Suffermore Year is OVER (Updates!)

Hi everyone!
I'm so happy to be back on the blog to update you on everything that has happened since I last posted. Suffer-more year is finally over and to be fair, I actually had a really good spring semester. On December 28 of 2017, I told myself that I could not bring any issues or negativity into my 2019 so I cut some people off, set some higher goals and here we are.  Since the last time I posted, I have:

1. Mastered the art of working full time while going to full school time
Its initially absolutely exhausting, but do-able if you're organized and extremely determined.

2. Made a grateful list every Sunday and put it in a grateful jar
I enjoy this new practice the most because it makes me settle down  for 2-3 minutes and reflect on all the great things I experienced that week. On New Years Day of 2020, I'm going to read them all and make a memory board ^_^

3. Achieved my financial goals $$$
Enough said.

4. Changed my education plan
Upon starting college I wanted to graduate with a degree in Political Science.
Then, I wanted to graduate with a degree in Political Science and a Masters in Teaching.
Now,  I wanted to graduate with a degree in Political Science, obtain 2 language certificatiions (Chinese and Spanish), and graduate with a Masters of Accounting.

5. Had an ENTIRE 20th birthday photoshoot (photocreds: lnot_el)

9.  Been a Snapchat Filter

10. Danced in front of people

11. Started Learning a New Language (its Spanish)

12. Got into the Rice in Argentina Program

13. Found the $6,000 needed for Rice in Argentina program

14. Been disappointed that the program was cancelled and that the $6k was non-transferable

15. Quickly found another study abroad program in Chile

16. Awarded scholarships to cover the Chile program

17. Dropped my LED computer and broke the screen (twice)

18. Created a college course that I will teach at Rice in Spring of 2020

19. Became a much better teacher

20. Became a much better caregiver

21. Became a happier and more fulfilled person


That's a little bit of what I've done so far this year. What's been going on in your world this year?

P.S. Look out for Chile posts! I'm going to Valparaiso this summer ^_^

Suffer-more Year Fall Semester Issues: Money Problems (Part 1)

Hi everyone!

I apologize for my long hiatus. My suffer-more (sophomore) fall semester 2018 just so happened to be very difficult for me and this is the first part what happened.

The week before the semester started, I moved living spaces and started working for a potential new client. I work as a caregiver which encompasses tutoring, babysitting, child transportation, and nannying. This family wanted me to nanny for the week and continue nannying throughout the fall semester. I was so excited to start working with them. I loved their daughter and during the day we would go to the park and have lunch and just really enjoy the day. On the 3rd day of me working for them, I notice some unusual bites on my ankles and I look up to see their daughter--sitting on the couch-- plucking some sort of creature off of her skin. She says "Aw man, I got a flee." I am so confused I ask her to repeat herself. "A flee," she says, and then continues to support her point by letting me watch it jump off of her fingers into thin air. I am befuddled and upset that the parents did not immediately come out to alert me. When I bring up the bites and the fleas, these clients brush it off as if it is something normal. As you've already inferred, I had to quickly quit that job.

      As a result, I became paranoid. My skin started to break out with bumps all over and they remained for weeks to follow. I was terrified that I'd have to shave my head and burn all my clothes. I had just moved into my new place! What if I brought fleas in? I felt extremely overwhelmed and stressed.

Fortunately I got another job and I started working about 29-45 hours a week, going to school every single day, leaving exactly 0 minutes for myself. I found out later that this was a very poor decision.
I had an after school job, an evening job, a night job, a late night job and once a month a morning job. 5 jobs! 5 jobs, 16 credit hours, and only me to do it.

P.S. There's a part 2 to my money problems suffermore year so look out for that. I will be uploading more this semester. I promise ^_^

Blogger to Vlogger?

