Everyone has a place to go to just get away from it all. When it all seems be going South, there’s always that place or activity which seems to make everything seem, well, okay.

I’ve preached before, and still do that college is about learning a balance. Work hard, play hard. How do I play hard, or better yet, how do I like to relax a bit so I can work hard again?

For me, it’s an interesting twist. One of my favorite things to do (a bit geeky, admittedly) is to go down to the In & Out Burger on Sepulveda Boulevard right by LAX.  Now, this isn’t your normal dining expereience. Not only do you get a great burger for a great price….not only do you get to dip your fries in your chocolate milkshake, which just tastes out of this world…not only do you get to watch the sun set right into the Pacific Ocean (if you’re there at the right time 🙂 ), but you also get to watch planes come over your head at like 100 feet. And, no I’m not talking smaller aircraft like Cessnas and Beeches, but heavy iron like Boeing 747’s and Boeing 777’s. For me, this is heaven. Considering that since I was six, I have been obsessed with flying planes (and anything about them), I could bore nearly anyone (except for one of my other pilot buddies 🙂 ) by just sitting at In and Out or on the grass in the park next door, and just watch planes (and listen to them on my scanner!).

It’s just my little escape. Planes from around the world coming in right over your head…a burger in one hand and camera in the other!  It’s my favorite place to snap some amazing shots…you can see planes lined up 6 or 7 deep miles out on approach at night.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I love being on campus, I love working hard, but what sometimes is overlooked is how to get away from it all without going too far away. This is how I do it!