Listening to “Back on 74,” senior Julie Moylan had the windows down on a casual summer day as she watched the sunset with her friends.

“I just felt really good because I was with the people I loved. I was hearing music, the scenery was beautiful and the wind felt good on my face,” Moylan said. “I was very grateful to be alive in that moment.”

The term “romanticizing your life” has gained popularity on social media, where influencers showcase daily tasks, such as brewing coffee, and emphasize finding pleasure in these simple moments.  For some, this might mean going on a solo date to buy flowers or lighting a candle to make homework feel special. 

Moylan said for her these moments are not about creating an idealized life but about embracing the natural beauty in everyday experiences. During her alone time, she said she avoids social media and instead watches movies, reads books or participates in crafts. Her self-care routine begins once she wakes up. 

“I like listening to music; however, usually I don’t right when I get up because it’s important to be alone with your thoughts and center [your] thoughts,” Moylan said. “I do things that I love or are beneficial.” 

Senior Charley Newby started scrapbooking her freshman year, capturing memorable events like school dances, winning cheer state and the Chiefs parade. She prints the photos and creates scrapbook pages for them.

“I love to look at [my scrapbook] and appreciate all the little moments I’ve had throughout the year,” Newby said. “I get to put it all out on paper and see how much I’ve actually accomplished.”

This summer, Newby said she romanticizes her weekly Target run by dressing up in jeans and a cute top, then wandering through the aisles without any specific task or list.

“Even when I dress up a little bit and go out, it genuinely makes me feel so much better,” Newby said. “I’ll get a face mask, or go on drives with the windows down and listen to music and get my favorite food.”

Senior Meghan Churchill has also embraced the idea of romanticizing life. She said she used to dread watching the sunset at her family’s lake house every night but has since learned to appreciate the beauty of such a repetitive event. 

“My dad would make us go watch the sunset and I hated it, like ‘why do I have to sit here’ when I could be gaming?’” Churchill said. “Now, it is one of my favorite things in the world.” 

Churchill said she believes she lives in a mindset of gratitude and has become a better version of herself since changing her perspective on life. She said that being more open and grateful has helped reduce her negative mindset.

“You start to become the person that you want to be,” Churchill said.

Some of her favorite high school memories include spontaneous moments like getting ice cream on a Tuesday night and talking with friends in a parking garage, Churchill said. Through these moments, Churchill said she has become more self aware, making it easier to navigate challenges in life.   

Pediatric Psychologist Stephen Lassen said gratitude can help reduce anxiety and increase feelings of peace, allowing a person to avoid focusing too intensely on their problems.

“Gratitude is a very powerful emotion and can be very healing and therapeutic for us,” Lassen said.  

He said recognizing and appreciating the positive aspects of each day can lead to greater overall happiness. 

Moylan said she shares her gratitude through gifts, letters and words of affirmation.

“When I am really grateful for someone I want to give them the world,” Moylan said. “I often love bomb them with affection.”

Regarding romanticizing life, Lassen said people should not see life as worse or better than it is. Instead, he said people should strive to live in a state of reality.

For Moylan, she said romanticizing life should not be a way to ignore or hide from reality.

“People can romanticize a toxic person or situation, when in reality it’s only harming you,” Moylan said. 

But rather, Moylan said romanticizing life is about living life to the fullest and doing the things you love. 

“Being grateful for the world makes me want to live and experience it more. I love being awake and alive, I love looking out my backyard in the mornings and experiencing nature in general,” Moylan said. “I’m thankful for the world, [and] I want to be a part of it as much as I can.”