At the End of the Year

     We had snow in Mississippi.

     And I say we because I am no longer alone at college. I am surrounded by dozens - dare I say hundreds - of people who are choosing to go on this college adventure with me.

     I have friends whose papers I edit, friends who encourage me to write (though not online. my apologies.), friends who point me to the Lord, friends who I can be goofy and dance with, and friends who I miss very much.

     There's not a lot I can say to sum up what this semester has meant to me. I'm 1/6 of the way through this college journey, and I want to hold on to every moment.

     What was this semester like? It was...

Late night runs to Waffle House

Early morning pledge breakfasts to get into a tribe (sorority)

Running down the sidewalk on campus

Making friends with the girl next to me in theater class

Gaining community through constant repetition of names

Sitting on a swing while talking on the phone to my people back home

Doubling my Instagram following

Watching Friends late at night and stifling my laugh

Writing and memorizing monologues in a frenzied 24 hours

Having my writing read aloud and praised in Brit Lit

     That doesn't even begin to capture the love I see when a new friend brings me a thermometer, the love I smell when I open the door of the coffee shop, or the love I feel when God takes me on a walk to clear my head. It doesn't even reference how many times I went up to the front for prayer at church or the sweet tears that gather in my eyes when the children's ministry leader calls me the 'baby whisperer.'

     All the people I met who touched my life and all the lovely people I had the opportunity to serve and encourage - those are easily the best parts of college.

     I got into a tribe.

     

     I worked at a bookstore.

     I made 103 trips to Wal Mart. :)

     I joined a church and started serving.

     I attempted every dare I was challenged to.

     I finished with a 4.0 (bless the Lord, oh my soul!)

     I drank 3,600 ounces of tea and 4,200 ounces of tears.

     I successfully threw a dance marathon with my freshman peers.

All images credit: McKenzie Bumgarner

     We had snow in Mississippi. A soft, delicate, perfect snow for snowmen and snow fights.

     If it's been a while since you've seen snow, I want to remind you: It is a miracle.

     My fingers stayed warm while playing in snow for the first time in years. It was miraculous that the snow fell on "dead day," the one day of the semester where all classes were canceled in preparation for finals.

     So despite all the near heart attacks concerning due dates and the frantic GPA calculations during finals week, JOY is the theme of my life right now. And I will carry joy with me into a new semester, whether it snows again or not. A fresh semester is a chance for new things.

     After all, I can't ask for the same miracle twice.

~Madeline