In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to write about what I was thankful for. But if I wrote about everything that I was ever thankful for, it would be just this long list of love and emotions and gratitude that would probably end with "I love lamp." So instead, I decided to a) Be an optimist and b) Not start turning into Steve Carell's character in "Anchorman," by making a list of problems that I'm actually thankful to have.
1. Almost all of my best friends go to different colleges than me.
Even though this kind of sucks on the surface, the fact that my friends and I still keep in contact despite being hundreds of miles apart makes me feel so grateful that I have true friends. Although we're all distanced from each other, meeting people and making new friends, we still text, call or Skype each other to give advice, reminisce about this past summer, or fangirl over One Direction. I'm thankful for this problem because it just solidified how lasting my friendships are.
2. College is kind of kicking my butt... which is a huge change from high school.
In high school, I took the hardest courses, graduated top of my class, and spent my summers working or going to summer programs. Even though my classes were hard at times, I wasn't ever fully challenged. Because of this, I thought I was totally prepared for college, and then spent the last three to four months learning that I was wrong. But, I have to be thankful for the difficulty of my classes because it reminds me that I know what I want out of life and I'm determined to accomplish my goals, even if it takes hard work, long nights and lots of coffee to do so.
3. I haven't just settled in with one group of friends yet in college.
Right now, I'm just kind of bouncing between groups of friends in. A part of me is just dying to finally have a stable circle of friends in college. But at the same time, I know it's wise not to try to fit in with a group just to have one. I'm thankful that I'm still meeting and hanging out with new people. Even though it's taking me some time, I think it'll help me find the right friends rather than people to just hang out with.
4. I used to be able to pig out and never gain a pound, and I can't do that now.
Up until I turned 18, I pretty much ate whatever and whenever I wanted and still was a size zero. And I'm not going to lie, that was pretty lucky and convenient. But, at the same time, I wasn't actually healthy back then (just goes to show that thin does not equal fit). I'm thankful that I now have to watch what I eat and drag myself to the gym a few times a week in order to be at a size that I want to be at. I can't say that I don't sometimes miss my old metabolism (along with my old extra-small dresses and size-zero jeans), but I'm really glad that I'm becoming a healthier, more active person.
In life, there always going to hardships, changes, and struggles. You're never going to be able to look at them as 100 percent positive. But each battle has its bright side, even before victory, which is something to be truly thankful for.