1. Money is temporary.
You are going to spend it all be flat broke sometimes. But eventually, there will be more. Do not fret over finances, trying to maintain a savings account in college is like trying to maintain a season of consistent weather in Michigan.
2. Days are short, don’t waste your time.
Freeing up 30 hours in my week seemed like I would be left with infinite freetime. I was wrong. A few Netflix sessions, couple days of sleeping in, and some online window shopping binges later and I had completely wasted all of my anticipated “free time”. We’re only given so many minutes each day, working or not, make them count.
3. Getting a job is hard.
For me, it wasn’t necessarily finding the job that was a struggle. But keeping up with interviews, phone calls, and never ending e-mails was a job in itself. Sometimes the dreaded grind is a blessing in disguise. It may be boring, but at least you can count on it to be there.
4. The sun is (probably) going to rise tomorrow.
No matter how much money you spent that you didn’t have, or how terrible your first interview went, tomorrow is going to come and you get a fresh start to conquering all of your obstacles. No good comes from worrying about the past when you have an entire future yet to be dealt with.
5. Classes are actually really great.
When you’re balancing school and work and some sort of social life, sometimes classes become something we dread instead of appreciate. Taking the first two weeks to focus completely on school and fully participating in classes reminded me of why I chose the field I’m studying in the first place.
6. Your parents are your biggest fans.
“Hey mom and dad, I quit my job and I’m flat broke” doesn’t seem like the best start to a conversation, but somehow they were both one hundred percent on my side. After talking it out with my parents I realized that they understood why I needed a break better than I did. Maybe we don’t always give them as much credit as they deserve.
7. Wow, I've missed TV.
Letting your mind go completely blank, sinking deep into the couch, and laughing obnoxiously along to the fake audience in FRIENDS is a true luxury. Sometimes, we need a little deep couch sitting to get us by.
8. Put your happiness first.
It seems like such a cliché idea, to be a little selfish during your college years. Happiness truly is our foundation as humans, we thrive from it. Focusing on what makes you happy, and weeding out the things that don’t, is not a bad thing. It can feel unnatural at first, but in the long run, it helps you better understand yourself.
9. Don’t forget to say thank you.
When you’re suddenly home much more than you’re used to, you realize how much you may leave undone during the week. Loading the dishwasher, folding your blanket on the couch, taking out the trash… yet at the end of the week, the house is not a total disaster. An unsung hero has been picking up where you’re slacking off, and you don’t even think twice about it.
10. God is good.
Put your faith in God and trust that He will get you through it all. Rash decisions, bad judgement calls, a little break from reality... Whatever life throws your way, just remember that the big guy in the sky is always on your side. You may not always need to know your plan.
