Ending the Year with Joy: Welcoming Happiness into the New Year!

YEAR END PARTY WITH FRIENDS!

Going out with friends as a college student is not as easy as it may seem. Before you start planning, you should consider each of your schedules. In my instance, our schedules were too difficult to coordinate because we attend separate schools and some of us already work.

I guess God felt our need to see each other because our schedules suddenly aligned! We didn't care whether the weather had been awful in the previous few days; we just wanted to go and have fun together before new year because ending the year on a joyful note feels like opening the door to a brighter, happier new year. It's a beautiful way to carry good vibes and cherished memories into the days ahead!

We decided on Maravilla.

One thing about us is that one day together is not enough. Then there's Maravilla in Tabuelan; it's a little farther north, but we've been there previously, so it's simple to get to. There are various options to stay at Maravilla Beach, which was perfect for us because we wanted to spend more than a day together.

Our call time was 6 a.m., but it took several hours for us to catch a bus to Tabuelan, so we reached there around lunchtime. We landed at Tabuelan Wet Market and had to take another vehicle to Maravilla Beach.

Some of my pals brought their motorcycles, while others drove a tricycle to Maravilla Beach. The ride there was long, breezy, and serene. It was serene since the travel to Tabuelan was insane; suppose the road was an infinite S, and it seemed like a roller coaster ride that consumed half of our energy.

We rented a room for ten people ahead of time because we had more friends arriving at noon, and unlike in the past, Maravilla Beach no longer allows tents near the beach, so we really had to get a room, even if it was out of our budget. The rental property we chose was a little cramped, but it will suffice because we won't be spending much time inside because we'll be having fun on the beach.

We cooked lunch right away when we arrived at the rental property because we were all hungry from the travel and needed to recharge our energies. It was a fulfilling experience cooking and preparing things together because it drew us closer together. I don't talk much, but as we did activities together, I began to chat more, even with friends with whom I am not very close.

After lunch we head to the beach to take pictures and to swim. The beach was really nice, from the white sand to the clear water and to the trees, it was spectacularly beautiful.

Do you know what makes me really embarrassed in this trip? All of my friends knew how to swim except me! When they went to swim deeper, I had to call on some of my male friends to assist me. I was in their back the entire time! I was grateful, however, that they were there for me and eager to have my back the entire time.

It was then time to go back for dinner and wait for others to come. Thankfully my friends arrived after we went back to our place. We ate together and played multiple games together, one of the games we played a lot of times was the card game.

After an hour at our lodgings, we decided to return to the beach and continue our fun. We played in the damp sand and played a few popular games while drinking. It was so much fun, and I got to know my friends better, that I don't want to sleep anymore, despite the fact that sleeping was one of my top priorities when we arrived at Maravilla because of the tiring ride.

We spent all night playing at the beach. We were able to catch up despite the fact that it was really dark and rainy. While catching up, one of my friends had a great idea: we should travel to Blue Hole, a spot near Maravilla, because everyone wanted to spend more time with each other, and we can never get enough of each other.

After hours spending in the beach we went back to our room when some of my friends looked really tired. We made them sleep because they will be driving later therefore they had to have enough sleep. One funny moment in the room was the loud and funny snore of one of my friends and the loud laughs from my friends that they couldn't kept even though someone was sleeping. It was really a crazy night for us that I will forever cherish.

Then came the morning, which was quite exhausting because we had not gotten enough sleep because we had been playing and drinking till the early hours. We ate quickly and prepared to depart the place we were staying.

To the Blue Hole!

Because the fare was too expensive for us, we had to resort to the bizarre "hitch" approach, which allows you to travel for free. Thankfully, a good Samaritan drove us to the city, where they told us we could ride a motorcycle to Blue Hole.

We arrived at Blue Hole in a matter of minutes due to its proximity to the city. Blue Hole was crowded, so our enthusiasm level dipped slightly. Nevertheless, we did our best to have fun together. Since Blue Hole is also known for jumping into the water, two of my friends tried to show us their skills, and it was awesome! Fail! Fail! It was humorous, though, since even those who were watching laughed at them. It was quite embarrassing for me to leap into the lake, even if I was wearing a lifejacket, because people are not swimming in the water but are only watching from the kawayan. We took off after an hour because the fun there is limited to only jumping which was boring for us.

Even if the sky was clearer than it had been the day before, I suppose it was time for us to head home.

Going home made me realize a lot of things. One was to always treasure the moments you have with your friends, the second was to use every minute together as an opportunity to get to know them better, and the third was to make time to be with your friends since life is too short not to have fun and make memories.

I hope you will also meet with your friends, get to know them better, and create more moments that you will be able to recollect together next year or someday! Spread the love and happiness! Thank you 'till the end and next! 😚