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The Bittersweet Three

I have officially entered into what I am dubbing, “The Bittersweet Three.” That is, the last three weeks of my college experience and the last three weeks at my student teaching placement.

I figured today is as good as any to reflect on this journey. College, well, it’s college. I haven’t really thought about the fact that I am actively embarking on many “lasts” until just recently. But soon, I will have slept my last night in my tiny dorm room on my lofted twin-size bed (what a shame…right?). I will leave my dorm room for the very last time and turn in my keys. I will drive past the fountain, down the brick road, past the place where Goose and I go on walks almost every afternoon. It’s a bittersweet feeling. It’s good to be done (and I am absolutely ready), but college will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s where I made some lifelong friends and where I formed relationships with my professors whom I will probably talk to long after I leave this place. But it is sweet because I know that my journey is just beginning.

Today also marks the beginning of the last three weeks I get to be with my obnoxious, loud, ornery, but absolutely loved fourth graders. Do they get on my nerves? Every. Single. Day. Would I pretty much do anything for them? Don’t even try me. It’s crazy how much you can love these kids for only 16 weeks but they have taught me more in this time than I could ever teach them.

As one of my professors always told me, teaching is an art. You are a performer. That is something I have found to be very true, but also, teaching is the type of career where sometimes, you care so much it hurts. These kids are not always perfect little angels, in fact, usually not, but I will miss them like crazy nevertheless. Bitter, because I will be losing the kids who taught me how to be a teacher. Sweet, because I know I’m better for it and I’ll be moving on to some sweet, sweet 2nd graders next year.

So here’s to the beginning of the Bittersweet Three. May I not take one single moment for granted.

My ESA Journey

I’m a little over halfway done with the fall semester of my SENIOR year! I can honestly say these 3 1/2 years have flown by so far. This semester has been filled to the brim with coursework…we’re getting pretty close to the end. I haven’t felt very inspired to write, but I decided today I would address something that I’ve been asked several times over the past 3 months.

How did you get an ESA? For those who don’t know, ESA stands for Emotional Support Animal, and yes, I have one. He is a wonderful, fluffy, happy-go-lucky Goldendoodle named Goose.

An ESA is defined through dictionary.com as “an animal that provides therapeutic benefit to a person diagnosed with a psychological disorder as anxiety, depression, or PTSD, and that is allowed to accompany the person in certain public places where pets are not allowed.” Typically, people are seeking ESAs for residential areas. In my case, I wanted Goose to be allowed in my college dorm.

Now, there are several skeptics out there and I can honestly say that there certainly are people who abuse this system and get an ESA just so they can have a puppy. What I’m going to focus on today is the process of attaining the ESA recommendation letter, which a college or university accommodations department must approve. (I can’t speak to getting a letter for the private residential side of things)

There is a bit of a process to get approved/recommended for an ESA and it begins with finding a mental health professional.

The mental health professional MUST be a licensed professional in order for your recommendation letter to be accepted by the University ADA department. Typically, a college or university has a mental health professional on campus. That is the case for my university, however, when I was going through this process, it was summertime and those services were not available to me. So, I looked elsewhere. If you are on campus and want to see if you qualify, I would recommend setting up a meeting with your campus mental health professional. If you google “ESA certification” lots of sites will pop up. I went with one that was recommended to me by another blogger: https://www.certapet.com/

The process is pretty simple. You go to certapet.com and click “Getting Started” in the top right. From there, you complete an online pre-screening assessment to see if you qualify for services. If you qualify, you move on in the process and get matched with a mental health professional who will set up a session/meeting with you. This meeting works as your evaluation, and your mental health professional will work with you to decide if an Emotional Support Animal is beneficial to you, or if you need additional services.

If your mental health professional determines you are a good candidate for an ESA, they will draft and sign a letter. They will send you a hard copy, and upload it to your patient portal, where you can access it online. I emailed my university’s Accommodations Director prior to this process, so I already had filled out an application. After filling out your school’s application, you need to send that letter to your University Accommodations Director. If approved through your school, they usually send some sort of contract for you to sign. Then, your ESA will need a clean bill of health from your veterinarian, as well as up-to-date shot records and records of sterility (spay/neuter).

