I don't Think I'm in Maryland Anymore

I've had this weird feeling all week. I finally figured out what it is. I am suffering from culture shock. Being at BYUI is such a culture shock. I don't mean being out west again, I mean being at BYUI. It is a very different place, and I'm just beginning to understand.


I guess culture shock is the one thing that didn't expect to feel. I knew I'd be a little homesick, shy and nervous, but I didn't expect to feel totally out of my usual bubble. I'm mean Mormonism is my culture. I thought I would adjust just fine,because everyone hear is Mormon! I am just so used to meeting someone and mentally preparing myself to defend my beliefs and standards. I don't have to do that here.

It is so nice. You can talk to people with more ease, because we are all coming from the same foundation. People are still really different, but there is a sort of safety at this school.

The hardest thing to get used to, is having the gospel talked about freely in classes. My first Science lesson discussed how science and religion can coexist. In math my teachers favorite saying is, "Math is the language with which God wrote the universe."

In every class we are asked a question and with out fail, some one will somehow bring up the gospel. My first instinct is to cringe. I think, "You can't bring up the gospel. They'll mock you out of class." Then the teacher will approve the comment and continue on. It is hard to get used to after a lifetime of defending my religion in class.

The spirit is definitely hear on campus. All of the buildings are dedicated, and it's so easy to walk out of one of them feeling up lifted, thinking about how your testimony has been strengthened by that class. It is a beautiful experience, and I love it.

You're Going to Idaho! It's Cold Up There.

When I would tell people that I was going to Idaho, they would always say, "You're going to Idaho. Its cold up there." It was that or some variation of that. I never could come up with an adequate response. Usually it was something like, "Yep." They would walk away impressed with my college vocabulary.

Now, don't get me wrong, I new it was cold. I asked Santa for sweaters this year for Christmas. I had listened to my sister's stories of freezing nose hairs. I was prepared for the winter weather, we call "the cold."

After spending a week in Idaho, I'll say this. I am seriously reconsidering appreciation for the snow. In high school, it meant a day of. In college it means two extra pairs of socks before I go out in the morning.

This is a picture of me and some of my neighbors last week. We just came from the Stadium Sing. At 9pm, on Sundays a bunch of people gather together and sing church hymns. At first it's really nice. Then by the second song I realized my legs were really cold. By the forth song I realized I wasn't sure if I had toes anymore. Everyone cheered at the last song. It meant we could go home and get out of the cold. It took me an hour to stop shivering.

I did hear something at the stadium sing that I really liked. I overheard a boy saying that you only fall once a semester. You have to slip once, but you only slip once. I thought, "Score, I can handle once."

The next morning I headed out bright and early to look for a job. As a I was cutting through a parking lot I was walking on a patch of fresh beautiful snow. Oh that deceptive snow. It was covering very slick ice, and down I went.

After quickly looking around to make sure no one saw, I began to get up. "Well," I thought, "At least I took my fall with limited embarrassment." I finally got up right. I took one more step. After landing once again on my back side, I realized that there are liars at BYUI.

Happy Winter Weather everybody..

Home Sweet Home

In the words of Fanny Brice from the movie Funny Girl, "Oh what a day I had today." It has been a very long two days. I am not about to review every detail, just the highlights.

Deborah, Sarah, Lix and I decided to leave for Rexburg at 6am, but that was quickly changed to 7am. Deborah's alarm went off Friday morning and we had to say the least, a hard time getting up. Well when I came back from the bathroom, Deborah told me that both she and Liz agreed, we shouldn't leave untill 8:30am. She showed me the text mesages to prove it.

After breakfast, waiting, packing, a movie and more waiting, we finaly left grandpa's house at 10am. How does that happen? I guess when you combine Mormon Standard Time with Female Allred time, 6am translates into 10am. Thats not to bad right?

The drive up was uneventful, and we drove straight to my dorms. Deborah was taking picture like crazy, which I'm sure you can find more of on her blog. It was, however a little anti-climatic. We trooped up to the Perkins Hall Gate, and "hmm, it's not upen yet." I guess I got the day wrong, so we trooped back to the cars and went to Deborah's apartment. Once again, we were missing a manager. Fortunatley the door was unlocked. So we let ourselved in, it was cold outside.

