BYU-Idaho

It's almost over. I can't believe it. 

 I have no idea how to sum up my incredible college experience into one post. I'll start out with a letter a wrote Marie on June 19, 2008. This was a few weeks into my first semester of school had started. After listening to me complain Marie encouraged me to write down a few of my favorite things about college. This is what I wrote:

"Top three things:

No such thing, there are way more than three, so here's a few:

• Everywhere you are in Rexburg you can see the temple. It lights up so beautifully at night and it is just this gorgeous white beacon that I get to walk so close to everyday.
• I love how being out here is making my connections better with family. I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. I've come to appreciate everyone way more.
• I love dedicating my life to learning, it is so fun! Call me a dork, but I look forward to taking a test, obviously only when I'm ready.
• I love how I'm becoming more independent, it's a little hard but so rewarding.
• I love sitting outside studying in the gardens, or taking a nap. Now that I can sleep with my mouth closed I can take a nap in public.:)
• I love the faith that everyone has in me; from graduation gifts, to e-mails, to phone calls I feel so loved and so blessed to have so many friends.
• While I do miss my car, I don't mind walking everywhere like to the post office, or walmart, or class everyday. I feel way less lazy.
• I love the happy people on campus who smile and are just happy to be alive.
• I love Devotionals. There is such a great power in the school shutting down and going to be spiritually uplifted once a week.
• I love watching the boys walk by my window to go to their apartments. :) 
• I have to go study, but please know that I do love it here. I am loving this opportunity."

How else do I sum up 4 years? Well here's a vague map of my college years:

Summer 2008

• Birch Plaza #102
• Roommates: Chelsea Peterson, Laura Adamson, Susan McArthur, Laci Cameron, Sabrina Ruano
• Credits: (9) American Heritage, Intro to BYUI, Book of Mormon Part I, General Psychology
• Highlights: Going to the temple every week, getting my first 4.0 in college.

Fall 2008

• American Manor #D4
• Roommates: Kayla Southwick, TauraLee Heiner, Samantha Swonger, Katelyn Hanny, Jennifer Williams
• Credits: (17) Intro to Bus Management, Microapplications, The Family, Writing & Reasoning Foundations, Humanities - Farewell to Art, Math for the Real World, Book of Mormon Part II, Piano Lessons
• Highlights:  Practicing piano as homework, voting, being a grandma for Halloween, taking my first business class, being accepted into the Business Management Program.

Spring 2009

• Birch Plaza #208
• Roommates: Katie Killpack, Tia Linford, Christine Hill, Ashley Blevins, Sarah Ott
• Credits: (18) Financial Accounting, Business Fundamentals Part I, Econ Principles, Professional Communications, The Developing World, Science Foundations, Practical Homemaking
• Highlights: My best friends from high school coming for a visit, getting a 100% on an accounting test, late nights in the econ/acctg lab, learning how to work in groups, discovering the "quiet" room in the library, preparing for an amazing trip to Australia, NZ, and Fiji.

Fall 2009

• Birch Plaza #210
• Roommates: Amy Andrus, Tia Linford, Danielle Swenson, Christine Hill, Camille Jones
• Credits (15) Managerial Accounting, Business Fundamentals Part II, Beginning Jazz Dance, Econ Principles Part II, New Testament, Women's Choir
• Highlights: Singing in SLC Tabernacle with choir, actually picking my roommates, decorating my bathroom w/ pictures of beautiful men, camping with roommates, Elder Oaks' devotional on Religious Freedom, creating these big excel worksheets (they would take weeks, but man I felt smart when they were done),  finishing the semester - this was a really tough one academically.

Winter 2010

• Credits 1 - Beginning Internship at Aribex

Summer 2010

• BYU - Jerusalem Center #208
• Roommates - Karissa Urry, Stacey James, Brooke Robinson
• Credits (15)  Intro to Arabic, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Arab & Islamic Civilization, Jewish Civilization, Jerusalem Center Field Trips, Old Testament, New Testament.
• Highlights: No idea where to start.

Fall 2010

• La Jolla #
• Roommates - Danielle Swenson, Tia Linford, NaeDene Funk, Lulu Dehaan, Asenath Light
• Credits 17 - Financial Management, Organizational Effectiveness, Marketing Management, Operations IBC, Natural Disasters, Group Guitar Instructions
• Highlights: Living across the street from a grocery store, learning guitar, taking a 12 credit business class where my "company" created and operated a business for the semester.

Winter 2011

• Credits 3 - Advanced Academic Internship at KKAJ.

Spring 2011

• Aspen Village #612
• Roommates - Danielle Swenson, Tia Linford
• Credits 18 -Intro to International Business, Advanced Financial Management, Investments, Legal Aspects of Finance, Real Estate, Corporate Finance & Banking, Personal Finance, D&C Part I
• Highlights: Moving all 3 beds into one room, discovering the advantages of tutors, conducting the music in church, learning a whole new language of finance.

Fall 2011

• Aspen Village #612
• Roommates - Danielle Swenson, Tia Linford, Hersshy Martinez
• 18 Credits - Principles of Business, Business Research, Interpersonal Theory, Conflict Management & Negotiation, D&C Part II, Race & Ethnic Relations, Human Relations & Leadership
• Highlights: Being chosen as editor for my Business Research class, not having 7:45 class, serving as Ward Music Chairman, getting a job at KKAJ, taking HR classes, being a business consultant and writing up a new business plan.

Winter 2012

• 4 Credits - Foundations Capstone, Environmental Stewardship

Spring 2012

• 5 Credits - Human Resource Management, Introduction to Family History

 8 Apts. 26 Roommates. 59 Classes. 140 Credits. 4 Years.

What a great ride.