Sorry it's been so long, life has been crazy. So it's the week before finals and I didn't know it was possible to have this much work in one week. You'd think the professors would time your assignments better but mine didn't. I have 2 papers, a portfolio, a book report, and a journal I have to finish on top of studying for finals. Man it's nuts. So last night we had our last Family Home Evening with my group before the semester ends and we get a new group, and we played this game called pennies. For those that don't know this game, everyone writes down a few dares and you put them in a bowl or hat, then everyone takes a turn to throw a penny into a jar, you keep going until there is only one person left  that hasn't gotten one in and they have to pick a dare and do it. Well, I was the first one to do a dare. So I pulled one out, eat a spoonful of salt. So I did and I shouldn't have. I felt so sick even after drinking what seemed like a gallon of water. But we had fun :) haha!
So I went to my aunts house in Utah for Thanksgiving and I had so much fun! I really needed a break and getting to hang with my cousins was just what I needed. Then when I got back to Rexburg last week reality hit me so hard. All the homework started piling on, and then Wednesday, Thursday and Friday we had 6:30pm-10:30 or 11pm practices for our big performance in Christmas in the I-center. But all the rehearsing was worth it. It was such an incredible experience performing for thousands and spreading the Christmas spirit. Plus we had a guest performer, Nathan Pacheco and he was amazing! I can't wait to participate in it next winter :)
Well, hopefully I'll be able to find some time to blog again this week. If not, check to see if my homework killed me ;) haha. Only a week and a half till I get to fly home to FL with the nice warm weather :)

This last weekend was AMAZING! I spent the entire weekend hanging out and spending time with my sister :) I showed her around campus, had lunch at the cross roads, walked through and took pics in the Ricks Gardens, and created some awesome memories. My favorite part was just the time we spent talking and hanging out. I can't believe I'm actually in college! I think I'm liking it more and more everyday :) It's such a new and different experience and for those that are on the fence about going to college, do it. Yeah it may be scary and out of your comfort zone, but you will grow so much as a human being. I feel so free and it's really cool to make every decision for myself. Not all the decisions I have to make are fun, but it makes me feel independent and in control of my own life. Just remember to keep in touch with your family. They love you and want to be involved in your life :) I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such a strong support system, and to have a family that wants and loves me. I'm really excited because my roommate and I are volunteering at a Holiday Festival here on campus for the community! We get to help run booths and I get to play with little kids! I didn't realize how much I'd miss being around kids, but student wards are awesome! (I'm LDS btw) :) I hope you have a FANTASTIC weekend! We are suppose to have the first real snow this whole weekend. Wish me luck. Crossing my fingers that I don't slip and die. haha! :)

So this week has been crazy!! I had to write a 6-8 page synthesis essay and let me just say I hate writing papers. But last night I had a rehearsal for this concert I'm in tonight, it started at 7pm and was suppose to end at 9:45pm, but we didn't get out till 10:40pm. It felt like the never ending rehearsal. And because I had this rehearsal I missed my ward relief society activity where they made carmel apples and watched Enchanted. I was so sad that I couldn't go, and then when I got home from my long rehearsal I found out my AMAZING roommate had made me a carmel apple and brought it back for me :) Totally made my day :) It's those tender mercies all around us that help us get through the hard times and give us a little lift when things get though. I've experienced many tender mercies through my life for my family and for myself, and I try to return those. I challenge you to look for something you could do for someone else today. However small it may be, you can help someone else who may need it, and you can help make this world a better place, one small act at a time :)
P.S. MY TWIN SISTER IS COMING TO VISIT THIS WEEKED!!!!

