This blog is like an aloe vera plant. I can't kill it, but I can't seem to keep it totally alive either. But for the sake of posterity and journaling, I'll keep it relatively alive.
Well, I guess the biggest news is that I graduated college. Whoop! Even though I really did plan for this, I'm still somewhat surprised that it actually happened. I also occasionally forget that I'm not still this 17-year-old freshman. And at almost 22, I'm sometimes not the youngest person in the room anymore. (I still look like the youngest person in the room though.)
Graduation was a great experience. I think people who choose not to walk in graduation ought to be slapped. There really is something about finishing. Along with receiving my empty diploma cover (talk about an anticlimax), I graduated Summa Cum Laude. Remember how I was so determined and excited to get a 4.0? It turned into a really serious goal, and I'm super proud of achieving it. As a freshman/sophomore/junior, if you asked me how I kept a 4.0, I'd probably answer that I just worked really hard and paid attention in class. Now, if you asked me, I'd say it was the result of many, many blessings and tender mercies. Before I started college, I wanted to follow the prophet's counsel to stay out of debt. BYU-Idaho has an amazing scholarship program, and my GPA allowed me to stay 100% debt-free. I believe that my desire to follow the prophet, my relentless work ethic, and my complete obedience to the Honor Code qualified me to be enabled to work beyond my own capacity.
My last semester was also the culmination of my experience in other ways. I won two first place awards in an academic conference for Professional Writing and Creative Nonfiction. I'd never entered a competition before, and it was exciting to present my work. My English faculty also awarded me the Larry Thompson Award for Outstanding English Majors. Along with two other graduates, Jake and I were treated to lunch with the department. One of my professors gave a short speech about how awesome I am, and I was given a certificate and a backpack full of "all the necessities for the modern student." Nobody outside the English department even knows about this award (I didn't even know it existed until I received it), but it's the one that means the most to me. I adore my teachers. Because I was so dedicated to my school work, I didn't really make a lot of friends in college, but I did become pretty close to the faculty. I love all my English professors. All of them routinely went out of their way to help me with projects, recommend me for jobs, mentor me as I figured out my career direction, and occasionally listen to me cry in their offices. They taught by example, and I want to be just like them when I grow up. So to be recognized by the people I respect the most meant a lot a lot a lot.
I think it's apparent that I loved school. I poured everything I had into it, and BYU-Idaho was the best experience of my life. (Disclaimer: Obviously, my relationship with Jake always took priority over anything else, and our marriage continues to be the best thing that ever happened to me. BYU-Idaho was the best temporary experience.) So it makes sense that after the holidays were over and life settled back down, I felt a little lost. Ok, a lot lost. I spent more waking hours on campus than I ever did at home, so I felt homesick. The realization that I'd forgotten how to be a normal person with hobbies and a life began to dawn on me. I was blessed to get a job almost right away, which helped. (I'm working part time as a technical writer for a safety training company. I make powerpoints about OSHA standards. ) But I decided that I had to make some goals and try some new things if I wanted to not die of boredom. So for the New Year, I took Luke 2:52 as my mantra for the year. "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."
This scripture is the guide for a balanced life. It highlights four categories.
1. Wisdom/Intellectual
2. Stature/Physical
3. God/Spiritual
4. Man/Social
I decided to set goals in each of the four categories, since for four years I'd only truly focused on the first one.
Intellectual
I backed off a little on this one because I still feel saturated from school. Instead, I made goals based on skills instead of knowledge. I wanted to learn how to use WordPress and do food photography, so I started my cooking blog. So far I've only missed two weeks without a post, and I've taken more than 1,000 photos since January. I also wanted to spend some more time on creative writing, so I started a new short story. It's coming along slowly. One of my English professors loaned me some good books, and I've read one each month since graduation. I've read them slowly, without looking for potential quiz questions. And if I don't like it, I give myself permission to stop reading. I'm relearning how to read for pleasure.
Physical
My goal for the year is to run a half marathon. I've been stuck at the 5k level for so long because I've lacked the time and focus for serious training. This is the year though. As you may remember, I dealt with terrible shin splints last summer, so my focus the first quarter of the year was injury prevention. Since January, I haven't exercised fewer than three times a week. Usually I hit my goal of five days of exercise. I usually run three days a week, do strength training one day, yoga one day, and I bike to work everyday. I'm super buff. The school also offers free personal trainers and nutrition consultants, so I've taken advantage of that too. I feel sharper and healthier than ever. My shin splints haven't been giving me trouble, but I have had some other persistent lower leg pain even though I do everything right and treat and recover by the book. So I don't know if I'll be able to make my goal, but I'm sure going to try.
Spiritual
Jake and I made the New Years goal together to not miss a single day of scripture reading all year. And here we are almost five months in and still going strong! It's made such a difference. We are so much happier and less stressed. I also took an Institute class, and we've been going to the temple twice a month together. Our lives are so much happier for it. It really, really makes a big difference. We are so thankful to live so close to a temple.
