What I Found at the Library

Gotta love the Harold B. Lee Library

IACURH 2010

Last weekend, I went to Montana for the IACURH conference. Now what's IACURH? Intermountain Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls. In English, IACURH is the regional body of all RHAs in the Mountain region: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. So the IACURH conference was a weekend where RHAs shared ideas with each other, therefore creating stronger residential communities.


One of the things we do at IACURH is attend programs where we learn about activities and skills we can take back to our campuses. Some of the programs were really fun. For example, one program I went to was about an activity that ASU-polytechnic put on called Humans vs. Zombies. Basically, the game starts out as everyone is a human except for a mysterious person. That person begins to turn people into zombies by tagging them. Then it basically becomes a huge game of tag. Even better, to fight the zombies, the humans can shoot them with nerf guns. It is totally epic. I totally want to do it at BYU. I also went to a program about having an air guitar competition. There was also one about first impressions. Supposedly, I look very liberal and I also look like a vegetarian. But I was not judged as a virgin, a prude, or close-minded. And I even had a BYU shirt on. Maybe BYU’s stereotype isn’t that bad as I thought.

It was three days of staying up late, playing Walmart games, and meeting awesome people. Finally, Sunday arrived and it was time to go home. Who knew that returning home would be one of the best parts? We stopped in Idaho Falls for church. As we filed into the chapel, we discovered, with much glee, that today was the primary program. It was a fantastic treat. The kids were so darn cute! My friends and I were mouthing the primary songs with them, reminiscing our childhoods. Yet, at the same time, we were awed by the simple, yet profound doctrines expressed through these primary songs. It was definitely the best sacrament meeting I've had this semester, probably this year. 

After that, the whole crew went to Olive Garden for lunch. I ate SOO much!! I think I had the biggest food baby of the whole group. But it was so good, especially the breadsticks. Full and content, everyone went back to the vehicles and headed home. 

To finish my post, I want to quote one of the RAs who also went to IACURH, McKinley. 

“It’s so beautiful” does not have to be a mere description of what we may see out of a van window. It’s not just snow capped trees, or sandy beaches. It represents what this trip was for all of us. An interaction of a group of people with little in common aside from a desire to make someone’s life better. We were allowed to gain an insight into what God’s children are like in very different situations. That same group of God’s children will never again be at that same place. Nor will this same group be in the same van. The beauty is in the fact that it happened the perfect amount of times, once. Anything that we consider beautiful is rare. The number of times that the names McKinley, Chelsea, McKay, Brittnay, Aubree, Kelsey, Jason, Ben, Tyler, Kevin, Kara, Skyler, Sara, MaKena, Sarah, and Charly will be combined with the letters I, A, C, U, R, H is once. Luckily for us, lessons that are rare and beautiful don’t sink or fade but form our most vivid recollections, and so this trip will remain in memory for each of us lucky enough to experience it. 

Well said, Mckinley. Well said.

Halloween at Hogwarts

Most people celebrate Halloween by trick-or-treating or going to parties. My roomies and I celebrated Halloween by going to Hogwarts. Yes, we went to Hogwarts. Funny thing is, Hogwarts wasn't very far away, just an hour and a half ride to Ogden. After we traveled up a mountain, followed a twisty road, and navigated through the forest of vehicles, we found Hogwarts.

As we entered, we were greeted by the Weasley twins who warned us about the mean old hag in the painting. Shortly after, we met her. It was not a pleasant experience. Then, Snape approached us quizzing us about potions. We passed and were finally able to enjoy the festivities at Hogwarts. My roomies and I played some quittich (it was actually a zip-line with people throwing foam balls at us). Then we sampled some butter beer. Professor Lupin (who actually was Chrissy's brother) taught us how to fight a Bogart.

Then we waited in a long line to get our fortunes told. I had my palm read. My fortune was interesting. But as we left the hippie bus, we were dragged into the Forbidden Forest where we came face to face with Voldemort.

Voldemort scared us so much, my roomies and I decided we needed to head out of Hogwarts as quick as possible. We hurried back to my car and drove into the night, ending our Hogwarts Halloween.

Halloween!

For Halloween, RHA put on a Halloween Carnival with henna, popcorn, carnival games, and a magician. Here are some pictures from the event.

I was a nerd for Halloween this year. Pretty
smashing I have to say. Like how my glasses
match my step-up shoes?

Some of my roomies, Karli, and I

Darth Pink Glasses, my galactic alter-ego

Beware my wrath!!!