Hello from FSU

I must say, not only has it been a while since I last posted on this blog, but the post that I ended with last time left it looking like I was going to return as some newly-formed Apollo, complete with rippling abs. Reality, however, is normally satisfied with the mundane; I have no rippling abs to report. But I do have another major update: I'm in Tallahassee!!

I've been in Tallahassee now for almost a week. Let me tell you: Florida State University is about as similar to BYU as a kitten is to a cobra. Or a table. Florida State is, of course, a university as BYU is, but their focus at the student level is almost antithetical (if that's a word). Now before I go any further, let it be known that I do not in any way speak lowly of FSU. It's a great university that's just a bit different from my own. I hope that I do not step on any toes by publishing this to my blog (Becca understands, I'm sure).

BYU students generally have a source of motivation - and dare I say, hope? - that lies in the independent region of the heart. The combination of the Church, the Honor Code, and the expectations of faculty and staff cultivate a deep sense of responsibility and wholeness within the students that they usually don't even recognize, and yet it produces an ingrained type of maturity. They're motivated by their grades as are students at other universities, but they are emotionally motivated by activities and friendships that are inherently wholesome. At Florida State such a motivation must come solely from themselves and their choice of lifestyles. BYU students get recharged by simple, fun, social activities that only really involve each other (and a game). Interestingly, a good number of FSU students recharge by going to a club or bar nearby campus where they participate in sociality, but under the cloud of alcohol.

I have to say, after seeing groups of my new friends here go out to bars or nightclubs three times so far in the first week of the program, their motivation and/or "recharge" is a pretty dang shaky one. On a personal note, it also leaves me somewhat alone during those times. But never fear! A number of the students here have also begun to express their distaste (at least) for such frequencies to establishments of alcohol, and I have begun to find some wholesome relaxing and recharging even here. A few nights ago we stayed up for a while playing Taboo (what a blast), the next night Uno (halfway in Spanish), and last night we went to a 10:00 o'clock showing of Iron Man with a trip afterwards to Sonic - and we all had fun! I don't think they believe me when I mention that this is what I do every night at BYU and still manage to have a ton of fun. Granted, alcohol wasn't entirely avoided - most of the Uno players were drinking white wine - but overall it was not a major part of our fun.

Anyway, I didn't want to spend all my time writing about the imbibatory differences in our college cultures.

This program is harder than I thought! We aren't being graded or anything like that, and our days are only from 9 to 3:15, but we all end up taking or wanting to take naps by the time we're through! We have two classes a day that we attend: Legal Writing (which is more like Legal Analysis) and Law Class. I know, the latter sounds almost comically generic. Legal Writing is a lot of fun; so far we've learned a ton about different kinds of laws and how they're applied to cases. This is the class that will have us present 8-minute oral arguments in a mock court session at the end of this program. The Law Class is an intense perusal of appeals covering the different types of law that are available for study. We've glanced over Torts, Insurance, Evidence stuff, Negligence and Personal Injury, with a large number of cases left to study in next three weeks. So far I can tell you that my least favorite law subject is Insurance law. Ew.

Overall, I'm having a blast out here! The days are hot, humid, and long; all the flora is a living green color, with all the trees adorned in spanish moss (the blackish gray moss that hangs from branches); and the people in this program are smart, different, good people that are making the same decision I am: is law school for me?

Tomorrow I'll go to the Singles Ward and figure out how they deal with entertainment stuff here in Tallahassee. :-D