7 Lucky Things I've learned In Florida

1. I cannot inhale while chewing Vitamin C tablets. It usually results in a hacking cough and moment of panic where my life flashes before my eyes.
2. Everyone has a story for me to learn from. Whether having a discussion with my manager who has been working in the company for 25 years or a discussion with a drunk co-worker or a discussion with an ex-Mormon while he is smoking a cigarette and I am cleaning the ashtray, there is always something to learn. No matter where we are in our lives right now, we have all been many places that no one else has. Everyone we interact with has so much more to them than we think, and the secret is to figure out as much as you can!
3. Drinking is very over-rated. The first time I was ever offered alcohol or drugs was when I was 18 years old, here in Florida. I have spent a lot of time around my friends as they drink and smoke and let me tell you, it's nothing interesting. They have told me themselves how much they envy people who have the strength to not do it because it isn't worth it so alter your state of thinking on purpose to where you don't remember what you said or did just hours later. I've held back too much hair and held down too many arms to want others to do that for me.
4. Physical appearance is so unimportant. While packing these last couple days, I realized I wore a very little amount of the clothing, jewelry, and make-up I brought s a result of wearing the same all white costume, black shoes, and minimal make-up for 70% of my time here. I still made friends, I still went on dates, and I actually felt a lot more comfortable when appearance meant nothing most of the time. The compliments I receive about the person I am and the standards I have held mean so much more than any hair or beauty compliment I ever get.
4. Public transportation is great and everything, but nothing beats having access to a car. Especially when you realize not all bus drivers care about you as a person. How do I know this? Let's say hypothetically that at about midnight last night I got on the bus to go home from work and realized I dropped something on the ground as I was stepping on the bus minutes before. I tell the bus driver this and proceed to step off the bus when not two seconds later I hear the doors close and the bus pull away. The driver waved and I watched my phone, wallet, ID's, ipod, new tablet, and cash drive away. Hypothetically, of course.
6. As human beings, our we are very adapt-able creatures. Don't be surprised if you hear me now saying "magical" (Disney influence), "wicked" (New Hampshire influence), "yo" (co-worker influence), or "cheers" (UK influence), or kissing anyone I meet or greet on the cheek (French, Puerto Rican, and Italian influence).
7. There is no excuse for a bad day. One of my best days this year was Christmas day when I was on the other side of the country from my family, I opened no presents, I worked for 11 hours cleaning restrooms, and I had a subway footlong for Christmas dinner. But I had a beauty pageant with empty trash bags and two amazing co-workers. I don't remember the last time I laughed that hard.

My First

A week before I graduated high school, I made the nine-hour drive down to Disneyland with my senior class in a couple of huge buses. We joined over fifty other high school senior classes in the park from 11 pm - 6 am. It was one of the most enjoyable nights of my entire life. I thought I would be so excited on the way there and on the way home that I wouldn't want to sleep. I slept for most of the two drives.
On countless nights with my best friends, we love to have a sleepover and promise to stay up all night long telling stories and whispering secrets. We surround ourselves with movies, candy, hair dye, and anything else we can think of to make each other laugh. We've made it to the sunrise once or twice, but never without falling silent soon after and silently giving in to our drooping eyes.
Every single year (aside from 2008, spent revolving around hospital trips) on Christmas Eve, as my family drives home from our extended family celebration, I search the night sky for Santa and his sleigh. We always get home, set up the milk and cookies, open our Christmas pajamas to dance around in them for a few minutes, and head off to bed. I always lay in bed, waiting and listening for the sound of my new gifts, willing myself to stay awake, but I have yet to resist the urges to doze off before Santa arrives.
At every Girls' Camp and EFY program I have participated in, it is an unspoken challenge/tradition to stay up all night long on the last night. Many have tried, but few that I know of have endured the whole night. I usually tend to lose consciousness somewhere between the ghost stories, harmless pranks, and mysterious phone calls.
I am sitting on my bed at 3:21 am. My family, whom I have not seen, laughed with, or hugged for 101 long days, are in the air somewhere over Georgia right now. Their plane lands in Orlando in an hour and twenty minutes. I am catching the first possible bus to meet them at Disney's Port Orleans Resort in about two and a half hours. Every time I close my eyes to try and sleep, I picture Tori's teary eyes in front of my face, Isaac's beaming smile, my dad's contagious laugh, and my mom's warm hug. No matter how hard I may try, I have never before experienced excitement to the point where I cannot sleep. It couldn't be done with candy, girlfriends, the thrill of new gifts, energy drinks, or the promise of a fun night. All it takes is me in a quiet, empty apartment, with the full heart and anxious knowledge that I get to see my family in 180 short minutes. Ladies and gentlemen, I am about to accomplish my first all-nighter.

