01.06.14.

End of first semester and beginning of a New Year.

Still letting that sink it. Wow.

I think overall, first semester's been a good one. I did well in all my courses, tests, assignments, and exams, and I'm really glad that only have I learnt a lot over the past term, but I also managed to come out of it with an average that is surprisingly even higher than the one I pulled off in high school. Yes I have somewhat easy courses and a lot of what is being taught this year is review for me, but at the same time, I still had to work for it. I also got quite involved with extracirricular activities (dance, fellowship, church, etc.) and I really do owe it to God for all these opportunities He's given me, because it these things definitely helped to keep me sane in times of stress and emotional overflows. Being a part of P2C has been such a blessing, and getting mentored by such a caring upper year really helped me spiritually. All of the outreach activities we did also opened me up to what students are capable of doing on campus, and how God really wants the students at Queen's to know Him.

When asked what the biggest lesson I've learnt at Queen's over the past semester is, I confidently respond: "The biggest lesson I've learnt is to love and appreciate my parents more." Thanks to a good friend and fellow sister in Christ, I've really been shown how much the little and big things your parents have been doing for you your entire life really matter, and how we can little things to show our thanks. Things like sending a letter or postcard home, taking them out for dinner, just generally being nice when they call; it all adds up.

Over the break, I got the chance to go to P2C+, a conference that was held in Toronto. It was such an eye-opening experience as we were taught how to reach out to others with the Good News through social media, cravings, our own testimony, and more. It was also nice to get my priorities straight going into second semester, and to figure out what I should be finding my identity in. It was a good reminder that aside from going to Queen's for school and academics and a career, the main reason we're at Queen's is to fulfill Jesus' ministry and to be a witness to those on campus. You can get your education anywhere, but the fact that God placed you at Queen's has to mean something, and perhaps He wants you to do something amazing on campus. Whether it'd be something big and extraordinary, or something small that could mean the world to one person, it doesn't matter. You just have to find His purpose for you on campus. And of course, the same goes for all my friends at other schools too. God has placed you there for a purpose and reason. Never forget that.

I'm so thankful to all the upper years on campus that were so helpful as I was searching for all the textbooks I needed for my Music History course this term. The material is very expensive if bought new, and the 5 textbooks/anthologies/CDs I need would have come to a total of over $300 if bought new, but thanks to upper years selling at cheaper prices, and some even willing to lend the books to me for the entire semester, I am now spending far less on books for this course. This is really a God-answered prayer seeing as I really didn't have the finances necessary to purchase all those books at regular price going into second semester.

And that wraps up my reflection for now. Looking forward to another great semester at Queen's! :)