Senior year in a nutshell: Folk dancey

Here's the one that is supposed to be the end. 5 year plans are the norm now right?

Spring/Summer
This here is the spring of SPAC. And the summer of home. We'll talk about both of those later.

Oh and I made PAC this summer. :)

Fall semester
This was my first semester of PAC. Uh. Yeah, it was crazy.

I also continued to pretend I was going to minor in Political Science so I took both Intro to International Politics and Western Political Heritage, which was basically political philosophy. I loved Intro to International Politics and it actually kind of changed my life (the professor, Valerie Hudson, shall be discussed again in the favorite professors post). Western Political Heritage? Well, I made it through. And there was a super cute guy in that class! Yeah. Me and philosophy are not friends.

I took a World War II class this semester so my future teenage boy students will think I'm cool. But it just further reminded me that I think military history is lame-o. However I did watch a bunch of awesome movies and read a cool book whose name I can't remember.

I took intermediate Irish and it was fantastic. I finally purchased my own pair of hard shoes from Sarah Klopp which I use to this day. And I danced with Kana Tyler a lot, and laughed a lot.

I took the Doctrine and Teachings of Joseph Smith and tried to like it. But after you take religion classes from Professor Fluhman, you really can't go back to anyone else. It's like Western Family chocolate chips versus Ghiradelli.

As for PAC. We'll talk about it later really. Suffice it to say I had more performances than I ever imagined and I'm pretty sure I constantly had gel in my hair. And I came to love my folk dance sweats. So comfortable.

Oh. And I started working at the TMA office this Fall. I had quit Freshman Academy to make room for folk dance. I also worked for Lauri Haddock (the one I took Humanities 101 from and who my freshmen from the year before took Humanities from) as a TA. That began a lovely friendship.

Winter semester
Sometimes I still wonder how I survived this one.

This is the semester I stopped pretending to be a political science minor and started pretending to be a geography teaching minor. So I took Geography 101 and Geography 250 about the US and Canada.

I had Geography 101 from President Monson's son and it remains my very worst grade at BYU. B-. Really? Clearly science is not my thing. I even did better in Physical Science as a freshman! I had Geography 250 from Professor Galland and it was hilarious and fun and I still don't understand what Geography is after that class.

This semester I took perhaps my very favorite class that I ever took from Professor Fluhman, American Christianity. It was fascinating! I loved learning about different religions, I really had never known very much about them, having grown up in Utah my whole life. Oh also, Jimmer was in this class too. However, this was THE year of Jimmer and during March Madness he clearly didn't come to class. And after March Madness the poor boy couldn't even come to class without being mobbed. So yeah, I didn't see him much.

In addition to this, I had performances about every single weekend. The weekends I didn't have a performance I would have rehearsal either for PAC or SPAC because I was on PAC and I was the TA for SPAC. I remember clearly one Saturday to myself. Holy what? Yeah. It was so worth it though! Because then when a lot of people from SPAC made PAC the next year I was already great friends with them! Genius. I also got to choreograph a dance with Mike Romney for SPAC which was super cool to see my choreography onstage! One day I need to get my hands on a recording of that baby.

Some funny moments: Class quotes

• If I don't spell this right I'm just going to tell you this is how they spell it in Canada. - Professor Gilchrist
• I find them simple and boring and it's the Apostasy so I don't care. - Professor Gilchrist
• We'll find out the truth after we die. Which doesn't help you much because you have a midterm next week. - Professor Hudson
• Let's just say Italy's got problems and one of them is the zipper of their Prime Minister's pants - Professor Hudson
• Terrorists are not the most stable of characters. They get kind of angry. - Professor Hudson
• He painted him with Satan getting bit in his brotherly parts - Professor Haddock
• Come on men, give me a beautiful hand, no military hands, only beauty. There is no shame, no shame, only pride. - Professor Haddock
• What else can I say about tornadoes? They seem to target trailer parks... - Professor Monson
• This time it worked. That time it didn't. Life is hard. Don't blame me - Professor York
• Historians are pretty desperate for people to read their books and say they're relevant. And they don't and we're not- Professor York.
• Oh I thought this was a bow-tie petition, a peaceful protest against my sartorial splendor - Professor York
• These are mountains. Not fire. - student
• We've got to take this stupid quiz. I mean...awesome quiz. - Professor Galland
• Oh, and it's illegal to detonate a nuclear weapon or cause a catastrophe - Liz Smith
• You know because you are geography majors, or you went to the 5th grade. - Professor Galland

Junior year in a nutshell: the one with more social interaction

Year 3! Over halfway there.

Spring/Summer
This spring term I began another wonderful journey. I started a job at Freshman Academy. In the year I was at this job I made a lot of friends, I learned a lot of things, and I became a much better person.

I took Irish dance from Jeanette Geslison, little realizing she would become a big part of my life (she is the current director of PAC).

