Nearing the End of Dorm Life

Well I know I haven't written much this semester about my life at college! But I'll get better again. I've got 11 days left in the semester! WHOOO!! I'm real excited. Dorm life has not been the best experience it could be I'm pretty sure.. Two of my roommates drive me crazy with their moody angry-ness and drama! Grow up, dump the guy, and get on with life! Am I right? Yes! Thanks.

Over the break between semesters I plan on staying at my sister Kathy's house. So that should be exciting. Maybe I'll even sneak in some of my laundry so that I don't have to pay for a couple batches! What a thought!

I am somewhat lamenting leaving the dorms however. I've really hit it off with one of my roommates (who's also from Texas), and she's staying on campus, and I'm going off campus. So, we're sad we won't be roommates again, but too bad. We'll keep in touch, invade eachother's homes haha. Maybe we'll room together next winter. That'd be fun.

Not sure if I mentioned this yet in a previous post or not.. but my boyfriend Michael is going on the 27th of May to the MTC so he can start preparing for his mission to Australia! He's super excited. We're both sad to leave eachother's company of course, but we are both excited for the opportunities we'll have to grow while we're apart. I'm not officially waiting for my missionary or anything, no worries. I'll be dating. But we'll see what happens! ^_^

I won't be coming home until like the last week of July. But I look forward to seeing you all! But I am very much enjoying life up here. As my mother once said.. It's good for me to be around so many conservatives! I'm loving it. I'm absorbing as much of the traditions and not quite Mormon culture.. but what SHOULD be! I'm doing my best to learn all that I can outside and inside of class!



We cleaned out our dorms today as though we were moving out.. which means SUPER DUPER cleaning known as the "White Glove Check". In the process we of course got stressed, had fun, and had LOTS OF TRASH! haha. Hope you enjoy. Love you all!

Harvard Mormon

Day of Faith: Personal Quests for a Purpose - 3. Rachel Esplin from Harvard Hillel on Vimeo.

Mormon TV: Harvard video goes viral - Articles of Faith - Boston.com

PLASMA

I'm going to start donating plasma twice a week if I can.. and it's going to be exciting!! You get like 20$ the first time you go every week, and if you go a second time in the week, you get 30$.. which means 50$ a week if you go twice a week. If i do that every semester that I'm at Idaho.. even taking some out for personal spending.. that would help alot to pay for things, like housing! That's like 600$ a semester. It's like a lame job! lol

That's my latest plan of action! I'm hoping to go tomorrow for the first time. Eek! haha. Michael and I will hopefully be able to sign up for a good time slot today (for tomorrow). Shouldn't have put it off, i know.. but whatevs.

I'm told it hurts like crazy. Buuuttt... we'll find out!! haha
loves!

RAD

So I signed up for a RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) course at BYUI! It only cost me 10$ and it's twice a week for 2 hours.. from Today until the 26th of February. And, at the end of the course, my instructor will sign this book that they gave us, which works as a pass basically for any RAD course ANYWHERE, ANYTIME! So I can just walk in to any RAD course in the future if I bring my book, and I won't have to pay for the course. So I can go every semester and keep it in my system and get all practiced and honed at the amazing skills I'm to learn. (And I never have to pay again)

Pretty cool, I know. And I like the instructors so far.. so I think it'll be fun.

English

I'm making a 91.1333333 in my English class right now. haha. yaya! And after today it should be about a 92 I think cuz I did some extra credit. I'm excited. Some of my grades are a full twenty points above the average of the class.. which means.. someone's not doing very well! Ouch!! But I expect my grade to only go up from here!

Snow Balls

Oh!! By the way! I found out that technically it's not illegal to have a snowball fight so long as all those involved willingly entered into it. It got up to 35 degrees today tho, so the snow was melting. Everything's gonna be rock hard ice by the morning. No snow ball fights until it snows again real good!!

Next Weekend

Well, not too much is going on in my life right now.. but right now it looks like Ammon, Michael and I will be driving down to Provo this upcoming Valentines weekend, and we're gunna hang with the gang! That being primarily Dallan, Paula, and Devin of course. It's a three day weekend, so we're gunna leave Friday afternoon sometime is my guess, and then come back Monday afternoon sometime. It should be fun! I'm excited.

