‘Just’ BYU?

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While visiting home for a weekend, I ran into a friend I had not spoken with since high school. I remember telling her I was “just” going to school and felt embarrassed that I was not engaged, married with five kids, serving a mission or interning with NASA.

“Just” going to school? When I was first accepted to BYU I was excited and proud. Gaining acceptance into such a competitive university was a major accomplishment — or so I thought. Now that I have attended for three years, it seems like somehow I have failed society’s expectations on everything I should have accomplished by now. On top of the competitive atmosphere in our classes, it seems that we have so many additional pressures thrown in.

As we come to the end of another semester, I wish we could stop focusing on what we have not yet completed and realize how lucky we are. An article in The Universe last week talked about the record number of applications BYU had to reject this semester. We are so lucky to be receiving an amazing education at such a unique university when so many others are not given that chance!

I am not saying that marriage, missions and all the other options available to us right now are not important. I just wish we could stop rushing through our lives and recognize everything that we have and are accomplishing!

Emilie Henrie
Grand Junction, Colo.

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