Graduation day! // Class of 2016 Weber State University

The day I graduated was probably the craziest day of my life thus far! If you’ve ever questioned how nuts I am, here’s your answer in this post. We had already booked our trip to Hawaii when I figured out a way to graduate a semester early. So we went straight from Weber to the airport! In order to do that here’s what my life consisted of Thursday and Friday. I had to finish finals by Thursday at midnight, but I also wanted to look good for graduation and our trip so I got my nails and eye lashes done at Lash Effect Thursday AND have a party that night. So by the time I finished my last final project and had the party and got all prettied up it was like 10 pm on Thursday. I hadn’t packed. I still had a laundry list of things to do before we left for a week and I had to be to the school by 7:30 am.

AHHH! Here’s what I knew: Graduation would last roughly until 1:30, traffic would be bad, and I had a flight to catch at 3:30. So that meant I had an hour to go from graduation to the airport. I was starting to feel super uneasy about parking at WSU and packing and getting ready I was just a wreck. I was feeling so nervous that my stomach would HURT. Like bad. Then to top it off Dave had to work a few hours in the morning. I literally had no idea what to do! Then Dave decides he’s just going to pull an all nighter. I jump on the crazy train with him and decide to stay up too! We packed for Hawaii, cleaned a little, and made a terrible but working plan.

So we left our  house at like 3 am, dropped of my car at WSU with all our luggage, drove to Dave’s work, I slept for like an hour and a half, and I was so cold and tired that I PUT MY GRADUATION DRESS ON ME like a blanket, Dave worked until 6, I got up, did my hair and makeup, we went and got bagels, Dave dropped me off at commencement (the president speaks but you don’t walk yet), Dave went home and slept for a little bit, Dave drove to his parents, I hung out with friends at school, Dave and my whole family got there for pictures at like 11, graduated at noon, waked across the stage around 12:45, LEFT graduation EARLY and went straight out the side doors, my mother in law drove their car home and my father in law just dropped us off at the airport. I changed in the car. I tend to push the limits when it comes to my time but it always works out so  graduation day was no exception! EXHAUSTION at it’s finest.

Anyways, I graduated with my Bachelors degree April 29, 2016! I did a really cool and unique degree called a Bachelors of Integrated Studies, or BIS. What that entails is doing 3 minors instead of 1 major. I decided to tailor make my degree because I really wanted the web design component and I wasn’t getting that with the Business Multimedia degree I was originally going for. Basically you get the core classes from three minors and I didn’t have to do any of the “fluff” classes from my major. It worked really well for me, but it’s not for everyone. I also had to do a huge capstone project to pull all three of my minors together to prove that it’s sufficient for my education.

My minors were Business Multimedia (business classes, adobe classes, basic web design etc.), User Experience Design (how people use your website and programs, more web design), and Entrepreneurship (starting businesses). So you can see how this major was really MADE for me! I’ve always loved business, computers, and art. Before I found the BIS degree I was pursuing the Business Multimedia degree and an Entrepreneurship minor. I really loved it and it was fine, but I wanted more knowledge as far as actual coding and that would give me a better background. Then my senior year WSU opened up the User Experience Minor! The heaven’s parted and angels sang, THIS was for me! So I met with all my advisors and switched majors within the first week of fall semester! My project was essentially starting up Waverley Design Co.

I loved my time at Weber. I loved my classes and most of my teachers. It feels weird to finally be done but I’m so happy I chose to be educated there. I had a really great experience, especially with the Entrepreneurship Program. Being able to work for them during school, choose my hours, receive a scholarship, and get the mentoring that I needed was really invaluable to me.
Really COULD NOT have done it without my sweet husband’s help and support. Feeling so blessed.My cute in laws who really understood and completely supported Dave and I being in college!My WONDERFUL mother who told me, “If I can get my degree in my forties you can get it now!” Seriously my biggest inspiration to finish school. #1 fans!Dave’s family who could come and so kind and loving!My boss, friend, professor, mentor, etc! Dave Noack or, “Boss Dave” as I called him. His wife is the one who makes the most delicious cookies known to human kind, Cheeky Rascal Cookies! I’m so glad he was my mentor and seriously so helpful throughout my college career.
My dad and step mom! When I told them I was quitting my full time job at delta (which they received free flights from) they were so proud and happy for me. I couldn’t have asked for a better support system.I chose to walk with the business college because even though it was my minor, I spent SO much time with the entrepreneurship center and in the business building that it meant a lot to me to finish there. Dave snapped this picture and had no idea that it was my groom, Tyler!! I was so thrilled when I saw it!

Ready to begin this new chapter of my life! I will be working full time but I don’t know what I’m going to do with all the spare time on my hands, haha!