New College Life!

Hello everyone. :) Just so you know, I have officially finished my first week in Provo! Classes will start on Tuesday, and so far everything is going wonderfully.

I'm living in the Riviera Apartments just west of campus. It takes 15 to 20 minutes to get to the main buildings, so I'll definitely be getting a lot of walking in over the next nine months or so. The BYU campus is enormous.

My roommates are fantastic! I'm sharing a bedroom with my pal Averyl, one of my best friends from high school, which has been a blast so far. Two of my other roommates, the lovely Jessalyn and the lovely Briana, also went to high school with me. Amber, roomie number 5, went to Brighton, but I forgive her for that. :) She's a beautiful girl and I'm glad I'm getting to know her. Roomie number 6 is Melanie, who is from France! She's very nice and I'm so excited to be able to share an apartment with her!

So, like I said, I've been down here for about a week. This week was New Student Orientation, so I got to hang out with an awesome group of new Freshmen and see the campus/go to a rally and a fireside, and play loud games on Helaman Field. It's been so much fun! There are so many new people to meet.

Here are a couple of pics of my new surroundings! I will be sure to update more in the coming weeks!

Oh, oh, oh, look at my hair...

So... I finally cut my hair! See, I usually have this dilemma with my hair. I can't stand cheap-o $5 haircuts, but I am horribly stingy with my cash. I have to muster up the courage to spend $30+ on a haircut, so it usually doesn't happen very often, hence my trademark long hair. :) Anywhoodles, not too dramatic of a change this time. It's just shorter. :)

Before                                                                 After













Oh! And notice in the background of the "After" pic, my new poster! My lovely roommate Averyl gave me this poster. This is one of my absolute favorite photographs. I love it!

Change a Life: Give

Hello blogger friends! Obviously I am not very good at posting frequently, but never fear--all that is about to change...

Speaking of change, I'd like to give everyone out there an opportunity to change someone's life. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are talking about some seriously great opportunities to serve and give!


Giving opportunity 1: Invisible Children/Schools for Schools
One service organization that holds a lot of significance for me personally is the Invisible Children, Inc. organization. This group was started by three Californian college students who traveled to Uganda and witnessed the atrocities of child trafficking and displacement. For those who are unaware of the current situation in Uganda, this region is suffering from conflicts between the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan government. For the past two decades, the region has been torn apart by constant violence and fighting. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced. Invisible Children focuses on the masses of children who are forced to sleep away from home, in parking garages and hospitals, in order to avoid capture by the LRA. Invisible Children gathers money and volunteers to build schools, educate, and send aid for the Ugandan children. Any interested in helping this cause, or in learning more about the history of conflict in Uganda can visit their website. Anyone attending a university or high school can create an in-school organization that will bring aid directly to a Ugandan high school by visiting the Schools for Schools section of Invisible Children's website. I was part of a Schools for Schools club in high school, and the opportunity for giving service here is amazing. I encourage you to find ways to help this cause! :)


Giving opportunity 2: Utah Food Bank
I've had several opportunities to help at the Utah Food Bank. Volunteering here is very easy to do, and serving can be done in groups or on an individual basis. Visit the Utah Food Bank website for more information, or call (801) 978-2452 to learn how to volunteer! Even if you can't find the time to volunteer, you can always donate food. There is always someone in need of your donations.


Giving opportunity 3: Jason Long Foundation
The Jason Long Foundation supports several very worthy causes. This organization was created in the name of the brother of one of my very good friends and teachers. The foundation supports the Huntsman Cancer Institute, BYU athletics, and scholarships for students that display qualities of compassionate leadership. This is a great organization that serves a beautiful purpose. For information on the background of the Jason Long Foundation, visit www.jasonlongfoundation.com/

Remember, there is always something you can do to change someone's life! There are opportunities for giving everywhere! Change a life!