The Students Are Back In Town

This became obvious to me when, in the middle of the day, I pulled into the parking lot at Macey's. It was packed! Almost all of the carts were being used by moms (and one dad) helping their grown children stock up. It was cute to see a mom ask her late-teens son, "Do you like oatmeal?" and he replied, "No. I mean, actually, yes. I guess I do." That's a kid who had never had to select food from the shelf for himself before.

The other sign of the students' return is the busy traffic. I do enjoy the improved driving conditions from May through August. However, it's also fun to see license plates from Colorado, California, Washington, and sometimes Missouri or one of the Carolinas on cars trying to maneuver with the crazy Utah drivers.

It all takes me back 15 years when I was settling into my Deseret Towers room for the first time. During my four years, I came a week before everyone else to attend band camp, so it has always impressed me how the campus swells in so short a time. The students bring a certain energy to the city. Where I live, I only rub elbows with students every so often. I like to catch an on-campus show or exhibit a couple times each year, and definitely a sporting event of some sort. Occasionally, I can hear the drumline practicing BYU's signature cadence from my house a few miles away. My favorite is seeing the Y lit up for Homecoming or graduation. Sometimes Kent's dad, a BYU-ward bishop, will invite our family along to an FHE barbecue. I like hearing the young adults' plans for the future and their thoughts on varying subjects. It's also always interesting to be an observer of the flirting and teasing. And THAT takes me back to another event: my first kiss, fifteen years ago this weekend. It was a good band camp that year! ;o)