Would you consider yourself indecisive?
Yes...No...Maybe.
Determining where you will attend college is your first adult decision.
That being said, indecision is a typical symptom of the high school senior. By spring a decision, regarding where you will spend the next four years, needs to be made.
Many friends, family and advisors will have opinions. Pages of pros/cons lists litter your bedroom floor. Prayers for clarity overlap with prayers of respite; that is, respite from weighing the options.
Every student’s plan is unique and I think many struggle with the choice’s individualistic nature. For the first time, you are not on the same track, rather you each have your own path.
Finding that path can feel akin to finding the proverbial needle in a haystack.
I am a planner. Since the eighth grade, I expected to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
When I began to apply, I promised God that wherever He opened a door that I would tour.
Word to the wise, be careful what vows you make before God.
As acceptance letters rolled in, I went out to tour. Then one arrived from the University of Florida and I hid the letter.
See, my Mom graduated from the University of Florida and my family has been diehard fans ever since. My only visits to campus were the football games and our unofficial tour guides were distasteful tailgaters. Also, I wanted to live where sweaters were more a staple than bikinis.
Eventually, my family discovered UF's acceptance. My AP Lit teacher, Mrs. Mullally, reminded me that I promised God to tour. So we set a date...
I was stubborn then (and now). Despite the fact that it was a hot, Florida day in April I wore leggings, a long skirt, a long-sleeved shirt, a winter coat, a scarf, and boots. Yes, my first photo in front of Marston’s Fries was in a parka, sweating off my water weight in the sunshine state.
Yet, God still spoke to my heart that day. He said, “You are right where you belong.”
My randomly assigned tour guides were part of the Christian sorority and campus ministry which I am now involved in. Florida prepaid came in ‘clutch.’ I fell in love with the brick buildings and the Gator Nation.
Maybe you assume that I immediately threw out my plans and wholeheartedly committed to UF. HA!
Mrs. Mullally can attest that, even after returning from touring UF, my decision was far from made.
Many lunch periods were spent in Mrs. Mullally’s classroom pouring over the collegiate possibilities. In those hours, we transitioned from teacher-student to mentor-mentee to friends.
Impending change and transition have never been my strength.
Cowering in the hull of my ship, battered by monsoons, I strained my eyes for a lighthouse. God provided the light and Mrs. Mullally willingly reflected His hope, purpose, and peace.
College planning, for me, reached a stalemate. Fear of the wrong selection paralyzed me from pursuing any options.
She spoke to my fear.
Mrs. Mullally advised me to start moving in a single direction and ask God to be my rudder. She said, “He will change your direction if you are open to His leading and are where He does not want you to be.”
Per her suggestion, I trusted God and moved towards UF. He has been faithful to answer my prayer for affirmation that I am where I'm meant to be.
A few weeks ago, I learned that Mrs. Mullally is retiring.
I am numbered with countless generations of students who have been inspired under her tutelage.
Today, I am studying English and eventually, plan on teaching because of Mrs. Mullally.
Teachers, like her, are paid to teach students how to read, reason, and write. However, she taught many lessons which weren’t on the syllabus.
If your life has intersected with such a mentor, inside or outside the classroom, please thank them for the priceless encouragement.
