routine, welcome

It's a new year. Classes started again on Wednesday, and I must say, I'm happy to be back. It's a new start. Even though it is familiar, being a sophomore is peculiar indeed. Transition is still inevitable, change is still definite, yet things are the same. I recognize the faces, the street signs, the desks. I like it this way. I know the lingo and the schedule and the football cheers, but I'm meeting new people, learning new things.

My summer, to sum it up... was hectic. Stressful. Much too short. I'm glad to be back here with people that I know and love, and I'm so very thankful that I actually made it out to the west coast to see some of my friends. I definitely enjoyed myself and all of the time I spent with them. It was sad to add some people to the list of those that I no longer want to stay in contact with, but for the most part, I still love the P-town kids. I ended up driving 16 hours straight from Spokane to Fargo in order to get home Friday before noon, and I am still a little exhausted, but it was worth it.

I wonder though, is it wrong to hold on? I want so badly to have the same relationships I once had. I want for people to not have changed, to still be the people that I knew them to be. Some of the changes were for the better, but others... I no longer have anything in common with a lot of the people that I used to spend so much time with. I hate having to let them go though, because I always wonder "what if" and it drives me crazy.

Moments like these are those in which I praise God for his faithfulness. His constancy. I thank Him for the fellowship and the love of the people around me. As I'm sitting here in my new apartment, I'm listening to music, making plans for lunch dates and looking over my schedule. It amazes me how busy I've become. All of the time is going to school, and Student Impact - related things. I'm so excited for this year. However, I literally have to schedule time for everything. This weekend, my goals are to :

A) make a budget for my money. Calculate rent/food/income/etc
B) make a study schedule, otherwise, I'm swamped
C) re-arrange / finish unpacking all of my things, tidy up
D) go to the football game, and have a grand ole time with my fellow Badgers