10 Things I'd Say to Myself Before Going to College (After Finishing Freshman Year)

I don't want this to become a blog about me living at college, but at this point a post here and there is inevitable. I even live here over the summer. It's basically my life now.

Anyway, now that I've finished my first year, there are some things I would definitely tell my freshly-graduated self last summer.

1. Spend more time with your friends before you leave for college.
2. But, don’t worry about the people you wished you would have become friends with when you were at school. Don’t try to salvage anything. The drifting apart is inevitable, and you’re going to meet new amazing people. It’s okay.
3. The tattoo is going to hurt, but you get used to it. Don’t be scared.
4. Look for scholarships and actually apply! Making a list of scholarships that you are eligible for and then never going through with it is not enough!
5. Write, practice, and perform as much as you can. You’re not going to have as much free time as you anticipate, and you’re going to miss it. A lot.
6. Harvest what you can from missing him, as far as for writing and music, but seriously, you’re done. Every thought of “but maybe we can try again” is a lie. You left for a reason.
7. You find someone new in the summer anyway.
8. Appreciate being in the worship team at church. You’re going to miss it.
9. Don’t be afraid of college. You make friends—really good ones—and the classes are really interesting.
10. I know I can’t stop you, because even when you know better you still do it, but I have to at least try to tell you not to procrastinate. It’ll kill you.

When I read back through this, everything has the same message ringing behind it: don’t wait. Don’t wait to hang out with the friends you love. Don’t wait to move on. Don’t wait to seek opportunities. Don’t wait to chase the person you want to be. Don’t wait to pursue what you love and to pursue happiness. But also, don’t be afraid to take your time and enjoy everything around you while it’s still there. There is a fine balance between seizing the day and rushing past your life.

"The devil's greatest weapon is not convincing us there is no God, but that we have plenty of time." —C. S. Lewis