Catching Up


Hey everyone,

It’s been a good while since I’ve written. I found myself with a spare moment and decided that I should end my well-needed hiatus.

School’s been… classic school I guess. I got a job, which was a huge development for me and I’ve been working for a month now. Being a tutor has stretched me in quite a few ways and I know it will only continue to, but in particular, I’ve realised I actually do like kids. Not that I hated them before, but it was definitely one of the things I was most worried about with the job, and now, I want to get to know them better and encourage them. I don’t think enough people do that.

School’s been… classic school I guess. I got a job, which was a huge development for me and I’ve been working for a month now. Being a tutor has stretched me in quite a few ways and I know it will only continue to, but in particular, I’ve realised I actually do like kids. Not that I hated them before, but it was definitely one of the things I was most worried about with the job, and now, I want to get to know them better and encourage them. I don’t think enough people do that.
Getting used to classes and workloads, expectations and people has been interesting. The people bit most of all. I didn’t have any grandiose illusions that making friends would come easily to me, and I was definitely one of those people that spent many good hours during my summer on Pinterest reading about dos and don’ts for freshmen. And yet, I found myself falling into some of the don’ts - thinking everyone had already found their group, not actually talking to the people around me. I’ve found myself in some pretty great communities already; I struck gold with my roommate and I go to a great church with great people. I've also had some pretty good conversations with people in random places. But even then, I’m always so content to keep those friendships in specific places because it’s more difficult and takes more courage to invite people out for coffee, beyond the confines of the place where we first met. I worry about whether it’ll seem out of place and awkward if I’ve never really had a conversation with the person, and if I’ve had many, I worry that it’ll be weird to ask when we’ve already spoken so much. There’s always ‘something’ to fear. Some outcome that’s so embarrassing or humiliating or uncomfortable that I’d rather do nothing at all. And I’m not okay with that anymore; with staying in my safe, comfortable, little bubble and complaining about all the things that could be if I would step out. I can’t control a lot. I can’t control people. But I can take a step. I can try. I can invite people out for coffee and have them say yes or no, be ecstatic or confused. I can start the conversation and be engaged with or ignored. Those things are hard… but doing what seems ‘safe’ hasn’t really served me well either.

So guys…. I encourage you as I encourage myself - there is more to life than being comfortable. And those few times I’ve stepped out and done something great that I was terrified of, it turned out great. Or at the very least, I could take a hint. Not everything is good to do, but for those that are, they hardly ever happen while we sit in our comfort zone.

God bless.

From a Christian College freshman.

Dera

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