So I spent my Halloween writing half of my 6-8 page paper because my teacher told us this last Wednesday that half of it was due Friday. Not cool. But now I have writers block and I can't seem to finish it. Just what I need on a giant paper. School is so chaotic sometimes, and I've learned that I just have to take it as it comes, day by day, assignment by assignment. College can be overwhelming and seem scary, and it is, but you learn as you go. No one expects you to be able to just go out and do everything on your own without help. Well, maybe some do, but they are crazy. We are here on this eArth to learn and grow as individuals and to make mistakes and learn from them as well. We are all human and we all have weaknesses to over come. We can do this! (as Rosie the Riveter would say :) ) When I look at what I have gone through so far in my life, I feel like I've been blessed so much! Yeah I've had hard times with my dad's health, or braking my ankle as I'm starting college, but it could have been so much worse. I could have been worse off and things could have been harder. Compared to others, I've had it pretty easy and I'm so grateful for that. I know I have a lot more challenges up ahead and a lot more trials to go through, and I'm SO grateful that I have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life and to know that he hears me and is there for me, cheering me on. I know without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ lives, and that he died on the cross for me, and all of us. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true and complete gospel upon this Earth. I know that I am a daughter of God and that he wants me to return to live with him. I know I God has a plan and that I have a purpose from being here at this time. I just have to find out what it is he wants me to do. Just remember that God won't test you with more than you can handle. It may feel like you can't but he knows you can and that's all apart of the test. I hope you have a fantastic Sunday!

This week needs to go faster. That meme that says something like, I'm sorry Monday I'm leaving you because I'm dreaming about Friday and longing for Saturday. I think it should apply to not just Monday but Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. But anyways, enough complaining, it's actually been a pretty good week so far. So the Halloween party was AWESOME and I had a blast! My roommate Sam and I were the only ones from my apartment to go, so we went with our FHE sisters (Family Home Evening group that includes 2 girl apartments and 1 guys apartment and we do activities and a lesson every Monday night). We showed up fashionably late and just in time for all the line dances! We danced almost the entire time, except to get our picture taken and to get something to eat and drink. But we were busting some crazy moves! It was so much fun to just relax and have fun for a night. We stayed till they were literally packing up the DJ's equipment haha! Then we rocked out to more music on the way back to the apartment. See, you can balance fun and school. You just have to learn how to time manage really well. As I'm getting to know people better and hang out with them I'm liking college more. I still don't know if I love it, but I'm liking it more. And let me just add that all the partying here is totally clean. I refuse to even be around inappropriate behavior or language. That's why I love BYU-Idaho, everyone has to live my the Honor Code and uphold standards. It makes learning and studying so much easier in a clean environment.

So I made it through the weekend! Lets just hope I did well on all my crazy assignments haha! I'm really excited for this week :) I have my Student single ward halloween party tonight, a friends halloween party tomorrow night (Tuesday), my first choir concert Wednesday, Halloween Thursday and I'm donating blood too, and then it's Friday!!!! Busy week but I'm excited :) It's starting to really cool off and its forecasted to rain/snow Wednesday, and next week our highs are in the high 30's. brrrrrr!!! Luckily this Florida girl has a good coat, gloves, and boots for when the first real snow hits. For now I'm just enjoying the fall weather for as long as it will last. I can't believe that the semester is already half way over! It definitely doesn't feel like I've been her for a month and a half. Crazy! I think I'm liking college more. I'm getting to know people better and making some friends. I think that has been the hardest thing besides just moving across the U.S., is making friends in a whole new city. I'm so glad I have my ward and roommates :) Now I just need to figure out what I want to major in...... and that's where I'm stuck. I'm already planning classes for next semester and I'm like "This one is only half way through!" Mind blown again. I've noticed that since being out here, my mind has been blown way more often haha. So I'm writing this synthesis (research) paper in my English class and I might not survive this one. (Have I mentioned how much I strongly dislike writing). Plus she still hasn't graded our first paper! I'm glad I'm not taking english next semester. It's like we are always writing something for that class, and yeah I know it's an english class and all, but can I have a week off??? No such luck. Life is actually pretty good right now :) My ankle is slowly healing and I haven't worn my brace for 4 days! Yeah! It still gets sore but not as bad as the first week :) I'm just really grateful the snow and ice have held off! Live, laugh, and love :)

