interesting thoughts – bullet point style

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I need to:

  • be less full of myself
  • give less advice
  • believe that I am someone worth dating
  • figure out how to be confident, but not obnoxious
  • be humble, but not self-deprecating
  • keep my first impressions to myself
  • always be kind
  • think before I speak
  • not have to be the leader of everything
  • believe that others (even those I would deem less intelligent than I) might know more than I do
  • create a budget
  • have more faith
  • pray to get married…okay, maybe just to date for now
  • believe I can lose weight
  • read more
  • eat less
  • let others lead me
  • take less advice, when it’s not wanted
  • keep the Sabbath better
  • work harder
  • procrastinate less
  • prioritize better

Now the question is, how do I change those behaviors? What goals do I set for myself? I just don’t know. Something to think about.

my new peeps

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Over the course of the last two+ weeks I’ve had the opportunity to meet a lot of new people. I mean a lot. And it has been quite an awesome (in the literal sense of the word) experience. I’ve been on a rafting trip, traveling for hours in van, riding the rapids, putting out a fire, and playing multiple rounds of mafia with my new classmates, faculty, recruiters, and “seniors” (i.e. second years). I’ve been through orientation, which included a leadership reaction course, a paper airplane competition, mock interviews, and a resume workshop. And now, I’ve been to Moab on a Hummer “safari” and a float down the Colorado.

It has been absolutely crazy; hours in vans, on the water, in lectures and workshops. But it has also been absolutely incredible. I have learned, once again, about how incorrect first impressions can be. I have learned, once again, that there is always more than meets the eye. And I have learned, once again, about my capacity to love people.

I know sometimes I come across a bit of a, well, I’m trying not swear. Let’s see. Another word? A bit of a brat. But really, I’m not. I really do love people. And yes, sometimes I have been a bit judgmental and, thankfully, I’ve kept those thoughts to myself, knowing that first impressions are often wrong, especially in high stress situations. And I hope that others are doing the same for me.

I’ve also loved really focusing outward. I decided that this experience with these new people was not going to be like my undergrad, where I constantly worried about how people were judging me and what they were thinking about me. Instead, I have really, really tried (unsuccessfully at times) to focus on making this experience good for everyone around me, rather than worrying about me. And other than the fact that I am constantly overwhelmed by just how incredible these people are, I know I am so much happier than had I been worried about my own happiness. Counterintuitive, but totally true.

It is quite remarkable how people become something entirely different when you are genuinely interested in them and are willing to take the time to get to know them and you aren’t worried about what they think of you.

I have loved watching my new classmates change, in my eyes, over the past two weeks. I just can’t believe that I get to associate with these people for the next two years. It’s so incredible…and intimidating. It’s going to be an incredible experience. I can already tell I’m going to be sad when it ends, so I am going to everything I can go make sure that I have no regrets.

And just in case anyone is wondering, I still love my old peeps…even though they left me for the wrong east coast, including Chicago, even though it’s really in the mid-west.

today was fun

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Today was our first day of career training and I must admit, I was a bit nervous. I don’t love “mock” anything so I was a little concerned.

It started with a presentation by Career Services and then we had breakout sessions. I went to the marketing one for CPGs and it just didn’t feel right. The people didn’t feel right. The jobs didn’t feel right. I love people and what motivates them, but I don’t love using that information to market products to them, I don’t love the idea of getting someone emotionally attached to a name brand when the private label is the exact same product.

And here’s the gospel perspective…OB/HR will allow me to learn skills that I can use throughout my life, whether I work for the rest of it, or only for a few years. It’s something I really am passionate about. And then there are the people. I just fit with them. Being in the marketing meeting felt a bit like trying to fit in with the “cool kids” in high school. Miserable.

Okay, it wasn’t that bad, but I just didn’t fit.

And then today, when we were working on our elevator speeches, I realized that all of my experience and what I want to do is work with people and help facilitate organizations to better work with their people. Yada yada. I’m pretty sure I know what I want to do (or have an idea), just figuring out how to sell that…that will be the hard part.

Oh, and figuring out how to sell myself.

Which brings me back to elevator speeches. So there were five of us and a “sherpa” (second year) at each table. We worked with each other to figure out our interests, strengths, experiences, passions, and then we got to writing the speeches. After we were done, Frances Hume (the facilitator) asked each sherpa to have someone from his or her table ready to share their speech.

Well, normally I don’t really like people to read my stuff in front of me. It’s my whole fear of auditioning. But I decided to just get over it. Mine was the third one he read (his name’s Jason something) and it was the first one he flat out complimented. I was very happy and flattered, and then I blushed…I hate that about myself. And then Nathan Child (who I don’t know if I have a crush on or not, but who is definitely around me a lot) pointed out that I was blushing. I like being good at things, but I don’t like being recognized for it. Yes…it’s weird.

Anyway, Cody’s was really good, as well, but in the end they selected me to read mine. Not every table had someone share (too many tables) and I tried to get out of it, but then I just sat there and went along for the ride. But rather than just waiting to see, my sherpa went ahead and volunteered me.

And guess what? I was nervous, but it was really fun. I tried to deliver it with some kind of personality (those poor finance guys are so dry…especially when reading) and it went really well.
So, the bottom line? I love school and I’m going to love OB/HR stuff. Marketing is still very, very interesting, but it’s not something for me to do, it’s something for me to read about, facilitate, etc.

It’s a good day. And to think, if I hadn’t come to BYU and decided to attend the OB/HR rafting trip, none of this might have happened. I’d be marketing in Nashville. Selling my soul. It would be a sad, sad, sad day.

making new memories

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So, my freshman year of college was full of music, marked mainly by Shawn Colvin and Alanis Morissette. Jen and I listened to Head Over Feet for days on end. Another favorite was Shawn Colvin’s Round of Blues.

In honor of another freshman year of sorts (hopefully one with fewer tragedies and much better grades), here’s a new song from Alanis. I’m kind of in love with it.

Thankfully, this song has zero association with any boys (just like Head Over Feet my freshman year), so I will never have to hate it.