THe next couple of hours we shopped and rearranged furniture. I have two very crafty sisters.

It the morning I finally got checked in and it was all very exciting to open my door for the first time. We had to do a trial run for the pictures before we could actully go inside. I felt bad when I woke up my brand new roomate. That was a start of a beatiful new relationship. Her name is Tamara and she seems really nice. Not bothered at all that I woke her up at 8am on a Saturday.

Once again the next couple of hours was spent unpacking and shopping. Liz gave me a lot of really great tips on how to eat healthy and cheap. Thanks Liz. Then it was time for Liz to go say goodbye and go back home.

Deborah and I went back to her apartment and tackled her room a little bit more. I would just like to take a few minutes and marvel at Deborah's stuff. She has really great stuff, and a lot of it. I mean a lot of stuff. It is absurd how much she has been able to fit into a little room she is sharing with her best friend. Having said that, I would like to say I love her very much and would love to borrow any of that stuff, at anytime.

When I finally got home it was late and all I wanted to do was go to sleep, but I was invited to watch a movie with my roommates. I agreed. Its all in the name of bonding, right? Well, I don't really know how much bonding took place. I fell asleep, and when I woke up I had drool all over my face, but not to worry, it was dark. I don't think they saw.

Here's hoping.

These pictures are for mom. This is my dorm.

The bad thing about being the new girl in the dorm, is that you get the cupboard that is so high, you can't even see what's in it. I'm not complaning. It's exciting to see what you can actually pull out.

Wow, look at that clean desk. To bad it didn't even last three hours.

College Tip, Tricks and Ways to get a 4.0 Without Showing Up

In just a few days I will officially be a college girl. I've waited a long time to finally go, and I'm so glad it's finally hear. Already the experience has been interesting. I was pretty confident that I wasn't scared and that leaving home would not be to terrible. I'm not so confident anymore.

I woke up on Saturday, our departure day, and was cranky. I was grouchy and bordering on rude on some points. I kept thinking to myself, "Tressa, what is your problem?" I'm sure some of my siblings were thinking that to.

When the trunks were finally shut and everyone went into the house fbecause Dad was going to give us blessings, I began to cry. Dad went down the line for blessings, and as my time got closer, my tears flowed faster.

Now to give you some background, I don't cry. Usually the closest I get to crying, is to want to cry. When tears do start flowing, it means I'm really feeling some emotion, but it made me feel better to look around to room and see others with tears on their faces.

This got me thinking about my other notions of college. I realized I have no idea what to expect. I have gotten a lot of advice. As I was driving through Wyoming I made a short list of the advice I've gotten.

Housing

1) stay in the dorms your first semester. It's a great way to meet people, and a nice way to ease into college.

2) Stay as far away from the dorms as possible. No boy will ever look at you, once he knows your in the dorms.

Classes.

1) focus on you classes while at school

2) pay attention to your classes but remember if you only think about your classes you'll go crazy.

3) Assignments only take the amount of time you give them. If you say an assignment will take three hours, then it will take three hours.

4) Make sure you give yourself cushion time. Start early, and allow for the unexpected.

Food

1) Eat cheap

2) Eat healthily

3) Don't worry about your food, just have boys buy your food.

Boys

1) stay away from the boys.

2) make sure you go on as many dates as possible.

3) don't be a brownie maker and chase after the boys. Have them chase after you.

4) Make your self available to the boys. They are lazy and won't spent to much energy, chasing after you.

Now, I'm sure that a lot of this advice is compatible. I'm sure that a lot of this advice I can adapt to be compatible, but some of these are polar opposites. I guess college will be a learning process and I will learn how to enjoy college. If not I got plenty of people who have great advice.

Christmas Shoppers

This Christmas season has been a very interesting experience for me. For the past three weeks I have been working as a cashier at Best Buy. It has allowed me to see the other side of Christmas shopping. The seller's side.

