All within a week's time, I crossed off two major milestones in my life. I officially ended my teenage years as I celebrated my twentieth birthday. I also submitted a cohort application. The application was the beginning steps of the process that determines the next two years of my life (aka hopefully the rest of my undergrad career)! After the stress, anxiety, and worrying of that week ended, I began to realize a few major things...

I realized: 1. I am growing up, 2. It is okay to not have it all together, and 3. Fearing the unknown will not make things better.

As much as I did not want to accept it, I am growing up. My teenage years are over and I have began a new decade. However, I am honestly content with it. I am taking classes in a major that I love for a career that I know I was meant to do. Majority of my days, including weekends, are now planned out for me for months on end. The idea of getting married and starting a family plays more frequently through my thoughts. My Pinterest "pins" are filled with inspiration for a wedding, children, teaching, and a home as opposed to the food, hairstyles, and college ideas I pinned throughout high school. I love college but I am also excited to be beginning the events that are leading to the rest of my life.

Accepting that I am growing up does not mean that I have to have it all together. In fact, it is completely okay for me to be a mess sometimes. If I had it all together, life would be no fun at all. The twists, turns, ups, and downs of my twenties are going to be full of more learning and memories than I have experienced thus far. I may not remember to eat supper until midnight or I may eat ten times a day. I may run off of three hours of sleep or I may sleep the whole day away. I may cry for three days or I may have so much fun that I forget about the craziness for a while. I may study for what seems like weeks or I might binge watch seasons of a Netflix series at a time. But, you know what?! Every single other "twenty-something" is living life the same exact way! Our lives right now are beautiful messes full of experiences that will shape who we are as future spouses, parents, and workers.

The future is full of so many unknowns: "Will I get into my program or get the classes I need?", "Will I ever find love?", "Will I graduate on time?", "Will I be able to find a job?", "Where will I live after college?", and so much more. Often times, not knowing what is coming can cause us to be fearful. If we aren't careful, this fear will overtake our lives. Fearing the unknown will not make things better. Fear will not show us the future. Fear will not help us to graduate or score a job. We need to embrace the unknown and enjoy the ride as we coast through the twists, turns, ups, and downs. A roller coaster cart goes along a track that is previously designed for it. It's course cannot be changed. Similar to a roller coaster track, our lives have already been planned out. The Lord knows the plans He has for us. His plans are full of peace. He promises us a future full of hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) He knows when we will graduate, where we will work, who we will marry, where we will live, and how many children we will have. He has the plans on a timeline that He made specifically for each and every person. It is completely okay (and encouraged) to have goals for our life. However, as soon as we try to create our own plan, God will quickly show us who is control. Trust in God to get you where He wants you. Pretty soon, college will be over and we will be in the "real world". Make sure to throw fear out the window and enjoy these times while you still can.

Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Proverbs 19:21 esv