Learn to Love Learning

Well, it's been exactly a month since I've moved to Utah for college. It's crazy how fast time flies! So much has changed, both for the good and bad, but I know that this is where I'm supposed to be. Because so much has happened these past few weeks, I figured I should share some experiences and things I've learned with you.

First, I've had to learn how to manage my time well. A few weeks ago my roommate put as her status on Facebook: "There are three essentials in college: 1) Get good grades, 2) Have lots of fun, and 3) Get lots of sleep.....You get to choose two of them." At first I completely agreed with this statement, and out of the three the two most important to me were to get good grades and get enough sleep. In fact, the first couple weeks of college I pretty much didn't care if I had a social life. But since then I've realized that having fun in college is important too! You just need to find a balance, and even though getting good grades and sleep may be more important to you than having a social life, I've found that there can be time for all three if you make time. Do what you need to get done for school, have fun, but then make sure that you're still getting the sleep you need to have energy and a clear mind the next day. Since I realized this, I've been trying to allow myself more time for fun, and because of this I've been able to meet new people and share experiences such as playing Just Dance, finding a kitten, renting a taxidermy weasel named Wesley, and many more.


Last Sunday night as my roommates and I were walking back to our apartment, we passed a girl that we knew who was talking on the phone and crying. As soon as we got back to the apartment, my roommate said, "Did you see [girl] crying? We should leave her brownies." Of course I had been sympathetic for the girl, but I wished I thought of something like that first. So we got a plate of brownies and took it to the girl's room and left it on her bed for her to find when she got back. We haven't seen or talked to her since, but I hope we were able to put a smile on her face and let her know that we love her. That was a huge example to me, even though my roommate probably didn't even think twice about it. I need to be actively looking for ways to be kind to and serve others because it really can make a difference. It also made me realize that I'm not alone; everyone has their own struggles and challenges that they are dealing with. So why not help a friend out? Even if you don't know them, one smile or kind word or little act of service can make all the difference and mean the world to them.


Another thing about college that has been different for me is how much I am learning. I feel like I am constantly learning something every minute! With going to class, doing homework (which involves lots and lots of reading...), and just being around new people, I feel like I am intaking so much new information. But it's great! Since I've started college, I've learned to love learning. And I think that's important to being successful. If you don't love learning, then you don't have as much capacity to grow and improve yourself. And who wouldn't want to do that? I've also found that what I'm learning here is a lot more interesting than high school. I felt like I was limited in high school. But here, the sky is the limit. I can do anything that I put my mind to. There are so many classes to choose from, so many people to learn from, and so many new experiences out there. And with the amount that I've learned this past month, I can't imagine what it will be like at the end of this year, or when I graduate in four years.


Also another random thing I've realized, there is no such thing as comfortable shoes. The end. At least not in my closet...


And since I promised, I'll leave you with a quote of the day:
"You can let it harden you or let it soften you. Boiled water hardens eggs and softens carrots."