What's In a (few) Name(s)?

You remember this, right? Well if not, this is my name tag for work. It has been read by thousands, sparked many conversations, and I have always loved looking at it. On Tuesday night at about 10:30 pm, I was finishing wiping down trash cans in an empty park with Christmas hymns playing on the speaker system, and garlands and lights on most buildings. There was literally no one in sight and I got to thinking about this name tag. Look at it again... notice anything? No, it's the same. It pins onto my costume every day and allows people to recognize me as knowing the answer to any question they have and lost children to identify me as a safe stranger. It represents me. Well, I noticed something different. My name tag doesn't have one, or even two names on it. There are three names on my name tag that represent me. Look again... you see them all, right?
Walt Disney - This man. Words cannot describe how much admiration I have for him. In my eyes, he was the most influential non-religious person that ever walked the face of the earth. Before coming here I loved Walt like anyone else did; we all enjoy Disneyland, those classic feel-good fairy tales, and a good excuse for a vacation. That is barely the beginning of the happiness that exists on this earth because of his life and work. I've always heard quotes about dreams and brushed them off as reasons for dancers and singers to keep doing what they love, but he has taught me and I understand that a dream is much more than that. A dream is something you want for yourself and others and you're willing to do anything to achieve it. We are all familiar with Walt's dream as it is often manifested when we turn on a game on ESPN, watch Pirates of the Caribbean, Modern Family, or the ABC World News, meet Mickey Mouse, and sing along to A Whole New World. One day, Walt wanted to spend time with his two daughters so they went to a park and he sat and watched them play. He began to wonder why it is that parents have to sit and watch their children play and what kind of place could facilitate happiness for all ages. If you ask me, he succeeded. Because of him, I have realized my dream and there is no way to repay anyone for that.
1955
1971
1996
2010Brigham Young - This man was a living prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the 1800's. He literally led the Mormon pioneers across the country in extreme conditions and trying circumstances. There is no way I could ever do what he or the saints who traveled with him did. The reason he is on my name tag is because he established the beginnings of the wonderful university that I am blessed to attend. In my entire life, I never imagined I would find a school that made me feel so at home. It is the only place I have ever been without my family that I have called my home. Every day I spend in those buildings, with those people, and around that spirit makes me a better person and I could not ask for anything more from a school.
From the students
From Elder Eyring
From Elder Bednar
Maddi - Hi, my name is Maddi. I am a sophomore in college and I love life. I love and trust way too easily, but I think that's the only way for me to learn the most. My family is everything to me and I have been blessed with the best friends in the world. I love my church, my Savior, and my Father in Heaven more than I ever thought possible. My favorite feeling in the entire world is seeing other people happy. Unlike the two men above, my story on this earth isn't completed yet. Like Walt, I have a dream to make people happy. I want so badly for everyone to see how wonderful this life is that we have been given. Like President Young, I want to make a difference. I want people to learn as much as they can about the world around us because there is too much to miss out on if you don't go looking for it. For now, this name tag only says Maddi. But someday, it will have a last name and a lifetime of memories and influence behind it.

Maroon Lips, White Teeth, and a Dreamgirl

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