Hi everyone!
I've recently started a joint YouTube channel with my friend called CXC. I'm really excited for all the cool relatable content that will be posted. I'm also excited to see how my skills develop as a video editor. Just in the videotaping, editing, and release of the videos already available, I've learned so much about patience, time management, and video scheduling efficiency.  The clean look of a video is so much harder to produce than I could've ever imagined. Embarking on this new project has inspired me to be more creative and allowed me another outlet to express myself to the world. I'm very excited.
Watch out world for CXC (Click here to visit our channel)!
Latest video:
CXC Presents 42 Ways to Avoid Annoying People
Recommended:
Watch our introduction video here!
IN OTHER NEWS,
Camy's Corner will also be making its way to YouTube as well! Official release will be discussed in future posts!

As always thanks for all the support!
See you soon ^_^

Sorry About That Hiatus: I'm Back

Hi everyone!

Let me start off by saying I’m sorry for the impromptu hiatus I didn’t mean to take. After mid-terms, I got so caught up in school and working that I sort of forgot about personal writing and connecting with my blog viewers so...my bad! Fortunately, I’M BACK! I’m back to writing and recording my experiences and I’m ready to share them with you. Let me start off with a few highlights since I last posted.

In March, I gave my first TedTalk! I had been writing my speech for 3 months. Then, I had to go through the editing and rewrite process in addition to the countless meetings with my curator and the dubious stares I would get as I walked down populated halls reciting my speech to myself. The day of the talk was nerve-wracking! I had practiced it one million times and invited all my friends to watch. More importantly, amongst the audience sat my high school debate teacher and my boss! While waiting for the audience to sign-in and be seated, I officially met the other speakers. All of them women, amazing, diverse with stories to tell and full of energy. I sat through 3 talks until it was finally my turn. My palms were sweaty and I was so excited-nervous-anxious, but I saw my friends sitting in the audience smiling at me so I knew I couldn’t go wrong. I said the first word and like water, the rest of the words just flowed. I became the story full of animation and excitement. I utilized every pause to emphasize my points and even filled potentially awkward moments with some laughs. Before I knew it, I was done smiling before a room of applause and proud head nods.  What a rush! What an icon ^_^

Link here: https://youtu.be/12sBoz6ylbU

April was the last month of school and full of tension. I had finals, more demand for my tutoring services, and sudden expansion in my caregiving business. With so many priorities, so little time, and too much stress, I spent whatever free time I had running, going to the masseuse, and watching Scandal. I also had to move all of my stuff into storage and pick a few things to live off of in the upcoming month. April was extremely overwhelming and I’m glad that was the end of the semester because I truly started to become burned out. Fortunately, my university is very conscientious about that and the leaders of my college made us baked goods, hosted an evening making pottery, and had late night snacks every night of finals. We also had pet therapy dogs and pop-up petting zoos to help reduce general stress. My school >>>>

The month of May was lined with a personal expectation that was absolutely crazy. My goal was to save money at all costs. I bought $34 worth of food and lived off of that for the month. I also stopped taking Ubers and started walking everywhere I went. Once I realized that walking 12 miles a day in the blazing sun was absolutely exhausting, I taught myself how to use the bus. The bus became my saving grace. Its air conditioned, in-expensive, and takes me where I need to go. Bless up! I took on more random jobs like working for Minecraft for two days or selling textbooks when I could. Fortunately, May wasn't all work. I received free tickets to JMBLYA, an outdoor music festival, and spent free time bonding with my friends. May was an amazing month. May made me a conqueror. 

All the hard work in May prepared me for rest in June. I traveled to Oakland, California to visit my friend that I met in China. I had an amazing time! We hiked mountains, went thrift shopping, cooked food, and took lots of pictures. I also got to, literally, run through University of California Berkeley and eat soup dumplings that I miss so much from Shanghai. We went to San Francisco together to meet up with another friend! San Francisco was also so much fun! I got to tour Google with my friends and try restaurants featured on Insider Foods, and we all got to walk the Golden Gate Bridge together! It was so amazing. It was like I was living a dream. After California, I flew to Seattle to visit another one of my amazing friends from college! He took me to see the Space Needle and the famous Pike's Market Place that'd I'd only seen on Instagram. I got to eat lots of amazing food and meet even more amazing people. I had a great time traveling up the West Coast.

And now its July and I'm back!
I'm back with several new projects in the works including building a strong YouTube channel and being on the ground floor of an amazing new app that will be released soon called Croozen. Can't wait to see what the school year has for me :D

My Black Panther Experience

Hi everyone! (Heyyy Auntie!)

