Happy Day

This has been a wonderful 24 hours, my friends.

Last night, my sister and I went and spent the evening at our cousins' (newly married cousin + husband), which was so fun. I love spending time with my family! We're all so alike, it's great.

I had an appointment with a counselor today, and while I'm getting kind of tired of all the meetings with counselors and such, the (male) receptionist was pretty good looking!

I had lunch with Jenae, my former roommate of two years, which was so much fun. I love catching up with her, and it's nice to have a friend these days.

I did pretty well on my ASL practical today (I think), and it was way nice to be able to come home early. Our home teachers came today and so they taught us in the fort that's currently in our living room. Funny story - one of them is an Anatomy TA, so he gave me a bunch of stuff to help with anatomy this week. What are the chances of that? So crazy. I guess I know where to go if I need help, especially since it's his priesthood duty :)

Anyway, I'm just in such a great mood, I thought I'd share!

Blue skies

Bodies

"The Cadaver Lab"
Those three words were enough to instill fear in my heart the past few years. I always thought I'd avoid those rooms, since none of my majors of choice had anything to do with Anatomy.
I should have known better.
This past Thursday, I saw a cadaver for the first time. More than one actually, up close and personal.
First off, the smell was awful. Not quite as bad as formaldehyde, but close. My groups studied the muscles of the arm first, so on our table were two disembodied arms. One guy kept saying they were making him hungry because they looked like steak (his words, not mine). Food was the farthest thing from my mind...although I thought they looked more like pulled pork.
The thing is, thinking of those arms as pieces of meat instead of arms that were once a part of a living, breathing human being was really the only way to deal with it. When we got to the cadavers themselves, I tried to keep that mindset. It felt so disrespectful, but I'm pretty sure vomiting would have been worse. Just the knowledge that these people had been alive and kicking just a few years ago, even while I've been a student here.
On a less morbid thought, it is pretty cool that we have a cadaver lab here. Apparently, most undergraduate programs and even some medical schools don't have a cadaver lab - and ours is the biggest undergraduate lab in the country.
I'm still not convinced I totally need this entire course for my major though...

School Days

School has been in session almost two weeks now. It's certainly been an adjustment, considering what kind of student I was before I left. I'm not entirely sure taking anatomy my first semester back was the best idea in the world, considering just how much dedication is required with that class. I know I can do it, it's just kind of difficult to memorize the MANY different holes, pieces, and surfaces of the skull in a week - especially when there's a three-day weekend with a wedding in the middle.
Anyway, life's good. Things aren't particularly eventful in my neck of the woods, but I figured I'd give an update anyway.
Blue skies

Winter

After trying to decide on a major for my first two years of school, I left thinking it would end up being something I have to settle on - liking it a decent amount, but never really happy about it, let alone excited. Then I changed my major to Communication Disorders, start the semester, and wow! I know this is only the second week of the semester, but I just love the classes. It's all so interesting and talking about the career opportunities really makes me excited for the future I can have with this degree. Yes, I really have to go to grad school, but that's ok. It's not like I have any plans to do anything else right now - I really just have to get my grades up.

Anatomy is going to be alright, though I'm NOT excited to work with the cadavers. Honestly, I've never seen a dead person before so...yay...

Sign Language is fun, but I doubt I'll really remember a whole lot once it's done. I pick it up alright, though it makes me long for German again - where I can actually talk! I'm really glad I'm not deaf or mute.

In other news, there is no snow. There have been a few flurries, but nothing of substance. I'm starting to miss all of the snow in Colorado! My roommates are nice and fairly normal if a bit on the LOUD side. Holy guacamole they're loud. I really like the apartment though, especially having only three roommates. Seems more homey that way.

Tomorrow, Emily and I are driving down to St. George/Las Vegas for my cousin's wedding. It's weird that my cousin (who is two years younger than I am) is getting married, though not entirely surprising. I think that sort of thing kind of runs in the family - her mom got married at 19 as well.

Anyway, good sailing and blue skies!

It's the End of the World as We Know it

Random observation -- Most of the people at the Wilk At 9:30 on the day before school starts are either male or asian (or both). I think this says something about returned missionaries and the penchant of non-RM students (who are mostly female) to sleep in whenever they possiblyt can (like my roommates).
Anyway.
It's 2012 - A year I always thought was so far away. Well, now it's here. I started it with driving out to Utah with my sister on New Year's day.
Discoveries from this trip: try not to be on I-70 when the sun is setting, since you're driving directly into the sun at that point. Maneuvering around semis while going 80 mph and with extremely low visibility is not exactly fun. Also, even though one might have the desire to find geocaches at certain rest stops, you must have service to load and find said geocaches.
Now I'm at BYU, a student again after over a year and a half at home. My roommates are alright, kinda loud and obnoxious as college girls tend to be. But they're nice, so it shouldn't be too bad living with them.
It's sad to leave and weird to be here, which is about all I can say to describe it.
Since it's the new year, I figured I'd make some resolutions. I thought of some the other night...but I can't really remember them at the moment.

• Eat healthy
• Act healthy
• Sleep healthy
• Do something I don't want to every day (although getting up in the morning typically qualifies)
• Get at least one Geocache a week
• Go on at least one hike every month
• Be friendly
• Act happy
• Save money
• Study
• Do ALL homework
• Raise my GPA by at least 1.0
• Get into BYU Singers
• Stay organized
• Use less computer
• Read non-textbooks at least half an hour a day
• Study scriptures at least half an hour a day
• Finish the BoM
• "be wise and diligent in [my] search for an eternal companion"
• Exercise on M/W mornings
• Go to school without any loans in the Fall

I'm sure there are plenty more goals I could come up with, but this will work for now. 

Happy New Year, good luck and God bless you.