Life Right Now

I can't think of the right words that could adequately explain my life lately, so I'm going to update you in list form.

• I started college on Monday and I absolutely love it. 
• I can't stop listening to Colton Dixon's new album, "Anchor."
• I'm extremely exhausted but it feels so good to be working through that for once in my life.
• I'm going to a concert Friday night and I couldn't be more excited about that. Holla!
• I had my first Intro into English Lit class today and I LOVED IT. We talked about books for an hour. (English Majors for the win)!
• My room is a disaster area and I need to make time to clean it. Oops. 

I'm not sure what else to write about really. This was a pretty lame update and I'm sorry about that. I will try to update with a better post soon. I did finally finish We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han and I will do a booking it post about that really soon! (hint: It may have been my favorite of the three). 

Okay, I'll talk to you guys soon. 

Byeeeee xx

To Everyone in High School and/or College:

I want to tell you all that you are beautiful and loved and that you will make it through the rest of this year. No matter how hopeless that feels, you will.

I wanted to remind everyone that high school may not be the best four years of your life like they say it will, but that those four years can be a beautiful time of learning and growing. You can share the Lord and you can build some amazing friendships, and even though you might eventually lose those friendships, it's still an amazing thing. You may have to learn about some things that you think you'll never use again, but in the process of that you'll learn more about life than you can ever imagine. High school, no matter how drama filled and pointless it may seem, is a beautiful adventure.

Being back at a public school for the first time since I was a freshman has been a crazy and incredible thing for me so far this year. I have learned so much more about life and have started to discover who I really am. I've seen Jesus in the halls of my school, in the people who I have walked by. He has been in the face of all of the nervous freshmen; in the classrooms with my teachers; he's been shining out of everything in that school and I'm so beyond grateful for that. It's given me hope.

I have hope that God knows what he's doing, and that He knows where I'm going. He's got me in his hands, just like He has you in his hands. He loves you and wants what's best for you. So chose to make this the best semester you possibly can. Choose to be brave and take chances and make some memories. Don't wait on the future, because the future is now.

A Highschoolers Guide to Online School

For a big chunk of my schooling I was online schooled. I was home schooled from kindergarten to fourth grade, and also my Sophomore and Junior years of high school. Now, before we start this post, I just want to debunk any stereotypes of homeschoolers that you may have. We actually aren't all that weird and socially awkward. (I actually had a somewhat thriving social life while I was doing online school).

So, if you are a highschooler who is debating on whether or not to do your schooling online, or you're already doing it online, this post is for you.

As a former member of the online school community, I know how difficult it can be to stay motivated and get all of the work that needs to be done, done. It can be very stressful at times, and sometimes the walls of your home are going to feel like a prison. So here are the best tips I have on dealing with everything that comes from online school:

• Take your time. I was enrolled in online school my sophomore and junior years of high school. It was extremely difficult for me to use any time management skills. The recommended time for each class was an hour a day. I honestly never spent that much time on any of my courses, and I wish I would have. It was so easy just to skim through all of the lesson, instead of actually taking the time to read it. Don't do this. Read through the entire thing, take notes, and take your time. It really effects your grades and your education if you don't. I honestly can't really remember much from my junior year, because I rushed through everything so fast. 
• Talk to your teachers if you need help. They're there for a reason. Use them if you need to. One of the things I regret most about my time in online school was not utilizing the teachers when I was struggling. They want to help you just as much as teachers in a regular, brick and mortar school setting want to help. It's still their jobs.
• Go to class connects. If you're enrolled through the k12 program (which is what I was enrolled through), utilize class connects. They may seem like a waste of time, but it's a great opportunity for your teachers to actually explain what you should be learning. They're helpful.
• Stay off of social media. One of the biggest challenges that I faced throughout my online school experience was getting distracted by social media. I would log onto tumblr for "just a minute" and end up being on there for hours and not getting any work done. Discipline yourself to stay off of those sites until you are done with your work.
• Take breaks, but put a strict time limit on them. It's so easy for you to get up and take a "break" that lasts for two hours when you have no strict time line to follow. If you set yourself a specific break time, it is a lot easier to stay motivated and get work done.
• Light candles. Okay, so this might not be for everyone, but something that always helped me focus was having a nice smelling candle lit. 
• Have your parents check in on your progress. As annoying as that may seem, it will hold you accountable, and you'll be sure to get more work done. 

So, those are just a few tips to help you through online school. If you'd like to see more tips, then just leave a comment and let me know. Also, if you have any tips of your own be sure to leave them in the comments.