coming to a close

This is gonna be all over the place. Random thoughts, horrible transitions, and not all from personal experience. So here goes nothing.

Lessons that freshman year has taught me:

1. go out with your friends. when they drag you out those make the best memories sometimes. you'll regret the times you didn't go out over the times you did.

2. STUDY. I'm learning this the REALLY hard way. When you think you have endless hours in the day to watch netflix and movies you really don't. STUDY. You'll thank yourself later when you're not living in the library and living off of energy drinks and coffee. 

3. If you're gonna engage in 21+ activities do it smartly. If you're in the corner slumped over you won't remember it and you're putting your friends out who have to take away from their night to take care of you. Keep it classy. Manage yourself. 

4. GO TO FOOTBALL GAMES! I don't care if you're at Auburn, Troy, or Faulkner, GO. You meet so many people and you're all there for the same reason to cheer on your team. Its great. Do it.
War Eagle

5. Be a good friend. Sometimes just showing you care is more than enough. Don't forget your friends at home -- but don't forget to make new ones too. They're the ones here for you with hugs and advice at 3:30 and won't judge you. You need them.

6. GET INVOLVED. Some of my greatest friendships have come from involvement- FLP and sorority has brought me some great friends I couldn't imagine life without. Yes it is a HUGE time commitment sometimes, but anything in life worth having is something you have to fight for and make time for. These extras are worth it. 

7. Always have an umbrella. Coming from the girl who always manages to wear white and it pours down -- trust me. That little bit of extra weight is worth it and saving your laptop. 

8. Go to class. Those attendance points are GIVE ME POINTS. Ok? Like don't skip. Its dumb. Not to mention you do better in class.

9. Rate my professor is a blessing and a curse- ask friends or older students. Rate my professor can be wrong. I also learned this the hard way. 

10. Go to events sponsored by the school or things you're involved in. Again, new people, I regret not going to more. 

11. Take pictures of everything with everyone. My walls are covered and I love it.  I wish I had more though. There's memories of random trips I wish I had documented. Selfies are completely ok for documenting goofy memories- but get someone to actually take pictures for the more memorable moments. (dances, first dates, nice dates, etc.)

12. The times you get lost are the times you make the best memories. Hands down. Go for a drive and have no clue where you're going.

13. Random road trips are a must. Go get food, go shopping somewhere new, go thrifting in a small town, do something with your weekends besides netflix. 

14. Go to state parks. They're great fun outdoors and you can eno.

15. get an eno. if you take nothing else from this you study and you get an eno. 

16. Randomly dress up for class. Nikes and Tshirts are great and all but sometimes you would be shocked at how much better you feel when you look fabulous.

17. Allow yourself to get heart broken. Its part of life. But never lose sight of the fact God has a plan and has someone perfect out there for you.

18. You are what you think you are. Believe in yourself and others will believe in you too -- if you don't think you're worth anything no one else will either.

19. When you're with friends turn your phone off. Don't forget how to talk to people.

20. Most importantly stay true to yourself. Don't change your morals or standards for anyone. Keep going to church even when its hard (trust me it is) friends come and go, God's the only one who will always be there for you.

I wouldn't change a thing about my freshman year, the friends I've made are irreplaceable - my sisters mean so much to me, they're the most encouraging group of girls I've ever met. The people from my FLP group are precious souls. Then there's the random friends from class, the friends I've made in my dorm, and those original friends from CWE who I'll have a class with again next semester (these are the friends you keep around). Or CWE counselors- they're great. I can't believe freshman year is coming to a close and I love all the experiences I've had have taught me so much. I genuinely love so many people I've met this year and can't imagine life without them.