I Am Ready but Apparently BYUI is Not

So there has been major drama this semester over me graduating. It started within the first couple weeks of the semester. I went in to the advising office, as I had for the past few semesters to ensure that I was on track for graduating at the end of this semester. Only this time I was told a different, less cheery, story. Apparently I still had a couple classes that I needed to take that every previous adviser had failed to mention. Awesome, right?

It turns out that I still had a class for my minor and for my major. To solve the issue with my minor, I dropped it and condensed it to a cluster(a half minor). I then had to pick up another cluster, luckily I had all those education classes from way back when I thought I had the chops to be a teacher(hahaha... yeah that would have never worked!). The major class was a different story, there appeared to be no way around having to stay another semester to take ONE class. I begged and pleaded and made my way to the head of our department's office and he took pity on me! He was able to swap the class out for another class that I am currently taking! He said, "Katie, I know you. I was just like you when I was your age. I liked to play a lot more than going to class too. Now, if I do this for you, you can't succumb to the nice spring weather, you need to go to class." Luckily for me, the weather hasn't been that great!

It seemed everything was back on track for graduation... until I went to see my adviser again today. Apparently, one of the classes for my education cluster had been pulled from my generals. Now my generals were incomplete. I just can't win! BYU-Idaho just doesn't want to say goodbye to me(and who could blame them!). I mentioned that I had already received my Associates degree so that my generals didn't really matter any more. The advisers and I had a good laugh about how I had found a loop hole that apparently no one had thought of before. I thought maybe I was in the clear until things turned serious and I was told that I needed to take another class.

"Seriously?!? Am I ever getting out of here?!?!" rang through my head as I sat there dumbstruck. Then I had another stroke of genius and suggested just revamping my education cluster. So... I had to make the treacherous up hill walk to the Hinckley building, 3rd floor, to the education advising center. I swear everyone in the advising centers know me really well, I see them almost on a weekly basis!

Once I arrived all huffing and puffing from over exertion, I had the delightful opportunity to explain my long confusing situation to someone else. I didn't have any more education classes to use for this cluster and was a little scared they would tell me that there wasn't anything that they could do, when the head adviser suggested I use one of my CIT classes in the cluster. What? CIT and ED classes together? Who would have thought? She just told me that I had to write a very convincing story of how the CIT class fit with the ED classes and how the combination of those classes would assist me in my career goals.

I had no idea how they were related but I just started writing and put my immense BS skills to work. When I finished, everyone was impressed with my awesome BS skills, as they should be! The head adviser immediately approved my cluster and I just had to take it down to the main advising office for them to approve it. So fingers crossed that they accept it! I was told that would accept it because they want to get students like me (super seniors) outta here! I will keep you all updated on the drama that is attempting to graduate from BYUI and just know that if this marvelous plan fails, I will channel Veronica Mars and uncover another unknown loop hole... hopefully one that does me some good!

Well Golly Gee

It has been such a long time since I have sent a lovely blog out into the world. I would say that I have been much too busy with school and wrapping things up in preparation for graduation... but I don't want to lie to you, we are friends after all. I have been doing the required work and then chilling with friends and catching up on a bunch of tv shows. I have definitely hit the mark... super senioritis has hit! I need to get out of this place! I know that once I graduate I will miss all of the good times had here and the amazing people that I have met... but for now I cannot wait!
BYU-Idaho is a great place but it is time for me to move on with my life. I need something new in my life to challenge to me, I have kinda fallen into a rut and need to mix it up a bit. If only the weather would warm up so that we could do fun stuff and have a semblance of a summer. Today was really nice so hopefully that will just continue!
I am currently studying to take the CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) exam. I swear this test is gonna be the end of me! I am steadily doing better on the practice exams but still have quite a ways to go before I take it in the beginning of July. I am losing steam on it but am going to redouble my efforts and hopefully pull this thing off! The Computer Information Technology faculty have been a great help to me in studying. They go out of their way to ask me how I am doing and how they can help me. I can go to them at any time to ask them questions and they are always willing to sit down and explain it to me. I will be sad to leave my little nerd "family!"
Sorry I don't have anything totally awesome to say... maybe someday I will have amazing stories to tell... just stick around!

Mid-Semester Crisis

It happens every semester. You are tired and burned out. You are procrastinating at a level that is unimaginable to who you were at the beginning of the semester. The mid-semester crisis has struck again!

I started out so good! Getting my homework done way in advance, keeping up with all my reading, maintaining a clean bedroom, working out at the beginning of my days... but that has all gone out the window.

My car of motivation has just about run out of gas and is just idling towards the end of the semester. I don't want it to be like this anymore. I feel like I am just living a half life and that I am being buried by the things that I keep putting off.

I am going to be better! I am going to get my butt back into gear. I was much happier at the beginning of the semester because it all felt so new and like anything could happen. I was doing everything that I was supposed to. I am going to get back to that.

The semester isn't over yet. There is still time to turn it around and open up many new possibilities. As I began writing this entry, it was merely as a way to gripe about how unmotivated I am. As I finish this entry, I am excited at the prospect of beginning again.

I just need to get back to what I was doing and those feelings will come back; the feelings that anything can happen. Because it can.

New Years Resolutions: An Update

I had planned to do an update on the first of every month but things have been crazy around here. I figure better late than never though! I have been doing pretty good on my resolutions thus far... YAY! As a reminder to myself and to you(who I am expecting to hold me accountable), I will list each of my goals again along with an update on my progress.

1. Read the Book of Mormon cover to cover- I have been reading pretty regularly, but I definitely need to be reading it more. In order to finish by the end of the year I need to read at least a page and a half a day... a little behind but I am well on my way!