Now for some misconceptions, I want to personally address:

An ESA will make me happy

To an extent, yes. If your ESA does its job, it probably will bring you some happiness and some stress relief, as well as relief to whatever diagnosis you might have. But ultimately, the only thing that will fulfill your life is a relationship with Jesus Christ, and not even an adorably fluffy puppy can replace that.

2. I can get a recommendation letter and then bring my new puppy to campus.

If you want to abuse the system, I suppose. At my university, we have several ESAs in the form of dogs, cats, and a rabbit. For dogs, it makes a significant impact on the community if your dog is not well trained (for instance, potty trained, kennel trained, barking loudly all the time, etc.) If you have an animal that is somewhat aggressive at all, DO NOT get it certified. That will never end up well. If you are thinking about getting a young dog certified, I recommend crate training immediately if not already done, using a bark or remote shock/vibrate collar to correct bad or unwanted behaviors, and ensuring the comfort of the people living around you with your animal. It’s crucial that good relationships are established.

I want to mention again that I only have experience with this in the campus housing aspect, and not in the private or residential area. I don’t have a letter for Goose to travel with me by plane either, although there is an option through CertaPet to do that, as well. Finally, don’t expect an ESA to “fix” you. Like I said, there’s only One for that.

Identity Crisis

Christianity in the Face of College Culture Series

Some time ago, I wrote an opening blog post for a series of discussions I wanted to have. I titled the post, Christianity in the Face of College Culture. I took the past few months to observe what I see in the “Christian Crowd” on campus and what I see in the crowd that doesn’t seem to conform to any particular belief system. Perhaps they see themselves as “spiritual.” What I’ve noticed is this: Christians, in college and in America, are going through an identity crisis.

You might be thinking, no I know who I am. Well, I thought that, too. As I was thinking that, some memories began to pop up in my head. Memories that, I confess, caused me to cringe and I felt convicted. When I was a sophomore in college (it seems forever ago, but it was only a year and a half), I went through some sort of inclusivity/diversity training. During the training, we were asked to do an exercise that, at the time, I didn’t really think all that much about. There was a picture of a human body, but it was blank, like a coloring page. We were asked to draw and write things on that body that would reflect who we were; our identity.

I don’t remember the order I drew or wrote these things, but I remember I included a crown (because I’m a daughter of THE King), some symbols of sports I played, things I liked to do, things that seem harmless. We talked about our identities in the group and we moved on. I didn’t think about it again for about a month, and then God. I know some of you understand the type of moment I’m talking about when I say “and then God.” I was sitting in my best friend’s basement and we were talking about the crazy trainings that our colleges have put us through. She then began to describe the EXACT same exercise that I had done a month before. And then, she said something that hit me, HARD.

She told me that she wrote something along the lines of “saved by God, redeemed, child of God,” something to show her identity was found in Christ. And that was all she put. She went on to say that she, and one other girl, were the only ones who wrote that in the whole group of people doing the activity. She was horrified that so many people found their identities elsewhere.

I tell that story because I think that is one of, if not the, root of some of the issues in not only college culture, but in Christian culture. If you are a follower of Christ, THAT is your identity. It’s not your sexuality, it’s not your gender, your family members, your job, your hobbies, your political party….no. Friend, your identity, if you truly are a Christian, is found in Christ, and Christ alone.

Now, I am all too guilty of finding my identity elsewhere. The Holy Spirit has convicted me time and again that I am finding my purpose in my grades, in my job, in my friendships. So, if that’s you, let’s work together to remind our brothers and sisters in Christ of who we belong to. We don’t belong to our jobs, our political parties, or even our families; we belong to Christ.

Last night, I was watching a video involving progressive Christianity and it scared me. It confirmed for me that there is indeed an Identity Crisis, not only in college culture but in the Church in America. Here’s my question to you: how do we, as followers of Christ, stand true in our identity, spread Christ’s love and gospel, and defend the truth of the Bible? How do we live it out?

