A letter to myself

August 24 I posted my feelings here on moving into the freshman dorms and starting life as a BYU college student. I was excited and scared. If I could write a letter to my pre-freshman self from my post-freshman self this is what I'd say:

Dear Sarah Jane (Pre-Freshman),
Prepare yourself for a great year. The roommates you will meet tomorrow will be your best friends. At first it might seem awkward and you may feel like a stranger in your own home, but before you know it you'll be singing Disney songs at the top of your lungs and dancing around in the kitchen with these girls. When it's April 22 and time to say good-bye you will have to hide your eyes because you won't want them to see you cry.

Tomorrow at the BBQ you will see a kid in a red shirt who is obsessed with BYU soccer. talk to him. he'll introduce you to his friends and at first you won't think much of 'em, but something will keep drawing you back to them. You won't be able to explain it, but one of them will become very special to you. You'll come back home from that BBQ emotionally drained. You will discover that there are many people out there that you don't now. Let me tell you now, don't stress over meeting all of them; however, cherish the ones you do meet.

When you go to the heritage dance don't leave early. stay the whole time even though at first it won't be very fun. You will see the kid in the red shirt and his friends again, you'll get really confused that two are being called "Gil", but it will make sense eventually. Oh yeah, when they tell you Jason is on the football team don't believe them....they are lying.

Study hard for the first American Heritage test. If you end up making the same mistake I did by not studying hard don't get upset when you see your score. Perhaps it's your first test, but it's also your worst grade you'll get all year so just know it can only get better from there. Music 101 isn't going to be a breeze like you thought it would be...in fact...you should probably switch teachers ASAP. Overall, plan on spending A LOT of time in the library. College is more demanding than you thought it'd be.

Back to the boys who are obsessed with BYU soccer. Go to Utah State with them, don't get upset over an event that happens the weekend before (it'll all blow over). You will keep telling yourself not to like Gilbert because nothing will ever happen, but against all odds something does happen. I think you'll do fine with how you handle it. When it comes time to say good-bye to him there will be nothing you can do but cry. Don't hold back the tears because it feels good to let them out. You probably shouldn't make yourself go anywhere on New Year's Eve cause it won't be fun anyways.

Dive into your studies second semester. don' take international nutrition...it's interesting, but you'll end up changing your major anyways. When you start the semester you will be thrilled about your nutrition classes and you'll dread your accounting class...well...it turns out your best grade will be accounting and your worst grade will be nutrition. Expect to spend much of your time writing letters. Don't stress over the fact that they are too long, apparently the missionaries like it that way and get mad when you apologize over and over for the length. Go the the BYU games at the beginning of the season; otherwise, you'll never make it into another one!

When you get flowers on valentine's day DON'T put them near your laptop!!! However, if you forget I told you this and end up putting them there anyways...just know it is possible to go to college with a broken laptop. The computer lab in the library will become your best friend. If all you want to do is stay home on a Friday night and study then do it, but make sure to have fun every once in a while. You'll bond a lot with your roommates. Make sure you let them know how much they mean to you.

Sarah Jane, you will have a great year. You will make tough decisions, but will have few regrets. I'm excited for you, you're gonna love it!

Love, Sarah Jane (Post Freshman)

p.s. Here are some snapshots of what you have to look forward to





And these aren't even the best of it...I'm just bad at documenting. Which reminds me, bring your camera everywhere!