Dear Katie,

I saved this post for later on in my blogging journey to have a better perspective on freshman year after more time, more experience, more reflection. I also think it is a fitting post for me to write this week because I am just back from a weekend at home, a weekend so amazing that returning to school left me with mixed emotions. Such an ordinary weekend, full of all the routine things I would never think twice about before – grocery shopping and running errands with mom, baking muffins and drinking coffee before church, watching Netflix before bed with my sister- all took on a new significance because I can no longer do those things every day. The comfort awarded to me by being home, with my people, in my town, definitely made it bittersweet to leave and return to school. Despite the difficulty with which I bid Waterwillow Road goodbye for the second time, I was eager to return to State College, which is a testament to how much I have grown in just the past two months. Flashback to two weeks leading up to moving into my dorm, I would cry at the very mention of the word “college”. And the actual day of move in, let’s just say it was one of the most emotionally exhausting days of my life so far. I am oh so grateful that Schreyer’s SHOTIME kept me busy and distracted, or I most likely would have sat in my room and sobbed. Dramatic, maybe, but how I was feeling during that transition. My prayers for the first couple of days consisted of prayers for peace, clarity, happiness, and to know that the sadness I was feeling was actually such a blessing because it meant that I experienced love at home.

So, now I have reached the end of October, the leaves are changing, and the air is chilly, a perfect fall scene as I walk around campus…. I cannot help but feel thankful. I genuinely feel so lucky to be at Penn State, and I recognize the blessings it affords me every day, and this point of gratitude and peace is one I really could not imagine reaching on August 15 when our family, my whole world, said goodbye. A huge reason for this is the people who have come into my life. Connecting with people who allow you to be yourself and understand your passions makes all the difference. More than that, having someone to laugh with and go through the crazy, busy, bad days and the crazy, exciting, fun days is so amazing.

Katie, if you are reading this blog post the night before you move into your dorm and begin your biggest adventure yet, my wish for you is to be open to everything. Do not allow your fears and anxieties to hold you back from the incredible people you will meet and the genuine connection you will feel to your school. Allow yourself time and grace when adjusting. It is okay to be sad, but I promise you, you will be authentically happy again soon.

until next time,

“Life is the most exciting opportunity we have. But we have one shot. You graduate from college once, and that’s it. You’re going out of that nest. And you have to find that courage that’s deep, deep, deep in there. Every step of the way.” – Andrew Shue