I took a World Dance class from Rustin, my kinsman. All I really remember is Javanese salutation from that class, but I couldn't actually do it for you. And in this class I met Christina Craven and somehow we became amazing friends. Neither of us remember how. But we're both fairly sure it had to do with Gilmore Girls and coffee flavored ice cream that she hated and I loved.

I also took another LDS history class from Brother Fluhman. And Jimmer was in that class. Nbd.

Summer term. Yeah, I went all the way through. First, this was my first time with students at Freshman Academy (some of whom are already home from their missions, holy cow), and in addition I was taking 6 credits.

I took basic guitar this summer! I had gotten a child size guitar for Christmas the year before (I have small hands, okay?) and now I could play it! On a particularly melancholy day I even decided to write a song. However, I didn't know enough minor chords to actually make it melancholy so...yeah. It's more of an upper.

Also, another important folk dance step, I took Spanish dance from Delynne Peay. Perfect idea. She is the director of the backup team and by taking a class from her, my folk dance career really zoomed forward.

Fall semester
This semester, I was on a backup folk dance team and was in my first Christmas Around the World. I was also, by this time, taking Advanced Clogging with Greg (always, in fact I've never had another clogging teacher in my life, literally) and still his TA for intermediate clogging now.

Advanced Clogging was fantastic. I was always with Greg Rawlings and we had an amazing final. Enjoy


Yeah. My hair was that long. Sometimes I forget to cut it. For a year.

I also took a cooking class with my Ronnie (roomie) Kiely. It was terrible horrible no good very bad. But at least we spent at least 4 hours together every Tuesday? Seriously. It was bad. Kiely was once yelled at by our teacher for using the wrong pan or something...which thing we'd never learned about it class. Thanks lady. However, we had a grand old time studying for the midterm and final together. Some of the hardest laughter in my life occurred then.

Winter semester
This was my last semester of Spanish. A big deal considering for the last year and a half I'd had Spanish every morning at 8. Also, my teacher this semester was not American. Nor was he a native Spanish speaker. He was from Romania. He didn't even serve a Spanish-speaking mission. Random? Also awesome.

I took the entry course for history teaching. It was 20 hours a week for the first block. I'm still furious that they demanded that much out of my week. I always say I'll write a letter. Maybe one day I really will.

I started my first minor, Political Science Teaching by taking the entry course, American Government and Politics. A one-hundred level class where a junior couldn't snag an A on her papers. I have sympathy for all poli sci majors now.

Oh and I was on SPAC. Yeah. I'm not even going to try, they have an entire post coming up.

I was also affected by SAD this semester. It still occasionally comes up, but never as bad as it was this semester.

Some laughs: Class quotes

• I know there are all sorts of signs that say no food and drink...we're all friends here (the donuts lesson in American Heritage) - Dr. Pope
• We're the tyrannical democrats. You can have your rights; just give them all to use! - Matt Page
• Ambiguity is like a multi-headed dragon... -Spencer Sutton
• *As Britain's unofficial anthem plays* Everybody! ...We're not going to build an empire if you don't get into it! Come on! - Dr. York
• I have not eliminated your agency, you can leave it blank. Grading will be simplified. - Dr. York
• Go ahead [and vote on the final essay topic], I'm the electoral college! - Dr. York
• You probably can't sleep without knowing these dates, and I understand that - Professor Haddock.
• And we will talk about all the teenage mutant ninja turtles this semester. - Professor Haddock
• Do I have to sing a song? Do I have to cry? I don't know - Professor Strate
• The Bible is about 35% more correct in Spanish than in English. According to my...scientific calculations - Profe McNeil. 
• But not the man that's holding you down, the man that's raising the roof. - Profe McNeil
• She's also vice president of the Tae-Kwon-Do club - a student
• Oh, well will watch ourselves - Professor Horrocks
• Oh! I know this! I know this! I'm Scottish! - Jim Puida
• First, he is not a very good example of...a person - Professor Horrocks
• My name is Brady and there's no way that I'm a lady - Brady
• Que cheesy - Profe. Iclenceau
• Republicans sleep in different beds, sometimes even different rooms, that's why there are more Democrats. - Professor Davis

Sophomore year in a nutshell: Quest for Perfection

Year 2. Here we go.

Spring/Summer

I decided to spend my spring/summer terms in Provo because it's cheap and fun and I am not one to live at home. It feels weird. I did it one time, we'll talk about it later. Also, it's pretty easy to get full tuition scholarships for spring/summer. So you know, free knowledge! Which I can't turn down. 

Spring term I took 7 credits. Instructional Technology in Teaching aka the easiest class in the world? Really though. 

I also took my first and only organ class and this class taught me two specific things. The organ is very different than the piano. Also, the organ is super mondo addictive. My instructor was a grad student. One time, I was telling my family about him on a Sunday evening spent in Plain City. I said "He's a very nice man...he looks like a goose." My sister-in-law about died laughing. But he really did look like a goose. 

