Saturday, May 9, 2009

The Suspense is Over!!!!

To my avid fans out there...the suspense is now over and here you have a new post! :)

So much has happened. To begin with, I GRADUATED!!!!!! I now have a Master's Degree (MSW) and am quite happy to be done with school. I had a great time at the Commencement Exercises where President Uchtdorf and Elder Nelson spoke. The procession was a great experience because we were able to walk past President Samuelson, President Uchtdorf, Elder Nelson, and the faculty. It was a different, but nice, experience compared to the last Commencement Exercises when Vice President Cheney came to speak (although I highly enjoyed that speech!!)

Convocation was great as well. We sat on the front row and Elder Christoferson was attending. As my name was read and I crossed the stage, I was able to shake hands with him, as well as Dean Magleby and Vice President Tanner. All in all, it was a great graduation time!

Sad moments that came with graduation were few, but huge. My internship at the American Fork Hospital came to an end, which was bittersweet for me. It was nice to reach the end, but I had forged some great frienships there and was enjoying what I was doing. In addition, it was hard to become unemployed in this wonderful economic time period we are experiencing, thanks to some highly selfless people. Luckily, I do have a summer job that will help me to enjoy the summer while having some sort of income. Hopefully when I return, employment opportunities will be more abundant (especially now that I have a license!)

Which brings me to my next point...my licensure exam. I was very nervous to take this (and quite the basket case--highly unlike me!) I started studying a week before my test date and took my first practice test, on which I scored a 60% (I need a 70% to pass on the real test). I continued to review, then took the second test on which I scored a 62%. At this point, I started to get somewhat frustrated. I took the third test, 64%, and was about to give up. However, thanks to my determination and my mom's persistence, I continued studying and my scores finally reached into the low 70's. I went and took the test and was very nervous as I hit the "Quit" button. After going through a short survey (which seemed extremely long), I was told that I had PASSED!!!!!! Oh, it was a very exciting day. If you heard someone shouting, it was me! I can now register for a license and then am able to get a job. Oh, happy day!

Now, I prepare for my US tour and am very excited! East Coast, Southwest, East Coast again! In addition, I will plunge into the Harry Potter saga, finish the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series (I highly recommend it!!!!!) and the Leven Thumps series ("The Ruins of Alder" is taking forever to come out!), and read book 4 in the Fablehaven series. After seeing the trailer for "Angels and Demons", I now want to read the book in anticipation of the movie. The best part is...I have no papers to write, textbooks to read, or professors to deal with (although, I do now have a job to find).

Well, that is the extent of what has been occurring in my life. Things are exciting, unknown, and great (except for the unknown part...I hate not knowing!) I hope all is well with everyone! Take care :)

4 comments:

mary.katherine said...

I didn't know Elder Nelson was at graduation too. That's extra cool! And i'm not a nerd at all.

"forged some great friendships there." ...and I only took four months to start talking to everyone. :) Honestly, every time I work someone asks about you. Peggy especially. She really loves you!! And, of course, everyone says to tell you hello.

"mom's persistence" :) Like I said earlier, I knew you were going to pass. I'm so happy for you! Best thing that came from studying so hard--goatee. VERY nice!!

U.S. tour--SUPER jealous. Really. I want to go on vacation, but it isn't really an option right now. Don't get me wrong, i'm SO grateful to be home, I just would like a nice long vacation. Take lots of pictures.

I want to read the HP series again. That's what i'll do after I finish the other 6 books i'm in the middle of. Ha ha.

Tyler and Julia said...

Good for you, David! I always tip my hat off to those who spend so many countless hours studying, working on essays, finals, writing papers; it goes on & on. Tyler read "Angels & Demons" a few years ago and he loved this book much more than "The DaVinci Code" (he's read both of them). Which means, I have no choice but to see the movie, too. I just hope it's better than "The DaVinci Code" was (tee hee).

mary.katherine said...

Just saw Angels and Demons. I've never read the books so I didn't know what it was about. Not quite sure how I feel about the movie...

I know one thing--Tom Hanks hair sucked.

Amy said...

Congratulations! How exciting for you! It will be worth all the effort you put into it, I'm sure. Good luck finding a job. I hope you find one quickly.

Quotes

"[Confucius] taught that the country which develops the finest music, the grandest poetry, and the noblest moral ideals--that is, the country with the most exalted culture--will always yield the greatest power in the world."

-Letters from the Jade Dragon Box by Gale Sears



"Who is such a reprobate as I! And yet it seems that even I am in Somebody's hand!'

-Mr. Henchard in The Mayor of Casterbridge



"...[T]he magnitude of [life] is not as to [one's] external displacements, but as to [one's] subjective experiences."

-Thomas Hardy in Tess of the d'Urbervilles





"...I have a new love for that glittering instrument, the human soul. It is a lovely and unique thing in the universe. It is always attacked and never destroyed--because 'Thou mayest.'"

-Lee in East of Eden