Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Senioritis & Saigon Café

I've always been a "good" student. You know the kind, the ones that work hard on their papers and projects so that they are the best they possibly can be. I wasn't a total recluse, though; I've had my late papers and stuff like that. But overall, I've been a very conscientious student.

That student died a few weeks ago.

Now I find myself sitting here, with two papers and an exam looming over my head, writing a blog post. Me!! Of all people!! I hardly ever blog!! But Senioritis has now stepped into my life with a horrible vengeance. And as such, this seemed to be a perfectly good time to write some stuff down about what I've been doing.

Today I went to Saigon Café with Anthony, Angie, and my friend Kristin. I have to tell you - it's certainly not the best Chinese food you'll ever find, nor is it the most charming of locations and decor. But for the price...it's the best value around. Looking at different reviews from the Google search page, Saigon Café actually has gotten about an average of 4 out of 5 stars! Pretty impressive, eh?

As you probably saw on my previous post (#38), we go there often. It's just such a nice place to get cheap food that's not bad at all. In fact, combos are only $4.95 for the Chinese-style chips and dip, soup, entree with fried rice, and an eggroll. It's difficult to argue with that. BUT, every day they have one of their combos for only $3.95. So take a dollar off, and then it's almost impossible to say no! It has been a much cherished lunch locale for many years now.

Anyway, that's my little spiel about Saigon Café. For those of you still in Provo, please go enjoy it while you can. For those of you that have left - hold on to the memories!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

A post for BYU-bound students

My little sister is about to come out here and start her college career at BYU! How exciting! There's a big part of me that's wishing I would be here for just one more year to enjoy it with her. Alas, that is not to be. So, instead, I've thought of something that should help out.

Here is a list of 50* things that I thought my little sister should do. Some of these simply can't be done in her freshman year (like #32), but many of them can. And, by the way, I've done each one of these things listed. There's a heck of a lot more that I could put on here, but I either couldn't think of them or I forgot. Hahaa...they're both kind of the same reason.

Anyway, let me know what you think of these! And see if they bring back any good memories. Or bad ones. ;-)

Things you need to do at BYU:
1. Hike the Y.
2. Stay up all night just talking to somebody (preferably of the opposite sex).
3. ALWAYS stop the car on 8th North for the ducks.
4. Play Frisbee at night with a light-up Frisbee.
5. Remember to sell back your books.
6. Read your textbooks.
7. Read something other than your textbooks.
8. Do not do homework on Sundays. Ever. Don’t even worry about it. Trust me.
9. Let your room become a pigsty at least once.
10. Now clean your room.
11. Participate in at least one performing group, officially BYU or not.
12. Participate in at least one athletic team, officially BYU or not.
13. Take an exercise class just for fun (Trevor’s hint: try Flexibility).
14. Speak to each of your professors at least once throughout the semester.
15. Get a job on campus.
16. Stay in the library until it closes at midnight – and enjoy the music.
17. Go night-skiing at Brighton.
18. Drop everything to go help a friend.
19. Play night games.
20. ALWAYS respect curfew. You signed your name and agreed to it.
21. Randomly burst out in song in the middle of Brigham’s Square.
22. Go camping.
23. Longboard down Provo Canyon (you’ll need 2 cars – try Nun’s Park).
24. Drop a bucket of bouncy balls down the SWKT stairwell. OR…
25. Drop/roll a bucket of bouncy balls down the spiral staircase in the JFSB. They’re both fun.
26. Laugh with a group of people until you all nearly pass out.
27. Go to the BYU Christmas Concert. Every year if you can.
28. Strike up a conversation with a completely random stranger.
29. Get lost in the basement of the HFAC.
30. Try out all the hands-on stuff in the ESC.
31. Go to J Dawgs.
32. Be a part of a dinner group.
33. Explore Salt Lake City Cemetery in the dark. Find Pres. Hinckley’s tombstone.
34. Start calling the Mormon Tabernacle Choir the “MoTab.”
35. Attend the MoTab Christmas Concert at least once.
36. Keep a picture of your family in your room.
37. Buy fudge from the BYU Bookstore.
38. Go to the Saigon Cafe for lunch. Often.
39. Keep a plant.
40. Attend a session of General Conference at the Conference Center.
41. Magnify your church calling.
42. Go to a midnight movie. Or a lot of them.
43. Go to the Holi Festival of Colors.
44. Don’t trust everything in Mormon Doctrine, no matter what other students may tell you.
45. Go and develop your own opinion of Sub Zero Ice Cream.
46. Stay at BYU for Spring/Summer Terms.
47. Drive through the Alpine Loop.
48. Get your car booted only once.
49. Take your friends and occasional date to lunch/dinner with your meal plan.
50. Go to the Bean Life Science Museum.
51. Go to the Skyroom with your friends at least once a semester.
52. Go to the Cracker Barrel every semester during reading days. Pajamas are necessary.
53. Take advantage of two-for-one massages at the school of massage therapy! Get a masseuse preferably of your own sex.
54. Break down BAWLING in front of someone at least once (preferably not in your family).
55. Have a picnic in the mountains.
56. Get ice cream at the BYU creamery. At least monthly.
57. After a huge snowstorm, observe the naked Indian.
58. Scream yourself hoarse rooting for BYU at the BYU-Utah game.
59. Go sledding at Rock Canyon.
60. Start cleaning for cleaning checks EARLY (and don't ask your mom or aunt for help).
61. You MUST go to a cornmaze during Halloween. At least once, preferably multiple times.
62. Take complete advantage of the BYU Lost & Found sale. Just get there a couple hours early and wait in line.
63. Have several DTRs. OR...
64. Have as many DTRs as would result in maximized utility, as circumstances may require.
65. Buy clothing from the BYU Bookstore (Becca's hint: shoes).
66. Volunteer at the TRC.
67. Attend the temple regularly. You will literally NEVER live that close to a temple again.
68. Live in the FLSR.
69. Stay up all night to write a paper.
70. Stay up all night studying with a friend of the opposite sex. At Denny’s.

*This is the updated post, including the additional items from comments. Feel free to keep adding! :-D