The BIG C- College

It is currently Wednesday August 12, 2015 at 11:53 pm. I just finished up a late night conversation with a close friend and it got me thinking, and thinking leads to good ideas, and my good idea was to write out what I was thinking. I'm thinking about a lot, especially because it's late at night, I think that's when my best ( and worst) thoughts come, and because I leave for college in three days. So the conversation started with a close friend, who just finished un packing and moving into her college dorm today. I had been thinking about her a lot today but didn't want to bother her, so I waited until tonight to hear it all. At first she told me how she got moved in and was nervous, it took her approximately three hours to get settled, how she has more pictures than space, and how her appetite isn't much at all right now, that she has had a few cry sessions already, and so much more. I couldn't help but try to feel for her, because that's going to be me very soon. College is going to be an emotional roller coaster, there's no question about that, and I say "I'm ready, I know." However, we can never prepare for things like this. The conversation revolved around transitions and change, both inevitable. This past summer I was an overnight camp counselor, the most tough, yet most rewarding job. Some people may think all camp counselors are the same. Wrong. They are wrong, I can speak from experience, having been both. The most obvious difference: you sleep where you work, and work where you sleep. You can't ever get out. Maybe days off, but for the most part you are always there. If you are having a rough day, you either hold it in, or break down in front of others. A long day can just lead to an even longer night, it's a spiral effect, and eventually you find yourself running on something, not humanly normal. From being in a similar position to her, just weeks ago, I was able to sort of let her know, that it does get better. I hate to sugar coat things and the reality is some things don't always end how we'd like them to, but for the most part there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. I was miserable my first few days because it was not a place I had time to get acquainted to as quickly as I would have liked. In the beginning in was tough getting along with others. I would cry every night and talk to my family and friends at least twice a day. Once I figured out that everyday was getting a little bit easier, I came to accept the saying, "Time heals everything." Again, the amount of time varies for each person, but there comes a point where we have to trust that what we are doing, obstacles we come across, and people we meet, all have a way of teaching us something. In my friend's situation, I told her she would get something out of this. If it's an education, good friends, memories, or even personal growth, in the end this journey will be worth it. Because the experiences will be worth it, that means along the way, it is crucial to stop, breathe, and be in the moment.