I just finished watching a screening of Black Panther and I feel so overcome with emotion in this moment. I'm so excited to see so many beautiful people who look like me portrayed as intelligent, strong, and powerful! I'm proud to be black and polyglotonous. I am flooded with happiness that I can finally see my mom, my dad, my aunts, my family, my friends, and myself in a movie in their respective roles as warriors, culture keepers, protectors, kings and queens. I feel like I've chosen the pill of knowledge to be able to recognize that I've been bombarded with other cultures versions of beauty, but not my own. In that, I am eternally grateful for the creation, execution, and release of this amazing movie. Thank you for normalizing black excellence and raising the bar that much higher; I'm ready to strive higher and achieve more as a direct descendant of Wakanda; I am ready to put on my crown and lead the nations.

Midterm Update: Spring Edition

Hi everyone!

I'm back with my midterm update. I have followed through with the plans outlined in the last post and have been very successful in focusing on myself. Honestly, when you're working 30 hours a week plus taking on 18 credit hours, there's not much else you can do besides focus on yourself and grow.

Like the clipping split ends of my hair, I cut all potential sources of pain, anxiety, and stress out of my life. When I do face emotional challenges, I talk it through with my friends and people I know have my best interest at heart. I'm thriving in my new independence and it makes me a whole other level of beautiful. I am practicing taking life day by day and spending time with the people that make me smile the most. Being surrounded by my friends and people that love me is the best way, and in my opinion most efficient way, to spend my rest time when I have it.

I have friends ^_^

I am still on my quest to save up the $33,000 needed for graduate school and it's a lot of hard work. However, I'd much rather endure and work hard now so that I don't have to worry about starting my adult life under the weight of debt and student loans. I want to be able to comfortably attend graduate school and have the option of working rather than attend graduate school with a mandate of working. 

I C O N I C

As I look towards the future, I can expect academic excellence in all day classes, exceeding the expectations on all my jobs, and surprising myself with new tidbits of self-discovery. I, personally, am most excited for Spring Break, my birthday ( March 7 ❤️), and my upcoming TedTalk! There are so many amazing things ahead of me and this is just a sample of what greatness is to come. 

"SKY'S THE LIMIT"

Next Steps for 2018

Hi everyone! 

I hoped you've had a very merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. I'm grateful to say that I truly have enjoyed this winter break and all of the festivities. This month has been absolutely crazy; I've never been so busy. At the start of the month, I was preparing for finals and starting a new job while playing in the Powderpuff championships and maintaining my other two jobs. Although, extremely busy (and sometimes stressful), my first semester has been nothing less than eventful and noteworthy. I've learned so much about myself—my strengths and my shortcomings—and I've grown to appreciate myself more and fully understand how I should be treated. Looking back at past behaviors and relationships make me laugh sometimes because every time I think back, I ask myself,

What were you going through? Where is your self-love?

After completing a full semester of classes, clubs, coaches, sports, tests, quizzes, multiple jobs, and a romantic interest, I am completely exhausted. Yes, I did arrange the semester and choose to be super involved because I wanted to be busy and have the complete college experience. However, despite my appreciation for all the smiles and warm memories of late night snacks with my study buddies and spending time with my friends, going forth I have a different idea of how I want to live and what I want to focus on. Instead of dividing my attention between exploring the new city, making friends, and all the obligations previously listed, I'm going to bring it back to square one and just focus on myself. I'm going to focus on my mental health, taking care of my body, and pay attention of my feelings.  More than anything, I want to focus on loving myself.

Next semester is about constantly doing acts of self-love. I’m ready to get back to working hard and trying to earn a little money in the meantime, but more than anything I’m excited to spend time with my friends, explore more of the city, and build new relationships.      

University: Midterm Update

Hi everyone!
I know I haven't posted in a while, but that is because life has been so busy. All this change --new city, new school, and so many new adventures--has been very time consuming. Since move-in day and post Harvey cleanup, school has been in full swing. When I'm not in class, I'm usually in a meeting, or doing homework, or going to a school sponsored event. I've already attended 4 career events, 3 school-wide social events, I have two jobs on campus and one special someone off-campus.

