Sometime during this past school year, it hit me: this was probably my last real chance to do something big before I graduate in a year. I had one summer of freedom left and no full-time job yet- which meant it was a good time to take a risk. So I applied to study abroad. I didn’t overthink it, I just went for it. A few weeks later, I got in- and then I found out some of my friends were going too. That was the moment it all started to feel real and very exciting.
Before we left, my friends and I made a pact: say yes to everything. No hesitation, no playing it safe. If someone had an idea, the rest of us went along. Which may sound dangerous and a bit stupid, but hey… why not?
That mindset took us places we never expected. We said yes to bog jumping in the countryside- covered in mud, freezing cold, and laughing the entire way through. We said yes to a two hour train ride across the country of Ireland to Galway. We said yes to late nights that turned into early mornings, to spontaneous detours into cafés & pubs, and to conversations with strangers who felt like friends by the end of the night.
Later in the trip, we found cheap flights to Edinburgh, Scotland. So we said yes. We got there and I realized I wanted to do a day tour, so I booked it and went solo. I wandered around the Highlands with a bunch of people I didn’t know & took a short boat cruise on Loch Ness. I just let myself be fully immersed in the experience. That weekend turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the whole semester.
None of these moments were part of a plan- they happened because we kept saying yes. That simple question, why not? was and still is a reminder of how Carson lived. This trip reminded me how powerful it can be to say yes: to take chances, to embrace the unknown, and to live with open arms. And I’m carrying that with me now- wherever I go, whatever comes next. Because honestly… why not?
Jenna Metzmeier
