Girl Power

Women are pretty awesome. Guys are great too, don't get me wrong- I happen to find them very attractive. And fun.  But there's something special about being surrounded by beautiful, strong, amazing women.

This week at BYU, women of all ages descended upon campus and made navigating the bookstore, getting to class, finding a table, and locating an empty bathroom VERY difficult.  Thanks to BYU Women's Conference, I almost lost it with the Wells Fargo bank teller because it had taken me more than five minutes to walk through one end of the bookstore to the bank and I was not in a very good mood.  I'm not sure why, but I was peeved with the millions of women walking around campus, encroaching on my personal space and creating unnecessary travel time.  Right in the middle of the height of my frustration, I get a call from one of my best friends, inviting me to the very conference that I had sworn to hate.  Darn.

So I went, rather reluctantly, to "Women's Conference."  I would be lying if I told you that the first class was wonderful and spiritual and changed my life and made me want to be a better person and have tons of charity towards all.  I actually left the first class frazzled, stressed, more frustrated with women than ever before, and completely covered in red yarn fuzzies (I was making some yarn project for a service project and was feeling anything BUT service-oriented during the whole thing).   I took a break and went to the library to do some research and meet up with a friend, but I promised Aims that I would go back to the closing session of the conference with her... So I made the long trek to the Marriott to hear Elder and Sister Bednar speak.

Yes, I've been to other large meetings of women, (and yes, I've been to the Marriott center wayyy too many times in the past week) but this one was incredible.  Nothing really poignant stood out, but I left feeling uplifted and rejuvenated. It was exactly what I needed.  I didn't get a single thing done yesterday that I had originally planned to do, but the day turned out to be perfect.  Thanks to the beautiful Gummow girls, I was reminded of the beauty of women and the power we have in each other's lives.

I have a lot of women in my life that I couldn't live without.  If I did a post about each and every one of them, I bet blogger would shut down because of the length and the amount of picture uploadage.   Grandmothers, Aunts, Sisters, Mother, friends, roommates, adopted families, teachers, co-workers, missionaries - the list is endless.  But I want to highlight a few of the amazing women who have touched my life this week:

First, My Mom.  She came to visit last week and ended up staying with me.  Like, in my apartment.  She is a trooper.  We had a lot of fun talking, laughing, going out to eat, shopping, and HIKING.  Monday was a beautiful, warm, bright sunny day- the perfect day (or so we thought) to go on a hike in rock canyon.  We started out happy and joyful, looking a little like this:

But ohhh how quickly things change.  About an hour into our hike, my mom kept saying "hmmmm it looks like it might be getting a little dark... kind of ominous.... I think a storm is coming!"  and I would say "no mom, it's just getting dark- it's like 6pm. You're being silly."  Within three seconds of my denial of possible weather issues, the winds changed. Like in Mary Poppins- when all of the little old ladies get blown away- that's how powerful it was.  My mother turned and gave me the glare of death as huge hail balls started raining down on us, lightning and thunder started, and a blizzard began dumping various forms of precipitation on our unprotected heads.  We were no longer happy and joyful- and we looked like this:

It was crazy, we almost died, and we had the time of our lives.  It took over twenty minutes to get back out of the canyon and to the safety of our car, but we were laughing hysterically the whole time.  I love my mom.

My next "ode to women" section is dedicated to my dear Aimee and Kelly Gummow. Aimee and I met four years ago in June, via email, when she sent me a message that said "hey I'm your new roommate!  Here's tons of stuff about me, all of my prom pictures and high school graduation pictures, family pictures, and my life history"  (not really- but I just remember thinking whoa there stranger...).  We hit it off immediately and have been best friends since.  Her dear mother has practically adopted me and has done more for me than she'll ever know.  I loved spending Easter with their family- I always feel right at home with them!

Since two of my roommates have moved out and my house is pretty lonely, I invited one of my dear friends from DC to come live with me for a few weeks.  Aubrey is seriously the coolest person I know, she inspires me to be a better and more hardcore person (in every aspect of life... school, sports, etc.), and we laugh like crazy around each other (especially late at night, while tie-dying, when eating, washing our faces, walking to campus, in the quiet library zone, and pretty much anywhere else). 



