The Start of a New Semester

And just like that, campus has come back to life. After waking up at six in the morning from a frightening dream. I could not go back to sleep after that. I reached over to turn off my alarm right as it went off. I rushed to get ready for work even though I had plenty of time, and I made a conscious effort to keep my anxiety down. I grabbed my breakfast and lunch and briskly walked to work. I was only there for an hour, but I got a surprising amount of things done before heading off to my last first day of fall semester. When I got out of that class half an hour early I had a forever long break since there was no devotional (in reality, the break was only an hour and a half). The fact that this is my last fall semester sunk in. Panic and excitement filled me as I sat in the warm summer sunshine that I know won't last for much longer. Never again will I see campus renewed with the flow of excited and anxious students after the crazes of Education Week, EFY, and NSO are over. Never again will I be able to introduce myself as a junior. Day to day I feel the same as the girl in my freshman ID picture, but as I look back to this day two years ago, I feel like everything has changed. Two years ago, I was afraid of meeting my new roommates, and here I am living with some of my best friends again. I didn't want to go to FOL, and I just finished my second year as a peer mentor. I was majoring in Political Science, and now I am almost done with my Family Life major. I got lost going to every class, but now I look at my schedule and maneuver my way to all my classes with ease. My second class was much like the first going over the syllabus and ending early. Work was even better the second time of the day. I got to see some of the officers that I already love so much. So many errands. So many trips across campus. So many mail merges. I am excited and terrified of this semester. Good thing Heavenly Father doesn't ask for immediate perfection but immediate progression. I know I can do it, but I also know it is going to be harder than any semester before. 

I also think today was harder than most because it was emotionally taxing. After my first class I got a text from one of my good friends telling me her momma was dying. After talking to her for a little bit, I was in tears. Sister Monzingo was a fighter. I am thankful that I had the opportunity of knowing her. Her strong, beautiful spirit left the earth today, but I know she is in a better place. I just wish I could be home right now to comfort her and her family and to be with mine to show them how amazingly important they are to me and how much I love them.