Friendships
Happy February everyone! This month I want to tackle the relationship conversation. But not the relationship you’re thinking about, friendships. This is going to be more vulnerable and real, and I hope you’re ready. First, let me just say relationships in college are difficult. It’s all difficult to navigate because everyone has different opinions on how you should handle it, comparison and jealousy are probably one of the biggest issues in college. You feel like you need to do it this way and not that way because of the highlight real you see on Instagram.
When I arrived at college, I used to think I needed to have this friend group that had like 20 people in it, that everything always had to be perfect. Quickly all of my expectations were shattered, I only had six friends, and I would feel left out because of watching everyone's Snapchat stories. Thankfully I learned that I wasn’t the only one experiencing this. Comparison to others was stealing my joy, I was so focused on how perfect people’s lives were on social media that I forgot to be thankful in what I did have. So, I deleted Instagram, I stopped the main focus of my comparison and looked at my friends and made plans to get coffee and enjoy my time with them. I stopped taking “perfect” pictures of everything I do, and started rejoicing in the small moments that will go uncaptured. My relationships became more intentional, joyful, and fulfilling when I stopped giving into comparison, and started rejoicing in what the Lord provided me here.
Your friendships might not look like what people put on social media, but whatever your relationships are they are all wonderful. Everyone lives a different life and that’s what makes college so beautiful. Rejoice in the fact that your life doesn’t look like every other girl on social media. Remember that everything you see is just a highlight reel, and only the moments they want to show you. There are tears, sadness, struggle, and comparison behind every picture. I enjoy the cup of coffee with sweats and no makeup, instead of always looking “picture perfect.” I started enjoying my life when I stopped feeding the lies that I had to make my life look like a highlight reel and got vulnerable with the people around me.
You can do the same, rejoice and love what you are given now. Pour into the friendships that you have, show people that you love them. Fulfill your soul by stopping comparison and jealousy in college. Your soul will feel happier when you pour into what you have now, and let those around you love you.
Hebrews 13:5
“Be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you’”
