Being home after my first semester in college is a nice time for me to relax, reflect, and reconnect with family and friends. I have loved seeing everyone here, yet I am still excited to go back in a few weeks.
2022 for me was all about new beginnings. In January, I committed to college. From then on, I was getting ready to attend and was very excited about things to come. I went to all of the admitted student events and orientation in June. I moved into my suite in late August and started living in a different state for the first time. I met new people, most of which are so fascinating to me and I like spending time with them. I played at my first college football, basketball, and volleyball games where I learned what media time-outs are and how to heckle the other teams.
I also had new experiences during my senior year as well. In the church, I spoke in front of the congregation, twice. I taught Kindergarten in Sunday School which was fun and a little crazy. In High School, I played my first solos, first improv, and first gig through the jazz band. Those pushed me to be more confident in my playing, as well as practice more.
But, as I've learned and written about, new things result in leaving some things behind. These new experiences, as enticing as they are, pushed me to take risks and try things out of my comfort zone. I am a very time-organized person and doing impromptu things used to really terrify me. Now, I am more comfortable taking little breaks to go on walks with friends or go grab food at the dining hall. I have more confidence in myself to know that I will get everything done and that it is okay to take breaks and socialize. Every decision I have made this year has had both a risk and a payout. I have chosen to take these risks to "see the light at the end of the tunnel." I didn't have the best year, but I focused a lot on myself and was able to take the events life threw at me and still be true to myself.
