Do not look forward to the changes of life in fear;

rather look to them with full hope as they arise,

God will deliver you from out of them.

He has kept you hitherto,

do you but hold fast to His dear hand,

and He will lead you safely through all things;

and, when you cannot stand,

He will bear you in his arms.

Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow;

the same everlasting Father who cares for you today

will take care of you then and everyday.

Either He will shield you from suffering,

or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it.

Be at peace, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.

Last night, my sister showed me this prayer and I've been obsessed with it ever since. Currently, my family is going through a very scary, difficult time. Last week, my dad had a stem cell transplant, which involves high dose chemo that wipes out his entire immune system. In order to keep him alive, they infuse him with his healthy stem cells. This process of revitalizing his immune system takes time, so he is currently at extreme risk of infection, and now has to spend 7-10 days in the hospital. He sleeps all day, needs help walking, can hardly eat, and has become increasingly irritable. 

This current situation has obviously left each member of my family struggling through it and constantly searching for strength to continue through their day. Personally, it has been really hard for me to be away at school and have to go to my classes, do homework, etc. as if nothing is out of the ordinary. A lot of the time, I feel like a zombie and completely out of it, as my thoughts are solely centered around my dad and how he's doing. All I want to do is be at home with my family, not sitting in the library studying Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Reading this prayer has left me feeling that maybe I CAN get through this. That maybe I really do have enough strength to keep living my life while all of this is going on. God is there for me even when I feel completely alone, guiding me towards peace, hope, and faith. The most I can do is accept Him with open arms, even when it seems easier to reject Him and just dwell on the worst. Also, this prayer made me think about all of the gifts God has given me to help me overcome this dark time. Specifically, God has given me the absolute best friends at Notre Dame. They have left me feeling completely overwhelmed with love and support countless times, and they go above and beyond to make sure I know that they are thinking of me and praying for me. I feel so lucky and blessed to have them in my life, and I don't know where I would be without them. I see God working through each one of them every day.

I copy/pasted this prayer on a "sticky note" on my laptop desktop. Now, every morning and whenever I feel down, I will read this prayer and remember that God is with me and will guide me through this journey.

"At all times your world is a projection of yourself. Expansion of self to universal awareness is enlightenment."

I was completely struck by this quote when I first saw it. This quote epitomizes how ultimately, each one of us chooses the world we live in. Sure, bad things happen to good people and we often come across difficult circumstances. It's our job to accept those uncontrollable situations, and to refuse to let them dictate how we view each moment and each day. Letting them dictate your life results in living in fear instead of love.

If you live your life in fear, you let your daily insecurities and daily obstacles define your life and who you are. Instead, we all need to work on living with love. This means that you work to live every moment being the most authentic self that you can be. This means living life fully vulnerable and open, determined to make the most out of every situation. Of course, there will be some days where this is nearly impossible and it'll be a struggle to even get out of bed. All that matters is that you face every day trying your best. By being your best, most authentic self, you are doing everything that you can in each moment. If you do this, you can confidently accept the fact that YOU are enough. Everything that's meant to be WILL fall into place the way it needs to because you're living your life guided by love and gratitude for every moment.

Originally, I had planned to study abroad this semester in Australia. I was so excited to get out of the South Bend winter and explore a part of the world that I had only ever dreamed about. However, last semester, I decided that it would be best to withdraw and stay close to home so that I could spend time with my family while my dad underwent treatment for his cancer. I realized that one day, I may regret going abroad and being away from my family during this time, but that I would never regret the precious times spent with my dad if I stayed at Notre Dame. 

Although the decision basically made itself, it was still a huge disappointment. With this horrible, freezing weather and the additional hardship of two of my best friends abroad, this semester could be the worst, most depressing one yet. However, I refuse to let these situations dictate how I live my life. I'm determined find the little things each day to help me remain happy. Instead of focusing on all the adventures I could be having, I remember that I'm still here with some of the greatest friends, and that I have the absolute best time with them. Also, I challenge myself to meditate every morning and work out every day to stay centered and healthy. 

Inevitably, there have been days where I feel like giving up and where I wish my life could be different. I accept these feelings when they come, knowing that they will pass and that I deserve to let myself feel them. The goal is not to be happy 100% of the time, but to simply accept each moment when it comes and try my best to remain my greatest self no matter what comes my way.

FINALS, COME AT US.

"one day you're 17 and planning for someday and then quietly and without you really noticing someday is today and then someday is yesterday and this is your life."

I think it's so important to have daily inspiration surround you.  For example, this is the background of my computer.  I have a peaceful image to look at and motivational quotes to read when I'm feeling discouraged or overwhelmed.  These little bursts of positivity don't seem like much, but they can be that little thing you need to get through the day.  Find what inspires you and incorporate it into your daily life.  Here are some other ways I've done it at school and at school-

"how lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."