Things have calmed down with the roommates.. no drama currently! haha. My classes are going well. Last I knew I had a 95 in my math class. I'm supposed to get some important grades from my English class on Tuesday. Hopefully that'll bring forth Good News! I'm currently making a 100 in my Book of Mormon class, haha. Good times. But I'm getting another grade for that class some time this week, so who knows!

Miss Lindy got a job as a fashion consultant in Wyoming! So I wont be using any more weekends to hitch rides to go see her most likely. Hopefully we'll find out what her plans are for the summer semester soon! I need to be looking into my housing for next semester here real soon!

Michael and I have decided to meet for breakfast once a week. Just squeezin in little spots of time together kind of thing. Besides, it's good for me, gettin up earlier.. right? lol. Michael's expecting his mission call soon! Exciting stuff, man! He's uber uber uber excited, lemme tell ya. It's real cute.

Let's see.. Michael and I might go donate plasma together in a couple weeks! Just for the fun of it. And I thought up an amazing date idea.. inspired from a girl in my relief society. We're gunna go to this local pizza buffet.. and see how long we can stay and eat there before they ask us to leave. haha. Don't worry I'm bringing my laptop for something to do.. since they have free wifi up there. Maybe we should bring homework or something too! or a book to read or something.

Anyhow, that's life I guess. Not a whole lot goes on up here. Hope all is well. lots of loves!

4th Grade History Changed My Life

I remembered today.. that 4th grade history changed my life!!! haha. I was the only one in the class pretty much.. lol so we moved at MY pace. Which (because I'm that amazing), meant that I finished the textbook early in the semester. So my teacher (Linda), said that I could choose what to study for the rest of the year, and at the time I was obsessed with Indians (and rocks). So I got to study rocks and Indians for the rest of the year. And choose my homework on those subjects too. hehe. Sound amazing?? I know.

Anyhow.. I was really passionate about Indians. And I just decided one day that I REALLY wanted to be able to fully put myself in their shoes and understand all that they felt, and agree with all they believed (while I was in their shoes at any rate). And I was able to. My history teacher was impressed with it at the time. And said it was a valuable skill. So I always worked to get even better at it! So naturally I'm much more amazing at it now. (And no, not just with indians!! haha).

Problem is.. I think it's given me like.. split personality!! I realized.. that when things like politics come up.. I wait to say anything until I know how the other person stands.. and then I just play devil's advocate and try to express the opposite side of the argument (no matter what side of politics this person is on). Because I feel this need for the other person to understand how both sides feel, like I do. But that means.. I have absolutely no IDEA what I believe. For cereal. And I couldn't even begin to have an idea as to how I'm going to gain an opinion or pull to either side. It feels like something I need to do, but at the same time.. it feels like having an opinion one way or the other might restrict my abilities to understand the other side of the argument!

I mean I can have opinions of my own on specific issues.. but the problem there lies in that I really don't know what the issues are. Or better yet.. I don't understand the issues enough to be able to form an opinion.

Anyhow, there's something I'm working on. And I thank Lindy Lee for bringing it to my attention! Here's hoping I make progress.

Rexburg!

So I was reminded that I haven't updated my blog in an age! Soooo that was just unacceptable! And here we are!

I have absolutely LOVED being here!! I was so overwhelmed by the great spirit that lives here my first couple weeks. I felt bombarded by inspirations constantly, and couldn't go anywhere without paper and pen... even in freakin math class!! I still take my spiritual journal with me to every class and everywhere else I go. I can certainly tell that THIS is where I am meant to BE! And I'm so glad to always feel that I am in the right place at the right time!

I LOVE the weather!! It's been snowing ALL day today. We've got like 3 inches of new snow in some places around campus. It's been around 28 for the past week which is actually REALLY nice and feels pretty toasty when the sun's out--which HAS happened a couple days. lol. I love it soo much that I've pretty much decided that I'm going to live in Idaho when I get married and have officially moved away from home. Which I feel no guilt for, because the only place I ever vowed never to raise my kids in is Utah. My kids will have a very different childhood here than I had in Austin, but I think it'll be good!

