Seen on a Sunset

As I mosey down to the bluffs, tea in hand–I see many familiar faces. I see surfers in wetsuits heading down for a quick sesh, I see girls in pj’s with decadent picnics laid out, and I see a man walking his goat. Yeah, that’s Isla Vista for you. 

The sunset pilgrimage is a right of passage in IV. It’s a place to gather, to gossip, and to reflect. The sun dips below Coal Oil Point and the bluffs fill with people every night without fail. It’s my first pilgrimage in a while, but I need to get out of the house. Going to school here, it's easy to get caught up in weekend parties, cramming in the library, and the never-ending thought at the back of your mind- Should I be looking for an internship right now? But the sunset pilgrimage heals all wounds, it serves as an excuse to slow down and appreciate the scenery. 

Walking along the cliffs, I catch a glimpse of the quote-unquote normal people who live in Isla Vista. The few houses that don’t have peeling paint, or a die table in the front yard. I wonder what drew them to this community; this half-mile square home to over 13,000 students. The sunset tonight might be part of the answer. The sky is illuminated a bright orange and the Channel Islands across the sea emit a pink glow. As I pass the slack-liners balancing between the trees, I see a friend and we stop to catch up. You’re bound to run into someone at sunset. Tonight I’m lucky it was a friend, I’ve seen my ex-situationship more than I’d care to admit. But that’s the magic of these sunsets; they seem to draw everyone, whether you want to see them or not.

Reaching Sands, I’ve completed the pilgrimage. I stop for a moment and appreciate the view. Not only the vibrant colors reflecting off the ocean, but the people laughing and coming out of the water, journaling, or coming back from playing spikeball. Sunsets clear my head and leave me feeling renewed. If anything, they serve as a great excuse to delay studying for that midterm coming up. After all, there’s always tomorrow to worry about tests and exes. Tonight belongs to the sunset.

Hannah Massey can often be seen walking along the bluffs with her headphones in, being very moody and very mysterious.