NOTE: I started writing this two weeks ago, so the timing is a little off in the first paragraph...
This time last year, I was procrastinating the packing process and trying to deal with anxiety that was in me almost everyday. What would college be like? Would I get along with my roommates? How would I handle school? Would I survive living on my own? Would I still be shy? What would my freshmen ward be like? Would I like my Family Home evening family? The questions and concerns seemed endless last summer.
So skip ahead two semesters, a spring term, and a few months of summer to the present point in time. Now I think, "What? It's only been a year? Really? Feels a lot longer than that. College has been awesome and will continue to BE awesome." I seriously cannot believe that it has only been a year since I was stressing over what college was going to be like. I have grown so much in this past year. I think back to who I was a year ago and I cannot believe how much I've grown since then.
The changes have been good changes. Here's a "short" list:
1. I'm not so shy anymore - if someone had told me my senior year that I was going to be an out-going person in college, I probably would have laughed. Hysterically. That wasn't me until I came to college. Then I realized that I wanted to make more friends and to have fun in college (in between calculus, biology, and American heritage...and all the other classes that aren't especially my favorite). In the past two weeks, I have met so many wonderful people. Hopefully, I will remain to be friends with them and the people I became friends with over the spring/summer. I'm realizing that with all the friends I have made recently and the friends I have made in the past year, I am going to have a difficult time seeing all of them on a somewhat-regular basis. So many people to be friends with already and so many people that I have yet to meet!
2. I can live on my own - being thrown into a situation where you have to shop, cook, and do things without being reminded to is a life-changer. Or, at least for me it was. I could - and still can - talk to my parents for help or consolation (like when I would get sick...) or call my sister for help but on the whole, I was on my own. But the nice thing is that I had people to help me that were going through the same thing (like my awesome roommates that I had in Heritage! Love you guys!).
3. I realized you don't have to have a major right away - that's right. You don't. You're going to change it, anyway. Most likely, at least. Of my roommates that knew what their majors were coming into college, four of them changed what they were doing. And I personally have thought of - about - fifteen majors for me. At the moment, I'm seriously considering food science, the management track. How about that, Kylie? We could - possibly - be in the same major... =]
4. I am a Mary Kay consultant - yes, I sell makeup and skincare to people. No, I did not think that I would ever do this as my job. But I love it. I'm still getting used to working my business at the moment, but so far, I love it. Thanks, Kelly, for helping me learn and understand my business better.Looking back to last year, I never thought that I would be doing this as my job, but when I think about this decision that I made back in February, I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to have a job. And I'm realizing (as I'm taking an intro. to entrepreneurship class) that this might be one of the best decisions I've made in my life.
5. I have made so many wonderful friends that I cannot even BEGIN to describe my appreciation for them. To my awesomely amazing Heritage roommates, Audrey, Katelyn, Juliette, Natalie, and Kylie - I love you guys. I loved our talks in the middle of the night, the movies we watched, almost constant Youtube video quotes (Julian Smith, Tobuscus, and Kid History), the jokes we had/have, and just getting to know each of you. Thanks.
To my other wonderful friends from Harris Hall - I'm so glad we met and that we had special times, too (like Once Upon a Time and cookies, Dr. Who in the middle of the night, clogging in the basement, group dates and bowling, Disney conversations, surprise birthday parties, and numerous other fantastic adventures).
To my friends I've made in the past few months in Glenwood - oh my gosh. You guys are great. I had no idea spring/summer term could be so fun and jam-packed with movie nights, group dates, and ultimate Frisbee.
And to my family - thank you for supporting me in coming to college and helping me along the way. And helping me not freak out over little things that I would worry about.
Basically, to all the people I have become friends with in the past year, thank you. Thank you for being wonderful people that put up with my nerdiness and shortcomings. Thank you for helping me grow into the person that I am today.
6. Definitely not the least in this list, my testimony has grown so much since coming to BYU. It's still a work in progress - when is it not? - but I have come to understand so much about the Gospel and Heavenly Father's love for me. He knows who I am and He cares about me. He is always there for me and He will never let me down. I think it's comforting to know that. I know that the Atonement works and that Jesus Christ suffered for my sins so that I can repent of them and return unto Him and our Heavenly Father. I know that there is a prophet of Heavenly Father on the earth today, President Thomas S. Monson and that he receives revelation from Heavenly Father for the members of the Church and for the whole world. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and I have grown more and more to love the words on those pages. Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the power of the Holy Ghost and by the Urim and Thummim. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true church on the earth today. I know that God lives and that He loves me and cares about me. I - one of seven billion people - am "known and remembered by the most majestic,
powerful, and glorious Being in the universe! [I am] loved by the King
of infinite space and everlasting time!" (President Dieter F. Ucthdorf)
I know that I have been blessed by this opportunity to come to Brigham Young University and I am realizing this more and more. So here's to more time flying by in the passage of time and to getting the most out of my time wisely spent.
