If You Like Something, Maybe Do it Twice

While experiencing new environments abroad, I often hear people say,

“I’ve already been to that restaurant.”

“I visited that store last week.”

“I don’t need to go there twice.”

Recently, my perspective on this has changed (almost as a result of force, because I’ve done a few things repeatedly but not by choice, yet I’ve realized there is worth in doing things more than one). If you like something, what’s wrong with doing it twice?

For example, when friends have come to visit me in Barcelona, I’ve consistently gone back to the same restaurant (Vinitus — highly recommend). I think it’s been 4 times now and I’ve been in the city for less than two months (and EVERYTHING is new and available). I know I can count on the place for a good experience and to impress my visitors, leaving them with a good impression of the tapas of Spain. It’s in a central area, the service is kind, and there’s a wide variety of menu options that everyone can choose from. Why wouldn’t I go back?

It’s like how when I was little, I noticed people would call those who always order the same thing on the menu boring. To a certain extent, I agree with this, but I also think that if you want to get the same item that brings you joy and comfort once in every while, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it.

I’ve even heard people limit themselves from something they truly love and enjoy for fear of doing something “too many times.” Why not walk through a gorgeous park twice? Why not attend lectures from the same guest you enjoyed twice? Why not allow yourself to soak in an experience the second time, learning more and absorbing more?

There are ways that constant exposure to newness are reinforced in society — one example I’ve thought about is the app Beli, which has really changed the way I approach food. I’m often trying new places just for the sake of it, wondering if I really even wanted to, and I sometimes find myself sad that I can’t “rank a new place” if I’ve gone back to a place I liked a second time. Same with Instagram and other social media; we want new content, and we want to stand out with posting something people won’t see for the second time but for the very first.

Sometimes, in class here, professors will play videos or clips twice because they’re in Spanish or Catalan, and some of us struggle to understand exactly what they’re saying. The second time around is always easier to understand, and I’m able to notice more details and appreciate the content even more. And truly, no two experiences are the same — you see and feel new things each time. It reminds me of how I went on a canal cruise in Amsterdam each time I visited, and even though I was skeptical that these activities in theory were exactly the same, I have fundamentally different memories from both times. I truly cherish them each separately, as I have with each time I’ve visited the same attractions or restaurants in my city.

Some people have set a great example for me, telling me how they’ve been to the same coffee shop twice or thrice on a short trip, or gone back to a museum they really loved even with limited time. I think fear of judgement is also a piece of the puzzle in this phenomenon — we don’t want to be judged for always doing the same thing and not “branching out,” and it does appear “cooler” to always be trying and doing new things. And more. Exciting, shocking newness has always been the way to catch the attention of others.

But now, I think: if something’s going to make you happy in the moment, why stop yourself just because you’ve done it before?

Obviously, there are constraints. With limited time, money, agreement from collaborators, etc — you can’t always do the same things, and maybe you can’t afford to. And I definitely won’t be ordering the same dish or visiting the same place every single day. However, when all the conditions line up correctly, I think it can’t hurt to indulge in something more than once if it brings you happiness.

At the end, I think this is all about maximizing your happiness. I advocate for mixing “new” and “old,” but in today’s world, I think we go for “new” too much. If you truly never want to do the same thing twice, that might work for you, but perhaps you may forgo the comfort of familiarity and tradition. If you’re choosing to always do the exact same thing and never branch out, you also might miss out on something you would’ve loved. If balancing new and old makes you happiest, go for it (this is me). While there certainly exist many factors in all of our decisions, I simply think the history of having done something before should not be the limiting factor in providing you happiness.

I’m about to embark on the most hectic travel schedule during my exchange experience for a few weeks, and I’m going to think more about doing small things twice if I really want to. I’m not in the position right now to visit the same cities or engage in expensive activities more than once, but I’m proud that now I am more aware of 1) letting go of what others might think if I do something again, and 2) maximizing happiness, however that might look for me in the moment. I hope you can do the same!