Aubs and I went to see Justin Bieber. the MOVIE.  I learned to never say never, because I never thought I'd actually want to say this: I love JB.  That movie "rocked my world," as Aubs would say. We have the Bieber Fever.

 My friend Bre is also inspiring and amazing.  She is going on a mission in two months and I'm going to miss this crazy girl.  She is so loving and fun to be around and she wears pretty sweet v-neck tie-dye t-shirts, which she showed us how to make last night.  My shirt is slightly reminiscent of the hideous souvenir t-shirt I forced my mother to buy for me one year in downtown DC- except that one had a massive yellow smiley face on it and it said "I heart Washington DC" with little pictures of the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials and the Washington monument.  I'm pretty sure my mom finally snatched that shirt from me and hid it- too bad mom.... the tie-dye has returned.  Hippie power round TWO.

I spent a fun and relaxing afternoon with my beautiful former roommates, Ashley and Joy.  We went to lunch and then sat and talked for hours.  I miss living with these lovely girls- but Ash is married and Joy is engaged, so I absolutely love any time that I can get with them!

I love all of the beautiful women in my life, and there are so many more that I just want to go on and on about... but I need to go do some research for class. That's the last thing I want to do on a good lazy saturday, especially since I woke up this morning and Provo looked like this:

I love love LOVE when those mountains are covered in snow- it feels so epic to drive straight towards huge masses of rock covered in white powder.  GORGEOUS.

I love snow.  I was so happy.  The only problem is that I sent my skis home to Delaware and can't take advantage of Alta's last week of the season.   Bummer. 

Alright. Time to go be responsible.  Peace out.

BYU '11 Grad

*warning: this post is going to be filled with hundreds of pictures of myself.  Some are me with other people, but mostly they are of myself.  Sorry to be so vain... I just happen to look really good in one-size-fits-all polyester gowns and thought I would share the wealth.

I have been to the floor of the Marriott Center, endured the endless hours of name-calling monotony, and lived to tell the tale.  And it was actually sort of fun...

Okay, to be honest, commencement was a blast. I was ecstatic the whole time.  It's not everyday you get to march in line, wearing a square of cardboard on your head, with thousands of people dressed exactly like you.  Rarely do I have people swarming around me, trying to take my picture (okay it was just my dad, but he was just as aggressive as the paparazzi).  I don't normally get to walk past Elder Scott and President Samuelson and thousands of smiling and waving teachers dressed in medieval robes (acting like they didn't just give me a dismal score on their painful final exams).  I NEVER get to walk through the back halls of the Marriott center (my friend reverently whispered "Jimmer walks here" as we passed through) and march onto the floor of the arena.  It was pretty exciting.  And I may have gotten chills when President Samuelson announced "I confer upon each of you the degree that you have achieved (Bachelor's Degree)."  There were 6,000 of us graduating.  6,000!!!



We filled the Marriott Center. Awesome.



Getting in the right lines was hard for some people.  I'm not sure if you should be graduating from college if you can't read large bold-print signs...



Just standing in the tunnel, waiting to walk out on the floor of the Marriott.  I was kind of excited.

 Commencement was a slightly different story.

Here are ten things I learned about college commencement ceremonies:

1) BYU event staff coordinators are smart.  They are also Mormon.  Knowing the difficulty of getting large groups of Mormons to start anything on time, they conveniently told all graduates to be at the Marriott center promptly at 4 pm OR ELSE.  The processional didn't start until 5:15.  I should have known.
2) I told everyone that I only knew like three people graduating.  That was a lie.  When I lined up with my political science department, I recognized almost every single person.  I also didn't know a single one of their names.  Obviously I am a horrible person.  Or anti-social.
3)  Do not wear brand new but ridiculously cheap plastic heels to three and a half hour commencement ceremonies.  You will regret it.

Barefoot on the floor of the Marriott. REBEL.

