Spring quarter 2020 took place in the midst of some of the most world-changing events. As I reflect on this past quarter, I realize the world will never be the same again and it would be wrong of me to expect this. When Spring quarter first began, I remember wishing for September to come so things could be "normal" again. But as Spring quarter ends, I realize that maybe my "normal" version of the world wasn't all that great to begin with. There is much progress to be made, and I am grateful to be living in a country where people have a voice and a vote to change a normal that isn't working.
I have realized more than ever how important the people in my life are, and that I really have taken for granted the ability to see and talk to them in-person. Zoom is amazing, but it's just not the same. I have especially missed being able to gather together and worship at church, but I am thankful that sermons are still live-streamed. The challenges I've experienced this quarter were more psychological than anything. I applied to Informatics for the first time, and I wasn't accepted. It honestly felt like the end of the world to me for a couple of days. I felt like everything I had done this past year had gone to waste because I needed to take completely new pre-requisites again for other majors. I also felt like I had let my parents down--all the money they had spent this past year, and now I was back at level 0. Of course, all these negative thoughts were self-invoked. I ended up meeting with advisors soon after, asking questions about other majors, and asking friends for advice. Although I was still disappointed, I discovered that there are options I am open to even if they aren't Informatics. If I really want to do data science or cybersecurity, there is a way. What I major in is just a broad generalization of my skills and is not truly telling of what I know or what I can do.
Most importantly, I also learned to see God through all of this. What may have seemed like a setback to me might just be evidence of God working something amazing. The passage, "Jesus' Teaching on Prayer" from Luke 11 reminds me that there is no prayer that God will not answer. If I ask for a fish, he will not give me a snake. If I ask for an egg, he will not give me a scorpion. Likewise, it is ridiculous for me to even think that if I ask the Lord for something, he will give me something I do not want. And so in all things, I've learned how important it is to pray. Pray for the world, pray for perfect justice to be served, pray for deliverance. Prayer is powerful and the Lord will not delay in his answer.
I have realized more than ever how important the people in my life are, and that I really have taken for granted the ability to see and talk to them in-person. Zoom is amazing, but it's just not the same. I have especially missed being able to gather together and worship at church, but I am thankful that sermons are still live-streamed. The challenges I've experienced this quarter were more psychological than anything. I applied to Informatics for the first time, and I wasn't accepted. It honestly felt like the end of the world to me for a couple of days. I felt like everything I had done this past year had gone to waste because I needed to take completely new pre-requisites again for other majors. I also felt like I had let my parents down--all the money they had spent this past year, and now I was back at level 0. Of course, all these negative thoughts were self-invoked. I ended up meeting with advisors soon after, asking questions about other majors, and asking friends for advice. Although I was still disappointed, I discovered that there are options I am open to even if they aren't Informatics. If I really want to do data science or cybersecurity, there is a way. What I major in is just a broad generalization of my skills and is not truly telling of what I know or what I can do.
Most importantly, I also learned to see God through all of this. What may have seemed like a setback to me might just be evidence of God working something amazing. The passage, "Jesus' Teaching on Prayer" from Luke 11 reminds me that there is no prayer that God will not answer. If I ask for a fish, he will not give me a snake. If I ask for an egg, he will not give me a scorpion. Likewise, it is ridiculous for me to even think that if I ask the Lord for something, he will give me something I do not want. And so in all things, I've learned how important it is to pray. Pray for the world, pray for perfect justice to be served, pray for deliverance. Prayer is powerful and the Lord will not delay in his answer.