4 Career Events

So far I've been to an Accenture recruiting meeting, an investors lunch, an event hosted by the Global Forum for Engineers, and an etiquette lunch. The one that left the greatest impression on me was the etiquette lunch. It was not only about which fork is for salad or which spoon is for soup. It was about how to better present oneself when eating food. Our speaker and teacher was Diane Gottsman and she was amazing! It was clear that she was well-versed in this area and she pointed out small things that potential employers would look for when taking a potential employee out for lunch. She taught me to pay attention to how I  stir sugar into beverages and the angle that I bring the fork to my mouth. It was very interesting and my body remembers how to eat just from that one 2-hour session. 10/10 would recommend.

3 School Wide Events

My school has some pretty interesting social events including a Texas Party, Screw-Yer-Roommate, and a very popular intramural sport, Powderpuff. I'm on the Powderpuff team and I love it! I didn't really understand football until I started playing and now I get it. Football isn't about the players; it is more like a chess match between the coaches/quarterbacks. I've never played sports competitively so this should be a nice introduction into the competitive sports world. It is also a great way for me to stay active and involved. My team is pretty great too ^_^

2 Jobs

I work very hard in school and in the workplace. I work as a telephone fundraiser for scholarships donated from alumni and parents. I also work as an assistant that helps set up events hosted by the Global Forum of Engineers. I really like my jobs. They're both fulfilling and entertaining.

1 Special Someone

In my couple months living in this new city, I've met a really kindhearted guy. He's smart, he's a hard worker, and he's always making me smile. When we first started talking, I told him I wanted to get to see more of Houston. Not to say my school isn't amazing, my school is great, but I think it is important to go beyond the hedges. So on one of our first dates, he took me to see the skyline uninterrupted and pictured below. It was a wonderful night with a beautiful skyline and a great guy.

First Week: Harvey and Other Things

Hi everyone!
 My first week in college will go down in history. On my first day of classes, we had a solar eclipse and yes, I did take the time to go to the roof of my dorm and stare at it (with protective glasses). A few days later we receive some warnings regarding Hurricane Harvey and the damage it may cause. Classes get cancelled and everyone bunkers down. It rains for five days straight--day and night--without revealing even a hint of the sun. I suddenly had an influx of calls and texts asking if I was doing okay and if I was safe and/or if I had photographs of the flood. To be honest, up to that point I had the luxury of not even thinking about the flood; I was able to just regard it as heavy rain. But the more pictures and videos I saw of people's homes underwater or people trying to climb on top of their roofs to avoid drowning, the more my heart would hurt. It hurts so bad to know that no matter how much I wanted to help these flood victims, I couldn't
 help them without putting myself in danger. My campus was flooded in a way that kept us in and kept everyone else out. So even if I did try to go help some people, I'd probably end up hurting myself in the process. So, I waited and waited and waited for the rain to stop. As soon as a ray of sun broke through the shades of my window, I ran outside. Just that a little bit of sun completely brightened my mood and made me realize that everything would eventually get back to normal; it would just take some time.
Even though it was dry enough to walk outside again, my heart was still heavy for those who'd lost something in the flood. I just felt like I really needed to do something to help. So, I did. Today I went with some other volunteers to help members of the community. We drove to a woman's house and on the way there, all you can see is the streets lined with mattresses, couches, bed frames, pillows, and ruined items of sentimental memorabilia.
We get to the woman's house and she asks a few of us to wrap up a few canvas photos she salvaged. Then, she asked me to go outside, take pictures of all her damaged clothes, and then throw them away. I went through every article of clothing and took pictures of every label. These clothes belonged to her, her husband, and a young boy (presumably her son). I sort through all of it and it is in a trash pile and right when I'm ready to throw everything away, I come across her wedding DVD. I stopped everything and just looked at the remains of it. It crumpled in my hand and it broke my heart.
I brought the lady the remains of her wedding tape and she just smiled and tucked it away. She just said thank you and asked me to put some stuff on the curb that said, "Free to Take". This woman really amazed me. She lost everything she had and still found a way to give to others. She made me remember the value in giving my time to help someone else. And that's what I'm going to urge my readers to do. Take some time to help someone else, even if it's just making them smile.

