Spring Semester, April-July 2009

Wow, another semester has come and gone in the college life of me, Symone Stout. It's weird to think that another FULL semester has passed.

This semester started out pretty horrible, actually. I spent basically the whole first month in my room, because around 89% of all the people I had become friends with are on the Fall/Winter track, and so they weren't here. So, I would sit in my room, watch movies, do my work, and that was it. It was a very sad sight.

I moved in with 5 completely new people, into a new apartment complex, which brought about a new ward. Lots and lots of new things this semester. I lived in Mountain Pines, Apartment #108, with Tasha, Sarah, Julie, Cassidy and Amber. Amber was my room roommate, and we were the two new ones. I arrived, no way of getting the keys into my room or into the storage, so I slept with my blanket on my bed for the first 3 days, until I finally got into storage. It was awkward, and I was not a happy camper. As the semester went on, I kinda met new people in the ward, but when it comes to making friends within the ward, I am as good at it as I was living in the dorms... not that good at all. But I became close-ish to my roommates, and that has made all the difference. I will miss Amber a lot more than I thought I would, because she is an awesome girl, but I am way excited to be with Chelsie and Jillise again. AHH!! 2 MORE MONTHS!

The people in my ward were cool people, I won't lie. They didn't compare to my past ward, but still they were alright. My FHE group this semester was a good group, but again, it can't compare. But, they were a fun group. We would have fun, and I hope to continue to see some of the members of this group after this semester, although 3 of them are getting married... I am at BYU-I do.

Along with changes in my living environment, I also had 12 credits of during the day real classes. I love saying that :]. I took Professional Communications, Science Foundations, American Foundations, Child Development, and Book of Mormon 122. All these classes have been amazing. All my teachers have been wonderful, and enthuastic about the subject they are teaching. Hardships arose in some classes, but everything worked out in the end. Currently, I have some form of an A in all my classes, and I hope it stays that way after finals are all over and done with. Finals start this Friday for me, and I am awfully scared, to be honest. With every single one of these classes, I had a group. Yes, EVERY SINGLE ONE! It's part of the Learning Model here at BYU-I. But the groups that I loved the most were my Book of Mormon and Science group. We met more often than for the other classes, so I got to know them a bit more. I love the members so much, and I hope to continue to be in contact with them after this semester.

I also got to take some trips this semester. Not as many as in past semesters, but a good amount. I went home for a weekend, went to Utah for a weekend, went to New Hampshire for a weekend... :D All of which were wonderful chances to get out of Rexburg and be around people I know and love.

All in all, this semester has turned out to be a great one. My classes were good, my roommates were great, I liked the new people I have met, and I now know that I shouldn't be as stressed about starting over. It's kinda refreshing, actually...

LOVES <3