I hate when professors just pile on the HW and work load, and it's even worse when they do it the same week. It makes college life so hectic and chaotic. I just need to get through this week and weekend and then I can relax a bit. But isn't the weekend when we are suppose to relax and take a break? Not this girl. It's not like High school at all, where you get your HW done in an hour and then you have the rest of your day or the entire weekend. Your HW takes up your entire weekend (Just an FYI for all you Seniors in High School this year). All those AP classes you took or are taking in High school are somewhat close to what a real college class is like. But you are still babied and kinda lead through the course. My freshman year of High school I took AP Human Geography and the work load for that was insane! Now I realize that was the class that most prepared me for college level classes. The work load is about the same, your stress levels are about the same, and you have to work your butt of just as much and maybe even a little more. But college life is awesome! For example, you have to balance work with fun, or you'll break down. So yesterday I went to a Hunted Mill up here in Rexburg, ID and it was freaking AWESOME! I had a blast! I went with one of my friends from my American Foundations (history) and University choir class and her roommates and these 2 guys. I only knew her, but we had SO much fun! We had to go up and down stairs, crawl through tiny crawl spaces, walk on fake ledges, walk across a swinging bridge, we got splashed with water, things popped out at us, things fell from the ceiling, we ran into walls and polls ( haha :) ), we practically ran through this one part because people were chasing us, and we made it out ALIVE! I would totally recommend it :)

Rexburg ID is starting to live up to its nickname the "iceberg" and it's only going to get worse.! This Florida girl doesn't like the cold :( I'm going to get to use my survival skills, and hopefully I'll adapt. haha. But I just have to look on the positive side :) Maybe I'll love the snow, and I've heard it's beautiful in the early morning. I just keep praying the snow holds out another week. Back from the weather tangent, college is a whole new experience for me. I'm not quite sure if I like it or not. There are a lot of cool and fun things about going off on your own, but I'm really close to my family so I miss them. Plus it can be hard to make friends. I think that has been one of the hardest things for me. Everyone seems to already have friends so its been difficult. You just have to remember to always smile and be friendly and to pray and have faith :) Oh, for those that don't know I broke my ankle 6 weeks before I came out here to BYUI and so I'm in the recovery phase. I do have to say that the first few weeks have been some of the hardest so far in my life. I defiantly don't recommend starting your college experience with a broken ankle. Not. Fun. At. All. I've had to learn to adjust and that’s hard for me. I had this whole picture planned out of how it was going to be, moving out and going to college. But you never know what Heavenly Father has in store for you. I honestly didn't know what to do except put my faith and trust in the lord. And even though it has been really rough and hard, I have seen Heavenly Father help me in so many ways and it has humbled me and strengthened my testimony. Sorry for the long post :) But always remember that he is there for you, he listens and he cares. Let him know your thoughts and feelings. Tell him about your struggles and trials. Ask for help and guidance and if you do sincerely, I promise he will help you. Even if it's in the smallest way, he will. 

College is a whole new ball game. I feel like so many young adults go into college and go through the transition with little guidance on what it is really like (that's me). But the problem I see is that it doesn't matter how many people you get their opinions about how it was for them because it is different for everyone. I don't think anyone could have prepared me for all the emotions, and changes that happen when you start college. Hopefully I can give some insight on how to survive college (if I survive :) ) haha! Feel free to comment with any questions or concerns :) I want to give people my experience so they can learn from what I went through and prepare themselves or just take a different perspective :) Let's hope for the best and always look to the future.

Can I just say that life is a never ending adventure. You never know what will come your way. Today I went to a Jenny Oaks Baker (world renowned violinist) concert and it was absolutely incredible! Music is so strong and can effect every aspect of your life. Music is such a huge part of my life that I can't live without :) I can't even count how many times music has helped me through tough times or just lifted my spirit. I love to sing, and I love helping someone through my music, through the message I share. It makes my day when I can lift others :) Let me finish with this thought: How can we make someones day a little better? How can we serve our fellow men? How can YOU make a difference?

Hi! My name is Anna and I'm a college freshman attending Brigham Young University-Idaho :) I had to start a blog for one of my classes and I really liked it, so I've decided to create a blog besides the one just for my class. My purpose in writing this blog is to share my experiences and what I learn from them throughout the next few years. I also plan on just sharing my thoughts and things that happen. I really hope I can help someone out there and affect other lives for good :) Feel free to comment :) I hope you enjoy it!