Summer '17: O-Week

Hi everyone!
The college experience always comes with the very popular orientation process. My school takes orientation very seriously--so much so that they've turned the orientation process into a whole week of jam packed information sessions, outdoor activities, late night outings, and college traditions. The process itself is very energy consuming and can become tiresome, however, I wouldn't trade these experiences for the world.

As soon as I pulled up to campus, a flood of very enthusiastic people approached my car and immediately started removing my stuff and bringing it to my room. They were holding signs, already knew my name, and had a custom-made button for me.  There was very little time to actually set up and decorate my room before going to have family lunch. I went to meet some other friends who I knew were going to Rice and hugged my mom goodbye before being fully engaged in college (our residential area) activities. There are seven extremely long gold sheets of paper hanging from the second floor with all the events the student coordinators planned for us. First, we officially meet up with our O-Week groups and play awkward ice breakers. As the week goes on we sign up for classes, attend a several talks regarding sex, alcohol, drug usage, diversity, and college life, we play games, and participate in different traditions.

My personal favorite tradition was McGuffin. On the 3rd day of O-Week, a bunch of posters of McGuffin memes were posted all over the dorms and lounges. I assumed it was a prank from another college called McMurtury. Then, I looked up the term McGuffin which refers to a point in the story that has absolutely nothing to do with the plot, yet guides the plot. So I thought something was going happen, but nothing did so, as any rational person would, I went to sleep. At precisely 4:00 am, all I hear is people yelling "This is the best day of your life!" and banging on doors. They did this until they got everyone outside to an hour long dance party. This of course was followed by our healthy breakfast of Poptarts and RedBull. Then, we proceeded to run to different parts of the school doing activities the advisers had set up. It was a lot of fun and I appreciate that I got to reap the benefits of someone else's hard work.

I would like to thank all the advisers, co-advisers, RAs, H&D, and everyone who was involved in my RetrO-Week. It was an amazing experience and I appreciate every single minute you all put in to planning and executing it.  Also, feel free to say you're welcome if you see me in person ^_^

Summer '17: New Orleans

Hi everyone!
Even though I'm in the process of moving and am a few days away from starting school, I'm still a teenager and I like to have fun. I think it's important to make the best of these last few rays of summer sun, so I stopped in New Orleans!

New Orleans is a lot of fun with lively people and a bursting energy. It looks like an old fashion French town dressed up in Caribbean colors. There's this appreciation for individuality and creativity that I haven't seen anywhere else. There are lots of mom-and-pop shops with little to no mainstream fast food places. There are small stores that sell custom made masks and bustiers. There are legendary restaurants with delicious creole food and specialized treats. Even the living spaces are built upward in layers with different tropical plants on each floor. Everything is a piece of art and everyone here has some sort of talent. The smooth, mystical, hypnotizing vibe of  New Orleans is really something one can only truely understand through personal experience.

Sometimes the beauty of New Orleans can be so captivating, it can make all other things disappear. I had been walking up and down Bourbon Street for a long time constantly looking up at the European architecture. When I looked down, I was finally able to see the line of homeless people and their various scattered items all over the sidewalk. I could finally hear them calling out to other hypnotized tourists for help; I could finally see them creating little scams to trick visitors into giving them money. It was saddening and added one more thing to the list of things I had never seen before. Although homelessness to this extent is disheartening, I still have pride in the street performers, street merchants, and -- yes -- even the scammers of New Orleans. Instead of sitting at home doing nothing or stealing things, they work their hardest to earn cash through tips. That is so admirable and displays honor and mental strength. Even those struggling in New Orleans add to its Creole charm.

Summer '17: Moving Out

Hi everyone!
As most of you know, I'm moving to out of state university and today is the official day of the move. It's such a bittersweet moment. I feel sad because I know I won't see my friends and family for a long time. It kinda breaks my heart. I also feel happy because I know I'm going into a new chapter of my life where I will be literally unstoppable;it's the portion of my life when I fear nothing, can achieve anything, and will have everything. It's just so bittersweet.

