Take Heart

For those of you who do not yet know, I moved into college yesterday at Liberty University!  It was pretty crazy, and the last two days have been such a whirlwind.  From the moment I stepped out of my car to face overly-enthusiastic student leaders (who very, very kindly took my stuff all the way up to the seventh floor for me!), time has taken off.

And of course, a college move-in blog post would not be complete without the obligatory dorm pictures:

My desk is covered with photos, an owl-shaped metronome, a letter covered in play pictures, a copy of the book I wrote, and, not to mention, a stack of books I brought to read. (I limited myself to only a few. Mostly) My roommate and I color-coordinated it all, so it all fits into this perfect little theme.  Plus everything is super-organized, which really helps me focus.

But in all seriousness.  In two days, my entire life has changed.  Technically, I've been an adult for almost six months now, but it didn't really feel real until my family drove away, and I was left to decide where to go and what to do with my night.  I didn't have to wake my mom up when I got home.  I woke up when I wanted, went to the gym if I wanted, and ate whatever I wanted.

There's kind of a stigma about Liberty, that students here aren't really "adults" because of the rules.  For one, no, it's not really that many rules, and two, no, it does not make you any less of an adult.  What I do with my life and my time is completely up to me, which is thrilling and terrifying at the same time.

What did today look like?  I navigated my way to the gym, and felt very exposed and very embarrassed while I ran, even though I know no one was actually paying attention to me.  I explored the finished portion of the new music building, only to (surprise surprise) find myself in the piano lab.  I tried to find my classes in DeMoss hall, only to get lost for nothing short of half an hour.  On one floor.  (I'm telling you, the walls of the 4th floor move when you're not looking.)  I ate breakfast and lunch alone, which was okay.  (Soon, I know I'll treasure that alone time, when I'm so crazy busy once classes start.)  I sat in the Honors Lounge for a while and put class stuff in order. (I know I'm a huge nerd because the library is already my FAVORITE place.)  My roommate and I made a Target run - and we're already planning another (somehow, we can never manage to get all the stuff we need.)  And, on top of all that craziness, I managed to meet about a hundred new people and call my parents and grandfather.

Life moves fast, and there's no hiding the fact that moving out of the house and into a dorm is hard.  All you can do is hold fast onto God and know that while everything is up in the air, He's still there.  Even if you don't know what your major will be (me), what you want to do with your life (me), who your professors will end up being (me), if that last textbook order will actually arrive before classes start (also me), or if you'll make that awesome GPA you need (oh hey also me), God's got you.  And it's all going to be more than okay, because where ever you are, or whatever situation you're in, you're exactly where he wants you.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33