I can't believe freshman year of college is already over! It feel like just yesterday that my parents and I were driving not campus feeling very overwhelmed but excited for the unknown and what was to come. I've met so many amazing people this year and have grown as a person in many ways. I think it's so important to take a moment and reflect on all the lessons and experiences that shaped the last year. All the friends I have made made it so hard to leave for the summer (I'm already ready to go back!), but the positive changes I've seen in myself throughout the year leave me challenged and motivated to continue these improvements, and come back next fall fully refreshed and ready to take advantage of every moment. The fact that I'm already 1/4 done with college shows how quickly it's going to pass; I refuse to look back in three years and regret not embracing every moment that I have in college. Already counting down the days to go back, but until then, here's to a relaxing and amazing summer with my family and friends from home!

“You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember class time, but you'll remember time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So, stay out late. Go out on a Tuesday with your friends when you have a paper due Wednesday. Spend money you don't have. Drink 'til sunrise. The work never ends, but college does..."

-Tom Petty

WORD TO THAT.

“imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”

In life, I try to be 100% myself all the time. It can be hard, especially if other people are judging you or disagreeing with your opinions/actions. If you let those negative thoughts get to you, though, you'll never reach the full potential that you have as a person. Never compare yourself to others; being yourself means you're like nobody else! I love that Marilyn Monroe quote, because it's so true. When have you ever heard someone say "oh my god I love that person! She's so average and normal"...?? Yeah, NEVER because nobody appreciates averageness; they like individuality and confidence. So go out there and have a silent dance party in the library when you should be studying and be weird with your friends in public. Because after all, when it comes down to it, the people who look at you condescendingly or disapprovingly are really just too insecure to let themselves go like you are and are probably jealous that they can't be more like you. Do what makes YOU happy, and everything will fall into place.

good vibrations.

Sending good vibes to everyone stressed out with school and finals... Break is right around the corner. WE CAN DO THIS!

live now. do it now. take risks. tell secrets. this life is yours.

I'm pretty sure I've posted this picture before, but I couldn't help putting it up again. I have it printed out and posted right next to my bed to remind me how to live, especially now in college. I can't believe that my first semester is almost over, that I'm almost 1/8th finished with college. Too often, people concern themselves with what others think way more than they should. Nobody should care what you do or how you act. If they do, then it means they are insecure with themselves and aren't worth paying any attention to. So, act crazy with your friends. Dance like a freak. Rap to songs as loudly as you want. Talk to as many people as possible at the parties. Life is short. Like a quote by Mark Twain said, you're not going to look back and regret certain things you did. You're going to regret not being yourself and not doing things you wanted to just because of what you thought others thought of it. When it comes down to it, most people are drawn to the confident people who are doing what they want, not the people trying to seem perfect all the time. Accept that you're not going to be perfect and own it; you're not going to be young for long, so own it and go out there and show everyone who you really are!

stay hungry. stay foolish.

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much.

dorm room diet.

Helpful article I found online about eating healthily in college-

Here are YOUR questions answered by Dormify friend, Daphne Oz.

Can you eat healthy without eating organic? I'm living on a college student’s budget, and I can't afford to spend a lot on groceries! – Alix, USC ‘14Absolutely! There are a couple foods that you should definitely try to buy organic because they are too difficult to clean and are loaded with pesticides and preservatives that can be very damaging to your health; they’re called the “Dirty Dozen” and you can check them out here. However, for most fruits and veggies, you can buy an inexpensive produce wash—like this one to clean your conventional produce so that you get the health benefits without the unnecessary price tag.

I'm working on a double major, working a part-time job on weekends, and I am rush chair for my sorority, leaving NO time for exercise. How can I stay toned when I feel like I don't even have time to sleep?!  Heather, Penn ‘13The most important thing to remember is that exercise does not need to take place in a gym. Even if it’s just a ten-minute break while you’re studying to run stairs, or going to a bathroom on a different floor, or walking your errands, getting more activity in your day will keep your metabolism running high. Sounds like you have a ton on your plate, so I’m not worried about you being too sedentary. Your legs will get plenty of tone from walking around everywhere, but to take advantage of study time or any other time when you are sitting still, invest in light 3lb weights and do high repetitions to target your triceps and biceps. And don’t forget to take time to stretch—it will keep your blood moving, relax you, and help build long, lean muscles.