I'm so grateful for Summer '17 and all of its experiences. I've been having so much fun spending time with my friends and loved ones that sometimes I'd forget to write about it. This summer I've graduated from high school and college, went to my future roommate's home, hosted two out of state visitors that I met in China, quickly befriended people that I've known for 2 years (but didn't know they were so amazing until these last 3 months), designed some collegiate gear, changed my hairstyle, and packed the beginnings of my new life in a few boxes. This summer came and went so quickly and fortunately I can say that I lived in every moment of it. 

To my friends and family, 

Thank you for supporting me in all my dreams and endeavors! I appreciate it more than you'll ever know. I love you all sooo much and I can't wait to come back and see you during break <3

Summer '17: Georgia (Still on My Mind)

Hi everyone!

I recently returned from a trip to Columbus, Georgia and it was something unlike anything that I've ever experienced before. The entire trip is what some might refer to as unusual, but let's be honest – I'm not your typical girl. 

The Motivation 

Why go to Georgia? I went to Georgia to watch my future roommate graduate from high school. This is an interesting situation because we just met in February at Rice University and then again in April (totaling 5 days of being in the same place together), yet here I am a couple months later spending time with her and her family in their house. 

         Getting to Know Columbus

I'm from a large city in South Florida so I'm not used to small populations, rural spaces, nor (ironically)southern hospitality. It's something different, but it's special. And once you get used to it, you can't imagine being without it. I've met a lot of people and all them were so sweet and welcoming. One of my new friends even hosted an after-hours Korean Barbecue in her parents’ restaurant. It was delicious and the way she and her family consistently served us food reminded me of how I was treated in China. Columbus has so much love to give and it will continue to show you love until your heart is full.

                    The Result

Now, I have a whole other family that lives in Georgia and I have a new found appreciation for small town living. This trip also reminded me to continue to fearlessly follow my heart. As for my future roommate, we were simply meant to be the best of friends. 

"As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen"

-Winnie the Pooh

Day 1

Friendship Time: 2 Months

Friends for 3 months (going on 4)

Summer '17: Senior Awards Night

Hi everyone!

Tonight was Senior Awards Night at my school and I'm proud to announce that I have won in the Broward County Literary Fair, been deemed the 2017 English Scholar by the English Department, and I've been awarded the Silver Knights scholarship for excellence in English and Literature. I was also awarded the National Honor Society Stole, the Silver Cord (for 250+ hours of community service), the Golden Cord (for GPA 3.75 or higher), and the Blue Cord (for graduating with an Associates of Arts degree). I was so honored to be recognized for all my scholastic achievement and community outreach. It felt so great to sit with my friends in the front row and cheer for them when their names were called. I felt so loved when various support sections of the auditorium would applaud and shout when my name was called. It was such an overwhelming energy of love and support.


I am so proud of my classmates and I’m especially proud of my friends. Two years ago, we left our homeschools to start better lives at Broward College and now we are graduating high school with AA degrees and multiple honors together. I’m glad to say I’m friends with National Merit Scholars; I’m friends with talented artists; one of my friends is low key a STEM major and a model. I even have one friend that has had perfect attendance since kindergarten! These unique characteristics, although interesting, are not why my friends are amazing. My friends are amazing because they are humble and intelligent people with genuine hearts and charming personalities. I feel so fortunate to have met and befriended all of these wonderful people and I can't wait to see how we succeed. I’m proud of my class because I know each and every one of us is ready to take on the world and achieve greatness.

Summer '17: Graduation

On May 9, 2017, I graduated with my Associates of Arts degree from Broward College. I am so proud of myself. I feel like I've actually accomplished something and there's so much more to be done. 

The graduation process itself was long and draining (between the standing in lines, signing agreements, and trying to locate my support section),  but it was so much fun. The hustle and bustle of everyone combined with this energy of school pride and achievement was addictive. The best moment was when I was walking up the stairs of the stage and I could look out into the arena and see all the people who came out to support my peers and me. There was so much love in the room and the happiness was infectious. I've never smiled as much as I did when I received by degree. 

