Cocktail Waitresses

"It's like they're an entire generation of cocktail waitresses.  Hi, I'm Kimberly.   Hi, I'm Candice.  Don't they know that you're supposed to have a last name?"  -You've Got Mail

This quote came to me last night as I was in the shower.  I have decided to attend a private, religious university, yet I genuinely feel that I have only met cocktail waitresses this week.  We haven't quite managed to come up with our last names yet.

New student orientation is interesting.  I have a feeling that my new student orientation is extremely different than most student orientations anywhere else.  Very seldom are you going to have a comedy show revolving around scriptural references and college students dressed up like Nephites.

My week began with a leadership camp up in the mountains.  It was a lot of fun, but returning and doing it all again was annoying.  I understand that BYU is a great school, I must be smart to have gotten in, and the classes are so hard that I won't be used to failing.  After a week of NSO, that's the general vibe I've gotten.

Sidenote: the Mormon world is very very small.  I have met two people who knew an aunt of mine (who lives in North Carolina) and someone else who knows my uncle (who lives in Hawaii).  I met someone I haven't seen for ten years.

This week has been a whirlwind of meeting people, activities meant for ten year olds, and trying to figure out a whole new routine simply for going in the shower.  It's exhausting, overwhelming, exciting, freeing, and enlightening.  Culture shock is real for us Mormons. Those that lived outside of Utah, the overflow has probably messed with their hormones, and they're giddy. The Utah Mormons are confused that not everyone is as kind as the expected the rigorous acceptance rate of BYU would make you believe.

Throughout all of the late nights, new faces, and strange sounds that accompany the dorm life, a tendril of hope remains.  A hope for my future.  A hope for my decisions.  A hope for my friends.

It's going to be just fine.

xo. Elise Clark

P.S. Mom and Dad, miss you like crazy.  Anne-you keep up being a great 'mommy' instagrammer.  Miss you buckets.