Are We BYU?

Today at the Library a tiny toddler was walking around chanting BYU, BYU, over and over again. It was pretty adorable, but it kinda depressed me at the same time.

For the last month or so there have been street lamp banners up on parts of University Ave that read “We are BYU.” The banners were not put up by the university but by the Utah Valley Visitors Bureau. Now as I understand it, this year’s theme for BYU Football is “We are BYU Football.” But I have a real problem with the Utah Valley Visitor’s Center proclaiming “We are BYU.” Yes, BYU is a big part of Provo, but to say, “We are BYU” implies that we are ONLY BYU and that is just not the case.

Take it from someone who has lived in Utah Valley nearly her whole life. You can live perfectly happily here without ever stepping foot on BYU campus. I do of course visit BYU from time to time. I appreciate their art museum and dramatic productions, but how about we focus on what else makes Provo great instead of the thing we already all know.