The Reluctant Graduate

Yeah, that's me. 
The reluctant graduate.

 As as much as I'd like to say that I'm so excited that I finished my undergraduate degree with a double major in History and German, I'm not too fond of endings. 
Especially endings of things I love.

 Let's take the present example.
I'm one of those people who flourished in the regular school system. 
Classrooms were my favorite places.
I liked group discussions. I loved lectures. I was happy writing papers. I even appreciated a good test. 
My German and history classes taught me loads about broadening my perspective, thinking analytically, and finding depth and beauty in both the past and other cultures.
My undergrad was an excellent breeding ground for learning.


Like when I went to Italy and learned how to hold a pigeon. But that was just a small lesson.
In addition to the actual schooling, I was blessed with the best student jobs I could have asked for--ones that gave me superb mentors, priceless experience, good pay, and hours of happiness.
1. I was a peer mentor for three semesters and loved meeting with freshmen and helping them tackle the challenges that came with adjusting to college. I gained many friends and mentors and learned so much about developing a growth mindset and embracing vulnerability.
2. I worked as a history research assistant for almost two years with one of the best professors I had during my college days. I became well acquainted with my main man Martin Luther as I helped this professor work on a Luther biography. 
3. I taught German 101 and 102 classes for five semesters at BYU. This was by far the best thing that happened to me at college. Every semester I fell in love with my students and even more in love with the German language and culture. I may or may not have shed some tears on my last day of teaching (meaning I definitely did) and I walked out of my classroom thinking, "I don't know if I'll ever love someone as much as I have loved teaching here." It really has meant the world to me.



 And then aside from the magical schooling and work opportunities, there are the wonderful people. Some of which I get to keep for a while longer. Hopefully some forever.



My freshman year was full of shenanigans only excusable if you consider we only averaged five hours of sleep a night. I figured out how to be crazy and how to be happy thanks to dear roommates and a good group of friends at Wyview.

I forgot how to be as crazy and as happy over the next few years (granted 18 months of that time included a mission sojourn to Germany), but was nevertheless blessed with more great roommates who helped me through scores of existential crises as I pondered decisions regarding schooling, work, travel, and boys (naturally). 
I remembered how to be crazy and happy this past spring and learned how to be crazy happy as well when I moved into the German house in BYU's Foreign Language Housing. 
I found my people here. I felt wanted, needed, and a part of something more than just me and my studies.













When I think about my time at BYU, I think of the thousands of miles I ran over hundreds of mornings.
I think of leaving potatoes, poems, cups of grease, and waffles on peoples' doorsteps.

I think of tin-foiled wrapped carrots, sticks dipped in glitter, and other strange things I thought were acceptable gifts to give to people.
I think of the various
hair colors I went through too,
including pink, blonde, brown,
and red.
I think of my great professors and outstanding classes and poning tests.

I think of hating physical science and not poning tests.
I think of playing volleyball and tennis and dancing. 
I think of late nights full of perfect moments with friends. 
I think of early mornings where I couldn't actually remember where I was.
I think of my beloved German students--their love for Kahoot quizzes, Angela Merkel (#brainwashing), and German.
I think of going through huge books in the basement of the library, researching people and events from a different time and place.
I think of running across Europe with my wonderful study abroad friends.
I think of improving my German and learning French and crying when both of them seemed too hard.

I think of Cafe Rio, movie nights, kind bishops, international films, theatre productions, third-wheeling, second-wheeling, loving, hurting, breaking, healing, learning, growing. 
I think of my favorite days. 

 I'm a reluctant graduate. 

 So thank goodness I'm not done with Provo and thank goodness I'm not done with schooling. 
Here's where that's at:

 I got a part-time job teaching German at a charter school in Orem for this upcoming winter. Still looking for some other part-time employment that won't suck my soul away. 
I'm finishing up applications for graduate programs to continue that adventure of school in August. I'm applying for German Studies programs at the University of California in Irvine, Georgetown in DC, Indiana University in Bloomington, Yale in New Haven, and Colorado University in Boulder. And then the Second Language Teaching Acquisition program at BYU.

 At any rate, I'm not done being educated. Because there's still much to learn and do. 
Here's to my favorite days of the past and favorite days of the future. 
Cheers. 

 #studentforlife




Comments

  1. DokoMadeMoDecember 18, 2016 at 11:08 PM

    Claire--you are such an amazing writer!! I'm so glad you "stuck around" at the FLSR this last semester even though, as many people would often point out, you didn't even "go there," because otherwise I probably never would have met you, nor would have found out that you were Logan's sister. Just a few random questions: When was it that you lived in Wyview? I ask because I lived there the whole time I was an undergraduate from January 2010 to April 2014, so I was just curious if we were there at the same time. Also, was German your primary major, or did you do the German Studies double major like I did? Anyways, best of luck in the future with German and everything else! :)

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    Replies
    1. ClaireDecember 19, 2016 at 4:09 PM

      Thank you! I'm glad I could stay too:) I live in Wyview from Fall 2011-Winter 2012, so we would have been there at the same time, though in different parts it seemed. And I did the German Studies double major added on to my history major!

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