Checkout Insanity

Posted by Braden

Checkouts . . . *sigh* . . . what a long, long week. It started out alright—only a few checkouts per night, mostly over the phone, not too much junk in the lobbies or overflowing from the dumpsters. Friday, though, was madness.

Of 13 boys' rooms, only two were ready for their final checkout walk-through at the time they scheduled. While I waited for the next room to be ready (as I was on duty and couldn't really leave my building to do anything else), I built architectural wonders out of the turned-in mattress pads. :) What did I care though that the boys were all late? I was on duty all day (with the exception of a few hours in the middle of the day for quick meal), and the rooms all needed to be done that night; I'd just do them all right in a row. And did. And it was painful.

For five hours I did deep-cleaning checks, recording the things that needed to be completed, the jobs that needed redoing, and the charges for boys who had already left, etc. You know that black mold that shows up on top of shower-curtain rods and seems to come by the pint? No? Well, neither did most of the boys in my hall. I usually had to get some on my finger first from checking it before telling them that the rod would need a quick scrubbing. And splashboards—oh, how I hate checking the splashboards!

Finally, Friday night at 10 p.m., the last of the walk-throughs were done. By 10 a.m. the next day, all of the boys were out of the building, and I had the rest of the day (until 6:30 p.m., when I finished) to prep the building for the next event for which housing was required: Women's Conference (talk about a tough crowd to satisfy in terms of cleanliness)! I put a blanket, mattress pad, and pillow on each bed, closed all the blinds, turned off all the lights, locked all the doors, filled out final work-order requests, collected all the things that boys forgot about or didn't realize that they'd forgotten (six boxes full of everything from posters to magnets to socks to pots). Lobby trash cans were emptied, leftover cleaning supplies taken to the central building, smoke alarms tested, and fire extinguishers checked. At last, at 6:30 p.m., I finished. FREEDOM!

In all sincerity, the RA job has been a blast all semester! I've loved the chances I've had to help my boys, plan programs, be involved, and learn people-management skills; but man, way to end with a bang . . . a somewhat painful, but relatively brief, bang.

Left Behind

Posted by Braden

The vast majority of the boys in my hall are going on missions this summer, and a lot of them live far from Provo. With no need for leftover spices, core ingredients, or kitchenware in the near future, many of them opted for the "I'll-just-give-it-to-DI-and-buy-more-when-I-get-back" option.

The result? Because I love my older sister, who agreed to wake up at 4:30 in the morning to drive me to the Salt Lake City airport for my flight home, I collected. A few pots, a few pans, a pie plate, a billion spatulas, wooden spoons, silverware, tupperware of every shape and size, a toaster, a nice track jacket, two sleeping bags, a new pillow, a laptop case—these are just a few of the things boys gave me as they were leaving, or things they left for me to pick up after they left. And then there was the food—from my apartment alone, my sister got roughly $250 of nonperishable foodstuffs: cans of vegetables, boxes of crackers, packs of hot pockets, jars of peanut butter, bags of marshmallows, stacks of ramen noodles, etc.

The advantage of leaving early? You don't have to throw away the stuff that nobody wanted, and cleaning jobs are a bit easier.

The advantage of leaving late? Lots and lots of free stuff.

Hello, Goodbye

Posted by Laura

I think one of the hardest things in high school was saying goodbye. It was hard saying goodbye to friends, knowing that we were going our separate ways in life, not knowing when we would see each other again. It was hard saying goodbye to the senior power, knowing that I'd would have to painfully endure names such as "freshie" and "squashmore" all over again. It was kind of scary realizing that I was now considered an adult, technically, and was gaining much more independence than I'd ever tasted before.

And yet, with all the fears and worries, it has been exciting—something that I could never put a face value on. I have gained so much over the last year of my life. I've experienced an abundance of new thrills attending BYU. When I look back to that first campus tour at New Student Orientation, I can't believe how fast it has all gone by. It seems like I was entering as a brand new student just yesterday. And after my finals I will be retiring the name of "freshman" with hard-earned calluses from my study habits, now a few steps closer to graduation.

Life goes by so fast; it makes me realize how important it is to live in the moment and not miss out on great opportunities. Reaching the end of the semester and saying goodbye to friends, teachers, and classes hasn't gotten any easier since high school, but I think I have learned that there are a lot of hellos in my future.

