Swept Off My Feet

 5 April - 11 April 2021

I went on a unicycle ride and ran into a friend while she was walking her dog. We got to talking about how we were coping with the last few weeks of the semester, and she put a name to how I was feeling: finish line paralysis. The end is so close that I want to think I am already finished and don't need to do anything else. But I do have important things to finish up before I graduate (*cough cough* final exams). Feeling so lost and unmotivated caused me to pray about my situation, and I was inspired to plan out my day--hour by hour. Then I focused on the one thing I had written down to do that hour and kept moving forward through the day, accomplishing a lot! I'm grateful that I learned the importance of planning from serving a mission. 

I also went this week to pick up a graduation gift from my college, and I got a diploma cover, cap and tassel, keychain, and a couple other things. Woot woot, graduation is getting real! I also met with the career advisement people to go over finding a job and to improve my resume. Adulting is so fun. Ha.

Friday afternoon, I walked over to the Hinckley building to attend my graduate party that the school put on. It wasn't anything huge, just a couple of booths and some raffles you could enter. They also had some food booths out back where you could get a Cougar Tail doughnut, chocolate milk, and BYU ice-cream. So all things I can't have. I ran into a couple of people I knew, but the highlight of my time there (and the highlight of my whole week) was when I took a picture with Cosmo. I was by myself, and I walked up when it was my turn for the picture and put my arm around him. Suddenly, he swept me off my feet and into his arms! It was so unexpected and the picture turned out so so cute! I spent the evening talking with Alyssa and Julia, my two friends I made in the ward that live in my apartment complex.

I spent the majority of Saturday working on homework. I finished writing my last essay as an undergraduate! Wow, it feels so surreal. When people find out that I'm graduating, they offer me their congratulations, and I tell them they should also offer their condolences, because it's a bitter-sweet experience. I won't get to be a BYU student much longer. It's time to move on to the real world.

Church was really good today. I went to church 10 minutes early and sat in the chapel, reading the scriptures, but mostly just pondering about my week and my shortcomings and how I wanted to do better. The testimonies filled my empty soul with light and energy. I took the opportunity to bear my witness of Heavenly Father's plan and love, and how it is okay to not be okay and to have hard days. We had a really good discussion in Relief Society, and something I learned was how being vulnerable allows us to be an example to other people. If they do not know our weaknesses or struggles, then they don't know what we have overcome or what we are doing despite our hardships. I think that is why I have been told that I am such a good example to others. I've always found power in being vulnerable and open because it allows other people to gain strength from my hard experiences. Today was the day that my roommates and I finally got a picture together! My friend Kathrine was in town this afternoon and we took a walk together around campus. It's amazing how quickly things change and evolve on campus! They are constantly working on renovating the campus, and it makes me wonder how different it will be by the time I take my kids back there in the future!

Much love,

Emily Burnham