One year down, Three to go!

First, GO VOLS. Second, this is long. I'm sorry.

Third, how in the world am I already done with my first year of college?

This question keeps running through my mind about 1033904804958 times a day as I've been home since May 8th. To give you a quick rundown of my year, I can say I have never slept less in my life or had more espresso. I am still undeclared but have a few ideas in mind to try on for size, and I absolutely ADORE the University of Tennessee. I will say that while college can be grueling, it is so rewarding and just plain fun! Studying sucks, but you have to do it in order to graduate. Going to class may not be so fun, but it is also a graduation requirement. I obviously did both of these things all year and thankfully, after a lot of hard work, succeeded, but that's not what I'm here to talk about. I'm here to talk about the things this year taught me.

College. Freshman Year. I can say this year was the year that I have grown the most and understood so much more clearly what I believe than any other year of my life. Here are a few things freshman year showed me.

1. Sleep is more important than you think.
2. People and relationships are often more important than sleep (as are your studies).
3. College is hard (and I'm sure will only get harder from here on out).
4. College is one of the most blessed places to be - surrounded by people my own age on a beautiful campus with running water, food, things to do, and experiences to be had at EVERY second of EVERY day. How much better can it get?
5. Good people can make some really stupid decisions.
6. Temptation is everywhere. Use this time in college to sharpen yourself and your beliefs. This is our segway to the real world. Get ready for a wild ride.
7. God is moving every day even when you don't see it because all you can see is the monotony of your schedule.
8. Putting yourself out there - either getting involved in student government, being a leader of some sort on campus, being involved in a campus ministry, or whatever you fancy - can take you to the highest of highs and truly make your college experience so much better. Find a community.
9. Intramurals are the best stress reliever ever.
10. My Savior loves me through my mistakes with people, in schoolwork, and with my relationship with Him. He understands my doubts and my loneliness and comforts me in times of weakness.
11. Prayer life and seeking a personal relationship with Christ in college can be extremely difficult. Time management, persistence, and reliance on Him is key.
12. There is never enough fruit on campus. Period. End of story.
13. Never such a thing as too much espresso.
14. If you wait and trust the Lord, He will bring the best people ever into your life (trust me on this one. He provides!)
15. Sometimes you gotta suck it up and confront someone about the conflict. It will never ever just resolve on its own.
16. We, as college students, as high-schoolers, as working adults, as human beings, as sons and daughters of the King, are blessed beyond belief, and we take it foregranted every single day.

My freshman truly brought some of my best friends into my life, and I can't imagine this past year without them. I anticipate sticking by their sides for a very very very long time (you know who you are). I somehow survived midterms and finals (barely) and made it home with an incredible year in the books and I cannot wait to return to my new home way and from home - Knoxville, Tennessee!


 PART TWO


All of that said, let's move on to bigger and more current topics of discussion. SUMMER.
You should know two things.
1. I leave in a week to lead an extended orientation program called Ignite for incoming freshman at UT. I will be leading 5 day camping trips with my partner, Cam, to small groups of freshman!
2. I am studying abroad in Italy in July/August for 5 weeks! Ahhhhhh!!!!!!

Okay. On with business.

When I was done with finals at the very end of April/beginning of May, I didn't want to leave Knoxville. I cried leaving my dorm (yep I'm that girl), but once I got home, I realized how much I needed the break. After being home for almost three weeks now, I'm in love with it.

Being home means my bed, my dog, my own room, more figure skating, more coaching, and last but not least, real food!! (yummy yummy nom nom nom)

Being home also means reuniting with so many friends I haven't seen in either a year or since Christmas. How truly truly sweet it has been. Piece of Advice: don't lose touch with your high-school best friends. It'll be easy to not talk, but make the effort. Also know that most best friends (if they are truly your friends) will still be there even when you don't talk for a few months.

Being home also means graduation(s), but not mine. I personally have many friends who are graduating this year, and it was been so sweet to stand with them in this incredible time of change. It has also been incredibly hard emotionally for me. I have never been the girl to say I missed high-school because I was ready to get out a year ago. I still feel that way the majority of the time, but lately, since being home and going to grad parties and graduations for all my close friends, I have left feeling so intensely jealous of their time of life.
I was in their shoes a year ago. Merely just a year ago. I was still a high-schooler. 18 with no cares.
How simply beautiful that time of life is.
College shows you a lot about life, even in just the first year, and it has truly hit me hard being home that I will never go back to that time of life again - where some of my biggest troubles were finishing homework, training for figure skating competitions, and keeping up with drama at school. To all you graduating seniors reading this: relish in this time! Appreciate your parents, your friends, the fact you got to be so close to all of them all the time, your room, your siblings, and the simpleness of your life. Realize it's about to change, and even if you're really ready for that change, remember you won't ever be in this time again. Remember you have this summer before your life will change drastically. I spent my summer before college the best possible way I could, and I would never change it. I would gladly go back and relive it any day. Love your life. Let it take you on adventures.

Finally, a week from today, I will be heading back to Knoxville to work an extended orientation program called Ignite at UT, and I am beyond excited! However, I leave Nashville with a heavy heart because being home has showed me how much I had to be thankful for in high-school, and I let certain things cloud that lens when I was actually living those four years. I regret that. I was so blessed and currently am EXTREMELY blessed with a beautiful place like Nashville to call my home with amazing friends and family that bless me daily. Never, ever will I take those things foregranted again. Lastly, as I said, in July, I will be studying abroad in Italy! RIGHT?! I'm excited too! I'll be there for 5 weeks studying the beautiful language of Italian, so expect some epic blog posts while I'm there!

Thanks to all for sticking with me through this post! Ya'll are troopers! I hope to post more as I head into this summer with leading the Ignite program and studying abroad in Italy!

So much love!!

In Him,
Corinne