Fortune Fish

While I was at one of best friend's house, her mom, who is practically my mom, put a fortune fish on my hand for fun. At first, the little red strip of paper didn't do anything; it sat motionless and limp on my hand. In my mind, I thought: 'wow, Am I really that brain dead right now? I know I've been watching a lot of T.V and You Tube Videos, but really?!" Suddenly the fish's tail started to lift up and then its head followed. I was in love. Well, that's what the fortune said. Initially, I was baffled, my romantic life at the moment is as exciting as an episode of a Disney channel T.V show. Then I realized that I wasn't in love with a certain guy, bur rather with my life right now. I love all parts of it, even my shallow love life. I'm grateful that I don't have to deal with romantic drama, and recognize that a special guy will eventually stumble into my life. Right now, I'm nourishing my mind, body and soul with the sunshine above me, the laughter and smiles of friends and family, and the delicious food they make for me. I'm in love with everyone and everything around me. I feel eternally grateful to know the people I know.

I truly believe that love is the greatest force in the world. It can get us through the toughest challenges and roughest patches of our lives. As awesome as college is, the beginning was a nightmare. Everything was too unfamiliar and foreign: the people, the weather, the classes, the food, the dorm room etc. For college bound readers, the trick is to incorporate as many familiar things into your first semester as you possibly can. Do not be afraid to call friends and family as many times as you need to. Just hearing a familiar voice could be just what you need to finish a ten page paper. If any of my friends back home see this: Thank you for spending hours of your time, listening to me either complain, brag, nag, or cry. Although you weren't physically present during my first semester of college, you are one of the many reasons why I had such a positive college experience. To the friends that were physically present: I love you and I cannot even fathom what I would have done without your kindness, understanding, and humor. Besides the continual support of friends, a good book also makes the time fly when you want it to: a few weeks before you head home for the holidays. The book that got me through finals week was The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. I highly recommend it; it is captivating and beautifully written. It tells the story of a girl named Katniss Everdeen who must compete in an extreme survival game. As I followed the story of Katniss's survival, I gained the strength to power through my seemingly brutal finals and impatience. By the time I finished the last page of the last book I landed on the rock I call home. Although college isn't nearly as horrifying as the events in the trilogy, at times, college is like a survivor show: you must complete certain challenges in order to return to home-cooked meals, clean showers, and kind hospitality. What made both of our challenges a little more bearable was love. During the survival competition Katniss is forced to engage in she develops a romantic relationship with one of her competitors. I made a deep, non-romantic, connection with two fellow students at U.P.S, Amy and Jaimie, and strengthen my already strong bond with my fabulous five back home. It doesn't matter what type of love one possesses; love will be the butter to your life: it makes everything a better and smoother, haha. Love is the sun on a rainy day and the blanket on a cold evening. As The Beatles once said, All You Need Is Love. It is all I'll ever need.