Finding Healing in the Pain

It’s time for some honesty and vulnerability. 2020 has been full of craziness for everyone, myself included. I thought I was handling it okay, and then my family was absolutely devastated by the loss of two very important people in my life, within days of each other. I know myself and my family are not the only ones to experience something like that this year or any other year. No one can really tell you how hard a death will hit you. They can tell you what it’s like, but you won’t get it until it’s you. Losing someone close to you is awful; a piece of your heart is gone, shattered. Each person handles it differently. There are moments when you think about them, and it’s with a fondness at the moments you shared. And then there are the times when someone says something, you pass a sign, or you find a card they gave you with their handwriting, and it’s like the grief process starts all over.

Too many times I’ve found myself sobbing over the smallest thing, spiraling completely out of control, ripping through scrapbooks desperate to find a picture of them….People will tell you how angry and broken you’ll feel, and you can think you might know, but you don’t. Not until it happens.

The week after I lost my grandparents, my pastor gave a sermon on hope. Every single word struck a chord with me, it was like the sermon was made for me and God was speaking right into my heart. But you know what? It made me angry. I wasn’t even sure why I had that reaction, but I just went numb and the words began to just bounce off of me. I didn’t realize it until now, but that was the beginning of a spiral where I pulled away from God.

Sometimes, that happens, people say. You get angry at God. And I told myself I wouldn’t be mad at God. He gave me a lot of time with them; he’d healed them so many times before. God’s timing is perfect; never early, never late. But no matter how many times I told myself those things, I still went numb. Maybe it was something that had to happen, something I needed to experience to get to the point that I’m at now.

Tonight, something incredible happened. I don’t know what caused it, but that shell of numbness that has been hovering over me began to crack. Numbness gave way to panic as feelings I had been fighting confronted me. To be honest, I didn’t know how to handle it. I happened to come across a challenge about becoming ‘faithfully fit’ and something about it drew me in. There was a worship playlist associated with this and I never pass up a good worship playlist, so naturally, I downloaded it. I began to listen and my heart wrenched as the first song played.

I was sitting on my bed and it was as if God sat down right next to me. He reminded me that I am His, and nothing I do can change that. And I was so broken in that moment. I was reminded of my resolution at the beginning of 2020: spend more time with God. Gently, God showed me that, well, I had failed. Miserably. There was a moment where I felt ashamed. With my head low, I felt ashamed of some of my words, actions, and my full and complete failure to spend more time with my Savior.

But then, He took my chin and lifted my head back up and reminded me I am a daughter of the King of Kings. And there is NO end to His love for His children. He takes me as I am, just like he offers to each and every one of us. So this year, I’m not making a resolution. I’m making a commitment. My commitment is to be on fire for God, no matter what.

You might think that being on fire for God is a big, emotional ordeal. Do I feel like that right now? Yeah, I do. Will I feel like that tomorrow? I have no clue. But I know that being on fire for God is a CHOICE. I will make the CHOICE daily to turn to God, open myself up completely before Him, and say, “Here I am.”

I will choose to surrender my will and let God lead. I will choose to abide in Him, trusting that His love for me is true, full, and more complete than any other love I will know. I will choose to be patient in the plans He has for my life. And I will choose to steer away from things that pull me away from God, and towards the world. The world has nothing for me, or for you. Nothing but pain, suffering, and evil. I will choose life each and every day by following Jesus Christ.

It won’t be easy. In fact, some days it’s going to be really hard. But God is the well that will never run dry, no matter how many times I do.

Isaiah 28-31

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never becomes faint or weary; there is no limit to his understanding. He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless. Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.”

When you trust in the Lord, this is his promise to you. God can renew your strength. He can lift you up so you can “soar on wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, and walk and not grow faint.” There is hope.

Christianity in the Face of College Culture

What does it take to live as a follower of Christ in college? I’ve been living this reality for almost 3 years now, and at times, it’s a very lonely road. My journey has changed so much from when I first started at my university to now. I can happily say that my relationship with Christ has come out stronger, amidst the challenges college has thrown at me- but it is NOT as simple as that. There have been a crazy amount of highs and lows, and this journey is far from over. Research is showing that an alarming 70% of young adults leave the church as college students (Christianity Today, 2019). Finding this statistic really grabbed my curiosity. Why are so many college students leaving?

