To graduate, or not to graduate, that is the question.

So here I am. Studying for my last finals of my undergrad career. Biochem is getting repetitive and I think I'm starting to get high off of the dry erase markers. Which means break time and therefore blog time. Next week many of my fellow senior BYU peers are graduating, putting on a cap and gown, sitting through a long, hot, and crowded commencement ceremony, and then waiting another long time to walk with their college to get their shiny diploma and walk into the world as new college graduates. But not me. Oh, I am a senior, and I'm walking into the world, but not with my undergraduate degree. I'm mostly okay with it, I mean, I'm going to have my Pharm.D in four years, so I'll have a doctorate, but it almost feels like I can't prove that I've been productive for the last four years. I most certainly have, I'm the person who took upwards of 9 classes of semester (currently I'm in eleven, although I'm actually auditing (for the first time) 3 this semester), was in a couple clubs, on a dance team, had a busy social life, oh and worked sometimes, also good grades, I had a scholarship. I know it sounds like I'm bragging, but I'm not trying to. The only way to prove that the last four years haven't been a waste is to be like "Look! I've been doing all these productive things, I haven't been doing nothing I promise!" It's probably because I've wanted to go to BYU since I looked like this:

This is me at my parents' graduation from BYU in 1991. I was such a cute baby. 

Ever since then (or probably before) I've wanted to go to BYU. I didn't think about going anywhere else, and I didn't apply anywhere else. I was born with blue blood! Loyal, strong, and true! I didn't want my dreams to be a waste so it's been hard that I'm not graduating. But even though I'm leaving BYU without a diploma (for now, more on this later), or a ring (aka the MRS degree) I am leaving a different person than I was when I came here (or at least I'd like to think so). I'm stronger, prettier (haha), smarter, more confident, and more independent. I'm also leaving with a buttload of memories and some of the best friends I could ask for.  Here are some pictures documenting all of the many wonderful times I've experienced at BYU, because pictures are worth a thousand words. And get ready. Because I LOVE pictures and looking through all of them made me SUPER NOSTALGIC. 

Freshman Year

First day. moving in and meeting Allie Bowen. My room roommate and one of the coolest people EVER. 

 Moving in! 

Roommates!!!! Me, Allie, and Emily. Love these girls! 

FHE family freshman year. We are SO great hahaha 

 Classic Allie and I. Cupboarding. It's a thing. 

And my first year at festival of colors! So much fun.. tradition started.

 

And of course, the temple. Loved having a temple 5 minutes away for the first time. 

Thus concludes Freshman year. 

Sophomore Year 

After an epic round of the Whip Cream Game 

We made a goal to go to every temple in Utah... I think we made it to three? But this is Jordan River

Allie and I are pretty much the biggest Gangstas EVER.

 BEST FRIENDS. These girls are seriously some of the best friends i will ever have. I am so grateful that I had the chance to live with Megan, Susan, and Kamie. Sophomore year was some of my favorite memories.

 Football games of course. I think over four years I may have missed like 3 home games... Which is shameful. I missed THREE????

Sophomore year was my first year on the BYU International Folk Dance Team. I spent 2.5 years on a folk dance team and I will ALWAYS treasure those memories and the AMAZING friends that I made. 

Oh the polygamist dresses... we hated those things.. but also had so much fun in them.

Our annual trip to Temple Square to see the lights!!

This was probably one of the funniest nights I have ever spent in SLC, or on the planet. SO GREAT. 

 Festival of Colors Year 2!

                                                      Mexican dancing! Loved that skirt. 

Then at the end of sophomore year, two of my best friends and roommates got married! It was so amazing to see them so happy!!!

 I love us so much!!!!!

Yay for Kamie's wedding!!!!! 

Junior Year 

 

I spent a lot of Junior year with LYDIA!!! My friend that I've had the longest :) We had some good times junior year.

I also ran up to Idaho one weekend to visit my bestie BRINDISI!!!! It was a wonderful weekend.

Lauren and I 

My folk dance team Junior year!!! We danced Polish and Israeli. So. Much. Fun. Also, Kylie is my best dance friend, and one of my best friends from college that I've had. She and I have fun ;) And lunch.

Gotta love the T.A. picture ;) 

Another year, another proposal. Susan and I really love each other in case you didn't notice. 

I also cooked a lot Junior year. It was fun. I also changed my hair color at least twice. Festival of Nations, which is the spring Folk Dance concert, I got to dance Serbian. More fun costumes!!! 

Festival of Colors... as usual.

 My best friend Lydia also got married that May. It was wonderful! And I was the Maid of Honor! 

Summer of Junior Year: LONDON 

Well, I went to London Junior year. I took basically a million pictures. Here are a VERY few of my favorites.

We did many fun things. Like see tons of musicals, and plays. We traveled to lots of castles. and basically just had a grand old time. I loved it and I can't wait to go back and travel all over more. 

WOMEN PHARMACISTS!!! That's gonna be me!

 I also went to Europe afterwards, and went to Paris, Munich (Neuschwanstein Castle) and Venice. All were beautiful. I LOVE Europe! Oh, I also went to Iceland for a couple hours. That was fun.

Senior Year!!!! 

This is it. The last year. CRAZY how time flies. 

  

First off, I sent my brother off to the MTC to go on a mission. So proud of that boy. 

My friend Kamie had a baby (Emma) and came and visited. A BABY!! Crazy. 

 Brindisi visited for General conference and we rode in a Hot Air Balloon. Also, more loving with Susan. We went to Timpanogas Caves which was a lot of fun. 

 Halloween - a Hipster, a doll, and an Albanian.

My Last Christmas Around the World. We were Scottish. It was pretty amazing. 

Christmas at Temple Square!!! The main gang back together again... except for Nathan. 

Megan had a little baby boy in Febrary, Takeshi. He is the most adorable little thing ever. 

 I also because best friends with Noelle, Kara, Karen, and Amy. And got into Pharmacy School. It was a good semester. 

 I was able to attend an Indian master class. Holy crap. Amazing. 

I had the wonderful opportunity to be an fhe mom this year. I became friends with some truly wonderful, amazing, beautiful people. It's been fantastic. Also, check out our music video we made.. It's awesome.

So now here I am. About to go to bed so I can wake up early and take my first final. And then next week will proceed. I won't graduate, but I think that's okay, because as I've proved to you, and reminded myself, I am pretty awesome, and BYU will never be a waste. Some of my favorite memories come from this wonderful institution and I'm going to be sad to leave. But I'm also excited because a new school, and a new place, means new friends and new adventures. Here I come (back) COLORADO!!!