Rise and SHOUT, this Cougar is OUT

Wow.

How else can I sum up five years of experience in a word?

Brigham Young University has been my entire life for what I view as the most formative years of my adult life. Granted, I’ve only been an adult for about five years.

I can’t accurately put into words how grateful I am for the experiences I’ve had here. Sure, things have been far from easy, but in the end I’ve found something so precious and priceless: myself.

Now, I know I still have a ways to go. I am by no means perfect, nor do I suddenly have all the answers because I’m about to be a college graduate. As a favorite professor of mine says, “Jack of all trades, master of two.”

What I do know is that this part of my life’s journey has come to a close.

What I’ve taken with me is everything I’ve learned.

If I could express my heart’s feelings in a sentence, I would. But I can’t. If I could pour out all of the things I’ve learned and the people I’ve met and loved onto this computer screen so I could share them with you, we’d be here for decades.

Every little piece of me is made up of pieces of the people who have touched my life, even for one class. From taking Quantitative Reasoning, Honor’s Philosophy Writing, and Beginner’s Social Dance my first term at BYU, to my capstone, Persuasive Writing, and Comparative Literature in my last semester, I have been given so much to enrich my life.

From my first job on campus as a resident assistant, to my last as the Opinion Editor/Editorial Assistant for The Daily Universe, I’ve gained new skills and new friends who will last me a lifetime and beyond.

My faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ has grown in ways I didn’t know it could. I’m not perfect, I still struggle, but I know that I am a daughter of God and that He loves me.

I’m sad that this part of my life has ended. While I’m glad to not have to deal with the testing center or Learning Suite ever again, I’m going to miss everything–and everyone.

But I’m excited to be moving on. I’m excited to be starting my career and launching my own business. I’m excited to help my brother grow his company. I’m excited to spend some much needed time with my parents. I’m excited to be near enough to get to know my sister-in-law better and hang out with my married brother again. I’m excited to see how my little town has grown and to see how I can help it continue.

I’m excited for missionary opportunities that I haven’t been able to experience by being in Mormon-land for so long. I’m excited to meet new people and to learn new things about them, and about myself.

Most of all, I’m excited to see where this next part of my journey is leading me. I’m scared and freaked out about it, but I am so ready for it. There’s an entire world just waiting for me to get my hands on it.

And thanks to BYU and the people I’ve met, I’ve got the tools to meet the challenges I’m sure to face.

I’ll always be a Cougar at heart, True Blue, through and through. (Even if our football team sucks)

BYU, I love you and all your weird little quirks. I can’t wait until my future children have the opportunity to have the experiences I’ve had with you, if they decide to attend. I’ll be the crazy lady at parent’s weekend in the HFAC and the Brimhall. (and fondly recounting my love affair with the library.)