Allergic to Goodbyes

Posted by Braden

Goodbyes are in the air, and it's making me nauseous. Really, I can't go anywhere or do anything these days without somebody making a comment like:

"This is the last time we'll ever do this!"

"I wonder if all of us will ever be in the same place again. . ."

"Man, I'm going to really miss this class."

"Do you remember that time we [insert nostalgic moment here]?"

Sure, anybody/everybody is allowed to be a little bit sad that things are going to change in the very near future, but do they really have to? All the crying and tender moments . . . there haven't been TOO many instances yet, but I'm sure it'll get worse as the week goes on and people start leaving.

Cold and heartless as this sounds, I really kind of wish the semester could just end and we would all go home. If you haven't said something important to a particular someone yet, then why in the world should they believe you when you say it right before you leave them for a few months or a couple years? And then there's that awkwardness about how to say goodbye: Do you give everyone a hug? What if you don't know them very well? Do you give them a handshake? No, that's awkward and lame. Do you give them a high five? What if they think you're going in for a hug after all and then it turns into one of those awkward, sort-of-caught-me-by-surprise hugs? And must we really hear all of those old yearbook signature messages again?! "Have a great summer!" "I'm glad I met you!" "Don't change!" OK, so people don't ACTUALLY say stuff like that very much anymore, but you can almost taste the forced goodbye awkwardness in the air sometimes.

And what's worse—I'm not leaving until the very, very end of the week, so I'm going to have to bear the full brunt of this somewhat painful experience! Maybe if I lock myself in my room as soon as I finish finals and only come out to use the microwave and the restroom, I can avoid it all!

In all actuality, I'll probably just have to tough it out, day by painstakingly sappy, goodbye-full day. *sigh* Wish me luck.

Almost Done!

Posted by Ashley

My first year of college is almost over. WOOT! It still feels like I have a while 'til I get to go home, but really I leave in three days. It is becoming really depressing in my dorm. We've been packing and taking down all of our pictures and posters. Our walls are bare and ugly. I am excited to go on my Creamery shopping spree to spend all the money that I have left on my meal plan card. I am planning on stocking up on things for next year like laundry detergent and toothpaste. I just wish Saturday would get here so I can be with my family at home.

Reading days kill me because I spend so much time studying for one class that I just want to get the final over with. I am very lucky to have only three finals to take during finals week. My plan is to take two on Friday. The other one is an online final, so I will take that on Monday when I am back home in Washington. Saturday will be spent packing and cleaning and saying goodbye.

This year has been a great experience. It was hard at times adjusting to living on my own with new people, but overall it was great. I have learned a lot about myself while being here and I have grown so much (ha ha, not in height). I know that BYU is the school for me and feel very blessed to have been accepted to this wonderful university.

Time to Stir

Posted by Mitch

Today I participated in one of the thousands of tea parties taking place across the country. It was a blast! I am pretty conservative, and by nature I don't protest. In fact, today was my first protest experience. I've been active in many other political rallies and conventions, but never a full-blown protest. It felt great!



"When my country, into which I had just set my foot, was set on fire about my ears, it was time to stir. It was time for every man to stir." —Thomas Paine

That sums it up. I believe that our government is outspending and over-regulating. Just as I am about to embark on my journey through adulthood, I feel the present administration is paving the way to failure for me. I am just about to step foot onto the soil of American politics and I've seen the sparks of the fire being spread around my ears and I am about to stir. Today was my first step in a series of "stirs." Boy, I can't wait to get further into adulthood.

The Map

Posted by Braden

In our main lobby, posted above the fireplace in the center of the room, is THE MAP. This is the map that you check periodically to make sure that you haven't missed anybody opening their call. This is the map that you can't help but take a closer look at when you walk by, marveling at just how many places around the world the boys from our ward are being sent to. This is the map onto which I post a sticky note with your name on it when you get your mission call. This is THE MAP—our favorite hall decoration.

