surprises

Coming back to BYU was supposed to be predictable. I mean, I have been here for over 3 years, so nothing should throw me off at this point, right? Well, I recently discovered lots of little reasons why Provo still has the power to surprise me.

1. Lifting your huge and very old school t.v. with your roommate up the stairs isn't as easy as it looks. (It made me want to go get that poster that says "We can do it!" You know, the one where that woman is flexing her big biceps? Yeah... hmmm. Maybe I should stop lifting heavy things...)
2. Textbook prices are brutal. Well, some things never change. However, feisty cashier ladies at the BYU Bookstore make buying books a slightly more pleasant experience. Who would have thought you could leave the 3rd floor smiling?
3. When the pilot light refuses to work in the water heater, cold showers are REALLY cold. And don't even think about boiling pots of water on the stove for a bath at midnight. You'll give up on a full bath after about 20 minutes and 2 inches of water later.
4. The second day of school is the perfect time to go for a walk in Provo Canyon (after classes, of course). Everyone thinks they have to stay on campus all day and study for some odd reason. Trust me: the library will still be there even if you leave it alone the first few days. I promise.
5. Going to a BYU singles ward is almost always a surprise. It makes me cringe a little bit when the entire first day focuses on marriage...but luckily, this year I got to listen to an amazing variety of talks. It restored my faith in the fact that sometimes a new year can be nothing what I expected...in a good way. :)