My classes are going well! Math class is tedious and boring and I'm not learning much of anthing cuz it's like 9th grade math. So I'm super glad this is my LAST math class EVER. Science class is interesting, and I think it's going well. I like the format and the teacher. We haven't started to learn much yet. We've just been discussing the philosophies of science and religion et cetera. I love my english teacher!! She's adorable and fun loving! But she's working us hard and her class will help me to grow in English for sure. I love it. Speech class is amazing! I love it. The text book is apparently this book that they teach all of the General Authorities of the church in when they are ordained. So it's REALLY good. I love reading it. Our teacher told us to always think about ourselves when we read it and now "So and so REALLY should read THAT" kind of thing, and it helps so much to grow! It's called Crucial Conversations, for anyone that wants to give it a shot! I swear it's super good! Choir is a littttle lame, just cuz it's not an advanced level choir. So the songs can be a little boring and we move incredibly slow.. but oh well. My Book of Mormon class is interesting. Not like the best religion class I've ever taken, or the best teacher I've ever had or anything, but it's good. And I share that class with michael! So, fun times. He walks me to my English class every Tuesday and Thursday after B.O.M.

I dropped my camera! Sadness. I'm mailing it back home... get some usage out of that warranty of mine!!! For CEREAL! I get a little frustrated not having a camera at the moment.. but that's my punishment I suppose. Consequence at any rate.

I love being up here, cuz I have more opportunities to see people! I SOO nearly got to visit Paula this weekend. I had a ride arranged with this girl from my Choir class. But I ended up having to work with my English group over the weekend. This project is worth a large percent of our grade.. sooo I had to stay. But the girl I was hitching a ride with said she'll contact me if she tries to go again! And Ammon has a car up here.. so Michael and I might try to make him take a trip up to Provo =p And last weekend I hitched a ride with some people down to Caldwell to see miss Lindy Lee! Since there was no school on monday. And of course I see michael all the time! I've started going and working out with him which I love! Because I feel so out of shape right now. I freakin biked 8 miles the other day! And I ran two miles, and just.. amazing-ness.

Speaking of miss Lindy Lee, she's up here in rexburg this weekend AND week!! So I'm planning on getting super ahead in as many of my classes as I can so I can play with her all week! lol.

That's pretty much all I have to say I think! I love my roommates. We've only had a little drama.. might have some more in the near future, but we will have to wait and see on that!

Journey!!

O-M-G!! I haven't updated in FOR-EVER! So I've left home FINALLY! And I'm off in IDAHO! Right now I'm in Rexburg, but before that.. I spent a week at my friend Lindy's house near Middleton!! Which was amazing, because I love her! There was snow when I first got there which was fun! Her daddy took us four-wheeling in the snoow!! We tried several times to go sledding, but to no avail, which is okay. I'll go sledding sooometime I'm sure!! We spent lots of time with her cousins, spent the night a couple times (we both managed to sleep on the saame couch, at the saame time--cuz we're just that tight!! haha).. her cousins are awesome and fun loving people! I feel like I've been learning so much about myself, and my relationships with people and my Savior.. it's just been AWE-SOME, in both senses of the word(s) !! I'm all moved in up here now, finally! Though you know whaat!?!?!

I found out that I HAVE to move after this semester because apparently they house EFY kids in the dorms during the summer.. so I have to find some where else to live!! Im currently crossing my fingers that Lindy will get her act together and come up here for the summer semester so I can have her with me, and as a roommate! However, who knows if that'll happen! Cross your fingers with me!! Im just hoping all of that goes well.

I get along great with my roommates, and we're having a slumber party in the living room tonight (my idea!) in order to have bonding time!!

I think I'll enjoy all of my classes this semester too! I'm taking Foundations Professional Communications (speech), and Foundations Science, and Book of Mormon 2, and Fundamentals of Literary Interpretation and Women's Glee (treble choir), and Foundations Mathematics for the Real World. Fun Fun Fun! haha. All's well that ends well!! haha.

Well that's all I really got for now! Just enjoying my time up here with Michael, and anxious to make more friends and see old ones once again!
Loves loves loves!