Class of '98 Today...

Shanna Lillywhite

How can we be having a 10 year reunion when I am still 22?!? I can't believe how quickly time has flown. Here's the run-down on my last 10 years ... Right after graduation, I spent four great years at BYU and graduated in 2002 with a degree in Business, Financial Services. Prior to my senior year year there, I drove across the country for a summer internship in Washington DC, where I didn't know a single soul. When people asked me if I'd move back after graduation, I said "no, everyone is so uptight there and always busy with a million things." Well, I caught what they call "Potomac Fever" and after graduation and a trip to Hawaii, I drove back across the country and settled in Fairfax, VA (about 20 miles outside of DC) to start working full-time for the same firm I'd interned with. Six years later, I've morphed into one of those always busy (but not uptight) people and I'm still here doing financial planning (and loving every minute of it), living in my townhouse, and enjoying the awesome opportunities I've been able to have over the last ten years ...



Life has been anything but boring for me since graduation! Certainly not the life I'd ever thought would be mine, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I really enjoy being in the Washington DC area with so much excitement going on and so many things to do and see. I love to travel, and have been able to do pack a lot of it in the last few years. I've travelled all over the country and I've fallen in love with the East Coast (except for maybe the humidiy). I've also enjoyed some incredible time in Europe, visiting London, Ireland, Italy, and Malta. My passion for baseball has continued and by Labor Day I will complete my goal of going to a game in every MLB ballpark (only 2 left). I'll let you all know when to tune in to ESPN for my story (ha ha)! Its kind of the joke around the office that I'm always going somewhere or doing something exciting (not a bad reputation to have). Each Monday, everyone asks where I have been that weekend, and they all try to live vicariously through me. In my "free time" (when I am not working or travelling or doing something for church), I did a couple triathlons last year, and I've recently started taking tennis lessons. I figure I need to take advantage of everything while I can!

I won't be able to make it to the reunion this time, but I've loved catching up with everyone (thanks to modern technologies of blogs and Facebook)! Have a great time and I'll be anxious to see pictures of everything here.

Shanna Lillywhite
shannalillywhite@gmail.com