The Health Benefits of Slurpees

I think everyone knows those preteens and teenagers that cry everyday for no apparent reason. I am here to say that I was that girl, and unlike some of the more fortunate people I know, I’m still trying to grow out of that. When I look back on my middle school and high school experience, I feel like a solid 70% of those days contained tears (though to be fair, my parents could probably estimate even better). I remember feeling like I was emotionally out of control, and there was no way I could keep it all together. That was when I discovered the health benefits of Slurpees.

Aunt Mer, Hailey, Me, Mom
At Hailey's Junior Prom
(We don't usually take pictures on our Slurpee outings
due to the physical evidences of our emotions).

My mom has always been a proponent of the idea that emotional sickness is every bit as legitimate as physical sickness. I remember being allowed to stay home from high school on particular days that I was especially emotionally ill, and that gave me great comfort. My parents and younger sister bore the brunt of my emotional struggles. I am a contemplative person. I like to consider each option and situation before forming an opinion and making a decision; however, after my internal debate is over, I feel the need to process out loud with a trusted confidant. When I was a teenager, this meant my mom, and it was usually late at night, long after most of my family was sleeping. I would walk into my parents’ room and talk while they got ready for bed, and then I would sit on the edge of the bed and continue to talk. There were many nights that my dad would attempt to kick me out of his room so he could sleep, but I usually stayed and talked until I had gotten it all out.

In more dire emotional crises, my mom would come to my room. Many times my sister, Hailey, was already perched on my bed, listening to my emotional outpouring. Usually, there was a roll of toilet paper on the bed serving as tissues and a garbage can within tossing range. Before I met Tyler, no one could lighten my blues or brighten my outlook better than my mom and sister. Sometimes, the three of us would talk for a long time, and sometimes I was feeling better in just a few minutes, but being able to bond with these amazing women in moments of emotional vulnerability brought me the strength that I needed to keep my chin up. To be fair, I wasn’t usually the only one of the three of us that drew comfort from our sisterhood, and I wasn’t always the only one fighting an emotional battle.

Slurpees with my brother, Riley

One night, in the face of many tears, Hailey, my mom, and I decided that the only thing that would make me feel better was a Slurpee from 7-11. (I should interject here with a small explanation. I grew up in a small town where the only thing that stayed open past 10 p.m. was the 7-11, and often, these emotional meltdowns occurred long after ten o’clock). So, the three of us piled into the party van that I drove at the time (a 1996 GMC Safari complete with mood lights and a back seat that reclined into a bed) and enjoyed Slurpees in the back of the van. I had no idea at the time that this would become a tradition. I didn’t always go get Slurpees with Hailey and my mom, sometimes we couldn’t all go, or we picked up a friend to join in our experience. One friend, in particular, joined us on several occasions, sharing her wisdom and perspective. I treasured these times, and that was when I started believing in the health benefits of Slurpees.

After a couple of hours of talking to close friends and eating Slurpees, my heart always felt lighter. I felt like I could survive another day of high school or face the boy problems I was facing. The Slurpees and company of various loved ones never failed to improve my emotional health and well being. Most of the time, these ventures included every range of emotion: sadness, happiness, frustration, loneliness, friendship, and everything else. I always felt happier and grateful for my friends. I recognize that I really believe in friendship, and not Slurpees, but for me, Slurpees were a bonus in my life that made friendship even sweeter.

 I believe in the power of "Slurpees" so much that we got them to celebrate our engagement.
(Admittedly, these are Frazils, but the concept is the same).

This blog post is a shout out to all the wonderful people that I have had the privilege of sharing Slurpees, Frazils, Ice Cream, or anything else with! Thank you for buoying me up in my time(s) of need.