Oh yeah, I'm in college now!

This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill. I'm seriously here, and I seriously took my first real midterm in the testing center today. I'm a college student!

Heading into the testing center for our Nutrition midterm. Go team!

So wait, how did I get here? Well, first I said goodbye.

Then there was a road trip. Then I got my ID!

Moved in, met tons and tons of cool people at New Student Orientation. It was crazy.

Can you find me?

This place is pretty cool. 

Then I started school. Like an actual student.

College learning is fun! Not sure what to study yet, but there's just so much to learn, and it's exciting :)

Work is fun too! Whoever said custodial workers are unfortunate never worked custodial at the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum.

Musk oxen are too cool.

Shasta the liger is my BFF.

I also take selfies with Otis.

And on Wednesdays, we clean the bell tower.

Just look at that view.

And I have all sorts of adventures. A picture is worth a thousand words, right?

Sometimes you ride in a service vehicle across campus in the pouring rain. Thanks, Courtney!

Free cotton candy outside the Wilk. Thanks, BYU Independent Study!

Yay for CES Devotionals with the University of Utah Institute choir, so I can see this lovely lady!

Sometimes your roomie scores a winning goal in a soccer game on her birthday. Like a pro.

And sometimes, it turns out you actually go to Hogwarts.

So yeah, that's my life! I guess I'll leave you with this:

Life's full of struggles. That's the point. But our Lord loves us more than we can understand. He is in every detail of our lives, and we can enjoy the journey so much more as we recognize that. Have joy!

<3 Hannah Jo

How About That Senior Year?

So I'm done with high school and headed to BYU in a couple months! That went by fast, right? ;)

I'll just share some highlights of my senior year.

In November, I visited BYU campus and took a tour. It felt so right :) there were even people standing outside the Wilkinson Center holding signs that said "Free Hug Friday" giving everyone hugs. It's my kind of school.

In February I participated in All State Choir again. So fun! I love singing with so many other passionate, hard-working singers.

Then I got accepted to BYU!!! :D

Yeah, that was one heck of a night!

And my awesome trek parents left this on my doorstep when they found out. How cool are they?

So over Spring break, McKenna and I took our first road trip alone. That was an adventure! We explored Provo and visited some friends in the UT. We're pretty pumped to be there in the fall!

Then, the school district was kind enough to give us a teacher inservice on Arbor Day, so McKenna and Matthew helped me plant some trees in my backyard! I love trees <3

I also won an iPad that night at After-Prom, so that was the luckiest moment of my life! What a blessing!

I had a MASSIVE grad party with 12 other people from my seminary class. Party of the year, no joke.

Speaking of my seminary class, we graduated that too! 

I love these people. Seminary has shaped my life more than anything else in high school. I am so grateful for my fabulous teachers and classmates. It wasn't ever easy to wake up that early, but it was the best decision I made every day!

Then I finished high school! Checked out and everything!

Then... I GRADUATED!!! Words can't tell how excited I was to graduate. I sang at graduation, and that was fun! :)

The tallest administrator and new principal for next year.

The locker partner/BFF/ninja.

The best friend since 4th grade.

The sisters who graced me with their presence.

The parents. :)

Then we recreated this picture from the last day of 7th grade. Well, we tried to. Elisabeth and Kimmy had to go and move... So Kaci and McKenna stepped in. #GingersChangedTheMost

In addition to seminary, something set this year apart from the others.

I had the wonderful opportunity to do baptisms at the temple at least once a month, and frequently more this year! It was a fun year, but it was definitely a stressful one. I am incredibly grateful for the refuge I was able to find in the temple. I am so blessed to live close to one, and I am so excited to start on my goal of getting there at least once a week while I'm at BYU!

I'm excited for the year ahead of me at school! For now, I work away trying to earn money to afford it. It'll be an adventure.

Have joy!

<3 Hannah Jo