The Game.

I'm back! I had the summer off where I spend most of my summer nights looking at the polluted sky, while gathering my thoughts to write some fresh new posts. Check it:

I don't know how it is at other schools, but playing "the game" is pretty common around here. No, I'm not talking about literal games like freeze tag or Monopoly. (Side note: Who even plays Monopoly anymore? Raise your hand if you do...oh interesting, I counted zero. The day you decide to play Monopoly for fun is the day you decide you have nothing left to live for.) I'm talking about the type of game where a man (or woman) messes with a woman's (or man's) mind. Mind games, if you will. Those dirty little words. They sicken me.

Maybe it's because we date a whole lot more than other schools. Maybe we don't...I don't know. But it's like our drug over here in Rexburg. A person can't just walk over to another person and say, "Hey, I'm into you." It's become this non-spoken rule that you just can't do that--but how we wish we all could! It would make things a whole lot easier.

Since we live in this modern, technical world, texting is used quite often to "get to know each other."  It drives me nuts. I can't show the emotion I want through a text! It's quite literally hell trying to get a message to sound perfect. And my roommate, Melissa, is quick to inform me how bad at flirting I am over text. So I usually end up just sounding like some sarcastic fool. Which has yet to work for me. I'm sure almost everyone, whether they go to this school or not, can relate to this. Virtual communication is crap.

Life is hard for a 21 year-old, single woman at BYU-Idaho. One who has nothing to offer but sarcasm and a really delicious chocolate chip cookie recipe (It really is quite heavenly). It's rough to watch happy couples skip around while I sweat over the wording of a text that is already doomed to fail. So this is my plea, not just to BYU-Idahoans, but to all: Stop it. "It" being the game. It's getting old, but mostly just annoying. Say what you mean!

Chastity Line

No, no. I'm not talking about a "Chastity Belt." We most certainly do not wear those. I repeat: do NOT.

So let me fill you in on the chastity line up here at BYU-I. Every apartment complex is pretty much set up the same: the kitchen and living room are in the front right when you walk in the door, and then there's a doorway you go through to get to all of the bedrooms and bathrooms. Let me help you out with an actual picture of my apartment. Check it:

On the left is the kitchen, and on the right is the living room. (Shout out to Nauvoo House Apartments!) See that doorway? There's a rule here that says no member of the opposite sex is allowed past that door. We call that, the "chastity line." And by "we," I mean the whole school. I'm sure even Kim B. Clark calls it that (Shout out to President Clark!). 

Are you freaking out cause the opposite sex can't go in our rooms?? It's a rough life. I'm kidding--It's pretty awesome. Let me just give you a few reasons why...

1. You don't have to worry about your room being clean for fear of someone important walking in. Like a potential significant other.

2. Say people of the opposite gender walk into your apartment and you're thinking, "Frick. Not the people I wanted to see, let alone socialize with." Just head to the back rooms and you're golden. No one foolish can bother you there. Unless it's a roommate, then you're on your own.

3. There is no need to worry about awkward run-ins. When I get out of the shower I know there will never be some random man standing there. When I am changing in my room I don't need to bolt my door because none of my roommates are men (Although side note, my roommate, Jill, did look like a transvestite the other night when she dressed up like a grandma. More on that later).

4. You would never walk in on anything, well...questionable. Nor would you ever wake up in the middle of the night to anything...uncomfortable. 

I think you'll agree that those are valid points. Still intrigued? Do a trial run. 

In the words of Lady Gaga, "Just Dance."

I bet you're wondering how we party it up here in the Burg. What is it that we do over here? Play checkers? Bust out pioneer games (only my roommate, Jill, does that)? Gossip while we clean our laundry on washboards? Watch Harry Potter Marathons all day? Well ok, that last one is pretty awesome. Anyone who doesn't think so lives a sad life.

 I have two words for you, my friend: dance parties. We love em. Oh, you thought we didn't dance? Of course we do, this isn't Footloose. You're probs wondering how we break it down, since apparently the cool way these days is to not dance and just grind up on each other. Here's how we do: a large group of cool people (most of them Mormon, well ok pretty much all of them) get together, put on some bumpin music, and dance Chris Brown style allll night long--and by that I mean until curfew.

