Find Your Passion

Today was one of the best days I've ever had at Brigham Young University.  It all started with this incredible woman:

Condoleezza Rice, Former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, Current Professor at Stanford

She is my new role model.

I've been waiting for today's forum for over a month now.  I remember sitting with some friends in the Barlow Center in DC when we got the email announcing Dr. Rice's visit to BYU.  As embarassing as it is to admit it, we were pretty excited.  Actually, I think "excited" is the wrong word for our reaction- I'm pretty sure one girl (who will not be identified) may have shrieked.  It's not that we're in love with Condoleezza or her policies and positions - it's the fact that someone with her knowledge and experience would take the time to come to Brigham Young University, in PROVO Utah, and talk to US. Students.

 In DC, every friday was dedicated to "briefings."  We heard from a wide variety of speakers, ranging from Senators and Congressmen to entrepreneurs and journalists.  We were even able to meet with a member of President Obama's National Security Council in the White House Conference Center. It was an incredible honor and privilege to hear from such intelligent and interesting people- and to have that same opportunity on campus has been one of the highlights of my four years at BYU. 

Condoleezza Rice had a wonderful message.  Not only is she a classy and impressive woman, she is extremely intelligent and capable.  Her main message was to "find your passion."  She encouraged us to discover what we're truly passionate about and make it our goal in life to succeed in that area.  She reminded us that we can do anything we set our minds to.   She also mentioned the importance of faith and family and reiterated the need to set and strive towards specific goals.   I was inspired to recommit myself to accept challenges, work hard, believe in myself and others, and increase my optimism. 

After the incredible forum, the day only got better.  I'm pretty sure I ran into at least fifteen different friends in a two-hour period on campus.  I had lunch with old roommates (and had leftover cafe rio for lunch- life doesn't get much better than that), I finished my reading and homework for my class, had a least three people compliment me on my favorite Jerusalem scarf (thanks Kels), shopped around in the bookstore (and had this guy follow me around really awkwardly for a few minutes- right as I was going to turn around and ask him to stop stalking me, he reached out his hand, touched my shoulder, and blurted out "bythewayyouhavethemostbeautifulhairi'veeverseen" and ran away. Super cute), loved my public policy lecture, listened to the Tangled soundtrack, talked to my brother for half an hour, ice skated across my parking lot (which was actually a life-threatening experience that turned out okay) and went to a cookie party with my roommate.  And I'm going to the temple in the morning. 

So, since I graduate in April, I need to hurry up and "find my passion," as Condoleezza so gracefully put it.  I'm passionate about a lot of things: children, the gospel, my family, cafe rio, human rights- the list is endless.  I can do anything! 

(except I'm probably the last person cafe rio wants to hire- I have a bad habit of picking at other people's food and I can only imagine how much I would eat off of everyone's orders as they come through the line...)