fall

Fall is my favorite season. I absolutely adore it. The changing colors, the crisp air and cooler temperatures, pumpkin cookies, even football. I actually don't care much about football, but thinking about football games is always exciting and so perfectly fall.

This is my final fall semester at BYU. I hadn't thought about this until today, my last first day of fall semester in Provo. I was feeling a bit nostalgic today as I thought about the wonderful times I've had at BYU. I was remembering my first day at school as a freshman and how desperately homesick I was and the friends I found who gave me a second home in Provo. I was remembering traveling to Jerusalem and and finding a new family in my friends there and the feeling that I would never be the same. I'm still basically the same person that I was four years ago, but I've changed and grown so much. BYU has been such an incredible part of my life. This semester will be crazy with school and getting ready for graduation, but I am going to try my best to do as much as I can and enjoy this last year of school. I was really dreading starting new classes, but today I'm just so glad that I have a fifth year of school. I'm not ready to leave BYU and I'm so happy to be here.

controversial opinions

I'm a rather opinionated person, although I often keep those opinions to myself due to my aversion to confrontation. Anyhow, I've been noticing lately how many silly little things I have opinions about, and how controversial those opinions may be. They make me laugh, so I want to share a few with you.

Words: The word 'swoon' is one I truly can't stand. I have no rational explanation, but it drives me bonkers every time I think about it. This word seems to be all over the blogging universe these days. Everyone is *swooning* over shoes and dresses and nice looking men. Ugh. Hate. The word 'bestie' is another one that irks me. I may be the only person on the planet who is bothered by this word and who doesn't use it. Again, no real explanation, but sheesh. I just have a few plain ol' best friends. Nothin' wrong with that. Conversely, I have no problems with the word 'moist.' I actually quite like it. There is no other way to describe a deliciously perfect, rich, moist, chocolate cake. If you consider how many people feel about the word 'moist' that is how I feel about 'swoon.'

NPR: Why is everybody obsessed with NPR? I consider myself a pretty cultured and educated person, but I honestly can't handle it. How do people listen to that? I tried listening in the care once during the early stages of this NPR craze and I lasted about 3 minutes. I read The Week, which is definitely my favorite news source. It gives you quick info about lots of issues and presents varying opinions on current issues, which I very much enjoy. No NPR for me. Music please!

H&M: In a way I hate to say it, but I think H&M is seriously overrated. They've had some very cute things at times but when I've shopped there it feels a little trashy to me. It's about a baby step up from Forever XXI for me. The first time I went to H&M was about 6 years ago in Amsterdam and our friend from Switzerland who was with us aptly described it as European Old Navy. "Semi-fashionable, relatively cheap price and cheap quality." Amen. It's alright and I would definitely look around, but the obsession is out of control. I bet it will die down eventually after the new store opens in Utah.

Five Guys: I know a lot of people who think Five Guys is the best. burger. place. ever! I personally think the hamburgers are very average and the fries are a little gross. Plus, they don't have shakes! If I go out for a burger I want a shake and yummy french fries. As soon as I learned they didn't have shakes I knew I would never be a big fan.

Summer: I have to tell you, I realized this year that I am not a great lover of summer. On facebook people are always hating the rain, wanting summer to come, and enjoying the sun/lake/pool/etc. I think fall is my favorite. I prefer my fall/winter clothes. I prefer the cool weather. I hate being hot. Also, I really don't enjoy swimming {the quintessential summer activity!}. It feels good when it's hot, but usually I go to the pool and I'm thinking, "Why am I here and why am I not wearing clothes?" Plus I'm opposed to getting sunburns. I haven't been to the pool once this summer. I would rather sit in the shade and read anyway. I think I may be the only person in Provo who thought the long spring with lots of rain and a little bit cooler weather was the best thing ever.

Well, I hope you will laugh at these silly thoughts and opinions of mine. And I hope you won't be offended if you are a lover of NPR or if swoon is your favorite word. I certainly won't be upset if your favorite thing to do is shop at H&M with your bestie.
:)

the more boys i meet . . . the more i love my dog.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Men are idiots. {Ok, let's be honest, I say this just about every day} I've had plenty of moronic encounters with men in the past few months, but none of them were terribly entertaining and some were downright depressing, until tonight. I have a winner for you, folks! All the single ladies, gather 'round. You will want to fight me for this guy. First off, let's rewind a few weeks.

