Monday, December 13, 2010

Things Learned Fall Semester 2010

This weekend was bittersweet. It was loads of fun but we knew at the end, there would have to be a goodbye. We managed to bowl, travel, sing our hearts out, and even survive a few awkward situations. On Saturday we ventured out to Saint George. First, we caused a little havoc in the Red Robin then one thing lead to another and we ended up in the classy Play and Trade. This is where we found the video game that may change life as we know it. Singstar...80's version. It of course, took up most of our time for the rest of the weekend. It is definitely one of the greatest investments of my life. Here's some pictures of this weekend.

Yesterday after a wonderful Sunday dinner all the girls and I got started talking about things we had learned during this semester. I must say we came up with quite a few excellent life lessons and I wanted to share some of my favorites. It's amazing how much four months of experiences can teach you.

  1. Never judge a person by their outer appearance or their habits whether you agree with them or not.
  2. Everything happens for a reason.
  3. Love, laughter and good advice can heal anything!
  4. Sometimes the things you are searching for are right in front of you and all you really have to do is open your eyes and look for them.
  5. People close to you should accept you for who you are.
  6. As long as you have your people, you can make a home and a family.
  7. You don't need a man to make you feel whole.
  8. You are never alone. People are straegically placed in your life right when you need them and you can always turn to your Heavenly Father if you feel lonely.
As we started discussing each item as a group we realized that college's lessons go so much further than the textbooks and courses. Some of us are still unsure exactly what our major is and a lot of the time we wonder, "What am I putting myself through this torture?" These life lessons are the reason we need to be there. It's not always about the grade, but about how we learn to love, laugh and adapt. I can't wait for another semester of learning. College life goes on in 2011!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

When you are considering faking your own death....

The last two weeks of the semester should be illegal. Period. Between final assignments, projects and tests plus the fact that most teachers run out of time and begin to cram most of us are close to tears by the end of every day. As I was walking into class today I sent my sister Alyssa a text. Our conversation went as follows:


Me: Thought. What if I faked my own death...just until after finals?
Alyssa: ha ha fatal car crash together?
Me: I love this idea. Lets get this taken care of tonight.
Alyssa: But my last final is today.

Since I wouldn't have my partner in crime, we decided that faking our own death just to get out of finals wasn't such a good idea. I carried on with my day feeling stressed and overwhelmed with life. After school, work, a visit to my dear friend Jostlyn, and I biology test I couldn't wait to get home. I knew that today could be the day that I would get a letter. I hurried up the highway and stopped by the mailbox to see. I opened it and right on top was a beautifully colored red, white and blue envelope. Now if you have never had the joy of receiving a letter of this sort let me tell you about it. They do not come often. (The last time I received one was 13 weeks ago.) It is always worth the wait! Each one brings new hope and faith for life and usually makes you feel like you can do just about anything. This one was even better than normal. As I read through everything written on the page, my testimony was so incredibly strengthened I couldn't believe it. I had a confirmation that I have a loving Father in heaven who really does have a plan for me and is always willing to help me. We all have things we struggle with and sometimes those things change depending on the day. One of the constants for me is faith. I have a quote on my wall that reads:
"Faith is not believing that God can it is knowing that he will."
After today, I realize this simple truth is so important to remember. We are loved. Our Father is just waiting to help us and all we have to do is ask. After today, I am ready to face finals. So go ahead college education...hit me with your best shot!