fifty-one things for twenty-one days

College is for moving two thousand and thirty three miles away from home
College is for finding a new home
College is for missing family friends and mountains
College is for so much peace about where God has you
College is for new thing you're afraid of doing that you do anyway
College is for only doing what makes you dance around excited
College is for incredibly interesting people you want to know
College is for syllabi full of work you don't want to do
College is for learning that study is a high form of worship
College is for blowing off homework and staying up until three am laughing with someone new
College is for totally worth it sleep deprivation
College is for soaring highs and plummeting lows 
College is for feelings you can't control
College is for learning to make wise decisions
College is for doing stupid stuff
College is for penny boarding in a grocery store
College is for screaming the Jonas Brothers at the top of your lungs
College is for listening to your roommate rap to you
College is for sleeping through Pilates class
College is for tree climbing for the first time
College is for film camera pictures
College is for going apple picking and picking no apples
College is for lots of doughnuts
College is for lying on the beach and staring at the stars
College is for having color dance color all over the place
College is for wearing whatever you want
College is for the nerd life
College is for mysterious small groups
College is for weekend trips to New Hampshire
College is for ice skating in August
College is for worshiping in the rain
College is for long talk adventure walks through the woods
College is for hump day swimming trips to the pond
College is for thinking
College is for having too many thoughts to express
College is for living without thinking too much about it
College is for trying to be like the Acts church
College is for sharing
College is for reminding yourself how important grace is
College is for trying to figure out a Christian worldview
College is for people who push you
College is for surrounding yourself with people who make you love life
College is for loving people you hardly know
College is for getting to know people
College is for making best friends in a few days time
College is for thankfulness
College is for letting God show off
College is for discovering beauty
College is for seeking redemption
College is for trusting God's plan 

College is for 

being overwhelmed and loving every minute of it.

The Lord Knows My Steps

College has taught me a whole lot, and I'm only a week in!

I learned a whole lot about the history of Microbiology, and I am firmly convinced that scientific ability should be listed as a spiritual gift. (The first guy to see bacteria was a carpet merchant! He'd never been trained specifically for a science field!) 
I've relearned the anatomical terms.
And would you believe that I'm enjoying math? Once I learn how to do a problem, I keep wanting to do more like it. Its like a puzzle!

But more than learning about my classes, I've learned a lot about who I am now and who God's made me to be. I've learned just where my messed-up, human limitations fall and that I need to start fighting against them (with God's help of course).
For me, being home comes with parental accountability, sibling rivalry, and familiarity. My mom left Saturday, so I woke up Sunday morning with all of "home" completely gone. It is a weird feeling to not have someone care about every move that you make. My responsibility has kicked in! I made it early to every class this week. I went to church last Sunday, and both chapel and the worship service on campus. I have my homework for the week done... and I'm right back to not knowing what to do with my free time. 

Another thing that's taken me by surprise is how friendly everyone is. Its completely natural to start talking to someone waiting in line to get your card swiped for a meal and then sit down and eat your whole lunch with them. No big deal! 
I'm so glad to be going to a Christian school! I feel like sometimes people can be overly polite. I watched two people get into a very calm and kind argument the other night: "Oh, did you want this last hamburger? You can absolutely have it! I can wait." "Please, you take it, I'm not in a rush either, and you were here first."
And I'm so glad that the problem we have with our chapel is that there's not enough seats for all of the students. Especially since chapel here is optional!

I love college so much so far, that I'm considering being a student for the rest of my life... (Don't tell my parents!!)

I'm kidding, of course, but college has been such an amazing experience for me! I am already so at home here, I have no doubt that this is where God wants me! I'm thankful he knows everything about my life before I do. His plans are so much higher than mine!

Proverbs 16:9 "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."