Freshman to Sophomore

I have been away from the Y for... three months! I guess time can fly even when you are having fun but missing something very much. I thought it would be the opposite. Yet now I barely have a month left till I pack my bags and head back down to beautiful Utah. Its strange because I feel torn again between the two places. I didn't want that. I wanted to almost entirely detach myself from this place so that I could finally be completely at home in Provo. But I guess Heavenly Father had a better lesson to teach me.. Still, it isn't the same kind of feeling as last summer. I don't think I will miss it the way I once did.

Sophomore year... 

I was so extremely excited about my Freshman year at BYU. All I have to do is go back and read my posts from this time last year. However, I think its safe to say that sophomore year inspires even more excitement. Here are a few reasons why: 

1. Last year I was a new student... BYU didn't quite feel like my university. It felt like Grade 9 feels. You are so new to everything that you don't quite fit in completely and you don't quite have a say yet... because you haven't had enough experience to really appreciate where you are. But after a year I've learned the ropes, I've been away long enough to really appreciate it and BYU is mine.. If that makes sense. It does in my head :P 

2. I am living with 2 of my best friends (and the other one will be crashing at our apartment whenever she wants). Kylie, Julie and Kelsey have been one of Heavenly Father's most amazing blessings in my life in the last year. I have seen his hand in my life every day because of these girls. I would definitely never have believed three girls could be so fit to helping me through so many trials. I couldn't have chosen them myself. Dang, they're the best! 

3. I have a fricken awesome job! :) I get to be a teaching assistant for Dr. Crandall's Anthro 101 class... yeah, some of you might know about this class. Perhaps you didn't like it. But I loved it and I've heard being a TA for this class is pretty great. At least I think I'm going to love it. I get to do something that corresponds with my major! 

4. I love my classes... I love school... I love campus... I love the library... I love studying and knowing I'm going to do well on a test... I love challenging myself and feeling the pressure of getting good grades and then actually achieving my goals! I love HAVING goals. And university life combines all of this. Sometimes its really, really stressful. But most of the time its extremely fulfilling. 

5. I love where I am living. Its in the perfect location. Close to the RB. Close to the stadium. Close to the Marriot Center. Close to work and everything else on campus. :) AND the apartment is great. My room is huge. I hear the ward is wonderful :) The only thing that could make this location better is if it was closer to the temple. 

There are many other reasons why. But most of it just comes down to this feeling that this is going to be a really, really good year. I feel like each year at BYU will get better and better. I know many people probably don't understand why people love BYU so much... I just don't know how to explain it. There is something beautiful and peaceful about being in a place where everyone is working hard to learn and improve themselves, where (almost) everyone has similar standards and loves the Lord. Just trust me.