First Week of School 2012

        There are always a lot of emotions associated with the start of a new school year. Sad to see Summer go, enthused to start a new year, anxious about harder classes, and excited to meet new people. Everyone in public school around the world knows what I am talking about. Everyone not in public school but now attending university know it as well. This being my first semester of college, I'm kind of inclined to feel all of these emotions in an even sharper sense than ever before. I'm not going to lie: school was usually pretty easy for me as a kid. I'd do what the teachers told me, never talked back, and found that when I was quiet and non-disruptive I could be left to do whatever I wanted. Sure, my concurrent enrollment classes gave me a jolt that college would not be that way, but my other high school classes weren't too challenging. I got straight As my whole high school career. I got an A- in a college class as a Junior, but I've cried those tears and come to celebrate the fact that I passed with flying colors. But that was only a State College. I now attend one of the largest universities in the West: BYU.
   

Kickin' it at the first BYU Football game!

        First come Dorms. I feel very blessed to be living in the New Heritage Apartments on campus. Since I have my GE all finished I needed some sort of Freshman influence to keep from from growing up too fast. These freshies keep me young, you know. I have recently learned that my dormitory has been nicknamed "Hogwarts" due to its size, construct, and the four levels in each building (i.e. houses.) I can't help but throw my fist in the air in Geek Triumph for this reason. I live with five other amazing young ladies. Because BYU has such a hard application process, everyone in attendance was the cream of the crop from their high school. My dear room mates range in size, shape, interest, and eating habits. For the sake of saving them, I'll not use their names but instead give them nicknames that I feel are aptly earned.
        First we have our resident Rapunzel. She is beautiful both inside and out, even crazy at times. Most of us would agree that she is probably the most studious of our little posse.
        Mulan (no, she isn't Asian, don't read into it!) is the most athletic of us all, getting onto the BYU track team. She's our little rising star. Both in sports and in music. She's has the most infectious smile and the perkiest of ponytails, to say the least.
        Sleeping Beauty is definitely the bubbliest of us all, when she gets in her beauty rest. We all know its been a long day when she gets super hyper and starts singing and dancing and begging for raspberries. This girl has laughed with me for some of the most ludicrous of reasons.
        Snow White is a mystery wrapped up in a vivacious package just waiting to spring on you. This girl is a dancer, and her love of music is ever present. I will admit to listening in as she practices her Arias every once in a while. Its quite beautiful to hear.
         My final room mate we shall call Cinderella. We do NOT make her clean up after us. No, I draw this parallel because she lives in a calm, quiet manner that is always sweet and endearing. Not to mention she is a good one to talk to about Broadway history and trivia. Score for me!! So yes, I live with some of the most precious princesses of this campus.

Freshman Orientation... we were taking our big "Y" class picture.

        Classes... I'm not going to lie and say I have an incredible course load that is super hard and teaching me so much. Honestly, I have quite a light load. And for good reason: I'm really trying to focus on my Major Application. My two favorite classes are Advanced Tap Dancing and TMA 102.
        Tap dancing has re-awakened my love for percussive footwork. I had nearly forgotten what it was like to finish a five minute combination perfectly and just pause for that single moment of glee that I actually did it! If anyone out there reading this (which is probably no one, but hey I'm okay with that) get the chance to take a tap dance class from BYU, I would highly recommend it. I look forward to every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at noon when I can just go to class and not have to sit there and wait for everyone to learn basic steps. Its exhilarating!
        Theatre and Media Arts 102: Introduction to Film. Can I just say that I know I am in the right place? Every time I go to lecture and listen to Professor Russell, I know that this really was my chosen calling in life. We watch clips from films and then pick them apart piece by piece. The other day, in talking about the History of Film, we started out watching a silent film about a train robbery which was then proceeded by a clip from Star Wars Ep. III. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.
       
        College is really such a wonderful experience. Even if I have to do three hours of reading every day. Oh well, I shall look at this as a time to improve my mind and hopefully my reading speed. Life at the university is quite adventurous, but I always find myself back in the dorm doing homework or writing something new (I'm working on my Major Application, lots of exciting things going on there) and inevitably I feel just like I did back in high school: chained to the written word but also liberated by it. I know that I have been put here for a reason. There is something here for me to do, a person to meet, a day to make, an influence to bring, and all I can do is live life every day searching for it. This is Meg, signing off.

My wonderful Family Home Evening group... minus two girls and two boys :)

IN CASUS PERGIT