The College Years BYU-Idaho Part 1

The fall after high school I moved up to Rexburg, ID to the newly named BYU-Idaho!  Deciding on this particular school was easy considering they were dangling a full tuition scholarship in front of my nose.... YES please!  That and the fact that most credits transferred to BYU so things would be easier down the road.  

I left my home of 7 siblings for an apartment with only one person I knew pretty vaguely (we had been in a high school play together before she moved).  She wasn't even the person I found the apartment through.  A friend's step-daughter was also attending BYU-Idaho and she let me know about their apartment.  REALLY, Heavenly Father answers prayers because I LOVE LOVE LOVE these girls and we had the best times.  I seriously NEVER remember any moments of difficulty with these roommates.  I think if we were judged on our room mate living abilities (with each other) alone, we would have all been translated.  Oh, I miss these girls.  I'm teary eyed just remembering and missing.

So when you move out of the house for the first time, there is a learning curve that happens.  It can be a pretty steep one for some.  I was lucky that my learning curve was fairly steady since my parents helped out with housing and groceries, etc.  However, just to give you an example of one part of my learning curve I'll make a comparison of what happened at the beginning of each year when my parents took me for my first grocery trip.

Year one:  
I tentatively walked through the local market thinking that my parents are going to be leaving me alone, 4 1/2 hours away from home, with no car and thus no means of escape (if I need it).  My nerves are racked that I can hardly register what my mom is asking.  "oh, no, I don't need flour right now, Mom, but thanks." It's an automatic response and it seemed like a good one.  I didn't think I was going to be needing flour anytime soon. It went like that through out the whole store.  I seriously am now wishing I'd kept the receipt just so I could see how little was bought.  I seriously remember my room mate being very kind and taking me grocery shopping again later that week.

Year two:
List in one hand and my parents flanking me, we walk boldly down the aisles.  Flour- check, sugar-check, milk-check, yogurt, fruit, frozen veggies, chocolate milk mix, meat, salt, peanut butter, jelly, bread- all check, garbage bags, dish detergent, house cleaner, shampoo, conditioner, hair gel. 
Oh, I was efficient, and I was prepared.  We all had a good laugh at the difference between the two scenarios and how much more grown I'd become.  

I still had a lot of homesickness at first.  That is why the answer to my prayer for great room mates meant so much.  Home sickness can be tempered by the opportunity to be around some of the most amazing people I've ever had the pleasure to know.