This is also the first time I took a class from Brother J. Spencer Fluhman. Life changing. I will talk about him plenty more later in the post I have dedicated to my favorite professors. I took the first third of LDS history from him. So fantastic. 

Summer term I had originally signed up for classes  but I was done-zo. So instead I just worked at the Daily Universe and looked up videos of the Jonas Brothers on Youtube. 

So yeah, this was a big summer, because it got me into the Jonas Brothers. Which climaxed by the next summer in a trip to Vegas. But I'm getting ahead of myself. 

I also lived with my sister that summer which was very fun. I hung out with Sariah Burdge a lot (love.that.girl) and bow-tie boy from the previous post and his friend Seth. Summer nights of card games and random spontaneity. I think I even ate raw fish! 

Also, this is the important time in which the High School Musical lunchbox was purchased. From Wal-Mart. In a back to school sale. 

Fall semester

This semester began my two year love-affair with the Spanish language. I took 101 from Profe H. I should have taken 101/102 accelerated, but I loved Profe H. So I'm cool. I also met a fellow Disney lover Dani Israelsen, who shall soon be changing her last name. I met her not a moment too late, right in time to be able to get all my conversation hours with someone. Such good timing. 

I also took modern marathon this semester. Fantastic! I had it from Arwen Rogers and her philosophy of dance and life fit me perfectly. I don't always (read: rarely) agree with the modern program at BYU, but I loved the way she did things. Arwen was also the first person to convince me to eat healthily. Thus began my love affair with produce. This class consisted of 1.5 hours of technique class MWF, with an extra 1.5  hours of composition  twice a week (or once? it's been a while). Anydangway. A lot of my time was spent modern dancing with some lovely girls. A couple of which I am still very good friends with! It was one of the first times I had ever really had my choreography presented for our final and I actually got to choreograph on other people and mine was even abstract! *gasp*

I took a world music class with my sister. That was fun. I took Judaism & the Gospel from my best friend's dad from home. That was random, and fun. I also took New Testament from Brother Merrill. I enjoyed it while also deciding to no longer take classes from him. You know how that goes. 

This semester also marks an important step in my folk dance career. I TA'd my first class for Greg Tucker, beginning clogging. I had three delightful freshmen in my class named Daniel, Brett, and Justin. They were a year younger than me, and yes I was their TA, but I had a wee crush on them. And they were on folk dance teams, and that may have influenced my decision to audition again after the crushing defeat of my last attempt. 

Oh, and I tried out for the dance major again and didn't even make callbacks. Oh well. 

Winter semester

This was the semester I was jobless. The Daily Universe downsized its classified advertising from 3 people to 1 I believe, and I just wasn't it. I didn't mind too much. Thankfully I have wonderful parents who helped me out. 

I also used about all the time I had been working at the DU for my History 200 course. Paul Kerry. Oh Paul Kerry. This was the first C I ever got on a paper. Oh wait, it was the only C I ever got on a paper. I didn't stop fearing research papers until my capstone course. 

I also took another history class from a man who looked like an older Matt Damon. Delightful. 

Spanish continued with a new professor Profe McNeil, who I had for the next year. 

Oh and yes, I got on a folk dance team. Finally. :) 10 WSC, MWF in the Wilk Ballroom with Emilee Wright. Emily Carpenter (now Park) and Alan Babcock were my TA's. I met dear friends there, some who remained in the program with me and some who didn't. I also remember how hilarious my dear TA's were and how we danced Mexican for Spring Festival of Nations and my partner was totally Mexican (Miguel!). And how I could not comprehend that Jeff Suppes was a freshman. But, once again, there will be a whole post on this folk dance beginning later. 

Oh and I took D&C from Brother Fluhman. My second of many classes from him. 

And now for the comedy segment : Class quotes

• Motocicleta es vroom vroom, motoneta es *whiny noise* - Profe H.
• I was ironing while listening to General Relief Society Meeting. That's fitting. - Brother Merrill
• But it's Friday, and I feel flippant - Professor Chadwick
• I apologize in advance for this dismal attempt at a final class period, I have a kind of...bronchial leprosy. - Professor Chadwick
• It was TuesdayFriday, it was magic TuesdayFriday. - Professor Chadwick
• Don't use text message grammar, you know, use vowels - Professor Grimshaw
• Because if there are any unresolved questions about tala or raga, then once we come to kriti someone will start crying. Probably me. - Professor Grimshaw
• It's amazing how kids just love dictators - Professor Larsen
• I'm here for Christ and, uh, pepper - Professor Larsen. 
• Relations? Like with the federal government? - Dr. Kerry
• Iv'e never had those kind of relations with the federal government...-student
• Kumbaya my friend. Tell me about your relationships. - Dr. Kerry
• Where do universities come from? - Dr. Kerry
• Well...when a father university... - student
• I set myself up for that. - Dr. Kerry
• It's like how we say "an" if there's a vowel afterneath. - Profe McNeil

I'm not going to even include anything Fluhman related in this quotes. They deserve much more space and attention.