Semester Reflections + Where I’m Headed

I’ve probably written this post about 7 times. I’ll write it, decide I like it, wake up the next day, decide I hate it, delete the whole thing, and then start again. Around the 7th time of writing my semester reflections, I decided that the best way to feel inspired and get the words to come out right was to go back and read my last 3 semester reflection posts.

(And if you’re curious, here they are: semester 1, semester 2, and semester 3)

In looking back at my old posts, I found an excerpt that I really love and can still whole-heartedly relate to.

“I think I’ve concluded that college isn’t where you find yourself, but where you let yourself be, for all intents and purposes, completely and totally you. There’s no status quo that you feel the need to stick to anymore, and you kind of lose thought for what other people think. Some people (beautiful souls, learn from them) are always like this, but for the vast majority of us, this blossoms in college. So whoever you are, be that, but always remain kind and respectful of all the other people around you. Everyone’s got a lot on their plate, everyone’s got lots of studying to do, and so on. It’s beautiful to look around you as you walk around your university and see all the students bustling about. Remember that everyone has a different story, but take comfort that just like you, everyone is still figuring it out.”

Coming to Arkansas, I got to be my own person. I moved away from home for college to force myself to become independent and to grow. Going here was never a “yeah, it’s my dream school!”, it was more a “it’s far enough away and they have a major I like.”

Don’t get me wrong, I love Fayetteville. (I mean clearly I love our adventures here – just reference our vlogs if you’re not convinced!) This University is gorgeous, the football games are so fun, spring and fall is beautiful, and I’ve really adored some of my professors and classes.

Around Thanksgiving, I started thinking about my next two years of college and what I wanted in them. I’ve got to travel to a bunch of new cities since being in college, and it’s only made me love Houston more. I love the city, I love how I’d only be about 45 minutes away from my family, and the Mexican food is the best. I’d love an internship there next summer and I’d love to work in advertising there locally post-grad.

So, that said, I’ve been keeping a huge secret from you guys for a few months. I’ll be transferring to the University of Houston in the fall to better fulfill my career dreams, be closer to my blogging contacts, and to be able to live and grow in a place where I truly feel myself.

I think if there’s anything college has taught me so far, it’s that things don’t need to go according to the picture you’ve created in your head.

It’s ok to take risks and surprise yourself with what you’re able to accomplish. It’s ok to do things before you’re completely ready to them – like starting a blog, agreeing to work on a new project, or visiting a new place. It’s ok for this picture you’ve painted in your head of “The Next 4 Years” to take twists and turns and truly lead you to where you’re meant to be.

And in case you were wondering – yes, Cameron is transferring as well. We have been really blessed to have each other here – especially when we’ve had riffs with friends or just taken a really hard course that we needed help from the other person with.

Cam and I know that our future is in Houston – we want jobs there, a house there someday, and we both value the bonds we have with our families and wish to be near them so they can see us grow as a couple and so that we can spend more time with them. Cameron has an internship near home this summer (which I’m incredibly proud of him for and don’t say enough!) and I know whole heartedly that this will be so beneficial for him and his future career. With him getting the job and things falling in place for me for summer work, I know we are truly called to be back in Texas so that we can each reach our full potential career wise.

Thank you guys for following along – whether you’ve been reading for a couple months or since they beginning when an 18-year-old girl who thought college was going to be a lot more like a Hollywood movie started blogging to help her through the biggest change in her life. I feel a lot better going on this new adventure knowing I have ya’ll to share it with.

Here’s to new adventures and the old ones that we’ll always cherish.

X,

Cristina

P.S. Now you know why I cried so much after my last Zumba class. Haha.