Summer is coming to a close, friends are moving in separate directions. Instagram is flooded with pictures of dorm rooms, new bedspreads, polaroids on bulletin boards, and cold concrete walls. As you say your goodbye's to old friends, and hello's to new ones - there are a few things we want to leave you guys with.
Soon, if not already, you'll spend your first night in a new bed away from home. A mixture of emotions will fill your brain and heart - anxiety for what's to come, excitement, fear, sadness, and butterflies. Close your eyes and soak it all in because you're about to embark on one of the most exciting adventures of your life. There will probably be days that you're sitting by yourself at Subway wondering what other people are wondering who are also sitting by themselves at Subway. There will be days that campus feels like it's built on an uphill mountain and the world is set on making sure you don't get to class on time. There will be days that your shoes are soaking wet, the bus didn't show up, and you left your umbrella in your 8:00 history class. You'll most likely have a Tuesday that you don't leave your tiny 100 square foot room and you skip class to eat Cheetos in your bed and watch the 13th episode of a Netflix series you started the night before. (And don't feel guilty about it.) You'll get random invites from random people to random events that you don't care about and get overwhelmingly lonely even though you're surrounded by thousands of other students your age. You'll take a cute selfie and post it with a caption about "how fun this new chapter of life is," when you know deep down that you feel totally lost. You'll get over 100 likes on your "new life chapter," selfie and start to question if other people are experiencing any of the same emotions as you....
HERE'S THE ANSWER.. IT'S YES.
It's okay. It's okay to survive on potato chips and Snickers bars. It's okay to overflow your dishwasher and flood your kitchen. It's okay to get so frustrated with your roommates that you leave and slam the door on the way out. It's okay to sleep for 15 hours. It's okay to let laundry pile up for weeks. It's okay to crash on a friend's couch when there's a cockroach on the ceiling in your room. It's okay to change, and you will change. Freshman year is hard and full of adjustments. Let the change happen and don't fight it! You've already gotten and will continue to get tons of advice from EVERYONE. Your parents, your teachers, your friends, and the lady at the grocery store have all told you important things - but the only advice I needed, and the only one I probably didn't get was, IT'S OKAY!
We are so grateful to have grown with you guys this year. We love each and every one of you and still think about you often. Try to laugh every day and always be honest with yourself and those around you. College is going to be an amazing adventure! Share the good moments and the bad - we can't wait to see what life has in store! #BeAmbient
With Love,
Justin and Kirby
