Thinking in the long-term.

Going to school 3,000 miles away from home changes your perspective on a lot of things. You begin to think about things that are months, even years away. 

To tell you the truth, I hate thinking far into the future. I have always believed in focusing on the present, and completely immersing yourself in whatever you are working on or needs your attention at this moment. And generally, that has led me to success in the future without specifically planning on that success. 

If you work hard and you are kind, you will go far. 

Yet there are some things about the future that you just can't avoid thinking about or having to plan. Despite the fact that I am only in my third week of school, I am already stressed about trying to switch around my scheduled final exam periods to book a flight home. I'm worried about losing out on deals, or losing the opportunity to fly out at an earlier time because they're sold out. 

These are the things that keep me up at night. 

I think about exactly how many days I will have to spend with my family, my friends and Kyle. I think about when I will have to fly back for spring semester, which is not for another five months. I think about if I will go home for spring break, if I will go on a mission trip, or if someone from home will visit me. 

Just last night, my roommates and I were talking about where we might end up living after college. And that's still two years away. 

I hate thinking in terms of the far-off future, but as the years become shorter, that future doesn't seem as far-off as it once did when I was younger. I'm learning that thinking about what is to come is something that comes with growing older. I may try to fight it, but it's just another experience that I have to face in this weird time in life. 

I may be considered a legal adult, but I still feel like I should be relegated to the elementary school playground. I have matured, but I still have a long way to go. I have to step up and accept the responsibility of thinking about and planning for my future--after all, who else will? 

It's moments like these when I really feel like a twenty-something.  

//image via Lara Casey Media