So three or four weeks ago I went to concert with The Vibrant Sound at Provo Town Square with Becky and some girls. After the concert we continued to a house party. I had never been to such a party, and if we can have another honest moment I will admit that I was having feelings of losing my youth. I needed to do something fun and crazy for once! The party was packed and wicked lame, and we were standing in the back yard talking about leaving when a young man approached us. There was a bit of small talk and as we exchanged names I told him that it didn't really matter because I couldn't see his face so I wouldn't recognize him if I saw him again. He replied with something like, "Well, I'm very attractive {handsome?}."  I don't recall the lead-in, but a couple minutes later he handed me his phone and said he would "let" me put my number in. {Pause. "LET" me?? Seriously? Oh yes, I was DYING to put my number in your phone. THANKYOUTHANKYOU!} I wanted to say something along the lines of a straight-up "get over yourself" but I put my phone number in anyway. He texted me after that party and then a couple weeks ago about going to another party. I didn't respond to that one. Fast forward to tonight.

Ok, so Becky is out of town and I'm alone in the apartment for almost two weeks. My life is boring, so I was home tonight watching some Grey's Anatomy and studying for my anatomy lab final. Yay! At approximately 10:30 I got a text from this character {"Hi"} and I responded {"Hello"}. It was probably dumb to respond, but I was bored, and if I hadn't responded I wouldn't have gotten this GEM of a story! There were a few chatty texts {"Do u remember you I am" -He used "u" & didn't use a question mark, yuck} and he told me he was at another party {"I'd tell u to come to the party I'm at right now but it's way boring"}, at which point I told him that I actually don't really go to random parties. He said he was probably too much of a "partier" for me and I asked if he just goes around to parties getting random girls' phone numbers. This is where it gets good. Prepare yourselves.

"Yes. I make out w a different girl everynight" {*every night}

I responded, "You have got to be kidding me."
This was followed by the real winning text of the night:

"You can be #1,647 haha"
Response: "Gross. Nice try, pal."

Seriously?! Seriously!! {Grey's Anatomy? Anyone?}
This guy actually has an ego the size of Russia.

So anyway, this is exhibit #1,647 of why men are idiots. Nobody would expect a strange man from a house party to be a nice guy, but still. Attempted booty call? I don't think so. I honestly don't know how anyone ever gets married. I'm surrounded by morons!

Disclaimer: I fully understand that not ALL men are mean or stupid and I don't actually regard the entire gender with disgust, but it's much easier to say "men are idiots" than to give a list of all the individual dopes I have interacted with this year.

to-do list

So here I am. It's currently 12:57 am and I recently returned from a fun-filled evening at the library. Today was one in a string of very long days. I didn't eat anything resembling a real meal, unless you count the couple pieces of left-over Little Caesar's pizza and the mint brownie+milk that I had to get in the afternoon to make it through the day. I did fit in some fruits and vegetables, but still. I was in class for 7 hours today and had a pre-PA club meeting this evening. I spent nearly all my free time speeding through my take home exam for immigrant and refugee health. It was a doozy. I would wager it took me about 8 hours to get through. 6 pages, single spaced, .5 inch margins, 11 pt times. That was my fifth exam since last Tuesday. It's been a long week.

That brings me to tonight. Here I am, sitting on my bed, 1:03 am, exhausted . . . blogging. I got home and suddenly felt like there was no way I'd be able to fall asleep. My mind is completely occupied with to-do lists. I do feel some relief that all these exams are over, but now I'm thinking about all of the reading and assignments I put off while trying to get through those exams. 50 pages of organic chemistry reading, here I come! I also have a disaster of a bedroom and an overflowing hamper of dirty laundry that needs to be tackled. Sometimes I really wonder how people do it. I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed by all I have to do.

At BYU I sometimes feel like everyone is working a bajillion hours a week, going to school full time and getting a 4.0, going on 12 dates a week, training for a marathon AND a triathlon, volunteering with 7 different groups, playing intramural sports, being a domestic goddess, mastering 5 instruments, etc. I think you get my point. I know that is some major hyperbole, but seriously. {ha!}  Remember those facebook groups about BYU from back in the day? I am referring to "I used to be _____ but then I came to BYU" and "BYU- Where your best hasn't been good enough since 1875." Those are both a little dramatic, but truly, how do people find time to do everything? I am shocked and amazed, I tell you. Now on a more positive note. BYU is fabulous. I can't imagine being anywhere else. I love that it can be so ridiculously competitive but so friendly at the same time. I love that people here are so excellent {even though it can be discouraging sometimes} because it encourages me to be better. I love that I am able to push myself so hard and find out what I'm really capable of. When I'm wishing that I had some more free time to do fun things, maybe I can remember that all this hard work is hopefully making me better. Now I just need to figure out how to stop running through my to-do lists so I can get some sleep! :)

achy breaky heart

Sometimes {like today} I look at a picture from Jerusalem {like this picture looking out from my bedroom} and I just cry because I can't even handle how much I want to be there. My heart aches when I think about it. Oh my achy breaky heart. Seriously guys, I'm crying right now. Ridiculous. So much love.