BYU-Idaho is a university owned and operated by the LDS church. It is located in the middle of nowhere (Rexburg), and the student population of 13,000 likely exceeds the
local town residents. Students are 99%
Mormon and come from all over
America to attend for 4 years. The social atmosphere is beyond
cheesy. To many it is like a never ending EFY conference; racing to get as many NCMO’s (non-commital make-outs) as possible before each semester ends. Some students are more serious, and search their ward menu (ward directory) seeking engagement ASAP; sometimes in as little as one week. This is why the school is sometimes referred to as “BYU-I DO”. Church leaders admonish students to get married and have children (lots of em’) as quickly as possible while continuing to get educated and somehow staying out of debt.
Don’t forget getting your 2 year food-storage on
top of that. The school administration exhorts students to get good grades, yet complain about grade inflation when the students perform well. Many students live in the library to keep up with their studies; the third
floor is reserved for singles looking to get hooked up, it’s pretty much a meat market. Every student is forced to sign a “code of honor” in order to attend the University. Known as the honor code, it prohibits most every behavior and basically acts as the nagging parent you thought you got away from. The code is very, very
long- if you wish to see it click here. One must be
extra careful not to express an opinion that is contrary to the honor code or any other policy; if you do you will be labeled with a bad attitude and being ungrateful to all the widows in brazil whose tithing pays for your education. Students get pep talks every week at mandatory meeting called Devotional. This usually consists of a church leader calling everyone to repentance. If you forget to bring your scriptures to this meeting you will be scorned, and if you
don’t go many will label you as an apostate. This is the only major event on campus since all collegiate sports were canceled. Students are left to intramurals and intercollegiate sports leagues where playing to win is considered a sin. The
music and arts programs would likely be canceled as well, but the school forces all students to complete the “FA 100” course that requires students to attend
random artistic events. Some students look for escape and transfer to BYU-Provo, which is regarded as a party school by many BYU-I students with holier-than-thou- attitudes. The weather is always freezing, windy and cloudy. Going from one class to another in
winter requires snowshoes, a snowmobile, and a map to navigate the maze of construction that shows no signs of progress. Also every parking space will get you a nice fat ticket. The school hires hosts of parking mercenaries (usually students) to search out and
fine their fellow students for every imaginable parking violation known to
man. Unforgivable.
But overall, BYU-I has the hottest girls and the swankest college town hands down.