Obviously, moving to a new town for college plays a huge roll in church attendance. Speaking from my own experience, it’s pretty intimidating trying to find a new church, especially when you’re by yourself. Finding Christian friends has been difficult in college, and so I ended up going to several church services by myself. However, a growing reason being cited in surveys for leaving the church is political and spiritual concerns (Christianity Today, 2019). I’m sad to say that this was not shocking information to me. All you have to do is jump on social media and look at the tweets from college students. “Spirituality” is a HUGE topic, but not spirituality in any sort of biblical sense.

Have you ever heard the term “manifestation?” I see it everywhere, and it actually makes me sick to my stomach now. Manifestation is the idea that you can speak something into existence. I hope that believers can see right through that idea, but unfortunately, it seems many people who profess to be Christians fall right into the trap. Astrology is another thing that I have witnessed too many people get caught up in. Astrology appears to say that the alignment of the stars, many times on the day you were born, influences your life and who you are. I’m sure you’ve seen a post about Virgos, Cancers, Geminis, etc. I confess that even caught my attention at some level, and I found myself looking for my “sign.” Thankfully, I didn’t dive deeper into that. The deeper down the rabbit hole you look, the eviler it gets.

Those ideas only scratch the surface level of what is pulling on college students. Being surrounded by those and many other unbiblical ideas, it seems very difficult to stand up for what you believe in. But I believe, that is getting to the root of the problem. Why are these things able to pull Christians away from the church and/or away from their values and what they believe? Why is going into your new college town to look for a church “too hard?” Here I ask you to look within. As we all need to do, these students need to examine their hearts. Do they actually believe in Jesus Christ and the resurrection? Do they believe in the gospel that the Bible teaches? I think the answer is no.

I recently had the opportunity to watch a documentary called American Gospel. It is extremely informative and I think everyone should watch it. It discusses how the gospel message has been twisted and turned to meet what we want, as humans, effectively producing something coined the “prosperity” gospel. Unfortunately, I believe that is the gospel many people believe, not to mention adding in all the other “gospels” being preached from college campuses. Of course, they don’t call themselves such, but they claim to be the truth. And that is where the problem begins…

So, where are we now?

College, during the strangest thing I’ve lived through, has been an experience…to say the least. If you didn’t see my last post about being quarantined, check it out! A little update for those of you wondering:

I was tested again (the test where they shove the swab up to your brain…well, it feels like it) 3 days after being quarantined. The next day we got a call from the health department asking if we had any symptoms, and the day after that, we got a call with our negative test results (EVERY SINGLE person they quarantined from that particular exposure tested negative). However, we were told we had to remain in quarantine for the full 14 days, which meant I remained in quarantine for another week and a half.

Since being released from quarantine, almost all the rules have changed. Taking from the experience of the most recent batch of quarantined college students here on campus, the CDC has now allowed some students to go home (something I was explicitly told I could NOT do) and they no longer recommend quarantining the full 14 days if you test negative and have no symptoms (which was where I was at). Do I feel a bit of anger regarding this? Sure. But I am happy to see that it appears to be “under control” on campus.

Well, on a completely unrelated note, here’s the monthly update of my door decs/bulletin boards I do as part of being an RA. These are pictures from August, and September updates will follow in a later post:

The theme for August was ‘tv shows.’ I chose Psych!

There’s a pineapple in every episode and on every door on my floor!

I’ve Been Quarantined!

As we all are aware of, we’re living in some very uncertain times. Different people scared for different reasons, but I think we can all agree we wish the whole thing would go away. I recently, as in this week, moved back into my dorm room. My school is going above and beyond on COVID-19 preparation and attempted prevention. But yet, here I sit in quarantine…

So this begs the question, what are we doing wrong? What are we doing right? Are any of the steps and extra measures doing anything? I wish someone could give a concrete and uniform answer, but I have to say, I’m beginning to form my own conclusions.

Here are the facts. I moved into college at the beginning of this week. Masks are required in all buildings on campus, including inside my dorm. This means I have to wear a mask from the moment I enter the building until I close my dorm room door behind me. I have met with a group of other Resident Assistants daily, always socially distancing, and always wearing masks.

