Moving into a new city can cause many stressful situations. For example; the physical exhaustion from moving, beginning a new job or school, and of course the expanding waistline that comes with the fast food consumed in your “spare time”. And being the over eager person I am, I of course signed up for every exciting thing I heard about when I first moved to Indianapolis. So, when a friend received my panicked phone call late one night she wasn’t surprised. But when she asked me what I was doing for “Alicia” time I was almost offended. My “Alicia” time was when I was volunteering or when I was out to lunch with my new friends. My planner was full of things I wanted to do. She suggested that I make a new playlist on my ipod and dedicate time to hit the Monon or hit the White River State Park. Well, that did sound nice… my jeans were getting a little snug from all my lunch dates…I mean, who wants to order salad every time? But more importantly I really had forgotten to take some time just for me. It’s easy to get caught up in clubs, organizations, and the ever-exhausting social life. I gave it a try and surprisingly I didn’t feel selfish. It was a great way to clear my head and escape the everyday stress load. Now, it is in that hour that I am able to ground myself. So, not only am I fitting back in my jeans, I can look forward to that break in the day where it’s just me, my rockin’ ipod, and my sanity.
Fun ‘Get Away’ places I have found:
The Canal: Passing through beautiful Butler University this 10 mile path begins at 30th street and ends in Broadripple. 52nd Street or Holcomb Gardens are great places to start. You can easily hop on the Monon Trail once it ends in Broadripple…if you are feeling motivated!
Eagle Creek Park: It is the 4th largest city park in the nation (which includes a beach.) So you can only imagine all the great trails and certified road courses. The only catch is that there is a $4 per car entrance fee. If you are on a bike or just walking it is only $2. But hey, it has a beach!
White River Wapahani Trail: This trail is 5 miles long and runs from 38th street to White River Park. It also connects with the Central Canal Towpath, the southern portion of the Fall Creek Trail, and the Downtown Canal Walk. The scenery never gets boring!