At my school, the social scene is all about the frat parties, and the only drink options are beer, which I hate, and the endless vats of “jungle juice” and I can't even begin to guess how many calories that mess of juice and liquor could have. Any good tips for how I can party hard without blowing up? – Faith, Virginia Tech ’14You definitely want to stay far away from the Jungle Juice! You’re absolutely right, there could be a Thanksgiving’s worth of calories in that concoction. If you want to prepare yourself a drink before heading to the party, I would go for either a glass of wine or a shot of vodka or tequila with soda water and some fresh lime juice. Once you get to the party, I would try pouring yourself half a glass of beer and then watering it down to dilute the flavor, so at least you have something in your hand while you’re at the party—you probably won’t be tempted to drink a whole bunch of it if you’re not a real fan of the taste, but it’s nice to have something to sip while you’re out.

The dining hall food does not agree with my stomach––or my digestive system––but I can't starve myself! Any tips for navigating the dining hall without sticking to cereal only? Reisha, Indiana University ’14I wonder if maybe you have some kind of undiagnosed allergy, like a gluten- or lactose-intolerance that could be affecting your stomach after you eat at the dining hall? I would try an elimination diet and see how you feel—rule out dairy for a week, then rule our breads and cereals for a week, and just see how your stomach reacts. In general, starting any dining hall meal with a big salad filled with crunchy veggies and some good veggie protein—like beans, chickpeas, or even hummus—is a great way to fill up, and then you can enjoy small tastes or side dishes of the meal items that you might enjoy the taste of but that don’t make you feel great, if you don’t want to cut them out altogether. Also, a great way to cut down on processed sugars and tons of unnecessary salt and fat is to make your own salad dressing. I like a mixture of 2 parts balsamic vinegar to 1 part olive oil, a dash of soy sauce and honey, and a little spoon of Dijon mustard to taste. You can also add orange juice in place of the honey for a citrus splash. 

What do I do during pledging when my sorority sisters make me eat fatty foods but I am used to eating healthy?  - Kendra, Alabama ‘15This is an excellent question and one I unfortunately don’t have an easy answer to. Either you have to tell your sorority sisters that it’s important for you to eat healthy and you would rather not eat what they’re offering and see what they say, or you have to suffer through the food they want you to eat and then make sure that you are eating well and exercising on your own. Obviously, eating a ton of fatty foods regularly is not great for your health, but it’s good to keep in mind that our bodies actually balance food intake over three days, so if you eat really well on Monday and Wednesday but are forced to eat some bad stuff on Tuesday, chances are your body will know how to balance it all out.

During summer session at Penn State, I always snacked unhealthily while watching Sunday night TV shows with my friends when they would whip out the chips and salsa. Typically, I wouldn't eat this way but can't help it when I'm with them and everyone is munching. What do you suggest? - Blaire, Penn State  ‘15The best thing to do in group eating situations when you want to be a part of the activity and socializing but don’t want to go overboard with the snacking is to put aside the small portion you are comfortable eating in a bowl or napkin and only eat from that amount. This way, you get to enjoy the foods your friends are without falling prey to eating out of the bag, which is so tempting especially when you’re eating while distracted, like while watching a favorite tv program or chatting with friends. Giving yourself a set portion you are comfortable with takes the stress away by allowing you to pace yourself and enjoy the social activity rather than focusing on how much food you are eating.

Carbs- can't live with them can't live without them! What is your take on the dreaded 5 letter word? – Jordanna, GWU ‘13Carbs are absolutely essential to healthy body function—they’re the building blocks that allow for healthy muscle function, blood sugar regulation, and brain communication, so you don’t want to rule them out! That said, making sure to go for complex carbohydrates whenever you can—that is, the ones where you can still see the grains intact, meaning they have fiber encasing the sugar inside so your body has to work harder to digest them—is the best way to enjoy carbs that will keep you full for longer while ensuring you don’t have a blood sugar spike that could leave you in a carb-craving cycle all day. The best choices are whole grain breads, brown rice, barley, lentils and quinoa.

We know eating late is bad, especially “late night eating” after a night of partying. But what's the best thing to eat late if you’re up studying until 11pm and haven’t had a chance to eat dinner?  - Amanda, Wash U ‘13When it comes to studying, if you know you have a late night ahead of you, the best thing you can do is plan ahead. Stock your dorm room with:-Hard fruits like apples and pears, and some citrus for the great vitamin C that will help you stay away and provide a great immune boost-Soychips for that salty-crunchy craving we all get, with an added dose of healthy protein to help you stay full -A small handful of chocolate chips to hit the sugar craving without going overboard with processed fats and sugars, or too many calories If you’re looking for a late night snack, the general rule of thumb is to go for unprocessed food—your fruits and veggies are the best bet, and you can keep them interesting with fun dips. For savory dips, I liked making a delicious yogurt mixture with dill and garlic salt, and for sweet, try a spread of almond butter, or adding some crushed graham cracker, cinnamon and honey to Greek yogurt for a delicious “cheesecake” dip for fruit.

dormify.