Sometimes I Already Miss It Here

I am graduating soon, and so excited about that fact. But some days it hits me that graduating means leaving. I am sort of over the whole homework thing, and I am ready for a new adventure. Then there are days like today where I leave an incredibly interesting class, the weather is perfect, the mountains look amazing, and cute little Freshman are being all cute and little and just so excited about life here at BYU. All of the sudden leaving sounds like a terrible idea. Never again will I be able to recreate this atmosphere or opportunity. The time limit on the BYU experience is an important part of its charm, but still this place is crazy and amazing. Sometimes I forget to really appreciate the moments.

Midterms

The second worst time during a semester. Finals are worse, way more stressful. But on the other hand Finals are rewarded with the semester being over whereas Midterms are rewarded with the need to renew your focus and prepare for Finals.
You may have guessed already, but I am in the midst of Midterms. I had one last week, I have one in a few hours, and then one a few hours after that, plus one more later in the week.
Wish me luck!

I Don't Get It

I understand that Jane Austen is a genius, and the book "Jane Eyre" has a lot of critical merit. I see the value of reading them in an academic situation, or as part of a desire to be a well rounded individual. But just for fun, and more than once? I don't understand. Apparently I am missing something, but I am not buying the appeal of these "love stories." Honestly, I find them kind of boring.

Theme Parties

At BYU we don't really "party" which means we have to find different excuses to get together. Hence the super random"theme" party. Whether it be TV show viewing party, or a movie marathon, sometimes the theme is the nineties, usually they aren't a real theme party with costumes and decorations, they are more like so this things exists, let's have a party. Like earlier this week I went to a Psych Party. The television show was having its season premiere, and it is a well liked show, so why shouldn't that merit a get together. I had a great time, we never actually watched Psych- that is how committed we are to the theme, but we had a lot of fun. Basically people just want an excuse to hang out, without having to say hanging out...

Sports

So I don't exactly bleed blue. I watch maybe one football game a season, and I would struggle to tell you anything about rankings or who the sports superstars are now, or even then. It's not that I hate sports or intend to be discouraging in any way, it is just that sports just aren't holding my attention. When I go to, or watch a game, which isn't often, I have fun, but then it really doesn't cross my mind again.


I know, I know this makes me a bad BYU student. But I pay my tuition and attend my class. I am happy when the teams are doing well , and I buy BYU T-shirts from the bookstore for my siblings, I just don't care much about rankings and game times. I can't be the only one...

YSA Testimony Meeting

There are a few ways that this meeting can go. It is possible that it will be filled with actual testimonies that are enlightening and spiritual. But in my experience, chances are it will be a little less amazing.
Sometimes you get the open mic night testimony meeting where it seems like people are competing to see who can be the most memorable, maybe even quotable.
Sometimes you get the match.com profiles. This is who I am. and this is why you should date me!
Sometimes you just aren't sure what is going on; people just keep standing up and saying progressively more bizarre things. It's weird.

Growing Up

This BYU time of life is a bizarre time of life. In some ways everything changes. But other things remain, in some strange way, exactly the same. For the most part those consistent things tend to be relationships. The above pictures are of me and three of my cousins; Chelsea, Kris, and Lexie. We were all born within a few months of each other, and in some ways have literally grown up together.

The first picture was taken in 1995, and the second was taken in February of this year. Despite everything that has happened between 1995 and 2011 we still love each other and have so much fun together. Our lives have taken different paths, and we don't all get to see each other very often anymore, but that's okay. No matter how long we are apart when we get together it is 1995 all over again. We love each other and we love being together no matter what happens inbetween. I guess that is what part of growing up is, changing and learning, but also finding the people who will love you through it all.

It's for facebook.

It makes me laugh when people comment on life in terms of their facebook profile.

This would be such a great profile picture.

We need to make a facebook album for these.

We need to take more pictures so that it looks like we are fun.

I am definitely going to make this my status.

etc

I think it is weird how we remove ourselves from actual fun or interesting moments to contemplate how they will translate online. I know this isn't a BYU phenomenon, but for me facebook and BYU happened at more or less the same time.

Knees

Every semester that I have been here it seems like the socially accepted hemline on campus has steadily gotten shorter. The Honor Code has not changed, and as far as I can tell knees are still located in the same place, but the way we interpret knee length is consistently moving up half an inch.

Lost and Found

On Wednesday I lost my phone somewhere on campus, and I was kind of freaking out. I looked everywhere that I could think of, but to no avail. So, I wandered over to Lost and Found hoping desperately that someone had found my phone and turned it in. If it wasn't there I had no idea what I would do next. I walked nervously into Lost and Found, and rang the bell. A nice girl came to the front and asked me to describe what I had lost. I rambled on about how it is a little square, blue, it slides, made from recycled plastic, Sprint, LG, it is scratched on the back... I think I was trying to just describe it into existence. The girl went into the back and returned with my phone! Some amazing person had brought it in earlier that morning, I was so relieved, and excited.
I texted a few people to let them know that I had found my phone at the Lost and Found. My Dad texted me back about how when I was little my parents had lost my blanket and my Ernie doll on campus. Both had been returned to me after a trip to the Lost and Found. I am more grateful to knid strangers than I even knew.

