My Story
Im writing this blog because I know that some day it could help someone just like me. Someone who has no idea what to expect when they leave for university. This blog isn't about knowing everything. Actually, right now I feel like I know very little. This blog is actually about learning what there is to learn and maybe passing it along to someone. So if your reading this please don't worry. Im sure that ninety percent of BYU freshmen- or freshmen anywhere for that matter- know almost nothing about what they are getting themselves into. I'm sure we are all scared. Scared to have so many classes the first semester, scared to be in a new state (or new country!), scared to meet people, speak up in class, find your way around campus, approach a professor or even just scared to admit to yourself that you might not be in control. But everyone of us has one special tool and if we use it everyday there is no way (I promise!) that you wont make it. Heavenly Father is that tool. I don't mean to sound like your mother or your bishop or even Molly Mormon, but if your story is like mine then you know for a fact that BYU is where you are supposed to be. And if you ask Heavenly Father will make sure you have the support you need even through trials.
So here's my story...
I'm from Alberta but originally I come from Quebec. So I know what it's like: moving, starting brand new and crying because you miss the place you've left behind. The difference is that I was ten. Now I'm eighteen and I'm not just moving away from my hometown, I'm moving away from my family to live on my own. But I wouldn't do it without a good reason.
Last summer, in August of 2010, I went on a Pioneer Trek with the youth from my stake. I had been on Trek once before. It was amazing. The best experience came on the first day. My new found family and I were pulling our hand cart up a mountain. This is usually everyone's least favourite day. But I always find it to be my favourite. Mostly this is because of the friendships that are formed. I didn't know any of the youth I was put in a group with. But by the end of the day we are family; more than that, we are best friends. Working together, pushing together, laughing together- all of it brings us together like nothing else.
It was mid-afternoon when my friend and 'older brother' Spencer leaned over and asked me what I was planning to do after High School. I had been thinking about this a lot lately. I'd been praying to know where I should apply since I really wanted to go to Uvic but my mother and a few friends were urging me to look into Brigham Young University. I kept telling them it was to expensive, to far, not my thing. But I followed their advice, a little resentfully, and prayed about it once or twice to know what Heavenly Father wanted for me. So when Spencer asked me where I wanted to go to University I was sure my first answer would be Uvic. Instead at the moment when those words were about to come out of my mouth, I paused, and instead the words Brigham Young University came out of my mouth. At first I wondered why I had said that. Did I say it to impress them? But I thought about it for the rest of the day. And the rest of the Trek. I can only explain it in this way: it felt to me as if something had been rolled into place in my life. It was a perfect fit. The moment I told him I was going to BYU I felt as if something inside of me clicked into place and I never doubted it again. I didn't doubt that that was where I was supposed to go. It felt more then right- it felt necessary.
The road after that wasn't completely easy but it also wasn't so hard. I felt like Heavenly Father had shown me the way and then he began smoothing the road, little by little. I had already taken my SAT because my friend and I had (once upon a time) considered applying to Princeton (Im sure this was just another way Heavenly Father prepared me for this decision). I decided to take the test again though so that I could improve my score and my chances of getting accepted. I did pretty well the second time. I definitely improved (which amazes me because I did very little studying). Then I applied. I chose to apply to all three BYU universities because I wasn't sure which was the right one for me. I was pretty determined that it was BYU Provo.
While I was in the process of applying my friend Krista's family invited me to take a trip with them to Provo to visit Krista for Thanksgiving. I was so excited because I had never been to Utah before. I learned so much too since I got to stay in Heritage Halls and I even went to a few classes. I can definitely say it was worth it because I'm much less nervous now that I kind of know what to expect. (If you have the chance to do this please give it a try!) Before I went on this visit I had decided that I Heritage Halls was probably the best place to stay since that is what Krista had recommended. While I was there though I had this feeling like it wasn't exactly the right place for me. It seemed too crowded and the buildings are much older. I could imagine myself being a little homesick there. I had a feeling about Wyview Park though. Krista told me that each apartment housed three to four people (which seemed much more reasonable to me) and that its also newer and cheaper. The only disadvantage is how far it is from the main campus.
Over the next few months I changed my mind over and over again about a lot of things. I received my acceptance letter to BYU-I during Christmas break. I never even considered accepting. They said I could start in January of 2011. I definitely didn't want to start school that late. But I began to consider BYU-H more and more in the next two months. At one point it was my number one choice. I prayed a lot about where I was supposed to go. But I knew that I should just wait and see where I would get accepted.
I got my BYU acceptance letter first. I was ecstatic. But then I began to worry that I would get accepted to BYU-H too. And then I would have to make a decision. But in the end Heavenly Father made it for me. I didn't get accepted (since I didn't make the priority deadline with some of my documents). So my choice was clear: BYU Provo. Of course that had always been his answer to me. That was the answer that day at Trek and its the same today. He doesn't change his mind :) And I'm very glad he doesn't!
Next came finding a somewhere to live. The day came where I was supposed to pick a room. I had been convinced once again to try to get into Heritage Halls. But it was completely full! I panicked for a bit and then decided to choose a room in Wyview until I could swap with someone. So thats what I did. Except I decided not to swap. I began to look into Wyview and I realized that it seemed to be the kind of place that would suit me better. Plus I don't mind walking. Its good exercise (something that would be good for us university students).
