lessons from utah county

I want to write something special but I am at a loss for words. In a week, I leave the most important work experience of my life for the last time. Two days later, I drive out of Utah, my home of the past four years, for good. I am overwhelmed. I am excited, terrified, miserable, and sure. Today I cried listening to For Good from Wicked and watched 6+ episodes of Parks and Rec. I am completely unprepared for what the next few weeks have in store.

The past month has been emotionally draining. I've been entirely lost and somehow totally sure of where I am at the same time. With the promise of a new adventure on the horizon, Utah has begun to feel like a second home (Kansas will always be number one for me).

I have learned a lot during this time of my life and I don't know how to organize it. So I am going to word vomit and hope it sounds okay.

Spend as much time in the mountains as possible. It is healing and celestial.

When given the opportunity, stay up late and watch multiple Disney Channel original movies in a row with your roommates.

The things you do aren't as important as the people you do them with. The friends you have reflect who you are and what you will become. If you hang out with trash people, you will become a trash person. Hang out with good, kind, passionate individuals and they will support you in being the same. Do the fun things, but make sure your focus is on who you are with.

Immediately find the best fries in whatever city you are living in. When sad, eat those fries. But also be open to trying new fries. Basically just eat lots of fries.

Self care is good. Netflix binge-ing by yourself falls under this category and anyone who says otherwise can go.

Do not give your time to people who do not respect you or your boundaries, emotionally or physically. They do not care about you. They are not your friend. There are so many people who will ask you what you are comfortable with and respect your answer. They will ask you if you are okay with hugs. They won't push you to go out when you want to stay home. And when you find these people, do not let them go.

Follow up: believe your friends when they tell you someone has disrespected their boundaries. Be there for them.

Always go on road trips. Doesn't matter where you go.

Treat yourself when you can. Especially when it comes to buying shoes. I am always in support of buying shoes.

Get involved in politics. National, state and local. Vote when you can (which should be always). Challenge your own views and the views of others. Stand up for your beliefs but listen to everyone else too. Let your opinions change and definitely don't get mad when others do the same. That's not flip-flopping; it's growth.

Go to class, but also skip every once in a while. It's fine.

Find a place to nap on campus. If you are at BYU, the periodicals section of the library has some leather couches behind the bookshelves that I highly recommend.

Try new things and don't give up when you are bad at them. I'm still learning this.

And lastly, though the sentiment is overdone and cliche, be yourself. There is no good reason to not be. Everything strange and rough and imperfect about you makes you incredible. Do not betray that.