Campus Can Be So Random

Today I was walking across campus because Devotional is ruining my life, just jokes. But seriously this is like the third time this semester that I have come to campus early to do some work in a computer lab before class, then I realize that it is devotional and no computer lab, or anything useful, will be open until the time I need to be in class. Today I needed to edit and print a paper for my Spanish class, so I got to campus an hour early to be all organized... yeah no. Instead I sat on the floor and did my corrections with a pen on paper, and then typed the whole thing up again at a computer kiosk in a hallway with a ten minute time limit. Which went surprisingly well, except that I forgot to type the first half of one sentence, but not the point.
During my rushing back and forth across campus to find an available computer with a printer I walked by a guy with a boom box blasting classic 90s songs. I didn't think anything of it until I realized that it was weird that this didn't even cross my mind as being weird.

Roommates

Pancakes at Totally Inappropriate Times

Unless you are way too familiar with Ihop, you may not recognize the window I am behind. But as I already revealed it is in fact an Ihop. I am trying to remember the exact time, but a safe guess puts this picture being taken between 2 and 4 in the morning on the last day of classes my first year.

Something about being young means that at times when you should just go to bed, you go out for pancakes instead. Maybe it is the whole no drugs and alcohol thing, but we find our own sober ways of acting ridiculous. I remember this night because I was there with my cousin Kris, and we ran into like 60% of my Freshman Ward. We all had the same brilliant idea that staying up all night was the only way to properly celebrate the end of the semester. I wish I could say this was a Freshman thing, but no, sometimes pancakes in the middle of the night still sounds better than sleep.

We Call Them BYU Endorphins.

According to Wikipedia endorphins, "...resemble the opiates in thier abilities to produce analgesia and a feeling of well being."


Obviously I am not any sort of science major, my information is coming from Wikipedia, but endorphins make you feel happy. During my sophomore year we used the phrase "BYU endorphins" to refer to stuff that actually is not that awesome but is so cultural to BYU that we all act like, maybe even believe, that it is in fact awesome. Like Hiking the Y.


I know I put it on my BYU Bucket List, and it is something everyone should do once, but only once. The hike isn't that awesome. It isn't long enough to feel like you accomplished something, or scenic enough to make you really appreciate nature. The view is lovely but not breathtaking. Mostly you walk for while up hill and then that is kind of it. But for some reason, despite it's obvious lack of awesome, it is still one of those experiences you have to have while you are here.

Food

One of my favourite things about Provo is all of the delicious places to eat. Seriously, there is no reason to ever set foot in a disgusting fast food chain while you are here. I am going to mention just a few that I love, but I am always looking for suggestions of new places to try!

Thai Ruby, located at 744 East, 820 North in Provo is fantastic. During my second semester at BYU my friend and I went almost once a week, and I still go every chance I get. We had been wandering around south of campus with a map, trying to find a building where her class was supposed to be when we found this place instead. Best being lost experience ever.

Communal, located at 102 North University Ave, is incredible. The menu and the environment, it really all works together to create an awesome dining experience. Plus I feel all cute and trendy when I eat there.

Sammy's, located at 27 North, 100 West is always a good idea. They serve pie shakes, yes pie in a shake, and it is one of the best things I have ever had. Actually everything I have ever had there I thoroughly enjoy. The price to quality ratio is a definite win.


J Dawgs, located at 858 North 700 East is awesome. Sometimes all you want is a really good hot dog (or polish dog) and J Dawgs is the best. Plus you cannot complain about the distance from campus, and the people who work there are the best.


La Jolla Groves: 4801 North University Ave #610 is incredible. Everyting on the menu is superb, and they are so accomodating of people with dietary restrictions. It also has great variety. You can take anyone and they are going to have a great experience.

Once I Was A Freshman...

This picture is of my very first day as a student at BYU. My roommates and I are walking to our very first class ever. I think it was Sociology...Anyway being a Freshman is an insane experience, everything changes all at once and there isn't really any way to prepare for that. Living in Heritage Halls was fun, becasue we were all in the same boat; deciding who we were going to be and figuring out how to share a tiny bathroom with five strangers. Whenever I see a unicycle I immediately flash back to Freshman Year and the girl who would ride her unicycle around Heritage and practice juggling. I didn't know any better, so I just assumed this was what the college experience entailed, along with mostly sleeping during the day and eating ice cream for breakfast.

Bathrooms on Campus

A fabulous blog (http://www.byubathrooms.com/) exists on this topic, so I will take just a moment and tell you which ones are my favourite.
-Fourth floor of the library.
-Basement of the JFSB.
-Fourth floor of the JFSB.
-The one next to the Games Centre in the Wilk.

BYU Bucket List

-Hike the Y, and watch the sunset.
-Stand on the fourth floor balcony of the JFSB, and [pretend] to flick ice cream at the people
below.
-Nap in at least one totally inappropriate place; a floor, a bathroom, in class...
-Get someone's phone number in the library.
-Eat BYU Mint Brownies, and drink BYU chocolate milk.
-Make smores on the lights at the Bell Tower.
-Get into the Police Beat.
-Write a letter and get it published in the Daily Universe.

BYU

Attending BYU right now is an average of 34000 students, which means there are an average of 34000 individual experiences being lived simultaneously, not to mention the experiences of past students. The only experience I can talk about is my own, with some input from my friends. I want this to be an honest exposition, not just stats and activities that they list on the BYU homepage, or some bitter rant against the honour code and homework, but a real look at life as a BYU student, well my life as a BYU student.