Everyone who is currently in the dorms was tested for COVID-19 yesterday using a saliva test (yay for objects NOT getting shoved up into our brains!) This afternoon, the RAs were informed that we had been exposed to someone who tested positive and effective immediately, would go into a two week quarantine. Now, I’m not here to complain. I do want to draw attention to what being quarantined looks like in a college setting. I think, perhaps, we could do better.

Being quarantined at college looks like this:

I am not allowed to leave the dorms (aka I can’t go outside to walk/exercise)
I am not allowed to leave my dorm room (aka I can’t go into the hallway)
I am not allowed to walk down my hallway and fill up my water bottle
My meals are brought to me by staff three times a day and left outside my room with a knock on my door until I acknowledge it
I am not allowed to be in physical contact with anyone else, including the other RAs who had the same exposure as me
I am to remain inside my dorm room until the health department releases me from quarantine
Those who were exposed are getting tested again on Monday, although we were just tested yesterday
We were not told who tested positive or when we were exposed (yes, I understand there are privacy measures to be had, but I also think it would be a good idea to know when we were exposed and who exposed us)

My question to you, the reader, is this. Do you feel that these conditions are healthy? Mental, physical, and emotional health? What do we do with this information?

I’m living this and the unfortunate reality is, there is more to come. Classes have not even started yet. 1 positive case = all the people exposed to that person immediately go into quarantine for a minimum of a week, likely longer. With that kind of reaction, will ANYTHING get done?

5 Things You Should Actually Bring To College

So, sophomore year has officially come to a close. As I begin thinking about my JUNIOR year of college, I once again narrow the list of things I plan on bringing with me to college. If you are going to be a freshman, let me just tell you, you will probably bring too much stuff. It’s inevitable. But I’m here to help you minimize just a little bit, and prioritize the big things.

First things first, you need to know what your dorm set up is like. Do you have a community bathroom? How many roommates? Is your room set up suite style? All of these questions are SUPER important to ensuring you bring the correct items to keep your dorm room clutter free, but feeling like home. For reference, the dorms I live in have two rooms (4 occupants all together) who share a bathroom in the middle of the two rooms.

STORAGE BINS

Honestly, storage bins are lifesavers! They keep your room free from clutter, give everything a place, and let you have a little breathing room. Some items I recommend you have a designated storage bin for include: decorations, extra blankets, extra clothes, school supplies, bathroom supplies, medicine, tools, and cleaning supplies.

2. A READING PILLOW

I’m sure we’ve all heard that you aren’t supposed to do homework or eat in bed…but let’s be realistic. At college, you’ll probably do both. Having a reading pillow will make it so much more comfortable, even if you’re just watching TV. Best of all, it can sit on your bed all the time and therefore, barely takes up any space.

3. AN EXTRA SET OF SHEETS

Okay, college students are notoriously bad about postponing laundry until they get home. If you don’t already, you should be changing your sheets AT LEAST once a month, if not every two weeks. Having an extra set of sheets is crucial for me, that way if the laundry room at college is totally full, I have a clean set of sheets already available for my bed.

4. LAUNDRY BASKET

You would think a laundry basket would be an obvious item, but in my two years at college, I have seen tons of students who don’t have one. They are so important! Having a laundry basket (and putting your name on it) is helpful for 1.) keeping dirty clothes contained in your room 2.) putting on the washer/dryer you’re using in case someone gets impatient and takes your clothes out and 3.) in the unfortunate event someone steals from you, your basket will be very clear to a camera.

5. SMELL GOODS

Essential oil diffuser, the plug-ins from Bath & Body Works…just use something! Often candles and wax melters are off-limits in a dorm so use common sense and don’t get something your Residence Hall doesn’t allow. Having something that will release a pleasant smell into your room is CRUCIAL. Think about it…tiny space, dirty clothes, dirty dishes, you get the picture. Even if you think you will stay on top of all that, it’s nice to have a nice-smelling room.

Bonus: HANGING SHOE ORGANIZER

This was something I decided to invest in this year, and I was SO happy with it. Dorms don’t typically have much closet space, so keeping the floor free from shoes is helpful. I got one for $10 at T.J. Maxx and it saved me tons of space this year!

