Brittney's Journey Through College

Phew!! I did it! I graduated from Brigham Young University!!! My college years has certainly been a journey to maturity.

 

I started out as a teenager saying goodbye to the love of my life, Jake. He was off to live in Buenos Aires, Argentina for two years to learn Spanish and preach the gospel as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although his efforts were noble, I heartbrokenly headed to college.

At BYU-Idaho, I was quite miserable without Jake in my life. But I made the most of it. I avoided dating and I studied ALL THE TIME. My favorite part about attending school there was playing competitive soccer. I absolutely loved the school and loved the people that I met while living in Idaho. Life long friends :)

I took some time off to venture to the land of Switzerland! I worked there as an au pair for a wonderful family with 4 children. I enjoyed immersing myself in the Swiss culture, learning German, and exploring 8 different countries through public transportation.

After my adventures in Switzerland I headed back to BYU-Idaho for a semester and then transfered to BYU in Provo, Utah where Jake and I reunited :)

By Christmas we were engaged. And then after the Winter Semester of 2010, we got married on May 7th at the Oakland LDS temple.

I decided that I wanted to pursue my studies toward something about the amazing human body...but what?!? There are so many different routes. I changed my major 4 times: from Biology--> Physiology and Developmenetal Biology-->Food Science-->Exercise Science. I was lined up to graduate April of 2012. 

BUT I was deeply interested in the Dietetics major. It seemed perfect: becoming a Registered Dietitian where I can translate the complexities of food science and its interacts with the body to individuals seeking specific health needs. BYU's competitive Dietetics program only accepts 40 students for a 2-year program. I figured, "What's one more year of school? As long as I'm doing what I love."

So, I applied! And I got in!!!! I was bummed about tacking on an extra year of school. But thrilled to be a part of an incredible program. I contemplated about declining...because I found out I was PREGNANT! But the Dietetics Program Director, Dr. Nora Nyland, reassured me that many women in the exact situation before me completed this program successfully and I could, too! 

This close knit program worked with me and helped me in whatever way that they could in order to do well. They even provided me with my own breast-pumping room to make sure my milk supply remained high. My professors were sooo accommodating and I really appreciate their understanding. With the mindset described in the Family Proclamation to the World, BYU sustains the importance of families described by the LDS Church. I am so grateful for the dynamics at BYU that encouraged me to be the best mom I can be while being the best student I could be.

7 months pregnant, I began the Dietetics Program. After looking over my syllabi, I realized that the baby's due date was in the middle of MIDTERMS!! Sheesh! My nesting period involved getting ahead in school work. Soon enough, I had 39 wonderful friends in the program and they were so excited for the baby to come and willing to help me out however possible.

As my due date approached, I would often talk to the baby and negotiate when he could arrive. I told him that I was planning on him arriving on due date. October 28th would be perfect because it would be a Friday and that would allow us the weekend to recover and for me to return to school on the following Monday or Tuesday. As it turns out, Calvin was quite obedient! He arrived on Friday, October 28th, 2011 and I returned back to school on the following Tuesday. Along with the help with my Mom being around to help watch Calvin, I was able to get back to school and not skip a beat.

Unfortunately, 10 days after delivering, I went to the hospital because I wasn't recovering well. Turns out that I had a retaining placenta. I was immediately admitted to the ER to have a D&C procedure remove what was remaining on my uterine wall. The following day, I was feeling MUCH better. I'm so grateful that my Mom was around to help me figure out what was going wrong and for my Uncle Greg (Dr. Bean--OBGYN) to provide the best medical assistance for me.

The rest of my college career, Jake and I arranged our class schedule so that either one of us was always with Calvin. At times we only had 10 minutes to meet up, hand off Clavin, and get to class!! When it was raining or snowing we carted Clavin in this awesome Schwinn bike trailer that converts into a stroller. With Calvin bundled up in there, he was good to go! 

However, some days when I was running late and I didn't have time to go the long way with the stroller, I would hike a mountain of stairs wearing the Baby Bjorn. Calvin loved it! And I loved seeing peoples faces when they saw how ridiculous we looked. Haha!

Sometimes we had some classes that overlapped that we could not avoid--and Auntie Becca was glad to step in to babysit!

Through stressful times, lack of sleep, and a loving & supportive husband, I was able to finish college! I graduated with a bachelors of science degree in Dietetics and I minored in Family Life.

I am so grateful for all the people that I met and for all the experiences I encountered to shape me into the person I am today.