First week of BYU...

After starting my first week at Brigham Young University, I've come to this conclusion.

Learning is Heavy.

The classes, though fun and exciting, are hard, campus is large, but becoming more familiar, the air is just beginning to cool off.  I know this because it's cooler in the mornings on my way to school, and brightly warm during the day in between classes.  That, plus books, and the enormous responsibility placed on students, and I have come to the very pointed conclusion that Learning is Heavy. :-p

I was standing in line with my older sister Karra waiting to buy my 271 pounds of books, waiting to empty my wallet of about that much money......and became very much grateful for air conditioning.  That and scholarships, which I have been extremely lucky to have.  College is expensive.  And, me, as smart as I am, am taking...16 credits?  Plus, starting next week I'll be teaching eight or so lessons during the course of the week.  Ps. the earliest I'm getting home is around four.  If I were to give you a list of words to choose from in describing me and my schedule, here they are: Busy, Insane, Busy, Tired, Jenna, and Blonde.  Hair color is still the same lightish-brown/red/blonde it's is, but mentally I still have my blonde moments.  And I'm not trying to complain, I'm just stating that this is A LOT of work...

The first day of classes I had two: American Heritage at 11 and Intro to Archaeology at 2.  Two classes.  I, being smart walked around campus with my backpack on during part of the break, and so when I got home I was exhausted, in part also because of the new endeaver I'd just undertaken.  Then what do I do? ...go on a longish bike ride with some of my family....

...you can see the obvious trend of smarts I'm using. :-p

The next day I had four classes, starting with Book of Mormon at 10, Strengthening Marriage and Family Life 12-1:25, Psychology 111 from 1:35-3, and then University Chorale 4-5:30.  Strangely, I did much better with Tuesday's schedule than I did Monday.  Huh.  I was still tired, mind you, but not to the point I was on Monday.  Tuesday, however, I added an extra few pounds (very noticable) to my backpack, as I've started taking HEP, my laptop to class for notes.  (Henry Victor Peterson, hp or Hep for short.)

But it's fun to see people on campus that I know.  It's funny to see people I haven't seen in a long time there, too...

Everyone says they hated American Heritage while they took it, but afterwards appreciated it.  I...actually enjoy it right now....perhaps that's because we've had all of one lecture so far, but hey.  Whatever works, right? ;-)  It's gonna be a lot of work, I know, but for now, I'm glad to appreciate it...

One of my favorite parts about this week...haha, occured at home, kind of.  Thursday night I was just so wound up from everything, I got my black and white shoulder bag, told my mom where I'd be, and set off on a walk around the block.  The irony is that I walk around all day at campus, with a load on my back, so the last thing I should want to do is walk, right?

This kind of walking is nice, though.  I find that no matter what, if I've had a long day, vigorous physical activity or not, a walk of some length around the block where I don't have to think is nice.  I usually go later in the evening, in between 8:30 and 9ish...and depending on my mood the length and route varies.   This night, it was simply around the block, and very happily with no shoes on.  Not even flip flops- I like to feel the warmth of the pavement, however, it's sadly becoming cooler as the months wear on...  Another nice thing, though I deeply miss the spectacular sunsets that clouds brought; I'm seeing the stars more.  Mars is particularily close, and bright, and is usually the first far-off light I'll notice, but then I glance again, and the whole expanse of sky is sprinkled with these loving lights of the atmosphere.  All at once, my breath stops, and so does my step, and I'll stand, and just LOOK, just gaze at the wonders in the heavens.  Time has a way of creating different beauties to captivate and fulfill us, so we can appreciate where we're at.  The cool and alert breeze that accompanies the sun rising over the mountains in the morning, the way the sunlight sets leaves and air alike with a living light in the morning as well, a stillness in the middle of the day, the heat, the smell of the day in the evening, sunsets, lights, stars, everything...

I hope, that if nothing else, I'll do as one of my professors counseled, to "learn to love learning for the sake of learning, and [allow] everything else [to] fall into place."

For, that's what life's really about, right?

I hope you all good days, and wish you the best wherever you are in life, and wherever it's taking you.  Keep in touch, okay?  It's nice to hear what's happening with you all...

Much love,

Love, Me.