This past weekend, I was in the mood for an adventure. Without any idea of what we would find there, my friend and fellow Pendulum staff member Lauren Ramsdell and I set out for the small community of Graham, about 15 minutes from Elon's campus, ready to do some serious exploring.

We meandered up and down the quiet streets, looking for something that would catch our interest. There was the $3 movie theater showing "Smurfs" throughout the afternoon. There were a number of law and realty offices with the shades drawn for the weekend. There was the Graham Soda Shop that we made a mental note to return to before we left.

Then, we just happened upon it — our adventure — at a quaint little shop simply known as the "Square Palette."

When we entered, we were met by tables with mismatched chairs covered with brushes, palettes and bright bottles of paint, by shelves lined with coffee mugs, figurines and vases ready for the touch of a painter's hand. But, most of all, we were welcomed by Martha Honus, the bustling co-owner of the shop who was prepared to help us create a masterpiece out of the plain coffee mugs we picked out.

For the next hour, we painted, we chitchatted and we sang along to the radio. It was a comfortable time — she did not even know our names and yet there she was spending the afternoon with us, as if we'd known each other for years.

From Martha, I learned the art of blending colors for an effect she described as "sunset." I watched as she glazed other finished pieces with some messy green goop, before they went through the process known as "firing" to be completed.

And from Martha, we heard about the beauties of owning a small business in an even smaller town.

There's the young boy who comes in every day after school expecting to have Orangeade waiting for him. There's the man who brings his dog by regularly to check on how the business is going, since it's only been open a little more than a month. There's the local college student who is completing an art project with Martha's help, documenting every step of the process as her pieces are painted, glazed and eventually completed.

It was the kind of Saturday I love. Finding a place on a map or a local shop in town and just giving into the experience of it all.

When was the last time you put homework aside for the afternoon and just explored your surroundings? When was the last time you walked into a local shop or restaurant on a whim, not knowing exactly what you'd find, but entirely open to the experience?

It's easy to get caught up in the commercialism of it all. Everywhere we turn, we are surrounded by the big-name, national brands we have been trained to support. But while Moe's Monday and the dollar section at Target are certainly necessary experiences for any college student, don't get so lost that you forget to see the beauty of the local community and all it has to offer.

Everyone you meet has a story, so take the time to hear it.

And while the checkout lady at Kohl's may be perfectly nice, there's nothing quite like bonding with friends old and new over coffee mug painting and some classic Kelly Clarkson.