The Countdown

Hi everyone!
As you all know, this year has been very taxing on me. Senior year is very stressful and crazy and full of fun. I've learned so much and grown as a person. As this chapter of my life draws to a close, I'm reflective and proud of myself. Let's start the countdown.

                The Countdown:

9 college applications to: Hofstra University, New York University, Fordham University, Rice University, Tulane University,Pomona College, Stanford University, Tufts University, and UChicago.

8 classes: COMPLETED 
7 months of waiting for college responses: Finally over :)

6 acceptances: Hofstra University, NYU,Fordham University, Rice University,Pomona College, and Tufts University (waitlisted by UChicago).

5 fly ins: Pomona College Fall Weekend,Tufts University Diversity Weekend,Rice University Vision Program,Pomona College Spring Weekend, and Rice University Owl Days.

4 SAT/ACT attempts: not worth it. I could've stuck with my original scores lol.
3 full rides from: Rice University, Pomona College,and Tufts University

        2 days left of "high school"

    1 big decision

And I choose..........

RICE UNIVERSITY 

🎉🎉🎉Prom 2017 🎉🎉🎉

Hi everyone!
Last night, April 22, 2017, was my prom and it was amazing. The night started off getting ready with my mom and my friend, Chandler. We went to different aesthetic locations and took pictures. I felt so glamorous wearing this long royal blue gown and having people walk around with me and take my photo. It was like an impromptu photoshoot and I'm so glad I got to share it with my friends and family.

      It was fun to get all dressed up and see my friends from school doing the same thing. It was like all these people that I see on a daily basis suddenly became royalty and I felt so fortunate to be a part of it. The first part of the night was set aside for dinner. Then, we danced and danced and danced some more. While everyone's dancing, the music suddenly goes out and its time to announce the winners of the senior superlatives. There was only one superlative that I really wanted: Most Likely to Succeed.  I'm waiting at the table with my friends for the announcers to get through all the superlatives before my category. Finally, the Most Likely to Succeed comes up and they announce the male counterpart first (this REALLY smart guy that I've literally only seen doing schoolwork) and then the emcee lingers on the female Most Likely to Succeed and she says " Our female Most Likely to Succeed is everyone's favorite...Camille P- " and I couldn't hear the rest of what she said because everyone erupted in applause. I get up to see everyone cheering for me and it is so surreal. People are standing up and giving me all this applause and attention. It made me feel so special; it reminded me that my hard work and efforts do not go unnoticed. As I stand among the other winners, one of the emcees goes "we all love Camille, don't we?" and everyone starts cheering again! The positive vibes and support everyone had for me was so mesmerizing. And that's what made prom so amazing. It wasn't the fancy lights or the loud music, it was the people I spent it with.

P.S. Camy's Corner has broken 9,000 views from viewers from 60+ countries around the world!!! Thank you so much for your support. It really added to the magic of this weekend.

Thank you for making this such an eventful senior year <3

Rice University: Owl Days 🦉

Owl Days S'mores <3

Hi everyone!
I have just attended Rice University's Owl Days and it was absolutely amazing! I made so many new friends and met so many genuine people. I felt right at home amongst all these beautiful minds. The campus entrance looks like the fortress of a castle. The administrative offices and the classes are in said "fortress" and there are friendly staff and students all around. There is this humongous quad lined with trees; its so beautiful, I've seen couples take their wedding photos in it. The residential college system is really unique and encourages bonding. The eateries are delicious and vegetarian friendly (for those days I select to be vegetarian lol). I just love this school.

Bubbletea!!!

Owl Days is a three day event set aside for admitted students to get to know the campus better and to figure out if Rice is a place they want to live for the next 4 years. There are tons of scheduled events and opportunities to find one's community (or communities). I found the easiest way to make friends is to say "Hey, what's your name? Where are ya from?" and then exchange numbers or social media. Just being involved (or displaying interest in being involved) creates immediate bonds with current students, administration, and/or other students in the incoming class. Rice University is an awesome school full of exceptional people who will go on to do unbelievable things. All prospective Rice students should make an effort to go to Owl Days.