2. Exercise at least 4 times a week- I have been doing really well on this. As my readers know, I and some of my friends joined a local gym here in Rexburg. My original goal, as stated, was to work out 4 times a week, but I have actually been going 5 to 6 times a week. It has been going great!

3. Graduate College- I am doing really well in all of my classes and graduation is definitely looking good!

4. Eat dinner at home at least 4 nights a week- This one has been kind of rough. There isn't much to do in Rexburg so my friends and I usually go out to eat pretty regularly. But I have managed to do this one! My friends and I even made a goal to not eat out at all this next week. We are going to go Sunday to Sunday as a way to save money and eat better.

I am excited that things have been going so well. Hopefully I can keep it all up! 1 month down, 11 to go! Thanks for all your help and support!

Ian Will Pump YOU Up!

As per my New Years Resolution I have joined a gym here in Rexburg. I realize that we have a gym on campus for free but it is always super crowded and the machines aren't really top notch. So a couple of my roommates and I drove down the hill to World Gym and signed up! We have been going for a couple weeks now and I am really enjoying it. (As much as you CAN enjoy exercise anyway. Let's face it, nothing beats sitting on your butt all day watching TV and eating.)

As part of our package we receive two free training sessions. Yippee! So I scheduled a time to meet with the trainer, Ian. He guided my roommates and I on our weight loss goals and how best to achieve them. Told us what we should be doing everyday and what our ideal heart rate range is. He was so informative!

On my next meeting with Ian, he took me on a walk-through of the gym. This was very helpful because many of the machines just looked like a bunch of twisted metal torture devices. It turns out that they are twisted metal torture devices but at least I now know how to properly use each one! Enemies beware!

After each new machine that Ian showed me, he would turn to me with a big smile (as if he had created the machine or something) and say, "How do you feel about this machine?" What the heck? What do you want me to say? I hate all the machines. I didn't put on a bunch of weight because I love to workout! But after every machine I would say, "I love this machine, Ian. Thank you for introducing us. You will definitely be invited to the wedding." Well, not those words exactly... but trust me those are better!

"I Am Damn Harry Potter!"

This morning I awoke in my bed in Rexburg. I laid there wishing that I did not have to get up quite yet. 7:45 am class is much to early... especially during a Rexburg winter! As I laid there, stretching, something began tugging at the corners of my mind. Suddenly it all came flooding back. One of the strangest dreams I have ever had and let me tell you, I have had some CRAZY ones!

The scene opens in a Costco. I am there, along with several of my friends and family. The Costco is closed yet we are all there playing around and shooting at each other with sniper rifles. I suddenly get this overwhelming urge that I need to hide and protect myself. I run over to the clothing section and begin burying myself down into the great masses of clothes.

My aunt comes over to me and begins uncovering me. "What the heck?" I say.

"Katie, you need to get over there and help them fight those aliens!"

"I can't! The aliens are here for me. I need to stay here and protect myself. They can handle themselves just fine but I cannot be sacrificed!" I exclaim.

"Katie, get over there now!" she yells. I extricate myself from the clothes and stomp off in a huff towards the fighting.

"FINE!" I scream. "But the aliens are going to kill me first because I am damn Harry Potter!" I begin running with reckless abandon towards the far end of Costco. As I am running, I turn to my left and begin running down a darkened aisle. I see shadowy figures running in the distance. I sped up and began chasing down these shadowy figures.

Once I catch up to them, I realize that these are the aliens that are trying to kill me... and I have nothing to defend myself. I turn tail and run as fast as I can in the opposite direction. The aliens were in hot pursuit. My fastest was not fast enough and they were soon gaining ground on me. I knew at any moment they were going to catch me and go through with their dastardly plan.

Just as I was about to lose all hope, the wall to my left slides open and bright white light beams down on me as fog billows out of the opening. A disembodied voice says, "Come to us, we can train you to fight them." I had no idea who they were but I was much more willing to take my chances with them.

I turn to go in and feel as if I am being sucked in by some kind of vacuum. As I was being pulled into the portal I can feel the enemy aliens' fingertips brush my ankles. I had just barely made it to safety. This next part of my dream is a white, foggy blur. All I remember is that the beings that trained me were of a rival alien sect.

I walked out of the portal triumphantly. The white light glaring from behind me as the fog billowed around me. I was ready to take down some aliens!

Then I was snuggling with some guy on a cloud watching the Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform on a larger nearby cloud. The End.

Dreams are so funny!

Rexburg or Bust!

It has come time to return to school for yet another semester. For the first time in a great while, I am not eager with the anticipation of returning to my beloved Rexburg. Usually at this time I can barely contain my excitement at returning to the 'Burg, as we so lovingly call it. I am just plain tired. This break seemed to fly by and I feel even more exhausted than I was before the break.

I am not looking forward to the LONG drive back to Idaho. I only hope that we have good weather the whole way and that there are no more semi-truck incidents. (Once was way too many times too many!) I am writing this from the floor of my bedroom at home, just wishing that I had another week to be here at home. There are so many other things that I wanted to do. I just ran out of time. I kept thinking, "I will do it later. I have plenty of time." Sadly, my time has come to an end.

I have put off the drive back as long as I dare. Kristi and I were supposed to leave this morning, but we hadn't packed and were just plain tired. So we pushed it back until tomorrow. I wish I could push it back another day but sadly, tomorrow is the day!

I am sure once I get back to Rexburg I will be fine. Although it is freezing and covered with snow, I have great friends there that make it all worth it. I hope this semester is as good as, or even better than those prior to it. My college career is ending and my life will change... hopefully for the better! I would like to leave having even more great memories. Something to look back on and laugh about with my future children. So ready or not Rexburg... here I come!