Surving April Fools'

Posted by Braden

Nothing strikes fear into the heart of a male RA like April Fools' Day! (Well, maybe there are a few things, but April 1 is definitely up there on the list.) Because boys like pranks. Boys feel extra prankish when away from home. College is designated as the "wild" time of one's life, when one does crazy, stupid things because one can. So I was pretty wary of the holiday designated for such endeavors. The night before and day of, I locked my door . . . and our front door . . . and the side door that we always leave unlocked. Consequently, I wasn't too worried about my own safety, just about the work that might come should any boys decide to do something in one of the lobbies or dorms that resulted in a mess that would need addressing or an incident report filled out. My saving grace proved to be the fact that we have a girls dorm across the way, and girls are more fun to prank than boys.

Mattresses were stolen, signs posted, beds relocated, food dyed funny colors, etc. But all in the girls' hall. *Sigh of relief.*

Dreamy Athletes

Posted by Brittany Karford Rogers (BA ’07), Associate Editor

Known for good pizza, Brick Oven, Sini discovered, was also a place to spot the men’s volleyball team. Enjoying a pie after a home game, she and her friends recognized some of the players and were fortunate to be accompanied by one of her roommate’s aunts.

“My roommate’s aunt is like a scholarship person who knows everyone who’s in sports at BYU,” says Sini. “And she told the players to come talk to us.” In fewer words than Sini used, he was beautiful—though the players are “all pretty cute.”

Squeaky Clean

Posted by Laura

Something that I have learned my freshman year of college is that there isn't enough time in the day. You can have a very productive day, look at your clock and realize that it's past midnight, and still have a list of things you want to accomplish before going to bed. A lot of my classes this semester involve memorization, and I have found a new study method: if you put your papers or note cards in a plastic baggy and then tape them somewhere in the shower, you can get in vital study minutes that make all the difference. Now I can take a long, relaxing shower and still feel like I am not wasting my time.

I think every college student has different methods of multitasking while studying. I have seen people eat while studying, listen to music while studying, walking to class while studying—some have even tried to master the art of sleeping while studying. I guess everyone has their methods, but mine is squeaky clean.

The Day Will Come

Posted by Laura

As I walked out of my apartment one day this week, my roommates were watching the end of the movie The Best Two Years. It was at that part in the train station where he fulfills his companion's promise, "The day will come when you will have a fluent conversation with someone in the new language without even realizing it." As I was walking up to campus, there was a car that pulled up next to me and the passengers asked if I could explain where the JKB was. Without even thinking about it, I was able to direct them in the right direction with ease. On the rest of the walk to the library, I thought about how I had just spoken fluently to someone in the college language, and I felt so proud of how much I have learned and accomplished while attending BYU. The first couple of weeks, I had a couple of cars of people pull up to me in a similar manner, asking for directions. I would usually use the excuse that I was a freshman and told them that if they kept driving straight, they were bound to find it. I think I have gained more confidence in my campus navigation skills.

The Hunt

Posted by Brittany Karford Rogers (BA ’07), Associate Editor

All six tenants of Sini's apartment decided to room together as sophomores, and the hunt for off-campus housing began. Knocking doors all over the south side of campus, they decided on Park Place. “The place we found looks like a Russian subway station to me,” says Sini, “but the once I saw the inside, it was all right.”

A Sini Specialty

Posted by Brittany Karford Rogers (BA ’07), Associate Editor

Sini won’t brag, but others say her meatballs are the best. “I don’t even have a recipe for them; I’ve made them so much I know what I’m doing,” she says. “I always put leaves of onions and oats in mine.”

Study or Fly-Fish?

Posted by Mitch

I was able to go fly-fishing today with my roommate. Fly-fishing is one of my top-10 favorite things to do; after all, I come from National Geographic's no. 1–rated town to live in for sportsmen.

The Provo River is kind of dirty, but just casting was enough to make me content. Sometimes I get so tired of school. Let's just say it doesn't take long for me to wish I was out doing things I enjoy so much more. Unfortunately, school is necessary.

I think today was a grand start to a beautiful fly-fishing addiction here in Utah. I hope it doesn't take too much time away from my studies.