Remember, everyone is different. We are all unique and have different needs. College is a lot of trial and error. No matter how prepared you think you are, a curveball will always get thrown in the mix (kinda like life…). So just sit back and enjoy the ride. Don’t stress too much, you’ll figure it out.

25 Things to Do in Quarantine

Okay, I miss college. I miss my friends, going to physical classes, and all of the extra stuff that comes with being a college student. But, if I’m home, I’m going to make the best of it. I’ve seen many, many people say they are actually tired of watching Netflix, Disney+, etc. And I have to admit, when I binge watch something on a normal day, it’s relaxing but now? Nope. I want to go walk through Target or dream about how I’ll decorate my house in Hobby Lobby. Unfortunately, that won’t be happening right now. So, without further adieu, I present 50 things you can do in quarantine that won’t just end up with you in front of the tv screen (unproductively, anyway)…

1. Cook/bake something new

This is something that I myself have been a BIG fan of, particularly…CAKE! It’s fun to find new recipes, work on my frosting skills (which are not that great much to my disappointment), and force my little sister to do it with me 🙂 It’s a blast and it’s productive. Only one downfall, dishes.

2. Write

Writing is something that I love to do, but even if you aren’t a writer, try it! Document your experience of quarantine, let your imagination run wild with the end of the world scenarios, learn how to do fancy handwriting techniques, JUST WRITE! Writing is a great escape.

3. Games

Now, I’m sure this is something that people have definitely turned to. Our family personally has been on a card game kick, and we LOVE Uno and Skip-Bo. If you’re bored with the games you’ve been playing, look a new card game OR get creative and make up a new one!

4. Clean

I know, I know…clean? But being stuck inside is a great time to finally realize all the things we have in our houses that we don’t actually use. Use this time to sort through your closet, dust the ceiling fan (I know you need to do that), actually deep clean the bathroom, wipe down the baseboards, clean all the windows you can reach, the things to be cleaned are endless!

5. Groom Your Own Dog

Now, I’m sure that’s not one you’ve heard out there a lot. It’s also probably true that you don’t have the typical dog grooming tools. But, if you’re not afraid to make mistakes, give your dog a bath, get some scissors, and start clipping. Don’t worry if you mess up, no one will know for at least two more weeks.

6. Read

Yes, yes, I know, READ! If you have that long pile of books in your house that you’ve been neglecting, tackle it! While the libraries might be closed, try online alternatives available on phones, computers, and kindles. A simple google search or look at your library’s website will most likely give you access. And if you are so inclined, Barnes & Noble (and I’m sure many others) run specials weekly for cheap books $2.99 and under.

7. Order Take-Out

In a time like this, supporting businesses (especially local) is crucial for these businesses to make it through this time. A lot of them are even running specials so you might get a great deal! Of course, follow protocol and social distance.

8. Puzzles

If you’re anything like my family, you have a whole cabinet full of puzzles. Use this time to break them out and get solving!

9. Learn a New Language

I’m not naive enough to think we can actually learn a whole language during the quarantine, but I do know you can get a good start! Personally, I started learning American Sign Language about a year ago but was struggling to devote time to learn more. Quarantine has given me the perfect opportunity to keep working at it.

10. Extravagant Makeup Looks

With all of this free time and nowhere to go, what better idea than to break out the makeup and finally be able to dip your brush in that bright blue color you never use.

11. Let Your Body Heal

Okay, so this next one might not be for everyone. What I mean by “heal” is to allow your body to return to its natural process for cleaning itself without the interference of shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, or caked-on makeup. Now is the perfect time to acclimate your hair to only being washed once a week, or less. Or begin switching to a natural or aluminum-free deodorant. Alternatively, let your skin take a break from the foundation you put on every day and breathe.

12. Make Your Own Earrings

I found this idea several weeks ago and fell in love with the outcome. All you need is polymer clay and the jewelry clasps needed to make whatever kind of earrings you prefer. After rolling, shaping, and decorating your clay, poke holes at the top/bottom for the clasps to go through. Then bake! I baked mine at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes.

