and they have given me a new perspective on myself!
It’s about who you have tea with at 11pm and coffee with at 8am. Who sees you fall asleep in lectures and still won’t hesitate to stay up with you all night. It’s about the people you stumble home with at 3 in the morning only to find them sleeping, snoring and drooling on your couch a couple of hours later. It’s about the people that get you excited to go out when they know you’ve had a rough day, just so you can dance your problems away together. Grocery shopping, riding the bus or even studying doesn’t seem so bad when you’re with them.
It’s about the moments when they pick up your guitar and you get to just sit there and listen to them play. It’s about sharing the small things. It’s about… enjoying their company, their presence. Softly and quietly in the midst of everyday life. That’s what makes me so content. The nameless moments with people that matter.