Things I've Learned So Far.

One semester down, seven to go. My first semester of college was better than I could have ever dreamed it would be. I've met so many incredible people, and I've made so many wonderful memories already. Looking ahead to the next few years gets me excited about all of the adventures coming. Here is a little recap of my semester and a look at some of the biggest lessons I have learned so far!1. Write everything down! And I'm not just talking about taking notes in class. Write a to-do list for every day. Use your calendar and your planner, because if you don't you will forget something and miss a deadline (or three... oops). After you have written down all of the boring stuff, write down all of your best memories. Write down everything that made you laugh, write down what made you cry last night. Write it all down. Remember it. This is why I have my personal blog. I write about the happiest things from each week, so that I can look back at those moments when I need a reason to smile.2. Drink water!I am so serious about this one. I am probably ultra dehydrated all the time, because of the amount of coffee I consume on a daily basis. I've read that you should be drinking twice as much water as you do coffee. If that's the case, I should be drinking at least eight glasses of water a day... Honestly, it's a miracle if I even drink one glass a day. One of my goals for next semester (and for the new year!) is to drink more water.3. It's okay if no one falls in love with you right away!If you're in college, you know the feeling you get when you come home and everyone is asking you about the "hundreds of boys that are chasing you." It's okay if you don't have anyone chasing you. Let this be a time for you to chase yourself. Learn who you are. Pursue yourself, your interests, your dreams. Make friends, and focus on what's important. Love yourself, love others, love Jesus. You'll be okay. Someday, somebody's going to fall in love with ya, I promise. You're amazing!4. Study! Different! Ways!This is a big one. In high school, I only studied one way: flashcards. That's it, and I passed all of my classes with that method. College is slightly more difficult (surprise!). Trying out different studying techniques is extremely helpful. Some classes, all I needed was a few hours and some flashcards. Other classes, I needed a study buddy, flashcards, a quizlet, and prayer (because let's be real, there are some days when you just need a miracle). Don't be afraid to try new things. It might not work well for you, but at least you tried it out.5. Make time for Jesus!You'd think this one would be obvious, but it's the one that I've struggled with the most. Life gets busy, sleep becomes more important, and sometimes you forget to spend time with Jesus. Surround yourself with friends that will encourage you to pursue a deeper relationship with Christ. Ask them to keep you accountable and to remind you to read your Bible. Buy a journal to write your prayers in. This helps me a lot, because I tend to get distracted if I'm praying in my head. Writing it out keeps me focused. Find ways to remind yourself to stay in the Word.I think that's a good place to stop for now. Stay tuned! Maybe at the end of next semester I'll have more advice for you.words and photo by Lucy Boyland