4) The tassle goes on the right.  Until you graduate.  Then it goes on the left.  EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US had it wrong.  Good thing they had like seven people in the tunnel telling us to switch it before we all looked like fools in front of half of provo.
5) If you think "hmmm well it's pretty chilly outside and my dress is pretty short and has no sleeves- but NO WORRIES.  My lovely graduation gown thing will keep my cozy and warm during a freak winter snow storm,"  you are sadly mistaken.  Putting on one of those gowns is like wrapping yourself in toilet paper.  The one-ply kind.  Good luck.


This might look like we're hugging because we love eachother or something, but really we are just freezing cold.  A storm blew in during our very important photo shoot.

6)When people say "ohh graduation was so boring- all they did was read thousands of names off a piece of paper," they are not joking or trying to be a "debbie downer."  That is really what happens.  Trust those people.
7) The very smart and important teacher reading the million names of graduating students might slip up and read some names out of order.  Or maybe she will read so fast that someone about six people in front of you gets to walk across the stage as "Elizabeth Anne Jones" is called.  No big deal.  I've always wanted to graduate as "Robert J. Busch."
8)  If you tell your parents that you will meet them afterwards by the victory bell, chances are pretty high that half of the graduating class has made the same plan.  Chances are also high that your cell phone has no reception, your parents' cell phones have died, the seven thousand people waiting by the victory bell are talking way too loud for you to hear anything on your phone anyway, and the temperature has probably dropped to below freezing.  However, having two feet of bright red hair works wonders in a crowd, and your parents will always be able to spot you from a mile away if you just stand still.

I thought I would have ten insightful things to say but I think eight is enough.  Convocation was pretty crazy- but in the end, it was all worth it.  I have some great memories, some awesome pictures, a BYU alumni t-shirt, and a diploma (cover).  Whoo-hoo!

Since I'm technically still in school (silly capstone class only offered in the spring), I'm not going to write the long and sappy "I Love BYU" post that you know is coming.  I'll leave that for later- for when I really finish college.  For now, it's back to studying.  Well, capstone-paper-writing.

Please enjoy a million pictures of me, a proud BYU graduate.



So glad my parents made the sacrifice to come out and see me graduate.  Actually, so glad they made the sacrifice to send me to college in the first place. I love my parents!



 

Yes I am fully aware that this is a coprighted picture (hence the massive "proof" written across my body) but I prefer to view this picture as "proof" that I have graduated from BYU.

Love this girl.  So glad we met in DC.



If you can't tell, Britt and I enjoy headshots.  And photos in general.  Our friendship is documented so well by photograph...

 

Pretty much the epitome of our relationship.  Me doing something stupid, Britt laughing at me, me falling over.



One of my few (and best) graduating friends.  Thanks for putting up with me over the years, Robby... the stressful nights in the library, late-night mcdonald's runs, study sessions, DC seminar, listening to me freak out about nothing... you're the best.



My wonderful Elms Men.  Three year friendship, still going strong.

  

My mother,  My confidante, and My best friend. 

True Blue. BYU.  Go Cougars.

Almost there. Sort of.

It's finals week (and I should be studying) so, naturally, I am blogging.

It's really hard to study for two tests that are standing between you and your diploma.  But you know what's harder than that?  Graduating from college and then, immediately, going back.  And that is exactly what I will be doing next week.

Yep- I'm going to walk across the stage in the Marriott Center, in my cap and gown, in front of thousands of people, and get my diploma (well, diploma cover...) on Friday - but get this- I still have one more class to take!  My capstone is offered in the spring and I chose to take it then instead of cramming it into my ridiculously jam-packed schedule of six credits this semester.  I'm not really sure why I did that- but the closer I get to graduation, the more thankful I am for this weird decision.  You see, the very FIRST thing anyone says after you inform them that you are graduating in April is "OH  how exciting!  So what are you doing afterwards??"  And instead of going "uhhh weelll, uhhh I'm not actually sure... haven't thought that far ahead yet..."  I can confidently reply "going to school."  And then they excitedly squeal "ohhhh my gosh grad school?" and I say "nope. undergrad."  And then they walk away, confused, wondering if I was lying about graduating in April.  But I'm not. 

