Things I Wish I Knew (Sophomore Edition)

School is around the corner or has already started for some of you. I’m incredibly nervous (and excited!) for this Junior year! I can’t believe I’m now heading into my second half of college. (At least, for now, I still plan on earning my Master's one day.) I’ve been excited about this blog since last year! ^^ I had so much fun writing to my freshman self, so I decided to do it again this year.

Whatever new season awaits you this year, I pray again that this year we will bear fruit. We won't be exhausted by daily challenges but will continue pressing on toward our goals. As I did in my freshman year blog, I will continue to summarize my thoughts in terms of gardening or the nature theme. So, here are the points I wish I knew in my sophomore year.

# 1 ~ Rest Before Reaping

This was the biggest thing I learned, especially in the Spring semester. Did you know that sometimes farmers will let a piece of land rest for a year before planting on it again? This is called “fallow.” In farming, it reaps many benefits, such as allowing nutrients to replenish and stopping weeds. Similarly, resting allows us to reset and filter out what’s important. Whether it was a day off or a nap, (Or snacking on cheeseballs...) this has truly sustained me.

#2 ~ Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch

Chickens are our masterpieces in this analogy. Not every new piece we make is going to be the best art we’ve ever made. We'll have ups and downs. We can't always go up. Sometimes, failures are necessary before successes. The best we can do is to focus on one thing at a time. We can't plan too far ahead.

#3 ~ Slow Growth is Steady Growth

Progress takes time. Getting things right takes time. (Including making A TON of mistakes)

Bonus: Growth is never linear. I always felt that I should be getting better every project, but the truth is, sometimes that doesn’t happen. I shouldn’t focus on getting better each time, but rather on consistently growing and honing my skills.

Feel free to see my ups and downs on my College Life page. :)

#4 ~ Fertilize the Crops, not the Weeds

I would spend my energy on the positives that will make a positive impact, for example, focusing on those who care about me or the foundation that is right for my artwork. Instead, when I focused on trivial matters or tried to please everyone, I ended up burning myself out or getting unnecessarily upset about things I couldn't change.

#5 ~ Everyone is in a Different Cycle/Season

This drove me crazy last semester. I had very talented classmates who even painted/drew better than my professor, and I allowed my jealousy to get the best of me. The truth was, everyone has a different time clock. Some of my classmates started drawing right out of the womb; others were born with painting/drawing talents and needed no time to learn. For me, it was quite a journey to discover my passion for art. I started doing art professionally only in my last year of high school, and I'm not a genius. So, I'm still working on my skills and building up my artistic muscles. Yet, I think my journey is valued as much as all the other artists. It's a hard journey and needs persistence. Like a seed, I need to grow underground before I can sprout!

#6 ~ Don't Try to Control the Weather

In other words, don't try to control what I can't. I mentioned this before in my series of dealing with the uncomfortable, but I think it's important to mention it again. Sophomore year, especially the Fall semester, was not my proudest moment. To be vulnerable, I was incredibly scared of failure and concerned whether people liked my work. This fear made me doubt my instincts. What came out was unsatisfactory artwork. I constantly felt I was doing worse than I could have. In fact, I'm still kicking myself over some of the art I made. Had I trusted myself sooner, I think I would be more confident in myself, and perhaps would have gotten better grades or even found my inner niche. (But because I was too scared to try, I have a lot to catch up in my Junior year.)

This taught me a valuable lesson. My job is to plant the seeds, not to predict or change the weather. When farmers grow crops, they know they can't control whether there will be a flood or drought. In the same way, my job is to create the art piece I love. I can't control how it's going to be received. At the end of the day, rain or shine, all that matters is that I am learning and trying.

#7 ~ Bend to the Wind

Piggybacking on the last point, flexibility goes a long way. This is something I'm still learning. One of my weaknesses is to demand every star align perfectly before I take an action. Once I do, I must check everything off my list. Although planning is necessary, sometimes plans become a hindrance or even an obstacle. I had to learn that following my plans exactly may not be the key to reaching my goal, but being able to get back up again and again when something goes wrong may be all it needs. Some days, I don't get as much done as I wish, but that's fine. I had to learn to let go and remember that tomorrow is always a new day.

I would like to admit that this past year was especially challenging for me because it required me to be creative and apply the fundamentals to my own artwork. I hope to learn how to break the rules in the coming year, so I'll keep you all posted! Be gracious to ourselves and don't give up.

I can't end this blog without thanking all my faithful supporters: my mother, professors, friends, and most importantly, Jesus. You guys truly made my sophomore year a very special one. You all gave me the hope to keep going even on the toughest days.

I pray that you all find this helpful and that this post makes your next season less overwhelming. :) Like last year, may it rain or shine; let's remember we’re always growing… even if it’s just a little bit; that’s still a beautiful thing.

Till Next Time,

Isabelle

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9