When I say "dance", I mean that we actually dance. Like, bust some moves. Surprised? Don't be. We're really great partiers', just without all of the alcohol. It's a party 24-7 here in Rexburg, and you're invited.

Curfew at college??

Listen, just because we have a curfew at this school, it doesn't mean we don't have any fun. (Just for informative purposes, curfew is at 12 p.m. every night except friday night, when it is 1 p.m.) In fact, it's quite the opposite. Don't think that there are policemen rollin' around town putting kids in jail if they are out after curfew. Nor do people go to each apartment to check that everyone is there. No, we are big kids, and it's all on our honor. That means if we don't follow it, nothing happens. Nothing but guilt. Curfew is something I have really grown to love.

 Imagine this for just a minute: you live in Rexburg and there are people over at your apartment on one cool, week-day evening. These people aren't exactly your friends--they belong to that one roommate that you like the least. Don't worry about it though, that's a side note. It's late at night and you're in out in the front room with them. Why? Because it's your apartment and you can go wherever you want. One of the guests with whom you have absolutely no connection with is casually hitting on you. Someone else is screaming the national anthem because apparently she has a lot of American pride, which of course you appreciate, but still does not call for high-pitched screaming. The only time that kind of screaming is appropriate is when a predator is threatening to attack. Needless to say, there is no predator around. Although the person hitting on you is coming pretty close.    

There is also some guy snooping around in your kitchen, eating all of the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies you just baked. The nerve. The girl across the room is running her hands through her red hair and dropping the excess strands on the carpet you recently vacuumed. You are silently observing this disturbing scene and desperately wishing they would all go back to where they came from, but you can't be rude and kick them out. What to do? Lucky for you, you are currently going to the school, BYU-Idaho (the greatest school in the world), and there is a 12 o'clock curfew. And guess what time it is? It's 11:55 p.m.

"Oh dram, guys! I would love to have you stay longer, but it's almost twelve!" That, is the beauty of curfew. 

Classy

Modesty is a really important rule at this school. We have a few rules that a lot of people don't understand, including me. For example, why can't we wear shorts at all? I've no idea. But I do know that when I walk on campus, people always look nice and presentable. I don't know what your definition of "presentable" is, but we've got a strict definition of it here. As a professional university, shorts that are so short they show your natural skin color do not fall into that category. "But they're comfortable!" Please, let's not be silly. Those things couldn't possibly be comfortable.

 The nice thing about having to dress modestly is that people automatically have more respect for each other. That goes for girls and guys. It's quite refreshing to walk around and not see a guy's pants at his knees. In fact, no one should do that, I don't care what school you attend. The only person who can maybe do that is Eminem because he is a straight up gangster, I don't care how white he is. But listen, I'm not saying that every person here is saint-like, because that would be a lie. But I am saying that I never have to worry about some guy yelling inappropriate/uncomfortable cat calls while I'm nonchalantly walking to the library.

Another unique rule is that we not allowed to wear flip flops. "WHAATTT???" No need to freak out, it's really not that big of a deal. Especially since you would only want to wear flip flops about three months out of the entire year in Rexburg. It's not so much that we absolutely cannot wear any shoe without a back to it, we just can't wear our five year-old, white rubber flip flips from Old Navy that are now a dusty gray.

This is where looking professional comes in.

People dress nice here. I'd go as far to say that this is a classy establishment. This is just a little taste:

Biased? Maybe.

I'll just say it right now, BYU-Idaho is the greatest school in the world. If you don't believe me, then I invite you to click the "join this site" button and read up on all of this goodness. BYU is the only college I have ever attended, so I realize this constitutes a bit of a biased opinion, but regardless, I stand by my statement above. 

This is a very misunderstood school; most people don't exactly understand what goes on here. If you are under the impression that we all walk around with robes on while chanting verses of scripture, then you are terribly mistaken. Or if you are imagining there is some sort of cult going on here, that is also false. Let me tell you just a little bit. BYU-I is located in Rexburg, Idaho—greatest city in the world. I’m totally kidding. Just imagine a town where it’s extremely windy and the nicest restaurant is Applebee’s, and that’s Rexburg.

So here’s what’s up, if you have a question about the way things are done here, then ask. If you simply are just interested in reading about what goes on, then by all means, please do so.

For your pleasure, here are a few pictures of the beautiful school:

More of this goodness to come.