Hello everyone! Long time no see!
I was actually ahead of my homework
(for the first time in my life), and I thought I would take the time to write
a blog post! So, here's some encouragement to my fellow strugglers who are struggling to get
through life. Whether you skipped the college thing and are working full time
or several part time jobs; whether you’re a newlywed or a young parent or a pet
parent; whether you’re in school and only making those deadlines by the power
of God, coffee, and Sparknotes; whether you're 13 and wondering when you will finally be treated like a grown-up; whether you’re thirty-something and
wondering why you’re not in the same place as your peers--it’s alright to be in
a different place than everyone else.
I started college as an almost 21-year-old,
and I’m going to be graduating next year as 25-year-old. I've been something like an RA at my
dorm for the past three years, and constantly being surrounded by 18- and
19-year-old kids simultaneously makes me feel younger and serves as a reminder
of my ever-increasing age. I’m not getting any younger, and my goals aren’t
going to accomplish themselves! But sometimes, it’s okay that things aren’t
happening when you planned for them to.
My plans have constantly been in
flux, changing with my whims (and changing in no small part because God’s plans
were different than mine). One time I imagined I was ready for marriage and
kids at 16. Another time, I wanted to be a published career author at 18.
Once college kicked in, however, everything got put on hold. I have to
constantly remind myself that college is my training ground for my goal of
being a career author. I can’t write books until I know how to write to the
best of my abilities; I can’t write books until I know how to read the books my
predecessors have written before me.
For those of you who need the
encouragement, just because you feel like you’re at a standstill doesn’t mean
you aren’t going anywhere. In war, the troops aren’t constantly pushing forward
to the enemy lines. There are times of respite, tactical retreats, and strategizing. In sports, you don't run 24/7 or else your body will break down--you have to take breaks and train. But that doesn't mean you're doing nothing. Be at peace with where you are, enjoy the time you have in that
place. Enjoy your little toddler while they still need your hand to help them
walk. Enjoy the time while you’re single, free from being beholden to anyone
else, free to make those midnight runs to Walmart and McDonald’s on a whim.
Enjoy being a kid and being able to read and write as much as you want without having to work. Enjoy the lectures and classes and the homework, learning while you can and
have the time to do so. Life catches up on you quicker than you think, and you’ll
miss these times when they’re gone.
For the person who feels stuck,
like this isn’t a training ground but actually a mire, try to change that. Do something, change
things up, little by little. Make a practical and manageable game plan in order
to achieve your goals, and be disciplined. If you want to become a writer, start writing a little
bit every day. Write 100 words (there are tons of themed challenges like these),
write fan fiction, write poems, write original work, write on a whim, and write
when you don’t want to. Writing is just like any other muscle in a workout or
in sports: it needs to be used regularly, or else it’ll never become better
and stronger.
I hope this is encouraging! If not
and it was just boring, I promise more writerly stuff is coming (even if it’s
coming very slowly)! If there’s anything you’d like to hear from me about
writing or reading (or fairy tales), please leave comments with your requests! I will do my best to comply.
With the hope that college won’t steal
more of my time and I’ll be back soon,
‘til next time!
In Christ,
Camryn
