Students taking in knowledge & information … carrying lattes … preparing for life, living life, discussing life … living in community … laughing with friends on the fourth floor around eleven at night … drinking in sunshine and the October breeze on a walk across campus … pausing on the steps to talk with friends … drinking tea … stopping to sit on a red bench and write … trying to stay awake … showing school pride … trying to figure out your purpose in life … crying sometimes because of homesickness … out of comfort zones … making grown-up decisions … culture shock … independence … eating rice & Nutella … sharing YouTube videos … meeting & making new friends … finding comfort in hour-long discussions with the old friends that know you best … Skype dates … buying ice cream … wearing a fedora … struggling to do homework when the rest of the world is partying … sweet alone times with Jesus … prayer with friends … dancing to Frank Sinatra and Edward Sharpe while curling your hair … curling up with a textbook & a bagel in a silent corner of the library … LEARNING. Learning every moment of every day all the glorious lessons God has to give me if I only keep my eyes open. Please let me never forget the joy of this day, this time, this year.

From this Third-Floor Girl a week-and-a-half into the school year …