CAUTION

Sometimes I wish they had posted a, “CAUTION: Constant confusion and self doubt ahead” sign in front of Iowa State before I enrolled last year. But I guess that may scare several excited, inspired and curious souls in a different direction. Now don’t get me wrong college is full of great things that you can’t recreate or explain, but simply have to go through. Honestly that’s how most of the really important things in life are, unexplainable, hard, but worth every second. It’s funny that none of this is advertised or talked about. The mental image that pops into mind are perfectly filtered instagrams of this week’s social event, and yes I am so beyond guilty of this. There isn’t anything wrong with it; who doesn’t want to capture the tailgates, semi-formals, and night outings? The problem is in the lie that this allows us to build, the façade of a perfect life that shows nothing but the highlight reel.

Come on people this is just NOT realistic. So I am here to give you a friendly reminder that you are not defined by the likes you get on a picture, and no ones life is as flawless as that instagram filter makes it look. Moments are perfect life is not. It’s a hard thing to remember and keep a grasp on. You have 3 tests in a week and a bundle of issues that are impatiently waiting for you to give them some attention, but this is something we need to constantly remind ourselves of.

Life can’t have highs unless it has lows, and true beauty is found in the flaws and quirks of our imperfect hearts. It’s overwhelming to wake up everyday and know that the things we are doing are the stepping-stones to our dreams. If you dig underneath that worry though you will find the excitement at the endless possibilities you have. At 19 feeling expected to know exactly who you are in life and what you want to do with it is CRAZY. Some days I barely know what to order on my daily Starbucks run. The secret isn’t in knowing; it’s in waking up everyday and having a deep desire to figure it out. Sometimes that’s the bravest thing you can do; get out of bed and face what the world has in store.

That smile you see on my face most days doesn’t symbolize clarity or that my life is perfect, it is a personal thank you to God for another day to maybe get one step closer to figuring it all out. Most importantly remember the people worth sharing life with will want to see your behind the scenes and still choose to stand in your corner through it all. So take a deep breath, smile, and know that your behind the scene moments in life are equally as valuable and important as your highlight reel.

With Love,

Jade Marie