10 weeks left

This semester is a semester unlike any other. All of my feelings of being completely comfortable and in control of this little place I like to call college have dissipated and no where to be seen.

Everything that I never had to worry about before in any past semester seems to have been scooped up by Universe and dumped on me. I never had to worry about roommates not following rules. That has now changed with the addition of our two new roommates. Our ward has always had very fun mature people (mixed in with the other kind) but it seems like all the good people have gone and found another ward. Everywhere I look it's just a bunch of very childish people. Everybody said summer semester was SO much fun and everybody's happier, but what Cody and I have observed is that the sun brings out all the children to come out and play. It's just a whole different breed of people here it seems. AND everybody told me it was supposed to be sunny. It's summer semester for goodness sakes. It snowed yesterday, all day. And that wasn't even the first time it has snowed this semester. So help me the sun better come out... or ... else..

My classes are exciting and challenging. Many times I feel inadequate and not quite ready, but everything always seems to work out.
My Classes:
-Advanced Illustration (with Wade Huntsman who used to work for Pixar, and did conceptual and background art for Prince of Egypt, Sinbad and Spirit) Definitely most excited about this class but also most nerve racking because there is a lot of talent in there also.
-Head Drawing... And I thought Figure Drawing was torture. At least we had breaks in Figure Drawing (2 hour and 45 min class)
-Oil Painting- You know I didn't think I was going to like this class as much as I'm starting to. I love the teacher. He seems like he's not quite completely there but really knows his stuff and is just a nice guy. The first day he taught us a tool to use where you take a piece of a paper towel and fold it into a triangle and use it to clean up your under-drawing. It is called a tortillion (tor-teel-ee-own). He will use this word at least 15 times throughout the class.
-Readings, which should really be called Art Theory with my oil painting teacher. This class came with two really thick books and includes just reading, lecture and tests. I will count this class as a success if I don't fall asleep too much in it
-20th Century Art; As art majors we are required to take Art History I and II and then take one that is specialized in a certain period. This is the only one that had the teacher that I took for both I and II. He's one of those people that you know knows SO much and you just want to know it all too.
-D&C; I completely lucked out on this teacher not knowing who is was when I signed up for this class. I've heard of some dud religion teachers here (not many though) and I grateful to learn from him. He LOVES church history and knows so much and knows how to not take everything so seriously.
18.5 credits is quite a load but I manage. The heavens shined on me and allowed my schedule to be only Monday- Thursday. Which means every weekend = three day weekend. But I need it. All these classes don't come with lack of homework.

It's very surreal being in my second to last semester. I know one day this place that very much feels like a second home will just be a memory and if I ever come back to this campus will not have the connection I have to it now. It won't be my school but the school I used to go to. My apartment won't be home but somebody else's. I am going to do my best to soak in every moment.