The first day on my own at college was the hardest. When my family dropped me off, I remember walking away from the parking lot and hearing the familiar sound of the car engine rumble to life as they drove away. My throat clenched up. I remember wondering: What was I thinking? Why am I doing this?
What was I thinking, leaving home? Why did I decide to go to a college where I only know a handful of strangers by name? That same sense of loneliness, of displacement, followed me this morning as I walked down the meandering pathways of my college campus.
I miss my family. I miss going on walks every evening down streets that I know by heart. I miss driving around town with my best friend, listening to music with the windows rolled down. I miss home. Is it worth it? To feel so alone?
A Change of Perspective
As I’ve been adjusting to college life in the last few days, I’ve been scouring my Bible for promises to hold on to. The more I’ve searched, the more I found. The first verse is an obvious one, but no less valuable: Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God’s plans for our life is better than anything we can imagine. In Romans 8:28, we are promised that God works all things together for our good. In Matthew 6:34, Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow. Why is that? Because he wants our focus to be on today.
The future is in God’s hands. He is leading you down the path you’re meant to be on. All of this – every little thing – will lead you where you’re meant to be. You are becoming the person you’re destined to become. We follow where God leads. Some people’s paths may lead them across the world, others to a new frame of mind or a new city, others’ paths may draw them home again. And some people’s paths may lead nowhere but deeper into their own hearts.
And for whatever purpose, God has led you here. This moment is a part of a bigger plan.
Make Today Beautiful
In the past week, as I’ve been adjusting to this new life, one of the things I’ve been pondering is how important it is to find things to look forward to in your life. I think it’s so important to have little moments of wonder sprinkled throughout your days and weeks.
It could be as simple as reading a favorite book before bed, listening to your favorite music playlist in the morning, making yourself a cup of coffee. Be intentional about planning little moments to look forward to. Sometimes, the anticipation itself makes all the difference. Here are a few ideas …
- Get outside: When you wake up, take a few minutes to look for sunlight and feel it on your skin. Breathe deep: inhale, exhale. Think about Psalm 46:10 … “Be still and know that I am God.” It’s a promise.
- Go on a walk … morning, afternoon, evening, it doesn’t matter. You can listen to music if you want, or a podcast, or just quiet your thoughts and pay attention to your surroundings, like the birds singing up in the treetops or the wind rustling around you or the sound of your own footsteps. Notice: the sky, the stars, the sun. They’re always shining even when no one sees.
- Have a spare five dollars? Buy a bouquet of your favorite flowers, the prettiest you can find, and arrange them in your bedroom so they’re the first thing you see. They don’t have to be fancy … just a splash of color to breathe life around you.
- Play instrumental music … one of my favorite playlists on Spotify is called “Piano in the Background.” Listen to it and I promise: You will feel serene. If that isn’t your cup of tea, find your own playlist of cheerful tunes to brighten your mind.
- Create an inspiring moodboard: This is one of the best tips for those of us who are visual! Go on Pinterest and make a moodboard for the next week, month, year. Find pictures of anything and everything that capture the essence of those experiences you want to have … and the person you want to become.
- Journal: get out a notebook and make diagrams and write until all your thoughts are spilled on paper. Lord Byron once wrote: “If I don’t write to empty my mind, I go mad.” It is true! And remember that trick of writing down three things you’re grateful for everyday? It really works. You will begin to focus on the good. As you go throughout your day, you’ll start to seek out these wonderful moments. How beautiful is that?
Make it Count
Here’s the secret: Don’t wish it away. We have worked so hard to get where we are today. And there are thousands of aspirations for the year ahead. I want to fill every day with beautiful moments, to strengthen my faith, to study great literature and enrich my mind, to meet new people, to write the breathings of my heart. We all have these dreams and so many more.
This is your life. Make it count.
<3 Olivia Grace