A few days later I got in contact with my roommates. Im from just north of Calgary, Alberta. Guess where one of my two roommates is from? She's from just south of Calgary. This could not have been a coincidence. Im sure there are a grand total of twenty freshmen girls from southern Alberta starting at BYU this year (out of 34000 students what are the possibilities that one of them is my roommate?). I think this was Heavenly Father's way of blessing me with comfort, even when I'm far away from home. I know it makes me less nervous for sure!
This is my story so far. Things are lining up for me and soon I will be moving. Im afraid but I know that I have everything I need :)
So here's my story...
I'm from Alberta but originally I come from Quebec. So I know what it's like: moving, starting brand new and crying because you miss the place you've left behind. The difference is that I was ten. Now I'm eighteen and I'm not just moving away from my hometown, I'm moving away from my family to live on my own. But I wouldn't do it without a good reason.
Last summer, in August of 2010, I went on a Pioneer Trek with the youth from my stake. I had been on Trek once before. It was amazing. The best experience came on the first day. My new found family and I were pulling our hand cart up a mountain. This is usually everyone's least favourite day. But I always find it to be my favourite. Mostly this is because of the friendships that are formed. I didn't know any of the youth I was put in a group with. But by the end of the day we are family; more than that, we are best friends. Working together, pushing together, laughing together- all of it brings us together like nothing else.
It was mid-afternoon when my friend and 'older brother' Spencer leaned over and asked me what I was planning to do after High School. I had been thinking about this a lot lately. I'd been praying to know where I should apply since I really wanted to go to Uvic but my mother and a few friends were urging me to look into Brigham Young University. I kept telling them it was to expensive, to far, not my thing. But I followed their advice, a little resentfully, and prayed about it once or twice to know what Heavenly Father wanted for me. So when Spencer asked me where I wanted to go to University I was sure my first answer would be Uvic. Instead at the moment when those words were about to come out of my mouth, I paused, and instead the words Brigham Young University came out of my mouth. At first I wondered why I had said that. Did I say it to impress them? But I thought about it for the rest of the day. And the rest of the Trek. I can only explain it in this way: it felt to me as if something had been rolled into place in my life. It was a perfect fit. The moment I told him I was going to BYU I felt as if something inside of me clicked into place and I never doubted it again. I didn't doubt that that was where I was supposed to go. It felt more then right- it felt necessary.
The road after that wasn't completely easy but it also wasn't so hard. I felt like Heavenly Father had shown me the way and then he began smoothing the road, little by little. I had already taken my SAT because my friend and I had (once upon a time) considered applying to Princeton (Im sure this was just another way Heavenly Father prepared me for this decision). I decided to take the test again though so that I could improve my score and my chances of getting accepted. I did pretty well the second time. I definitely improved (which amazes me because I did very little studying). Then I applied. I chose to apply to all three BYU universities because I wasn't sure which was the right one for me. I was pretty determined that it was BYU Provo.
While I was in the process of applying my friend Krista's family invited me to take a trip with them to Provo to visit Krista for Thanksgiving. I was so excited because I had never been to Utah before. I learned so much too since I got to stay in Heritage Halls and I even went to a few classes. I can definitely say it was worth it because I'm much less nervous now that I kind of know what to expect. (If you have the chance to do this please give it a try!) Before I went on this visit I had decided that I Heritage Halls was probably the best place to stay since that is what Krista had recommended. While I was there though I had this feeling like it wasn't exactly the right place for me. It seemed too crowded and the buildings are much older. I could imagine myself being a little homesick there. I had a feeling about Wyview Park though. Krista told me that each apartment housed three to four people (which seemed much more reasonable to me) and that its also newer and cheaper. The only disadvantage is how far it is from the main campus.
Over the next few months I changed my mind over and over again about a lot of things. I received my acceptance letter to BYU-I during Christmas break. I never even considered accepting. They said I could start in January of 2011. I definitely didn't want to start school that late. But I began to consider BYU-H more and more in the next two months. At one point it was my number one choice. I prayed a lot about where I was supposed to go. But I knew that I should just wait and see where I would get accepted.
I got my BYU acceptance letter first. I was ecstatic. But then I began to worry that I would get accepted to BYU-H too. And then I would have to make a decision. But in the end Heavenly Father made it for me. I didn't get accepted (since I didn't make the priority deadline with some of my documents). So my choice was clear: BYU Provo. Of course that had always been his answer to me. That was the answer that day at Trek and its the same today. He doesn't change his mind :) And I'm very glad he doesn't!
Next came finding a somewhere to live. The day came where I was supposed to pick a room. I had been convinced once again to try to get into Heritage Halls. But it was completely full! I panicked for a bit and then decided to choose a room in Wyview until I could swap with someone. So thats what I did. Except I decided not to swap. I began to look into Wyview and I realized that it seemed to be the kind of place that would suit me better. Plus I don't mind walking. Its good exercise (something that would be good for us university students).
A few days later I got in contact with my roommates. Im from just north of Calgary, Alberta. Guess where one of my two roommates is from? She's from just south of Calgary. This could not have been a coincidence. Im sure there are a grand total of twenty freshmen girls from southern Alberta starting at BYU this year (out of 34000 students what are the possibilities that one of them is my roommate?). I think this was Heavenly Father's way of blessing me with comfort, even when I'm far away from home. I know it makes me less nervous for sure!
This is my story so far. Things are lining up for me and soon I will be moving. Im afraid but I know that I have everything I need :)
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