Thoughts on Growing up, 1st Semester

Everyone always talked about how they just "wanna get out of this valley", but I don't think they realized what that meant. I know I didn't. Do I love my life right now and where I'm at? Yes. Of course I do. I have made so many new friends and I am doing well in school. I like being on my own and experiencing new things and things on my own, but here is what we didn't realize.

I was so excited to go to school and be on my own with my best friend in the whole world. I didn't realize I was going to have such a hard time with the squad break up though. 2 of the squad are on LDS missions (so extremely proud of them!), 1 of them is in Logan going to school (also so proud of him!), the other 1 is in the Arkansas at school (also so proud of him!), and our last member is with my best friend and me, but will be leaving us soon (so proud of her as well!)! We were all (and still are) so, so close, and I don't go a day without thinking of something that we all did. It is so hard to just not be with them. I look back on the memories and just laugh like that time I got pulled over driving one of the boys' vehicles without my license (oops haha), or that time we played basketball, or the timeless movie nights and fires.

Everyone thinks it will be amazing to go out on your own and not have to check in with someone every hour or so. You don't have a curfew and everyone thinks that will be amazing. These are both awesome, and I love the freedom, but sometimes I just kinda miss all of it. It is weird to be so used to a routine that you have, and then suddenly you are out on your own and you have to totally reinvent your routine. It is nice to be on your own, and it is fun! Sometimes you just miss it though. Sometimes, you just miss your family.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being an adult and I enjoy being on my own, but it is HARD! There are so many different adjustments that you have to give yourself time to adjust to. You have to have patience and learn that things are NOT always going to happen the way you want them to. You just have to deal with it. Have a plan, but know that that plan probably isn't going to work out exactly how you want it to. It is important to be prepared, but it is also important to be flexible. You don't want to rush things that shouldn't be rushed. You don't want to totally break down and become nonfunctional when your plan doesn't work out. College is for you to figure these things out. Find yourself, and explore new things.
Although life is hard, it is so worth it.

Life is always going to throw surprises at you, so you just need to grab life by the reigns and ride it out. It may not always be fun, but in the end, it WILL be worth it. After all, growth is painful, but you won't get anywhere sitting in the same spot and trying not to change at all. The purpose of life is to become the best person we can be, so go be that person. You will never reach your potential if you don't get up and try. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone, make new friends, have emotional breakdowns, but most of all, enjoy life. After all, we only have one chance on this earth, so why not make the best of it?

Love,

MaShayla :)