Farewell to the U

I can't believe I graduate tomorrow!  While I enjoy not having to do any homework in the foreseeable future (I am currently in denial about going to grad school), I am also going to miss college so much.  These really have been the best four years of my life.  Here is a list of my top 10 favorite things about going to the U:

1. Study Abroad in Ovideo, Spain

Best weeks of my life.  The chocolate con churros, evenings spent in the park, weekend excursions, getting to know the sweetest girls, falling in love with the city and culture, and then traveling through Barcelona, Paris, Ulm, Fussen (where I took the picture of Neuschwanstein Castle that is my blog banner) Salzburg, Madrid, Granada, Sevilla, Cordoba, Ayr, Belfast, and Dublin were the best of times.  Oh, how I miss it.  Every. Day.

2. Beta

I believe I have received divine direction a few times in my life, and one of these instances was in my decision to join Beta.  I made all of my best friends from college through this organization, and grew to love so many wonderful girls.  My favorite memories include: winning Battle of the Chapters, Catch a Cougar, barn dance, Jazz games, St. George trips, winter formal, red neck rampage, skiing, sledding, casual dinners, and the many hours we spent laughing and chatting together.  Being president was both the hardest and most rewarding thing I have ever done, but I am so grateful I had the opportunity.

3. The MUSS

I loved screaming my head off at the football games, whether during the wonderful 2008 season from the 52 row or up close during the 2010 BYU game when I-thought-I-would-faint-from-nervousness-and-then-Brandon-Burton-blocked-the-kick-and-next-thing-I-knew-I-was-on-the-field-and-it-was-amazing.

(Luckily, I still get one more year in the MUSS!  Will signed me up as his guest, even though that means he will have to sit in the upper bowl instead of on the second row.  This is true love, folks!)

4. My Classes

It may be nerdy, but I loved school.  I am so glad I chose a major I loved, where the homework (reading) was my hobby already.  I loved having so many classes with Michelle and the convenient fact that we were so often assigned the same groups for class projects.  Matheson, Dworkin, Straley, Watts, and countless other professors changed my life.  

5. Student Alumni Board

Great fun, great friends, and we kicked trash in the food drive against BYU.  Enough said.

6. Internship with the International Rescue Committee

Some of the refugees I worked with became my very dear friends, and I loved seeing the progress in computer class as my students progressed from not even knowing how to use the mouse to being able to write full sentences with ease.  Besides, it is so humbling working with these brave people who have been through so much in their lives; they were inspiring.

7. Union Programming Council

While the disestablishment of Lambda Delta Sigma nearly broke my heart, I was glad I got to replace it with UPC.  I was on the Community Service Board and made many friends and planned some fun events, like Family Fright Fest, with was super fun!  Oh, and got to work at Crimson Nights from 6 pm until 3 am... that was fun too... sort of.

8. Walking Around Campus

Really, I loved walking around campus every day, and sometimes I worry I took it too much for granted.  But I loved that every hour or so I was forced outside into the fresh air, and that I got to bump in to old friends, enjoy the changing seasons, or make little observations like the way the block U reflects in the library windows or how you can see the whole valley from the Huntsman Center steps.  I enjoyed the days of new snow when the tree boughs drooped so low from the weight of the new snow that we would have to duck underneath or rushing from class to class during a lightning storm.  

9. Living at Home

I respect anyone who goes away to college, but I am so grateful that I have been able to live at home the past four years.  My siblings and parents are my best friends.  I happily held on to a few more years of my blissful childhood: ice cream in the front yard on Sundays, family dinner every night, evenings at the park and lots of skiing.  Living at home has allowed me to work more hours, participate in TUNA, and have time together as a family that will be over so soon.

10. Spending the Last Two and a Half Years Getting to Know a Wonderful Guy... 

What Can be Better Than That?

And, oh, what fun we have had!!!

********

"We may not live forever on this jolly good old sphere

But while we do, we'll live a life of merriment and cheer

And when our college days are o're and night is drawing night

With parting breath, we'll sing that song: A UTAH MAN AM I!"

GO UTES!