An Official BYU Graduate!

One of the BYU signs as you enter campus says, "The World is our Campus."

However, the campus, since Sept. 2005, was my world.

I can still remember my first real day of school.

I was on crutches, because I had broken my foot 2 nights before.

Don't hike in flip flops...bad things happen.

(not that I know from experience...)

Krista's dear college roommate, Katie, picked me up at the Deseret Tower dorms so I did not have to crutch my way to campus. (She did that the entire time I was on crutches, bless her heart.)

My very first class was Family Life 100 at 9am. I was taking it for a GE credit.

It was all about Strengthening Marriage and Family and gave us an in depth look on The Family: A Proclamation to the World.

I remember starting the class with a prayer, having an amazing discussion, and leaving (crutching) feeling invigorated and alive inside.

I'm pretty sure I smiled all the way to my next class with excitement.

From then on I knew I was going to love BYU.

And that I did. With all my heart.

Every year at BYU offered its different challenges, triumphs, milestones, and trials.

Different roommates, apartments, wards, boyfriends, road trips, professors, and classes.

But each year brought with it something I needed to learn.

Something I needed to grow.

Something I needed to become a better person to myself and to those around me.

Not very many campuses offer prayers before every class.

Not very many schools leave a student speechless after class because the discussion was so inspiring (whether it was New Testament or Biology).

Not very many universities have their graduates feeling closer to the Savior because of their education.

BYU does all of the above...and some.

I learned a lot during my BYU Graduation weekend about what it means to be a BYU graduate.

The completion of the Bachelor's degree does not mean my work is over.

The harder exams are yet to come.

There comes a high expectation when entering the world as a BYU grad.

I am excited and ready to take on the challenge.

As exciting as it was to march into the Marriott Center during Commencement and walk across the stage at Convocation, there was a slight sadness in my mind.

Is my BYU life seriously over?

I know I can't stay a student forever, but before graduating was always in the future.

But there it was...right before me...the future was now.

I remember my guidance counselor in high school, Ms. Crimmons, telling me that college would be the time where I would gain the most life pertinent knowledge and make the friends I would actually stay in touch with as life marches on.

She was right.

And when I sat down, after they said KayLie instead of KayCie, I thought to myself, "WOW."

BYU has provided the best education, both secular & spiritual, and provided lifelong friends.

The motto of BYU is "Enter to learn, Go forth to serve."

So here I go.

I have entered.

I have learned.

Oh how I have learned.

And now it's my responsibility to go out into the world and serve my fellow men.

I have been given so much and am so fortunate that I was able to attend this amazing school and now it is my responsibility to give back.

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Brigham Young University?