I [heart] Provo

Posted by Ashley

I love being here at BYU. We have so many amazing opportunites, like going to a temple that is within walking distance, attending the live CES firesides, and being in the same room as general authorities and the Prophet. Last Saturday I got to go to the Draper Utah Temple open house. This was the first temple open house I have been to, and I absolutely loved it. The temple was so beautiful and incredible. I can't wait to be able to attend the dedication (another exciting opportunity). I never even imagined some of these things would ever come true for me.

Laundry Day

Posted by Brittany Karford Rogers (BA ’07), Associate Editor

Laundry day is the day Sini runs out of clothes. “I realize, ‘Oh, I have no underwear, it’s laundry day,’” she says. She can’t wait to have an apartment with her own washer and dryer. In Heritage, it seems like someone else is always using one of the two sets of machines. “I have to remember to run down there every 40 minutes.”

In Need of a Haircut

Posted by Ashley

.I was in real need of a haircut to get rid of my split ends. I mentioned this to my roommates, and one of them said she would cut my hair.

I'm not sure why, but I agreed. I trusted her, I guess, and I knew she wouldn't give me a mullet or some other interesting hairdo. Plus it was free, so who could pass that up?

We went to Wal-Mart and bought hair-cutting scissors. That night my roommate cut my hair. She gave me a trim and some layers. The next night she decided she wanted to give me more layers and I agreed. So now I have my own personal hairdresser who lives the next room over, and good news: I am living with her next year too, which means free haircuts for another year.

Enduring to the End

Posted by Laura

This past week we hit the halfway point of the semester. For me, this semester has gone by so fast, and it is a reminder to me of how short the college years really are. If you don't take advantage of this time, it will be very easy to look back with regret.

It's crazy to think that I will be done with my second semester of college soon! I made a chain for our door to count down the days until the end. I think the second half of the semester will be a lot harder than the first because there are no more breaks from here on out.

I feel so young still, but looking back, I have this great feeling of fulfillment from how much I have accomplished at BYU. I can now make my way around campus without stopping every couple seconds with a confused look on my face. I now know how to prepare myself for tests and how to take good notes that I can read again later. I can now budget my money each week and plan meals for each day. I have learned so much in the classroom, but I also have learned so much from having more independence and living in an apartment. Life is good.

The Saga of Finding Housing

Posted by Ashley

My roommates and I found what we thought was the perfect place to live next year (see this post on Feb. 9). We waited and waited and waited to hear if we got the contract. We finally had to contact the management again, and they said to wait another week. When we called back the following week, they informed us they wouldn't take us because they only wanted tenants who would sign full-year contracts or spring and summer contracts at that time.

Why didn't they tell us that before? They said they'd hold our applications until the end of summer. Uh, HELLO! We would like to find a place to live—we can't wait that long.

So my roommates and I got up early on Saturday and went and stood in line at 7 a.m. in hopes of getting an apartment at the complex that was our back-up plan (a place we weren't too excited about, but we need a place to live). As we moved closer to the front of the line, the manager informed us that there were only two completely empty apartments left—and we were the third group in line. The complex assigned six to an apartment, and the group in front of us only had three people. If there was a half-full apartment available, the group in front of us could take it, leaving us with the last empty apartment—and allowing the six of us to live together.

The manager went to check, but came back with bad news. There weren't any apartments with three contracts still available, so the group in front of us would take half of the last empty apartment.

We were bummed, but we decided to continue waiting in line. We're lucky we did, because the manager was wrong: he came out later and told us there was one apartment that still needed three people, so the group in front of us could take those spots. After waiting for five hours, we got the LAST full apartment.

What a day! We decided to go to Brick Oven to celebrate (it was my first time there). While we were eating, Cosmo showed up and we got a picture with him. It was a great Saturday.

Supplemental Income

Posted by Trevor

Extra money can be a little hard to come by when you're in school. Somehow, we need to be able to afford rent, groceries, textbooks, etc. This past week, in order to mitigate some financial troubles, I became one of the many BYU students who earn a little extra money by donating plasma.

At first I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. I've rarely been to a doctor, and I must admit, this was my first real experience with needles since my required kindergarten shots. But, as it turns out, I can keep my composure even when being poked by thick needles. After an hour or so of sitting in a chair with a needle in my arm, I got to go to the magical machine that spits out money to compensate for the pain and suffering endured. With a little extra income, I may be able to afford more schooling after this year's money runs out.