Photo above-me on left with my portable black and white TV set won in my high school talent show.
After a total of five years of challenging dating experiences in junior college and now at BYU, I had graduated with a BS degree but no MRS degree. It was time for graduate work. I couldn’t believe that I wasn’t engaged as I started working on a Masters degree. I know my cousin Jody who was an airline stewardess had been successful in finding and marrying a RM-returned missionary after enrolling for only one summer semester. I shouldn’t have worried, BYU was like a marriage factory. They even offered a popular class called “Achieving Success in Marriage.” I had taken the course and got an A, but it hadn’t resulted in an engagement ring or a proposal. (I didn’t know that my Prince Charming was on his mission during this time. We just hadn’t met yet.)
How I had time to do any dating with my full load of college classes was something else. I had to squash four years of my major (physical education) requirements into two years to graduate on time, plus performing with all the different dance groups at BYU. I had joined Orchesis the modern dance group, plus the International Folk Dancers and Program Bureau. Any new dance group that formed, I was there for more performing experience. When the Ballroom Dancers formed, I became a charter member. This gave me the opportunity to meet many prospective partners, but most of them hadn’t served their missions yet. (Photo above from Jr. College play, I was the ballerina doll in the back right.)
Unfortunately, I didn’t have a car but only a bike during this time. My dance classes were held all over the BYU campus and included in those days a lower campus next to the Women’s Gym in downtown Provo where the dance groups rehearsed. I lived in Heritage Halls on upper campus, so I did a lot of biking during all sorts of weather. After ten years of living in California, biking in winter was not fun.
At the Y, female students were NOT allowed to wear slacks or jeans on campus to class. So with 10 minutes between classes, I spent most of my days in leotard, tights and a skirt biking between buildings located all over Provo. Life was a challenge but I loved every minute of my many different dance classes: modern, social, square, tap and dance theory classes. Then I met “him” at a dance practice.