hey little brother!
i love you a lot. i love catching glimpses of the man that you will be. it makes me smile knowing that you will be walking the same halls and even learning from some of the same profs i enjoyed for four years.
so here’s some friendly, sisterly advice [in no particular order] that [i hope] will have some meaning for you as you start this journey.
[1] don’t date too soon.
ok, i know i’ve harped on this a ton already, and in the end you’ll just do what you want. BUT please hear me out.
you are a young man. i know there are many things of which you are capable. however, being a husband is not yet one of those things. until you are ready to be the head of a family, i recommend resisting all the forces compelling you to pursue a girl.
many, many of your peers will jump head-first into relationships, with varied success. the idea of being in a relationship is intoxicating, but the reality is that a successful, healthy one requires a ton of hard work and self-control. frankly, you are gonna have a lot going on already at school and trust me–there is no rush!
the relationships with your guy friends at school are going to be the most important thing you take with you when you leave. you will never regret those investments.
[2] don’t procrastinate too much.
basically every college student who does not struggle with this is a liar. pulling all-nighters can be fun maybe once a year, but trust me–making it a habit will be good for nobody.
[3] get involved in thing other than music.
i know that you will be there at every recital, concert, play and musical. but make an effort to do other things like r.a. or f.x. or s.a.b. it will help you to find friends outside of the music majors.
[4] prioritize people.
maybe you won’t struggle with this lesson as i did; i can tend to get tunnel vision. when homework calls it can be tough to ask a person how they are really doing…and to be willing to truly listen to the answer. remember, in a hundred years, the only thing left of our lives will be the people we know. it helps to keep that in perspective when school seems overwhelming.
[5] make time for the Lord.
i never made a good habit of this until my senior year and i wished that i would have been more intentional all those other years. this does take discipline–maybe even more so than studying or working out–because it’s something you do alone.
there are so many forces fighting to take up your time, energy and space. [reading the bible for yourself is hard especially because now it’s one of your textbooks!] you have to fight for it.
loving the Lord is the most important. make the time to know His voice in the quiet, so that you can recognize it above the din and clatter of the busy times.
that’s all i can think of for now. i’m always around if you need me, with lots of advice and harassment. what are big sisters for, right?
all my love, graycie