Ringors. Size 12.

I have this box. When I first received this box, it contained one pair of softball cleats for another college season. Now the box contains something more special. Letters. Cards. Notes. One liners that helped me get through my days. Paragraphs that kept me strong during the hard times. And little treats and stickers that always put a smile on my face. I keep this box next to my bed so that when I start to feel discouraged, I can look back at all the great things that happened during college. The box is near overflowing and another box will hopefully be needed soon.

I have no idea what began this moment of reminiscing. I guess I took at look at my life today, where I’m at and how far I’ve come, and began to think of those four years at Olivet. Boy, were they awful. But at the same time, they were the best four years of my life and I wouldn’t trade one minute of it for the world. While going through college, I thought that was it. I thought nothing could get better or worse than what it already was and that I was ready to rule the world. The majority of my four years were spent in anger at the world. It took a lot to really lift my spirits but so little to set me off (unfortunately, my senior year roommates can confirm). Once I got out of college, honestly, out of Illinois, I realized that I missed a lot of good times because I was too busy being mad at nothing. Well, not nothing. I feel that most of my feelings were justified but I could never speak out to why. I couldn’t never say, “I’m mad”, “I’m hurt” or “I’d rather yell at you because I know when I wake up tomorrow, you’ll still speak to me like nothing happened”.

My point is…life is good. No matter where you are or what is going on, things could always be worse. There is always someone who is a little worse off than we are. Although there have been a lot of changes, for the good and bad, over the past year and a half, I can say with almost 100% guarantee that I love life. Not quite 100% because I always feel like there is something more I could or should be doing. Because I know there is always room for improvement.

I love my friends here and what they have done for me. They offer unique experiences that I cannot get from anywhere else. At the same time, I miss my friends I left behind. “Dance Parties”. RBT. Puppy chow. Slurpees. Everything that those four years brought with it.

I am gratefully for the opportunity to move forward, to move on with life and leave the past behind. But some days, the past is what puts the smile on my face.



“Being single used to mean that nobody one wanted you. Now it means you’re pretty sexy and you’re taking your time deciding how you want your life to be and who you want to spend it”