Social
Ok, this one is the hardest one for me. I'm not a social person. Sort of. I'm not a group/party/activity person. I'm the three-best-friends-for-life person. I have best friends who are as close as family. Spending time with people who are not in my super close circle of friends can be really draining for me. It takes a lot of effort for me to be outgoing even though I'm not shy or self-conscious. There is value in creating very strong connections and loyalty to a few friends, but I don't see that as the best way. Jake is the total opposite. He loves everyone and is happy to hang out with anyone, which has been good for me. So, I've been making more of an effort. I got to know my personal trainer pretty well, and I chatted with my Institute class friends every week, and I introduce myself at church to the new sisters. I also made more of an effort to talk to my best friend often. She's living across the country, and it's easy for us to not make time to talk in our busy lives. But we've been a lot better at calling and texting. So I've got a long way to go, but I'm working on it.
My goodness, this is a long post, and I haven't even touched on a lot of things. Maybe I'll write another one sometime. Maybe not. Anyway, thanks for reading. Don't forget to be awesome!
I think it's apparent that I loved school. I poured everything I had into it, and BYU-Idaho was the best experience of my life. (Disclaimer: Obviously, my relationship with Jake always took priority over anything else, and our marriage continues to be the best thing that ever happened to me. BYU-Idaho was the best temporary experience.) So it makes sense that after the holidays were over and life settled back down, I felt a little lost. Ok, a lot lost. I spent more waking hours on campus than I ever did at home, so I felt homesick. The realization that I'd forgotten how to be a normal person with hobbies and a life began to dawn on me. I was blessed to get a job almost right away, which helped. (I'm working part time as a technical writer for a safety training company. I make powerpoints about OSHA standards. ) But I decided that I had to make some goals and try some new things if I wanted to not die of boredom. So for the New Year, I took Luke 2:52 as my mantra for the year. "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."
This scripture is the guide for a balanced life. It highlights four categories.
1. Wisdom/Intellectual
2. Stature/Physical
3. God/Spiritual
4. Man/Social
I decided to set goals in each of the four categories, since for four years I'd only truly focused on the first one.
Intellectual
I backed off a little on this one because I still feel saturated from school. Instead, I made goals based on skills instead of knowledge. I wanted to learn how to use WordPress and do food photography, so I started my cooking blog. So far I've only missed two weeks without a post, and I've taken more than 1,000 photos since January. I also wanted to spend some more time on creative writing, so I started a new short story. It's coming along slowly. One of my English professors loaned me some good books, and I've read one each month since graduation. I've read them slowly, without looking for potential quiz questions. And if I don't like it, I give myself permission to stop reading. I'm relearning how to read for pleasure.
Physical
My goal for the year is to run a half marathon. I've been stuck at the 5k level for so long because I've lacked the time and focus for serious training. This is the year though. As you may remember, I dealt with terrible shin splints last summer, so my focus the first quarter of the year was injury prevention. Since January, I haven't exercised fewer than three times a week. Usually I hit my goal of five days of exercise. I usually run three days a week, do strength training one day, yoga one day, and I bike to work everyday. I'm super buff. The school also offers free personal trainers and nutrition consultants, so I've taken advantage of that too. I feel sharper and healthier than ever. My shin splints haven't been giving me trouble, but I have had some other persistent lower leg pain even though I do everything right and treat and recover by the book. So I don't know if I'll be able to make my goal, but I'm sure going to try.
Spiritual
Jake and I made the New Years goal together to not miss a single day of scripture reading all year. And here we are almost five months in and still going strong! It's made such a difference. We are so much happier and less stressed. I also took an Institute class, and we've been going to the temple twice a month together. Our lives are so much happier for it. It really, really makes a big difference. We are so thankful to live so close to a temple.
Social
Ok, this one is the hardest one for me. I'm not a social person. Sort of. I'm not a group/party/activity person. I'm the three-best-friends-for-life person. I have best friends who are as close as family. Spending time with people who are not in my super close circle of friends can be really draining for me. It takes a lot of effort for me to be outgoing even though I'm not shy or self-conscious. There is value in creating very strong connections and loyalty to a few friends, but I don't see that as the best way. Jake is the total opposite. He loves everyone and is happy to hang out with anyone, which has been good for me. So, I've been making more of an effort. I got to know my personal trainer pretty well, and I chatted with my Institute class friends every week, and I introduce myself at church to the new sisters. I also made more of an effort to talk to my best friend often. She's living across the country, and it's easy for us to not make time to talk in our busy lives. But we've been a lot better at calling and texting. So I've got a long way to go, but I'm working on it.
My goodness, this is a long post, and I haven't even touched on a lot of things. Maybe I'll write another one sometime. Maybe not. Anyway, thanks for reading. Don't forget to be awesome!
1 comment:
What a great update! So neat to read.
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