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My BYU Experience Reflection

Hannah Weber

Brigham Young University

Dr. Brian Hill

EXDM 300
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Introduction

Throughout this paper I will discuss, both broadly and specifically, my BYU experience

this semester. I will start by using four class principles, flourishing, PERMA, Authentic

Happiness, and Taking Back my Time, and their relationship to my person BYU experience.

Then I will talk about how my BYU experience this semester helped me meet two of the Aims of

BYU, specifically the aims of Character Building and Spiritually Strengthening. After this, I will

move to a discussion of how I would suggest that other students can get involved at BYU and

will finally conclude with my future BYU experience plans as I continue here at school.

Four Class Principles

Flourishing

One of my favorite hobbies is creating art. I truly feel like whether I am creating art,

experiencing art, or just enjoying looking at art, I am thriving and flourishing. Art gives me a

creative outlet to express myself and helps me to develop and share my talents with others. One

of my favorite BYU Experience elements that I participated in this semester was Art After Dark.

Art After Dark is a free event that is put on by the BYU Museum of Art for students and

families. They serve food, have live music, and display the newest art installation. I love going to

Art After Dark each semester with my friends as it gives me an opportunity to do something I

love and share it with others, which are two essential parts of flourishing.

PERMA- Flow

One of my favorite concepts that we learned about in class this semester was flow and

one of my favorite flow opportunities that I have had this semester that helped me achieve flow

comes in my participation in BYU’s Adaptive Show Choir program. ASC gives youth and adult

community members with disabilities the opportunity to be paired up with BYU student
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volunteers and participate in a Disney themed show choir. ASC runs every semester, with new

songs and dances learned each semester, culminating in an end of semester show for family and

friends. While I would not proclaim singing and dancing to be two of my strengths, I would say

that my efforts to do my best and learn the dances with my partner, absolutely created flow for

me. Our Tuesday afternoon rehearsals always fly by, and I am consistently amazed by how much

fun I have. My partner Megan and I have become very good friends this semester and I love her

so much. I am so excited to continue to experience flow in this activity and to have the

opportunity to share the things I have learned with others.

Authentic Happiness

When I was growing up one of my favorite things to do was watch BYU Football and

Basketball with my dad. My dad loves BYU sports and as I got older, I quickly grew to love

them too. Whether I am watching a game in person or on the TV I always feel authentically

myself and perfectly happy. I love going to the games with my friends and being able to sing and

dance during the time outs and being able to cheer on my favorite football team with people who

feel as passionately about it as I do. While this football season was a little disappointing, the

memories I created and the things I experienced with people that I love, created many moments

for authentic happiness, which I am so grateful for.

Take Back Your Time

During homecoming week, I had a lot of stuff going on and I was not sure if I was going

to be able to make it to the hike and light the Y night. My hopes were continually diminished as

all the friends that I asked to come with me did not have time because of either school or work.

Then one night I was talking to my friends, Hannah, and Anna, and they both said that they were

going to hike the Y for homecoming and that I was more than welcome to join them! I was so
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excited and grateful to be able to go. Hiking the Y helped me to be able to take back some of the

time that I felt like school and work were taking from me. It helped me to get outside and enjoy

Provo, while also participating in something for BYU. I had so much fun with my friends and I

am so grateful that I was able to find the time to go and people to go with.

Meeting the Aims of a BYU Education

Character Building

Participating in Adaptive Show Choir is one of the most character-building things that I

have ever done. My partner Megan has Down Syndrome and she constantly amazes me with her

commitment to creating a good life for herself. Outside of ASC she also has a job, rides horses,

and goes to dance classes. Megan has shown me through her sweet example, the kind of person

that I want to become. She is so kind and patient and is good at not taking anything too seriously.

She amazes me with her intellect and how deeply she thinks about and feels things. I have truly

been changed by her example and I want to be just like her. I have loved getting to know her and

experience Adaptive Show Choir with her this semester.

Spiritually Strengthening

One of the highlights of my week each week this semester has been going to the campus

devotionals. I have received so much spiritual insight from a lot of the devotionals and have had

many of my prayers be answered during them. I think that my favorite devotionals were Elder

Lund’s and Elder Johnson’s. I was so impressed by both of their examples and dedication to the

gospel throughout their lives. After both devotionals I felt closer to my Savior and a greater

desire to do good. I am so grateful to be able to go to a university that makes space for religion

and invites the Spirit onto its campus.

Improving the BYU Experience

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Get Involved

The main piece of advice that I would give someone who wants to improve their own

BYU Experience would be to get involved! One of the things that I love the most about BYU is

how many different opportunities there are for everyone. For example, I have participated in

BYUSA, Adaptive Show Choir, and a few different research groups. My brother who is a

Mechanical Engineering major, is involved in the BYU Tennis club, the Society for Automotive

Engineers, and the Pickleball club. We both have very different interests, but we have also both

been able to find a place here at BYU and get involved in things that are interesting to us. No

matter what you want to do, there are things for everyone at BYU.

Future BYU Experience Plans

I am currently a Senior in the Psychology program with plans to graduate next semester.

While I am sad that my time at BYU is almost done, I am so grateful for all the wonderful

opportunities that I have had this semester and throughout my time here, to get involved at BYU.

As far as next semester goes, I plan to continue in my participation with Adaptive Show Choir

and I am so excited to have the opportunity to TA for one of my HR professors. I feel like these

opportunities will help round out my BYU experience in a wholistic way and I am so excited to

participate in them.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I am so grateful for the opportunity I had during this semester to focus on

creating my BYU experience. It helped me expand my focus to new opportunities and look

outside of myself and other activities I could do. I love BYU and I am so happy that I got to

school here. There is no other place that I would want to be right now.