Changes are hard. Unfortunately, changes are also inevitable. As I sit here at the kitchen table in my family home, the most important issue that is running through my head is being away from my family. My family, especially my mom and I, are extremely close and as the days go on, it gets increasingly more difficult to be away from home. I know that this transition will eventually no longer be a transition; it will be a familiar routine.

Sunday through Thursday, a mere 4 days of being away from my family, had seemed like a thousand lifetimes. I would find myself getting emotional watching movies in my dorm because I always watched that movie with my mom or brother. Seeing faculty members’ children around campus make me desperate to see my niece. Girls walking around campus together make me miss my friendships from high school. This really has been a harder time than even I realized that it was until I sat down to type out this article. Fortunately for me, I know that no matter how alone I ever feel, I will never be alone because the Lord is and always will be with me in whatever I do and wherever I am. His constant presence is what motivates me to give my perfect effort and to work through any and all issues that I encounter.

The next most important issue running through my head, though, is my coursework. It’s week four and I have already had a couple of labs and programming assignments really give me some problems. It has taken my friends and I hours to successfully complete assignments such as these only to realize that the solution was incredibly simple. To put the pertinent issue with my assignments in simple terms; I have a very bad habit of over complicating most everything.

These issues coincide with importance. My family is my support system when it comes to my schoolwork and anything else that I attempt to do in my life. Being away from home, I don’t feel as connected with everyone: I don’t feel their support as strongly as I did when I was at home every day. Family and school, for me, are in a direct relationship; without one, I won’t be successful with the other. Being at school, though, I can feel the prayer power even more strongly from my family. I know that they have my back through everything. No matter what. Because of this, I do feel more spiritually connected with my family than I did while I was at home. This is one of the biggest and most significant blessings that I could have ever imagined being bestowed upon me.

Perhaps sitting down and really thinking about the most important issues throughout this transition will help me to better understand why I'm feeling a little down on occasion. Knowing issues before they reinstate themselves as issues can help us fight them head on and beat them; make them a nonissue. What is the most difficult part of starting something new for you?