This week, I moved in for my second year of college. I had just returned from three weeks of non-stop traveling and only had one day to process and relax before moving on to the next thing. Feelings of anxiousness and fear rumbled in my stomach on my way to school. The night before, I was a wreck. I don't think I've cried that hard in awhile. I didn't want to go back to living on my own, especially because there is so much change this year. To begin with, I live in a new building with a new roommate, and have new classes with new workloads and responsibilities. I'm not a huge fan of change, so you can imagine my distress on Saturday night when the realization of all this hit me like a ton of bricks. It was not a pretty sight. I think I wanted to believe that everything would stay the same, safe and within the box of my very small comfort zone. Alas, I was sadly mistaken.

As I write this, I am officially a survivor of my first class of sophomore year. I barely slept last night and ate only a few bites of breakfast, but I am feeling better because I have decided to choose joy. My nervous stomach ache is replaced by excitement and gratefulness for where I am and what I have, and especially for the people I get to be surrounded by. There are so many unknowns still facing me in the future, but the opportunities I've been given and will receive far surpass my fears. So, I will tuck in my covers, hang my photos and arrange my desk. This year is bright, and I have so much to be thankful for.

Hello, sophomore year.