I am not the type to be sentimental, but these past few weeks have been super triggering for my tears. Someone says something about graduating, leaving for the summer, or honestly just something sweet and I’m close to a breakdown. This is my official last semester on campus as I am traveling abroad and graduating in the next one. So, as I embark on the end of my college experience and living with my friends I have been trying to soak up every minute of it.

This past weekend, my best friend Arinn said that I should make a bucket list of things that I want to do in my last few weeks before the semester ends. And of course, I did, and we have begun planning how to get everything done before finals end. I am so grateful for where I am in life right now, I have a good group of genuine friends, I say “yes” to almost every adventure put in front of me, and as weird as it sounds I honestly don’t want to leave school.

Two weeks ago I went to a military ball with my friend as he is about to be commissioning. Even though I knew approximately three people there, it was such a fun once in a lifetime experience that I am so glad I got to do. We went to the bar with some of the people who were at the ball with us afterwards, and even though I just met these people that night, it was like I had known them for years. It was such a fun and spontaneous night that I will definitely remember forever. 

Nights like that are so special to me because when I look back to where I was this time last semester, I was miserable and could not even imagine that I would be in a position like this where I am so joyful by spending time with strangers who quickly became friends. I never imagined myself finding roommates who would be such amazing lights in my life and show my love in a new way I had never seen. I never imagined that I would be okay trying new things, doing things on my own, and taking time to be by myself. The past 4 and half months have felt like 4 days, I cannot believe this semester is about to end and I am going to enter a new season of life. 

I have always said that the little things in life make the biggest impacts, and this semester has been the biggest testimony to that statement. As I have said so many times before, I never imagined that the person I was in November could be the same person I am today. I feel genuine love from those around me, I am actually excited to wake up each day and see where life takes me and what I will experience. I genuinely thank God every day for the people in my life at the moment and for the light He brought out of the darkness. I am so sentimental about life right now because it is the type of life we all hope and pray for and do not want to leave once we get it. But, the Lord has so much good planned for me in this upcoming season and I am carrying the light that surrounds me now into the new to come.

So, to the girl who is soaking up life, keep soaking up every moment you can. Soon it will be time to move onto something new, so take the love and joy you feel where you are now with you wherever you are going. Be sentimental, cry in your car on the phone, get off your phone and truly experience life in the present, because eventually you will move onto to something new. But, that something new may be even better than you could have ever imagined. So hold on tight, because who knows where the Lord may be leading you next!