Farewell, Provo

Well, another era of my life has come to an end. I left Provo this week.

Back in fall of 2010 and 2011, I left Provo and moved home, but those were temporary moves. I knew I would be returning to Provo in four months. This time, however, I'm at home indefinitely.

I need to find a full-time job, as my current internship won't last much longer and I turn 26 next month and will need to get insurance. I'm talking with my boss this week about some of my future work plans, now that I'm out of Provo.

It is a different environment being a single Mormon up here than it is down at BYU. Down there, I lived in a complex surrounded by people in my same position. I walked to church on campus, where a million wards met simultaneously. Here, I have to drive to church (walking is basically out of the question) and my ward consists of people from all over Bountiful and North Salt Lake. We meet in a different building now than we did last time I was in the ward. In fact, for Sunday School we combine with another YSA ward. There were a fair amount of people I know, and I was able to see two of my former roommates, Zach Zimmerman and Chase Elwood. There are a lot of younger people (today's speakers were born in 1993. I remember 1993.), but there are older ones as well.

I know there will be good things about living up here, but I will miss Provo: Easier access to socializing. Superior running routes. College-town atmosphere.

I was thinking about the unofficial bucket lists that go with living in Provo/Utah County and the things that I did and didn't do.

I did attend local concerts, hike to the Y, eat at J-Dawgs, graduate from BYU, attend the Llama Festival, run the Freedom Run and watch Stadium of Fire fireworks, and hike Timp.

I did not attend a BYU football or basketball game (BOR-ing), hike to the top of Y Mountain, visit Timp cave, slide in blue Homecoming foam, go to the Festival of Colors, visit Utah Lake, attend Stadium of Fire, or go to Bridal Veil Falls.

I would love to return to Provo. But I don't find that extremely likely--and if I did, would I still like it? Or would I feel like the old graduated person who doesn't fit in because my life is different?