after midnight

So it's a Wednesday night and I have another precious block of time by myself in my dorm room. I just finished the last bit of homework for the rest of the week. I printed out this week's music for voice lessons, and I organized my laundry. My life is put together pretty well anymore. It's funny what college does to a person. Before I left, I was home all summer, and I was fairly responsible - I did my family chores and took care of my dogs, but I didn't take care of myself. My room was always a mess, I didn't pay attention to my sleep pattern (and consequently ruined all of my mornings), and my hygiene was just, inconsistent. I don't know, maybe it said something about how I viewed myself. Maybe I just had low self esteem. But I know that I never fully knew how to take care of myself, and being here at Utah State, I suddenly feel like I can do this. I'm taking 20 credits and keeping up with institute, my church calling, practice hours on my flute, laundry, friends, and the ever exciting love life. Not to say that I was perfect once I got out here, or that I'm perfect now, but I don't remember having to seriously struggle to stay on top of everything. Even if a problem has come up, I have so many people to come to and talk to, it's so nice to have all of this support. I feel like I'm on top of the world sometimes! This is truly heaven to me. Or maybe this is just how life is supposed to be. Sure, there are trials. Life is hard. And I am so blessed to be in my wonderful situation of a successful first semester in college. But I honestly never knew that it could be this good. I was so used to constant heartache and discontent growing up, that I didn't know any differently. I didn't know it was possible to have it any better. I remember fighting to make my life better, fighting for the greater good in the household and in the relationships I developed. The human dynamic in the east coast was so cutthroat and, almost hopeless. Like, it didn't seem important to people to get along all of the time. But that has always been so important to me! It's so important to communicate as much as you can with others, with friends and family and loved ones. It's so important to smile and laugh and hug and give and love on a daily basis. My whole life long I was wondering why these things weren't prevalent. Now that I have the communication I've always wanted, now that I have this affection and streaming positivity, I couldn't ask for more. I'm so excited for the future! I hope that I won't wake up from this fantastic ongoing dream any time soon. But even if I do, I'll always have this to look back on.