13. Knit, Sew, Crochet

Any of these could be very helpful to essential workers during this time, so if you already know how to knit, sew, or crochet, you could work to make masks, ear protectors, etc. If you don’t know how now is (once again) the perfect time to learn!

14. Go For a Walk, Bike, or Scooter Ride

Yes, you read that right. Scooter. In my family, we go on many walks anyway. We decided to get creative and started bringing our scooters along. Believe me, it’s an experience you won’t forget.

15. Make Your Own Play-doh or Cloud Dough

While I, personally, have not made this, it seems like an activity that kids would really enjoy doing. I’ve seen some recipes for cloud dough that are super simple and make a good smelling dough that isn’t sticky at all! Again, the internet probably has tons of recipes!

16. Learn How to Solve a Rubics Cube

This idea, courtesy of my brother, is a great one if you just feel you aren’t being challenged enough.

17. Learn How to Change a Tire

If you don’t know how to change a tire, or maybe change your oil, now is a time where we don’t really need to drive anywhere which means your car is available for you to work on.

18. Mushroom Hunting

Fortunately (haha!) quarantine is falling right during mushroom season here in the Midwest. Grab a bag, head out to the timber, and find yourself some dinner! If you’ve never hunted/cooked mushrooms before, you’ll want to soak them in salt water for about 15 minutes before frying ’em up!

19. Make Bracelets

This one is something my sister has been doing lately. Gather your string and start your chosen method of braiding. You could have one for each of your friends by the time this is over!

20. Go Fishing

Here in the Midwest, many people are breaking out the fishing poles and heading to the ponds/lakes. Fishing is a great day to work on expanding your attention span 😉

21. Start Bullet Journaling

Now is the free time you’ve been waiting for! Harness those creative juices and spend some time detailing or planning out your bullet journal. Maybe you’ll even use your fancy new handwriting techniques.

22. Workout/ Work on Flexibility

You literally have no excuses to not work out right now. The internet is swarming with at-home, no equipment workouts. If you want something slower pace, do yoga. If you want to get your heart rate up, find a HITT workout. You could even do one with the whole family. The options are endless!

23. Be Artistic

Draw, color, paint, whatever it is, harness your inner artist. Chances are, you have at least one pencil and piece of paper lying around in your house. Paint a flower pot or your water bottle. Take some time and see what you can do!

24. DIY Home Improvements

If you’ve been meaning to work on something in your house, now is the time. Paint those cabinets, replace that one door, repaint a room…

25. Make Breakfast for Your Family

This will give you a reason to get up before 2 pm! Plan out an elaborate (or not) breakfast for your whole family, and serve it to them however you so choose.

*Bonus: Take Time to Read Your Bible and Pray

Again, no excuses! This is a perfect opportunity to spend more time in prayer and to find your way around the Bible. Watch online church on Sundays and check-in on friends, family, and neighbors.

Hopefully these ideas were helpful and gave you some more ideas! I know I’ve seen several of these out there on the internet, but sometimes seeing someone else’s ideas helps you piggyback and come up with your own. So, go crazy! Enjoy the time you get to spend with your housemates right now and plan for the best time ever once we get out of quarantine.

Flashback on February

Happy Leap Day! Today I am thankful for the beautiful sunshine and clear sky that let me do some homework outside (and get some much needed Vitamin D!) With that being said, February flew past me and this extra day has allowed me to soak in my February memories. I shared briefly in my last post about some girls on my floor who always go the extra mile. This month, I gave the whole floor the opportunity to share some love.

My bulletin board this month allowed for girls to send each other some love. On Valentine’s day, someone even put candy in every envelope! Once again, I absolutely adore the culture these girls create on our floor and count myself lucky to be a part of it.

This month, the door decs were “lovebugs.”

Realizing how fast this month went past, I started to think. If one month went by this fast, the next two years of college is going to be done in the blink of an eye. And after that, life. My message today is to not let life pass you by. Go out and do something everyday, whether it’s just going on a walk and enjoying the beauty of creation, or going to Chick-fil-a with a friend. Make every day count.

None of us know how much time we have on this earth. Count your blessings each day, love those around you fiercly, and make each moment count.

Every day is an opportunity. What are you going to do with this one?