The power of #yolo

Hey readers; it’s been awhile. August was a heck of a month for me. I got pretty sick, and then I went to the beach to pretend I wasn’t sick, and then I moved to Washington, D.C.

Wait, what? Washington? I'm here? Somebody pinch me.

My Washington journey began last fall, when my professor started pushing me to do this journalism program. I was scared to death. I’ve never been far from home. And politicians scare me.

But yet I’m here, one year later.

As I drove into the city limits 12 days ago, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The Washington Monument on my left, Capitol building to my right. Men and women in suits walking with purpose, traffic easing its way through the city.

I'm here. This is it. This is Washington.

Since my arrival, I’ve walked around the national mall, opened up a Library of Congress card and studied in the main reading room (National Treasure, anyone?), found a super great macaron and cupcake shop, and taken the bus and Metro so many times I can call myself a public transportation pro.

365 days ago, I was sitting in my room panicking about this place, hiding from the future God had planned for me. Tonight, I'm sitting on the roof of my apartment building, watching the sun set behind the Capitol building.

This place and this group of people I’m living with have already challenged me so much in such a short amount of time. My political stances have been questioned, my beliefs have been tested, and my mind is spinning in circles.

So naturally I had to have a panic attack to let it all out. And then I sat back and thought through a lot: why I’m here, what I want to do with my life, what I believe, and the list goes on. “Why is this all happening at once?” I keep asking myself.

It’s because I’m growing up. I’m away from the comfort and security of familiarity, and I have to make my own decisions.

Sometimes God places us in uncomfortable situations because He knows it's what we need more than anything.

I came here with a set plan of what my life was going to look like after college, but of course, God came in and wrecked all my plans. Surprisingly, I’m not mad about it. I mean, He knows best, right?

If you’ve hung around me long enough, you know I say “yolo” at least once every five minutes. It’s pretty much my slogan. Cheesy, right?

I normally say it to justify doing something crazy that probably won’t go well, but I’m beginning to learn just how much that annoying little phrase has impacted the decisions I’ve made. This past year I’ve learned how important it is to leave what’s comfortable, and how important it is to stretch myself and to step into new challenges every day. If I ever want to get anywhere in life, I’ve got to tear down these walls I’ve built and force myself to be uncomfortable.

So here I am, letting everything go. I haven’t the slightest clue of what I’m doing with my future, but that’s totally okay. Because God is taking me to places I can’t even imagine, and they’re going to be crazy awesome.

I'm pumped for the challenges and surprises coming my way this semester.

#yolo