Getting the Diploma

Flashback to January of 2008, it was my senior year and had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do after high school. College was always the plan but I didn't know what I wanted to do or where to go. I literally couldn't envision a life outside of high school. I was terrified of college imaging hours of studying and struggling at even the "easiest" of schools. For one reason or another I just thought that college was this grueling educational battle and I was not confident that I'd be able to succeed. 

Much of my family had attended BYU (even my own dad did a brief stint there playing football) and the idea sounded nice until I thought about all the "Zoobs" and The Honor Code. I felt I wouldn't last one semester without getting kicked out for wearing flip flops or something dumb like that. As blasphemous as it sounds, I seriously considered going to the UofU (don't judge it was in a rough time of life). Though unsure of what I wanted, I applied to both Utah State University and the University of Utah with my BYU application partially filled. I knew when the deadline was for all the schools and yet didn't try hard enough to ensure that I submitted my BYU before the deadline.

After being accepted into both USU and UofU, I had concluded that I would go on to become an Aggie (they gave me a housing scholarship that sweetened the deal). Then one day as I was checking my email, BYU wrote and told me that though I had applied late that I had been accepted to Winter Semester. My mom (along with other family influences) had pretty much said if BYU accepted me, I'd be a fool to decline. With this in mind, I planned accordingly.

During that summer and following fall semesters I worked hard on my Associates Degree at Weber State. Classes actually weren't hard at all and I got an 3.9 GPA, even with that good grades I attributed to Weber just being one of those "easy" schools. Finally it was January 2009 and my time to attend Brigham Young University. Leaving home was incredibly hard. I had to say goodbye to my then puppy Rudy and family. Back then I wasn't too emotional about things and so I was surprised at how sad I was to leave home. I fought back the tears as the neighbor boy (who also went to BYU was driving me down to my new dorm) was in the car with me and I didn't want him thinking I was a baby. Finding friends (not to mention my way around campus) was hard at first but I surprisingly enough figured everything out pretty quickly.

 My time at BYU was incredible. I met some of the greatest people and had adventures I would never forget. It was not at all what I'd imagined college to be like! I actually had fun and loved every moment of it. Though far from perfect, I cant imagine doing anything different. I think that's why when it was all finally over, I was sad. Once again I had come to the conclusion to yet another incredible chapter of my life but the difference was this time I was ready for change.



What I gained from Brigham Young University was more than just a piece of paper saying I'd graduated, in reality i received so much more. I learned to challenge myself, to balance my time and determine whats most important, I made friendships I know will continue throughout my life, got to see the world thanks to study abroad appreciating different cultures and religions, I had to go outside of my comfort zone so many times that I feel more prepared to face this every changing world, in all I learned that I can conquer anything.