I started out my blog with a list of advice for moving into the dorms. As this is one of my last posts of freshman year, I would like to include another list for surviving, and enjoying, your freshman year of college.
1. Try to enjoy your classes. No, this is not going to be possible with every course (take Pre Calculus for example...) but it will help a lot. Some of my professors have been really interesting and smart people and have unique things to say.
2. Always be open to meeting more people. In the fall I thought I had my group of friends cut out, but it turned out that I hadn't even met some of the girls that I'm closest to now.
3. See the silver lining around campus dining. Although it is not the most appetizing thing in the world, you do have to live with it for an entire school year.
4. Try to stay in contact with your friends from home. I am so thankful that I have done this with some people, and so sorry I didn't with others.
5. Write down a list of the funny things that happen to you and your friends. A girl suggested this to me in the fall and I didn't do it, and now I really wish I did.
6. Take time alone. You don't get much privacy living in the dorms, especially the first few weeks. It helped so much when I just read alone or listened to my ipod outside.
7. Keep an eye on your leftovers. My roommate and I found out the hard way that eventually they start to smell, which spreads really quickly in a dorm room.
8. Balance your weekends at home and at school well. If you go home too often you won't get involved and connected at school. At the same time, if you are really home sick, take the time to drive home, even if it is only for a few days. Trust me, it makes a huge difference.
9. Get a goldfish. They will keep you company for awhile, but won't live long enough to become a problem. I bought a beta fish, which live longer, and even though I'm over the fish-phase it is still here.
10. Join a bible study, club, music group, or anything else to get connected. It helps so much and gives you an interest in your school.

The "End Times"

For centuries people have been speculating about the end of the world. Will people stoically face their fate, conscious of how powerless they are to change it? Or will they dwell on the end, making it more painful than if they had accepted it? As an incoming college freshman, I feel I have some experience with this question. Although I know that the day I leave is not the earth's Armageddon, sometimes it seems as if it is my family's.
Prior to this week, I have spent as much time as humanly possible with my friends, soaking them up before we all go separate ways. But now, with only 10 days left, it seems to be my family's turn to soak me up. This entails going to movies and shopping with my mom, and taking the time to talk with my dad. It means sitting down as a family to talk, not just to watch the latest Blockbuster rental. Which is all good, except for the high emotions. I know that I will cry when my parents drop me off at school, that much is given. But I really don't want, or feel the need, to break down now. My parents, and especially my mom, are a different story. A tip for your future "End Times": Don't bring out old photos, show your parents how much you have packed, or mention exactly how many days you have left. Trust me, you don't want to make this any harder for yourself.
As difficult as these times are, there are some upsides. No one will tell you not to eat the cookie dough or to clean your room. You will realize what a great thing you have with your friends. And you will see that, contrary to what you previously believed, you will miss your family.