Drift Day

Devin Owen
MSMU Class of 2026

(6/2025) First and foremost, I would like to start this article off by saying happy first official month of summer vacation! Finally, the stress of finishing my spring semester classes and finals week has fully left, although it left behind a seriously messed up sleep schedule. Being home has been a whirlwind of chaos in its own way though; from moving all of my stuff back and unpacking to starting back to work waitressing and getting back into a schedule, it has certainly been a long readjustment period. But hey, it’s officially summer!

I must say though, there has been one thing I have been looking forward to about my return back to my sweet hometown of Lewes, Delaware; one thing that has continued to get me through every moment of chaos and stress: the Roosevelt Inlet beach. The waves crash along the shoreline as hints of a fiery orange and red hue begin to rise over the horizon. The seagulls are calling out to one another as the rest of the world begins to awaken. The water ripples and sparkles as if it is something of such perfection and beauty that it is simply untouchable, yet it is not; instead, it is a place where everyone wants to be, splashing through those ripples perfectly curated with each passing second, and creating their own made from joy and love. It is a place of peace, of tranquility; a place I find myself wandering to when I am ready to drown out the rest of the world. From summer to winter my love for this piece of home never falters. The waves are not big enough to crash upon you and create a wipe out, but instead they are small and fast--the kind that little kids get excited to jump over and babies can sit at the shoreline and watch them crash over their little toes. For me, home was more than just a place, it was also a feeling. I have never felt more at home than when at the Roosevelt Inlet. And somehow, I always find myself there when I’m looking for peace.

With my favorite piece of home in mind, I present to you my idea for a new summer holiday: "Drift Day," a day of letting go of the plan and following the flow; drifting wherever the wind may take you. This will be a celebration of spontaneity, curiosity, mindfulness, and the joy of being off course. Consider the way in which driftwood or seaweed slowly and aimlessly flow along the tide; no destination in mind or purpose other than existing, on this day you are encouraged to embrace the unknown and rediscover the world without an agenda or a plan, simply just follow the flow of the tide. The holiday will be celebrated yearly on August 17th, not for any other reason than the fact that 17 is my lucky number and August has a fewer number of holidays. Believe it or not, deciding on a date for this holiday is the hardest part about creating my own holiday!

Unlike most holidays that center around traditions, expectations, or to-do lists, Drift Day asks only one thing of you—to surrender control and follow where the day leads. There are no set events, no start time, no obligatory feasts or fireworks. Just a gentle encouragement to wander, to explore, and to rediscover the world with curiosity. Let yourself be moved by nature’s rhythm! This is a day that honors uncertainty and the beauty of the unplanned. Whether you're walking along a shoreline, weaving through backstreets in your hometown, or simply following the direction of the wind, the goal is to embrace the unfamiliar and see where you end up. In a world increasingly driven by schedules, alerts, and optimized productivity, Drift Day is an intentional pause. It’s a chance to remember that joy isn’t always found on the itinerary. Sometimes, it waits just beyond the bend you hadn’t planned to take.

Realistically, there is no "right" way to celebrate Drift Day, that’s the beauty of the holiday, as well as the entire point of it. There are so many different ways to practice mindfulness and follow the direction fate takes you. Whether it be having heartfelt conversations with strangers, walking along the shore, picking random activities from a jar to partake in, or even deciding your next turn on whatever path you end up on by color, sound or smell, there are so many different ways to go with the flow.

Personally, I can imagine myself ending up at the Roosevelt Inlet with a journal and a book in hand. Whether it be to start the day off by watching the sunrise and doing some yoga or stretches to begin my day or watching as the sun sets and brings the day to a close, I know I will find my way there. I could see myself ending up in numerous conversations with people I wouldn’t have otherwise known and learning life lessons that I very well might need. There is always someone wiser and more educated, and it’s a gift to be able to learn from them.

I hold on tightly to the memories of waking up to see the sunrise at the inlet with my friends growing up. The beautiful mix of red, pink, orange, and blue in the sky created a colorful sparkle over the water as we arrived. 6:13am: us teenage girls running and laughing on the shoreline, splashing each other with the water, sitting in the sand and watching in awe as the colors of the sky danced along the shoreline and chased us until they engulfed us completely. We would talk about life and our goals, we would swim in the water, and we'd read our books and be laughing, loving, and sharing all the details that made us enthralled. This is a place where we feel absolutely free; free to live, free to be who we are, free to feel everything. These memories inspire the idea for Drift Day, find your peace and remember the beauty and exhilaration of simply existing in this beautiful world. So, when the sun’s high and the air is thick with summer possibility, consider taking one day to drift. You might just find something you didn’t know you were looking for, and if nothing else, you’ll end up with a great story to tell at the end of the day.