MMXV

It's been quite a year. I did a similar post last year, so I thought I'd do one again. :)

Last January, spring semester was rapidly approaching. I hadn't packed, and I was stressing out. But I knew where God wanted me, so I tried to put aside the stress and homesickness and went. 

The spring semester was a big one. We got a new suite mate. There was one week that felt like it was finals week, but it was at the beginning of the February. I also had nursing school applications to fill out that month. My nursing friends and I fretted over essays and test grades and interviews in addition to our usual class load. We all survived the process, though. And was there ever a happier day than the one when we got our acceptance emails?

As hard as the semester was, it was also a ton of fun. I met Olan Rogers (twice!) and helped my roommate's boyfriend surprise her on Valentine's Day. We had movie nights and ate ice cream, and I drank a lot of coffee. Spring break was great too, although I did get sick for the first part. I got an ENO, which was such an amazing investment in the mental health of myself and my roommate :) Finals week was as crazy as ever, especially since I was trying to get all of my things packed. My family came down earlier to take down my lofted bed and roll up my carpet and carry off a lot of my stuff, which was helpful. But it was still a busy time. After finals were over, my roommate and I finished packing and cleaning. And then we moved out. 

At home, I started job searching and eventually God blessed me with a great job. I went to Michigan for a week to quizmaster at Nationals. Life was good. 

And then, sometime in July, I started to think that maybe my school was too expensive. I've already typed up that post, so I won't bother typing through it again. I know that this is what God wants, and I'm fine with that. But it was also very hard to not see my friends as much as I used to. (If any of you are reading this, love you!) 

Settling into my new school wasn't too hard, but the commute is a bit difficult, as is the time change. For example, to get to my 8:00 class right on time, I have to leave home at 6:00, which usually results in waking up at 5:00, since I like to take my mornings slowly. But I'm learning a lot, and I've been able to balance a part-time job with my classes so far. And fall break fell on my birthday, which was nice. I got to even go down to my former school and get to see most of my friends, and that was lovely. 

Finals week came and went, we got a puppy, Christmas was brilliant. I also just wrote about all that, so I won't bother being repetitive. :) 

So. 2015. A year of tiredness and stress and lots of driving and pretending that I'm an adult. Also a year of laughter and hugs and good relationships. It wasn't all shining moments. But the shining moments did help push me through the rougher ones. I've learned so much too. Nursing lab taught me all about injections and IVs, but it also taught me how to put aside some of the stress. Life is a lot more fun when I do my best and trust God to take care of the rest. 

So. Resolutions time. I'm not going to try to workout daily; with four really long school days every week this semester, including my commute but not my job, I don't want to worry about having time for that. Sometimes, it's more important to just rest. So instead, I'll find ways to make my commutes more meaningful (and bearable.) I'll look for more shining moments and try not to miss any. Trusting God more, not fearing things that may or may not happen, and not stressing.