A life worth living "full send"

Scrapping up the only few hundred dollars left in your savings, buying a 3-day music festival ticket, and camping outside in a tent overnight--all to see your favorite artists perform for a few moments--this is my definition of “full send”. I have heard the term tossed around almost everywhere, as it typically relates to the sense of executing something, “without regard to consequences”.

The connotation of “full send” for me may be somewhat skewed from the repetitive use of the term in American college culture. Despite my slight refrain from regularly saying it, “full send” perfectly embraces my belief of living life to the fullest. While this outlook may resonate with many, it is also an essential daily practice that is easily forgotten in our daily lives. It seems to me that most individuals are driven by fear of consequences; we carefully play by the rules, paint inside of the lines, and limit our experiences as a result of staying inside our comfort zones. My past was controlled by that nagging angst, as I found myself turning down opportunities left and right.

Entering my college career, I had a revelation that provided me with clarity and gave me the confidence I was lacking. I was entering the “portal” at the Okeechobee arts and music festival with my friends to my right, and to my left, a weight of anxiety and fear. I was welcomed by a group of people who I normally wouldn’t associate with, but shortly after they would become my mentors. After three nights of lengthy talks investigating the meaning of life, spirituality, and human connections, my concept of reality had shifted.

We danced to uplifting music, studied and observed the art scattered around the festival grounds, and reminisced on other music festivals we had been to. As I left the weekend-long festivities and began my journey back to campus, I took with me a brand new sense of identity and began to see things differently. “Life becomes more meaningful when you realize you can never live the same moment twice,” my new friend told me, and that refreshing composition of words has resonated with me since.

I continue to live every day with the idea of living consciously in the moment… full send. With the end of my college career approaching in the near distance, I welcome the next stage of my life without any fear. The thrill of excitement and the adrenaline that consumes me when I’m at music festivals, keeps me feeling alive. Every day I live by the mantra of doing something that scares me. I continuously seek something I can look forward to, and yes... that includes planning the next music festival as soon as I return from the last. I realize our society today has diluted the meaning of doing things “full send” as we constantly compare our lives to others on social media platforms.

I challenge myself, and others, to appreciate the beauty of the present, placing the intention of doing everything without fear of consequences. When I’m at a music festival, I try to see at least one new artist, make one new friend, find a new favorite song, design or sew a festival outfit, sprinkle glitter on my friends, watch the sun setting behind the stages, and dance like no one’s watching. By putting a little effort into making the most of every moment, fear becomes a friend of mine, and I am able to live--and really live--without any regrets.

So, throw happiness around like confetti, sprinkle some glitter wherever you walk, make meaningful connections, listen to your favorite music, and try something that scares you. Like my friend told me, life becomes more meaningful when you realize you can never live the same moment twice… so let’s live this present moment, full send.

Photo by: Olivia Smith (Okeechobee Music Festival 2018)