10 years ago, today

It's that time of year, when BYU students start wearing shorts in 64 degree weather and apartments are vacated as quickly as possible so kids can head home for the summer.

Well ten years ago today, I wasn't wearing shorts (I gave up on that my freshman year since mine were all too short and knee length or capris were NOT the thing then). But in 1999, Casey and I both graduated from BYU. We sat in the same big graduation and didn't even know each other's names. In fact, for many years we lived only a block from each other but didn't meet till 5 years later. Crazy how life happens.

Casey graduated with a B.S. in Statistics. BYU had just started the 5 year B.S/Master's degree joint program the year he graduated. In retrospect, he wishes he would have stuck around for it. But hey, I was ready to get out of there too. And oddly enough.....he's just months away from getting his Master's degree from Cal State LA this June!

Casey and his parents:

Linda, Casey and his brother Brady:

With one of his professors:

Hanging out on campus with the famous Y in the background. For all you youngsters out there, that library behind him was still under construction. We never knew the campus you all lived on.
And I've already shared my sentiments with Casey......but his style has definitely come far by the time we met in LA. I don't want to think I was superficial back then, but those pants wouldn't have made me interested in a date. I'm a big believer that timing is everything. And it's a good thing we met in our later years.
Just for kicks, a picture of his brother Jeff and good friend Brett, from the Y days:
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I graduated with a B.A. in Communications, TV Production emphasis. (I actually finished in December of '98 but was still in Provo working for KBYU full-time and could participate in the ceremony.) I loved my major and have loved where it's taken me in the film/tv world. And though there are days that I question whether I should have majored in Fashion Design and learned the real ins and outs of clothing creation, I'm glad I did what I did. Hey, I can still improve my sewing craft in the future.

Casey's family and my family sat in those chairs behind me for the huge graduation, while the grads sat on the floor of the Marriott Center. But since I had spent the past 3 years working on the TV production side, I decided to join my crew and worked as the camera operator for the ceremony. It seemed the appropriate way to graduate, doing what I had studied (my hair was brownish/red then):
Here I am in one of the control rooms where we broadcasted hours of Blue and White Sports Network games, KBYU News, rountable discussions, and silly projects. I really loved those days. It was such a team effort. And I met/worked with some wonderful people (including my friend Amie Amezcua who became a really close friend of mine when she moved to LA too).
Me, Camille, and my cousin Rachael. I used that kroq keychain for years.
The next day were the individual Major ceremonies, which I did participate in.

Me and Camille:

Rachael and me. She, Laura, and I lived together my last couple years there. What fun. And how 90s were our shoes?

Eric and Laura. 1960s?

And to finish off the day, we kids wanted to eat at Del Taco on State Street in Orem (which was the only one around). My parents, who were paying, did not protest!
Today, my brother Mark (the one on the right in the photo above) is graduating from BYU with his Masters in Information Technologies (though I'm sure there's a more technical name for it). It's cool to see it all come full-circle. Congrats Mark!

I really truly loved my BYU days, FAR more than my High School ones. Sometimes I wish we were blogging/emailing people back then because I would have so much more to read and remember. But I still have plenty of dumb photos. And I did actually have an email account by the time I left. We weren't that archaic.

Happy Graduating day everyone!