Saying goodbyes again

I only have about a month and a week left at BYU-Idaho, and my heart is full.

For the past month, I've been so focused on passing my classes, finishing my senior project and just progressing toward graduation, that it hadn't really hit me yet: I'm leaving. This little town that has become my home for the past two years will soon be a memory of my past. I love this place so much. I know every little nook and cranny. I know where to walk, where to drive, where to eat, where to go if I'm happy, where to go if I'm sad.

This place has been there for me through breakups, stressful classes and roommate troubles. When my parents sold my childhood home so they could go on a mission, Rexburg made it easier on me because I had already grown to see it as my new home. Now I'm leaving this home and heading toward a new adventure, but it will always hold a place in my heart.

Some might look at this little school in Rexburg, Idaho, and think that maybe it's not as good as bigger universities, but I'll tell you... I don't think there is a single university that is as wired toward student success than BYU-Idaho. And there are people with bigger, grander spirits here than I've seen anywhere else.
Most students here are motivated and career-minded. They're also kind and will help anyone in need. Most of the teachers here will get to know all their students by name, and they'll do it every semester. Most teachers grow to respect and love their students, and are willing to go out of their way to help their students succeed.

There are teachers like Ron Bennett (now retired), who many students came to see as their third grandfather: a warm, loving man who offers encouragement to every student he teaches. There are teachers like Eric Lybbert, who makes his students laugh daily with his vivacious personality. There are teachers like Brent Bean, who helps you see that the positive parts of life always outweigh the negative. There are teachers like Caryn Esplin, who pays attention as if you're the only student in the world when she talks to you. And there are teachers like Lane Williams, who makes you feel like you can do anything you put your mind to and who inspires you to become a better person.

Today, I met with my academic mentor for the last time. Over the past two years, he has given me advice and helped me decide which classes to take. Every time we talked, we had an engaging conversation about things that matter, spiritually and temporally. Today he said: "I'm proud of you, Katie, you're one of my favorite students I've taught."

After I left his office, I cried. They were tears of honor, gratitude and a little sadness. Sadness because it had finally hit me that I'm leaving. But wherever I go, I will never forget this little safe haven, this little bubble away from the world where I've lived for two years. I will always look back on these years as some of the best years of my life: my two years in Rexburg.