I have noticed that there are basically two different kinds of costumers; the happy ones and the angry ones. Now of course these categories really are more like a spectrum. There are people who really are saturated with the Christmas spirit, and there are some people who seem to be angry at me personally for how expensive their purchase is. Don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger!!

Anyway I love the happy ones. I always have a great little story about them. Once I was really enjoying the day, and I turned to the waiting line, said "Next" and flashed an older gentleman a huge smile. Suddenly he cocked his head and walk jauntily to my station. As he came closer I thought, "Wow, this is how a dandy would come up to me." During the whole transaction he was gallant and caviler. He was such a gentleman , and when he left, i was all in a flutter.

Another time I had a lady who wasn't to much older than me. She was buying a beyonce cd and on the back is a picture of beyonce in the most unbelievable position. The lady saw it and "Do you see that picture! Do you see that?" I barley had any time to reply before she went on, "And she looks so comfortable like that. It's like she just hangs around the house like that! It unbelievable. Way the raise the bar for the rest of us, Beyonce!"

I have a sometimes very enjoyable job. Whether its the house mom who cheers at the end of her transaction, that she finally finished the Christmas Shopping, or the man who holds up the long line by sharing with me the secrets of life, I get a kick out of my job.

Our Little House Guest

We have had some house guests with us, the past couple of days. Dani and her seven year old daughter, Anita. Anita is quite the little girl. It has been really differnt seeing our day to day life through the eyes of a seven year old. Suddenly reading a Jane Austen book all day is considered boring. Wierd.

She watched me look at the differnet blogs i go to and wanted me to post about her. Well right now see lost interest in the blog and is rockin' out with Deborah's camera. Shhh. Don't tell Deborah.


This is when Anita and I went to the mall on friday night. She loved trying on tons of new outfits, even though I was very clear on my poverty status.

She is currently suffering from a cold. She has had it for adout four days now. I think she might be going a little cazy being shut up in the house for a couple days. Get well soon Anita!

My Comfort Items

For the past week or so, I have been thinking about comfort items. I have been watching Deborah helping a friend with some problems. Our friend has been in serious need of comfort, Deborah has been in needed comfort, actually everyone involved needs some comfort.

That is why I'm so glad Heavenly Father helps us out. He not only gave us The Comforter, which does more for us then I can say, but he also put things, and people in our life who can make us feel better. I've come up with my list of comfort objects and thought I would share.

First is Big Bear. I got him when I was like three, and he has held the honorary spot on my bed every day since then. Actually for along time I proffered using him for my pillow, instead of the fluffy one, that mom provided. I've noticed that when I'm stressed or sad I fall asleep holding him tight to me. Any way I'm so thankful for my stuffed animal that I can squeeze until all my worries are gone.

Second is my family, but especially my mom and dad. There are a whole lot of different personalities in my family. I think this is perfect, because there is usually someone who can say the right thing to make me feel better. Mom is really good at making me feel better because she knows me really well. She can make me laugh at what ever situation I'm in. Dad makes me feel better because he has so much wisdom. He is such a strong priesthood leader in our home. He makes me feel better in another way too. Only the reason really makes my vanity feel better. Dad thinks I'm really funny. I mean HI-larious! I like it when people think I'm funny. I mean the world might be coming to an end, but hey it can't be too bad cause someone thinks I'm funny. It's all good to me.

Before I talk about my third comfort source I would just like to say I wanted to write about them first, but Deborah posted before me. My third source of comfort is an amazing family in our ward. They are some of the best people in our ward. Their six boy are so cute and so much fun that I just love being around them. I'm never sure what their dad is going to say to me, but once he finishes teasing me, or sometimes in between the teasing, he gives me something really nice to think about. Finally their mom. She really in an angel on earth. Its as simple as that. An angel.

About a week or so ago, I went over to there house for dinner and a little comfort. Their mom had explained to the three year old that I was sad and hurt in my heart. After dinner he came to me and asked where my boo-boo was. He wanted to kiss it to make it better. What he didn't know was that walking into his house had made it feel better already.