It's truly hard to believe that 3 1/2 years have gone by so quickly. I came into college (after taking an interior design class at my high school) knowing that I wanted to do interior design. I signed up for all of my classes at orientation and was ready to go- INTD 129, intro to interior design, here we go! That class gave me an ity bitty glimpse of what interior design really meant- not just "fluff" like pillows and paint colors but actually more about space planning, elements and principles of design, need for nature, the psychology behind design, lighting, and much much more. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.
Going into my final semester of college I have come to realize that I have learned SO much about interior design, and I feel I have learned just as much about the design of my "interior" and who I am (cheesy but true hehe). I am so incredibly thankful for the opportunities God has given to me at CSU to make me who I am today. From learning how to ride my bike on the side of a busy road my freshman year, to learning to love all people for who they are and meet them where they're at (acquaintances, roommates, classmates, professors), to stepping out of my comfort zone and moving to New Jersey for a summer internship, my college career has been full of blessings and learning opportunities that have shaped my heart for the better. My parents always told me that college was a lot about learning to learn, and I have found this to be incredibly true. I am so thankful for my amazing family and the unfailing love and support they have given to me. They have helped me understand that I can truly be who I want to be and do the things I want to do with a little motivation and faith. In addition, I am so thankful for my foco family of friends. Truly, I do not understand how I would ever be worthy of having such an amazing group of friends, and for these people I am so so thankful. My friends have been the ones to have lunch with me when I would have eaten alone in the dining hall, to talk with me late at night when I was stressed about a project or couldn't figure something out, to grab a drink on a Tuesday night and laugh together, and most of all, to share our lives with each other and walk with each other through the journey of life. My friends and family have been so incredibly crucial in supporting me through the good and the bad, through the changes that have made me me! Last and not least, rather most important, my faith has truly been the designer of my interior. "Trusting" is one of the most amazing and most difficult things i've ever done. I will say that I definitely still struggle with it- and I feel it's often a life-time struggle- but it's sooo important. Because of the trust I have learned to put in God, I feel an amazing amount of excitement and peace about my next chapter of life. I say this with great thanksgiving for the lessons i've learned that have brought me to this point. I've stressed over projects and decisions one too many times to think that I should worry about the future for one minute. I have no idea what I will be doing after May 14th, but i'm pretty sure someone else knows and will guide me along the way :) Just for a glimpse into my thoughts, i'm thinking I would love to go to somewhere like Southern California and start my own eyebrow waxing salon.... jokes.... for realzz I am very interested in working with people and serving in some way. Some thoughts are health care design (my senior capstone project is a pediatric center... the healing aspects of design are truly amaaazzzing and inspire me), some sort of missionary work, something crazy fun but financially stable like an aupair abroad?... I dunno! As you can see, the opportunities are endless and I'm very excited and thankful for whatever is coming :) but back to my original point of faith, I really would not be here today without this amazing gift and tool. I can truly say that God has been my rock and stronghold through college and I give Him total credit for every year I've made it through!
As a final note, I think often times society tells us that we have to be the best at everything, be at the top of the list, to look and act a certain way... yes it's important to set goals and support yourself/your family.... but I think we find ourselves comparing ourselves to others and becoming miserable because we don't have this or don't look like that. If there's one thing interior design has taught me, it's that every space is different and though two buildings may have the same windows and same shingled roof, each interior can be different and each interior (and exterior!) can be beautiful! I have found such passion for the dignity of a human being and spreading this truth to everyone everywhere. After volunteering at a soup kitchen last month as a part of my service learning project for my senior capstone, my heart sunk. People would walk through the line with their heads down and talk very quietly. Each and every person who walked through that line is no less or greater than me and you, and it made me sick to think that they felt ashamed or any less than anyone. We have all be created equal, with equal dignity, equal rights to receive and give love and respect, and equal beauty. Before coming to college, I think I recognized this subconsciously but many experiences throughout my years at CSU, like the soup kitchen, have given me a greater perspective of the world and how what the world truly needs now is love, sweeeeet love :) and Je-suuuus woop woop
Words do not describe how thankful I am for the opportunities that have made me who I am today. I really feel so thankful for the people i've met, places i've been and things i've done the past 3 1/2 years. I would definitely not be the same if it were not for each and every step that it took to get me here. I'm just so undeserving and very thankful. I go into my last semester ready to conquer these last few projects and explore the new opportunities ahead. Sad? yes. Excited and so freaking ready to graduate? yes. Bittersweet, really...
I'm so thankful for all the women who have walked with me through the interior design program and all the professors who have helped us learn and grow. I know, i know, i've said it so many times but i'm just so thankful for my family, friends, faith.... As the movie title so wonderfully puts it, "It's a wonderful life" :)
Cheers to many more learning experiences to design who we are and opportunities to love, give and grow!
