Culture Shock?

Is it possible to have culture shock within your own culture? I never really thought about this until now. Today was my first day of classes at BYU, and since I've been down in Texas for school for the past four years, coming to BYU is quite a change.

At Trinity I was either the only Mormon or 1 of 3 members. Here at BYU I look around and basically everyone is Mormon. At Trinity there were only 2500 students in the entire school. Here at BYU...35,000? I went from being the minority to being part of the large majority. At Trinity people are often scantily dressed, wearing anything (or nothing) from extremely short skirts...so short that most people see way too much...to low cut shirts exposing plenty of cleavage and bare skin. Here at BYU...well people are simply dressed modestly. And at Trinity I was a college athlete...here at BYU, I'm just a regular student.

Even though it's basically opposite from my experience at Trinity and I may or may not be experiencing a little culture shock (despite the fact that it's my own culture)...I must say it's quite nice as well. People dressed modestly and using clean language (no F words, thank goodness)...is so refreshing. Having prayer before every class starts and having my professors converse about the Gospel and the scriptures as if it's a normal subject for everyone...well it's definitely different, but I like it.

It is certain that BYU is a pretty unique place. But I think I'm going to enjoy my time here.

TUWS

Preseason started today for Trinity Soccer. For those of you who don't know what preseason is, basically it's the first couple weeks of the soccer season, which consists of two-a-days, fitness tests, classroom sessions, exhaustion, and lots of excitement.

It feels weird that I'm not going back down to Texas for another soccer season...kind of hard to believe. All day today I have been thinking about my lovely teammates who have been running fitness tests in the scorching Texas heat. However, despite the running and the heat, they get to play soccer and come together as a team...which is simply marvelous. So, as I was missing the whole experience I decided to try and run a couple fitness tests myself. It wasn't nearly the same...not even a little bit...but somehow it made me feel better.

Good luck girls! I expect you to kick some major butt this season. I will be creepily stalking you from the website because I miss you.

50 and counting...

Last week my mom had her 50th birthday. Since I have been in Texas for her birthday for the past four years I thought I should at least make a sign...so here's what we did.

First, we put a sign, balloons, and presents in our kitchen for her.

Second, we made a big sign and hung it on the fence by the buffalo so that the rest of Alpine could see. The crazy thing about this sign is that my mom went to the temple and came back, driving past the sign twice...and she still failed to see it! So I had to tell her about it and then drive by it so she could see it...silly mom.

And last, but definitely not lease, I decided to make t-shirts. I have been digging out my room and I found some t-shirt transfers...so I decided it would be best to use them and then I wouldn't have to find a place to keep them. So I made a shirt for me, my mom, and my dad, and we wore them to dinner that night at the Cheesecake Factory. My dad wasn't very excited about it...but I loved them.

Happy Birthday Mom, I love you! Thanks for everything!!!! ...literally everything.

a delectable recommendation

Everyone loves cookie dough and everyone loves chocolate (well except for my brother and his wife who are crazy non-chocolate fans...and my dad who won't eat cookie dough because of the raw eggs) But for all of us normal people...they are both delicious. Well thanks to my good friend Abigail Morten for suggesting this recipe...Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles.

Here's how mine turned out:

And here's the picture of the professional recipe one:

I'd have to say, besides their pretty blue background...mine look just as good. (And Dad...the cookie dough is egg-free)

These were quite delectable (basically I loved them!) And we have about 4 dozen in our fridge, so please please please come visit and eat some so I don't eat them all.

mixed emotions...

I officially finished college yesterday. I had my last final at 7 pm...it took me about 30 minutes to complete it and I didn't even look over my answers...I was so done with that. Woohoo...I'm graduating!

It's a weird feeling being done. Well...don't get me wrong, I feel great! Walking out of my last final knowing I was done with my undergrad...a marvelous feeling. It is just weird thinking that these last four years have gone by so fast and they are almost over. I remember moving down to San Antonio my freshman year, the 22 hour drive, the excitement and nerves...I remember it like it was yesterday. So weird.

I have mixed emotions about graduation. When I think about moving back to Utah, where my family lives, where I'll be close to good friends from high school, where it's not humid, and where there are actually four seasons in the year...I get excited. I am excited for the next stage of life and what it has to offer. I get especially excited when I think about moving to live in the same state as this adorable little guy...

I have to be honest...he's the real reason I'm coming back to Utah.

But then I think about the past four years and my amazing time at Trinity. When I think about soccer, the team, hanging out at "the apt", the sea water sisters, sleeping on a bunk bed, watching friends for hours, and so many incredible memories...I get super bummed out. I hate to think that I'm moving away from these amazing girls...

This place has been my home for the past four years, it's going to be really hard to leave.

Dear Trinity...thanks for all the amazing memories.

a heavenly combination...

This past Sunday my roommates and I made dinner and had an enjoyable evening together. For the dessert I decided to try a new recipe. While I was in DC there was a cupcake party and I ate a cupcake that had a Reeses peanut butter cup baked in the middle of it...it was simply divine. So I wanted to try this myself. I search different blogs and recipes online until I found a chocolate cupcake/PB frosting recipe that I thought looked sufficient and I went for it. The result...simply marvelous. I have decided that those countries who do not know about the peanut butter and chocolate combination, they are really missing out.

The joys of old age

When I was a freshman I remember the senior girls on my team told me that I would feel a difference between freshman year and senior year as far as my body goes. That was absolutely true. Senior year I felt so old. My body ached constantly and I never felt as fresh as I did previous years.

Now that soccer is over I still feel as though my body hates me for putting it through all that work. Often, when I go on an easy jog my calves will cramp and my muscles will ache. It can be quite frustrating.

However, I still did not really feel old until last week. Near the end of our season I tweaked my MCL. It was only a minor sprain and I didn't need surgery or anything. It was a little painful, I sat out of some practices, and I had to be more careful, but besides that it was not a big deal. Since season ended I have rested my body and my MCL hasn't bothered me for months...that is until this last week. I was up in Atlantic City for work (which, is no doubt one of the sketchiest, run down cities I've ever visited...do not be fooled). Anyways, I was up in Atlantic City for work and one day there was a big storm and it rained all day long. This day my MCL was aching all day. It felt like it did when I first hurt it, and I was a little shocked. My grandparents have always told me they could tell when it was going to rain because of their body would ache (hence why I feel old), but I never quite understood it until last week. I guess that's just part of getting old.