And to prove it, I'll have pictures posted shortly. Stay tuned.

Also, to show how cool my school is (which may be partly why I'm staying in school past my graduation date), this is what I saw as I walked home from school yesterday:

So I guess they're worried about spontaneous firework shows on the lawn of the Museum of Peoples and Cultures.  But interestingly enough, when I first read the sign, I only saw "Fireworks allowed on the grass" and thought BYU is AWESOME.

Perspective

Sometimes it takes me a long time to learn things.  And I'm not talking about educational things- although school can be pretty challenging too.  I'm talking about perspective and learning that I'm not actually as open-minded or smart or cool or hardcore or right as I think I am.

Today, I learned a big lesson.  It's a lesson that took me FOUR years to learn, and it's one that I'm still having trouble accepting, but nevertheless, I have learned it:

The ramp is cool.

(This is the apparantly the only picture of the ramp on the entire world wide web.  Also, google image search thinks "byu ramp south of campus" really means "a million pictures of Jimmer".  It's not that I don't love Jimmer- I really do.  But he has nothing to do with this ramp.  Unless maybe he built it... which is totally possible.)

I can't believe I actually said it.

The "ramp" is the lovely long path that starts at the southwest end of campus and slowly but surely stretches up to the southeast corner of campus. It is conveniently divided by a railing, segregating bikers from walkers (good thing too, since bikers feel the need to go 150 MPH down the ramp).  It is long, anticlimactic, and I was never very fond of it.

My roommates always took "the ramp" - so i've been hearing about its glories for the last three years. Maybe that's why I disliked it so much.  I have always been a stair person.  I find a strange enjoyment in dashing up the huge staircase that leads to the back of the Maeser.  It almost kills you, but just when you think that all is lost (and your pants have practically fallen off and your shirt is drenched in sweat and you're panting louder than most dogs and your face is bright red and your hair has poofed up and naturally seven attractive men have walked past you), you arrive on campus.  Voila!  You feel like you have climbed a mountain (and you practically have), your legs get toned with each trip to campus, you feel less guilty about eating extra dessert the night before, and the view from the top of the stairs is spectacular.  It's an all around good experience.  I've been a faithful stair-climber for the past three years.

Imagine my dismay when I returned to Provo this January, fresh from my exciting experiences and feeling slightly bummed to be back in happy valley, only to discover that the staircase had been indefinitely CLOSED.  I was furious.  I may have even tried to hop the orange fake-fence things... turns out they removed a lot of the concrete. It's hard to climb non-existant stairs.  Not only was I frustrated about my favorite route to class being disrupted, I had to resort to taking the ramp.  I fought it for a few days- it turns out there are other ways up to campus.  It also turns out that these other ways put me nowhere near my desired location and cause my attemped time of arrival to be much later than planned.  I finally swallowed my pride and began taking the ramp.

The first few weeks were horrible. I complained to anyone who would listen, saying "The ramp is so boring" or "It's really just the path of least resistance- there's no pain and you get no satisfaction from reaching the top."  I also started seeing a lot more people that I knew, which is technically a bad thing because I'm generally in a hurry when walking up the ramp and I tend to be either eating a meal, fixing my hair and/or outfit, or trying to cram in last minute reading. 

I started noticing gradual changes each day as I walked up and down the ramp.  New bricks, new flowers, new bushes, new walls, new river (?) - it's like BYU was trying to persuade me into loving the ramp.  These changes started softening my heart- for example, yesterday I saw a family of ducks in the new architecturally pleasing stream- how can you not appreciate ducks? Especially when surrounded by the freshly landscaped and mulched flower beds and gardens?  But today was the real winner.  Today was the day that I had stop and say, "Okay. The ramp is cool."  I'm walking home from class and this is what I see:

An ice cream stand.  They are now selling ice cream on the ramp.  For 50 cents.  BYU CREAMERY ice cream. 

They win.

Now the only thing that could possibly make the ramp better would be to install a ski tow along that railing that pulls us up to campus when it snows.