To this day, my favorite movie is the first movie I ever remember seeing in theaters: A Cinderella Story. Yep, the one with Hillary Duff and Chad Michael Murray from the early 2000s. That’s the one. I love every aspect of this movie, down to the way they finally drove off together into the sunset. One of the most fascinating aspects of the movie was always Sam’s (Hillary Duff) determination to get into Princeton. She counted down the seconds until she was able to pack up her bags and make the cross country trip from California to New Jersey to start her college career. As a young girl, that sparked my hopes and kept me looking forward to that magical day, taking me far from home to a fairytale land with my perfect boyfriend and a cool car. Now, here I am, a month from move in day and far from that ideal photograph I’ve had in my head for the past 10 years.

I, of course, am excited about school, but if asked, it is certainly not the first emotion that jumps to the forefront of my brain. Apprehensive, slightly fearful, and anxious are all lined up before excited.

Over the past 2 months, I’ve experienced a whirlwind of change. I graduated high school. I let go of the boy I love. I realized that I am so far from having things figured out- I was kidding myself when I convinced myself that I had a concrete plan. While I’ve certainly fretted over this and had my fair share of car crying sessions, taking this uncertainty- this jump into something so unknown to me- has become the perfect opportunity to sit back and let life unfold.

I will be the first to admit that I am Type A. I’m a control freak by nature and will always struggle giving up control to certain aspects of my life. As much as it pains me to know, not everything is in my control. Unfortunately, there are things that I do not know and will never be able to control- realizing that was a big step for someone as overcorrecting as me. So, with a half full heart and a big handful of optimism, I look forward to what is to come.

“I have faith knowing that what is meant for me will never miss me and what misses me was never meant for me.” It really is a lovely sentiment, isn’t it?