Chasing Novelty
Time to shake the snow globe!!!
Time flies when you’re having fun, they say.
I challenge that notion. I think time flies when you’re not having fun.1
Think about it: how many times have you put your head down to get through the grind of daily life—day after day, week after week, month after month—only to lift your head up again, blink through your blurred vision, and half-say/half-whisper, “Wait, it’s already halfway through March?!”
Recently, I was both surprised and horrified to realize that I have so little memories of the year 2022. I remember starting my new job in February 2022, I remember going on my honeymoon in May 2022, I remember releasing
’s third anthology in November 2022, and…uh, that’s pretty much it.A full year of my life, gone.
That’s because in 2022, I was deep in the throes of balancing a full-time job, part-time grad school, conducting research, running an indie press, volunteer mentoring, and attempting to somehow squeeze in a social life that was often put on the backburner.
Basically, I had to put my head down and do the necessary tasks that everyday life demanded of me. And when I lifted my head back up, I realized the year was over.
Time sure flies, huh?
In October 2023 I moved abroad. First to the UK for six months, and then to Germany, where I will celebrate one year this May. I honestly believe I’ve lived twenty lives since then. My husband and I are constantly saying “Remember <insert fun activity here>. How was that only a few months ago, that feels like years!”
Why? Because when you first move abroad, your days are defined by an endless amount of novel experiences. Wow, I can’t believe how amazing this public transportation is! Wow, look at that intricate statue! Wow, check out this gorgeous 500-year-old church! Wow, let’s go on a hike in the Alps!
Here are some pictures from my first few weeks of Munich. So much NEW. I can almost hear my chorus of “Wow! Wow! Wow!” that sounded whenever I snapped these shots.
Only recently have I gotten into a nice groove here in Munich, easily bouncing between work and friends and home. While there is a sense of ease and comfort that has come into my heart since feeling more at home in this city and building a routine that works for me, I can’t help but realize that this routine has also begun to make my days blur into one. (Seriously, it’s already halfway through March?)
When did I last stop to admire the statues?
When did I last pop into a shop on a side street simply because it appeared interesting?
When did I last go out on my balcony on a clear day to catch a glimpse of the Alps in the distance?
This realization came to me (as most things do) when I was handwriting a letter to a friend. There’s something that allows me to zoom out of my life when I take a pen to paper and see things in a new light. In that letter, I specifically quoted
’s “The Forgettability of Sameness”:“You probably know the saying, "Time flies when you're having fun." There is truth to that, but I'd say the opposite is even more accurate—that time flies (or disappears) when you don't have fun because it all melds into one big blur of nothingness. When one's daily life consists of an overly predictable routine, it risks becoming unremarkable to the point of not being able to differentiate between days, months, and years in one's memory.”
Oof.
I shared this with my friend not because I felt she needed to hear it, but because I feared for my future self. And I share it here because I’m wondering if the message may resonate with others.
The key to slowing down life, to being more present, is novelty. It’s the reason why we remember so much of our childhood. Each year we were introduced to new teachers, new school material, new friends. We tried new hobbies, we join different clubs and sports teams. Everything was novel! But now, I speak to so many people, especially older family members and friends and they mention how the years just speed up as you get older.
But does it have to be that way?
“Novelty” has been the gift of this abroad experience—new cities, new friends, new writers, new scenery, new food, new LANGUAGE!
And with the gift of novelty, I also have the gift of clarity. At a certain point, we have to intentionally add novel experiences into our life.
Is it easier to nestle into a routine? To wake up and have every decision already made for you? Sure. But that’s how you get to the point where you eventually wake up and realize you have little to no memory of the previous month, or year, or years.
So, how we can intentionally add novel experiences into our lives?
I was watching YouTuber Caroline Winker’s How i counteract SEASONAL DEPRESSION and she talked about shaking the snow globe.
“Sometimes I like to remind myself to shake the snow globe. And that just means to take your world and, you know, give it a jolt.”
I mean. Wow. Yes. I’m in love with this metaphor.
