Life is full of lessons. You just have to stop, open your eyes, and look for the beautiful, small things that are always there to teach us big things. Moving to college for me was a huge thing coming from a Hispanic country. Everything is different and you learn something interesting every day. Coming to Liberty University, specifically, has changed me a lot. Little things that I see everyday make me realize that I need to change some areas of my life in order to be a better Christian. Being surrounded by a lot of people with different backgrounds and cultures helps me to see myself more clearly and know who I really am.
These are the main things that I have learned in these two years of college so far:
1. Don’t ever judge too soon!
This is one of the most important things that I have learned and am still being convinced of. I tend to judge too soon, causing me to regret a lot of things when I realize that I was so wrong about what I thought. I am quick to believe everything I see in a person for the first time, which is not good at all. Liberty has taught me that there’s always a reason behind everything that happens, and that I just have to look for that reason to try to understand the person. So, whenever I see a quiet, weird, crazy, lonely, rude, bitter, or loud person, I always remember to look for the reason behind that disguise and try understand them.
2. Be nicER and kindER
Liberty is known for being full of nice and kind people. It is said that you’re gonna find the most loyal friends in Liberty University. It’s sometimes overwhelming when someone is nice to you and you never have seen him/her. This has taught me to get out of my comfort zone, and run the extra mile to help someone, hold the door for someone, smile always to people, be always there to give an advice, to listen, and to support.
3. Be flexible
College is pretty structured… almost all the time. But there are days when you get on your way and suddenly a lot of unexpected things come up. I have learned to relax and to try to go with the flow, being willing to come up with a new plan.
4. Time is gold
Time was something that I didn’t appreciate much before. In college, you have to beat time and make the most of every second. There are times that a break is something much needed and well-deserved. But most of the time, I get surprised at the things I’m capable of doing in just minutes.
5. Prioritize
… And because time is always short, I have learned how important it is to not only follow my priorities, but also to make sure that I have my priorities right, and that most of the time homework is more important than going out with friends, and that sleep is more needed than keeping up with Netflix.
6. Without Christ, nothing is possible.
Lack of sleep, loads of papers, and exams can bring out who you really are. Like right now, it’s 3:02am and I have a final math exam and a paper to write about Inception, and I really want to go to sleep. If I don’t depend on God and bring Him my anxieties, I can get irritable and my roommate probably will request a room change. (Please don't!) I have learned what it really means to depend on God and see Him making everything possible.
There are a lot of other things that I have been learning, but these six have been the ones that have made me a better person and most important - a better Christian!