Caught Up In It All

I meant to write something when I came home for Thanksgiving, thinking that I would have lots of free time (boy was I wrong), but family, friends, and microbiology ended up being my priority while I was there (not that that's a bad thing). And then finals started and finished, and now I'm home, still running around doing different things every day.

Some thoughts from my first semester:

1) College is so different than I thought it was going to be. I went into it having expectations, some things didn't live up to them, and other things surpassed them by far. Honestly, I have expectations about next semester that I know aren't going to be true, but its hard to not think of the future.

2) Being on your own isn't as glamorous as you think it is. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every minute of it, it just requires a lot of learning... You know how when you lose something, your mother is able to magically find it? No more. She lives 12 hours away. And Daddy can't fix things from that far away either (I managed to put a shoe shelf together all by myself! It only took 20 minutes longer than it should have.) 

3) Roommates are great, I love mine so much, but learning to share a small space with someone is a new adventure in itself. The bathroom mirror only fits one person at a time, and shoes get everywhere and you aren't on the same sleep schedules so you have to learn to be quiet and find matching socks in the dark. But Esther and I hit it off right away, I had an automatic friend from the first day, and she even says I'm quiet when I get ready at 5:30/6 in the morning!

4) College friendships are "sped up" compared to what you're used to. You have to understand that you are about to meet some complete strangers that are going to see all sides of you in about two weeks. From seeing you in your cute clothes with your hair and makeup done well to seeing you right after you've woken up, in your pajamas and morning breath... Your closer friends will get it all. Actually, your roommate gets all that in 24 hours tops.

5) To go along with that, you can't be afraid to let people see you without makeup. Sometimes you wake up in the morning and your too starving to actually get ready for the day, so you just go to the Student Union wearing sweats. 

"And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6, ESV)