If you, like me, want to add novelty into your life, I’ve compiled a list of activities that I’ve done (Paige-Approved) or wish to do (Wish-List). I pulled these from friends and family members as well as some excellent ideas from
’s Issue #94 10 things to do on a date with your friends…Paige-Approved ‘Shake the Snow Globe’ Activities
Alphabet Challenge: If you want to explore your surroundings but have no where to begin, the alphabet challenge is here for you! Whether you’ve lived in your area for one month or an entire lifetime, this challenge will push you out of your comfort zone and introduce you to SO MUCH that is hiding right below the surface. And, for added novelty, might I suggest you vlog it? :)
Random Parties with Even More Random Themes: In January, my friend hosted a “frat party” and we played American drinking games and dressed like frat bros2 and stayed up until 4am having a silly ole time.
Day Trips: Pick a random spot, hop on a train or in your car, and go!
Long Distance Ladies Dining Society: It is hard to live far from friends, especially if you’re not one to randomly call people and catch up. I recently suggested to a few friends the idea of a ‘virtual dinner’ where we would decide on a recipe together, cook it separately, and then hop on a call and enjoy it all together! For someone like me who is not the greatest cook, this added novelty of trying a new recipe is both daunting and exciting!
Live Shows: A concert, a comedian, a ballet, an orchestra…there is something about live shows that just hit differently. They really shake up the routine of everyday life and give you something to look forward to!
1 Friend Trip Per Year: Whether it is to travel to see a long-distance friend or a group of friends going away for the weekend, how fun?! This January I went to Abu Dhabi with two new friends and gosh, trips offer so much bonding time. But the location isn’t the most important part—to be honest, I would’ve been equally stoked at the idea of a weekend in a dinky cabin tucked away in the woods!
‘Shake the Snow Globe’ Wish-List
Soup Thursdays: My cousin does this with her friends every fall. Different friends host each Thursday and make a soup, then everyone goes over and enjoys! (I think I’d adapt this for winter to combat the winter blues. Working name: “Chicken Noodle Soup for the Season Affective Disordered (SAD) Souls.”)
Book Crawl: Mentioned in the Platonic Love Newsletter and it is RIGHT up my alley.
“When I visited my friend Christina in Indianapolis last summer, she came up with the fun idea to spend our day together hopping from one indie bookshop to another. She’s inspired me to take more friends out on book crawls. It was a great way to see the city and gave us time to have meaningful conversations — plus, unlike a bar, you can bring kids.”
Classes & Workshops: There are so many things I want to try—pottery, dancing, learning a language, etc. Why not sign up for classes or workshops with friends or family members and learn together? Added bonus of spending quality time with loved ones!
Picnic at the Park: Self-explanatory, but the perfect way to enjoy a beautiful summer day. I didn’t know enough people in Munich to go on spontaneous picnics last year, but this summer? OOOOH BOY.
NYE Parties: I never know what to do to ring in a new year, but I dream of hosting a party one day and leaning into a fun or quirky theme. My dream theme? Incorporating different New Year traditions from around the world!
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to share different ways that you ‘shake up the snow globe’ in your own life.
I only began to think this way after reading “The Forgettability of Sameness,” which I’ll quote later in this article. That’s the first time I heard someone challenge “time flies when you’re having fun” and it struck! a! chord!
You could quickly find out who was German and who was American based on who understood the dress code LOL
This is SO important! Truly Artist's Dates taught me this lesson but it is way to easy to forget. Time flies in the mundane! What a concept that is totally TRUE.
This really resonated with me, and I sent it to my husband and it really resonated with him too. We’ve faced a bit of an impasse over traveling in the past few years, since he wants to travel the world and I don’t, but I think we could both get the benefits that travel brings by seeking novelty right here at home.
We actually did one of your “shake the snow globe” activities yesterday: we went to a concert together (if anyone is curious, the bands were Autumn Kings and Cyan Kicks, if you are into electro-pop-rock I highly recommend them!). I also had the idea yesterday of taking a sign language class, but the sessions at the VHS for beginners just started earlier this month so I’d have to wait until July for the next session to start. Maybe I’ll still be interested by July and will actually do it, we’ll see ;)