How to Survive BYU-IDo

   Three weeks down, eleven to go! Is it bad that I'm already counting down to the end of the semester? Maybe a little, but if you had my schedule and the same exciting things that I have coming up, you'd be counting too!

   

   Don't get me wrong, I've really enjoyed my experience at BYU-I so far, even if I do occasionally pine for my sweet SOVA. Sometimes I miss recognizing pretty much everyone on campus, eating with about half the school in the dining hall, and hanging out with some fantastic professors.

But I love meeting new people all day long (even if we always have the exact. same. conversation.), I love having air conditioning and not-noisy heating, I love the wide variety of things to do, I love having so many class options, I love having a kitchen, I love being in Idahome, and I actually really enjoy being so close to Blackfoot. And I love, love, love, love, LOVE being half a block away from the temple. I can see it out my bedroom window - you really can't get too much better than that!

   Now that I have been in Rexburg for a whole three weeks, I feel like I can share what I've learned so far. Every school/town has its secrets, shortcuts, and special places, and Rexburg is no different. Obviously, these are just a few; I'm sure I'll discover many more over the next three years. Some of these will also probably seem like no-brainers, but remember, my last school had a grand total of 600 other students. Actually, I decided to not add most of the actual if-you-were-planning-on-attending-BYUI-these-would-be-helpful tips and mostly just left the ones that I thought were funny or have a funny story behind them, because, you know, I am pretty hilarious.

1. Memorize your I-number. And carry your I-card with you always, even if it is the most horrendous photo in the history of photos.
2. Wear good shoes, and sunscreen if you're part of the blessed 2%. I honest-to-goodness got sunburned from walking around campus the first few days.
3. Engage in conversation with the people around you. That means those in class, in the library, at the Crossroads, at devotionals, on the sidewalk next to you; the list can go on and on.
4. Yes, the conversation you have with all of those previously mentioned people will all be exactly the same. So have an answer for the standard questions: name, where you're from, what you're studying, how long you've been here, mission, transfer school, why you're in Rexburg of all places, and classes/credits this semester.
5. Go to the weekly devotionals - they're spiritually uplifting and a great way to practice your basic conversation skills. And flirting skills, if you're sitting next to an attractive opposite gender individual.
6. It is perfectly okay to have been here a whole week and haven't been asked out. Just because this place is called BYU-IDo doesn't mean that dating is the only reason you're here.
7. The Wifi in the Benson building sucks. Badly. 
8. Become comfortable with ALL three floors of both wings of the library. I didn't even find the second floor of the east wing until this week. Which is like the most important part of the whole library. Use the resources given to you for free. Well actually, it's part of tuition, but there's no need to get technical.
9. The keyboards in the library are absolutely disgusting. Use hand sanitizer all. the. time. Everywhere. Before and after.
10. This is how you print something: log onto a library computer. Open your document. Click the print button. Choose which printer, usually Pharos 400. Go to the printer and log in. Swipe your I-card. Print the selected document. For some reason, this was really hard for me to figure out. But I got it eventually. Yay me.
11. If you don't have a car, use the ride board. Another way to meet new people and not add mileage to your non-existent car.
12. Stadium Singing. Sunday nights after 9 under the stadium. Go to it. But be late. It's very much worth it.
13. Find out where your professors' offices are. Even if they don't have set office hours, you never know when you'll need to go there when you also need to be somewhere else.
14. Explore downtown Rexburg. Maybe I just think this because I've lived in Blackfoot and Buena Vista, but downtown Rexburg is actually pretty legit. Lots of fun food places that are fairly cheap, student discounts with your I-card, a $3 theater, a sweet shop, $1 ice cream shop, an amazing craft store...
15. Never order a peppermint Italian Soda from Sammy's. Or anywhere else, for that matter. Who wants to drink carbonated mouth wash?
16. The good Taco bus can be found by the round-about. It's cheap. It's delicious. It doesn't matter if it came out of a bus.
17. The temple is at the South end of the campus. How cool is that?? Take advantage of all those blessings waiting for you up there!