Things Learned

As of today, I have officially been a resident and student at Moody Bible Institute for a whole month!

 I can hardly believe it. The time has gone by so quickly, and God has already been so faithful and taught me many things.

Some of the things I've learned have been difficult, and some of them have been joyous, and I'd like to share them with you. Without further ado, here are some lessons I've learned thus far:

1. Waking up in time to eat before class is a good idea if you don't want people to look at you in a funny way because of the noises your stomach is making  (yep, definitely learned this the hard way) 

2. Showering to music blasting is SO much fun! 

3. Dorm bathrooms aren't that bad, as long as you ignore the resident spiders :) 

4. Always take your keys with you when you walk out of your *locked* room, unless you want to be locked out for a few hours. 

5. If  you're running late for class, never take the elevator-ALWAYS use the stairs! 

6. Living on a dorm floor with a ton of girls is such a blessing-there's always someone to hang out with, talk to, laugh with, and open up to-we become a family in our own sort of way 

7. It's a lot of fun to Skype and call family back home - do it often 

8. It's easy to get sucked into "college culture" and have that be your entire world-get off campus a bit and explore the rest of the world :) (still trying to learn how to do this in a balanced way! :) 

9. When you're having a bad day and you feel the lowest, the Lord is so near and present. You are never alone. In our weakness, He is made strong.

10. It's OK to be embarrassed, make mistakes, and ask upperclassmen lots of questions-they know a lot more than us freshmen do! 

11. Study hard and well, but remember to sacrifice time to spend with people. People are so important. 

12. Don't be afraid to be vulnerable and open up to people - it's amazing to let another human being peer into your soul, and to peer into theirs as well :)

13. MAKE time to spend alone with the Lord-He will feed you from His Word, and this is so important!! He wants you to depend on Him and ask Him what He thinks. It's so, so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day survival at college, and it's easy to lose sight of the big picture. Never forget His faithfulness, His promises, and His desire to shape you and mold you more in His likeness

14. Don't make studies or relationships into idols- this sounds plain and simple, but I've had a hard time keeping the Lord as my complete focus. So many people and things pull for your attention- continue to be still, and know that He is God. Take time to breath, not study, and just be in awe of our Glorious God. Get some perspective-it helps a lot 

15. Don't get too comfortable- be open to the opportunities the Lord will provide to stretch you and push you even more out of your comfort zone, even though it hurts and it's really hard sometimes. He's always beside you, and won't ever desert you-when you can't go on a step further, He will carry you. On my hardest days, He always comforts me with such thoughts 

As you can tell, I have much more to learn, but this I know: God is good,  He is faithful, He wants the best for us, and He passionately desires to be our focus.  Lord God, I am amazed by You.

One month and Counting

Exactly one month from today, my college adventure will begin! It's exciting, but also a bit sad as I step out of the world that my parents have made for me, and leave childhood behind.
As I reminisce and excitedly ponder what the future holds, I'm attempting to pack and gather everything I may need for this new adventure. So far, nothing is packed, but only thrown into the "take to college" pile! Here are just a few of the basics in my pile:
...bedding
...shower flip flops
...some storage bins
..... a flash light
....towels and shower caddy
....French press
.... a vase (now, I think that every girl should take a vase with her to college, for there may come a day when she needs a place to put a bouquet)
....pens and pencils
.... a sleeping mask (for those nights when my roommate might be studying while I want to sleep :)  ) 
...  speakers
... a sewing kit

....and a few other odds and ends. I'm curious to discover what a college student actually "needs", and what only clutters up the tiny dorm room. I guess it's one of those things that must be learned by experience! Only 30 days and counting until the adventure becomes a reality!

College? Now?!

Do you ever feel like you're being rushed? Like everything is happening way too fast? I am a little over a month away from having my entire life changed-forever, and this is exactly how I feel. Mid-August, I'll be packed up, moved out, and headed for Chicago to go to college at Moody Bible Institute. It seemed like only yesterday that I was a little kid, only dreaming about going to college someday!

Whether I'm ready or not, the time has come, and that is precisely why I  decided to start this blog. My intent is to make this a place where I can chronicle my adventures, mistakes, and experiences so that hopefully, some of my enterprises prove helpful to future college freshman! 

Please, bombard me with questions and your own advice if you've already "been there, done that"- I would greatly appreciate it. 

Well, here's to a new chapter in life-who knows what the Lord may have in store.