2017

Hi everyone!

2017 is a year like no other. It's the year that I graduate from high school and college; it's the year that I am granted the freedom of an under 21 aged adult; it's the year I decide where I will continue my journey and I find out how many scholarships I will be awarded; it's the year that I will officially be handling things (mostly) on my own. This is the year.

2016 was full of emotional excitement and definitely had it's sadder moments, but I'm still grateful for it. 2016 taught me to take care of myself and to value myself more. I'm constantly having to relearn that I can't make everybody happy all the time. I need to do things that make me happy first and go from there. I learned that making other people happy can sometimes inconvenience me --which in turn, makes me unhappy--so I should focus on me and help others when I can.

I'm ready for 2017! Are you?

                                         

Christmas and 7,000 Views!!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

I've had a wonderful holiday season between applying for colleges and various scholarships and spending time with my friends and family. I've been fortunate enough to experience the warm feeling of giving as well as the burst of energy that comes with receiving a gifts I didn't know I wanted. I'm so grateful for this time off to just relax and enjoy the people that love me.

In other news, my wonderful viewers have gave me the gift of over 7,000 views! Thank you all soooooo much!!! 7,000 views is amazing!! What a priceless gift from people around the globe who read my posts. Thank you so much.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone ^_^ <3 

Countdown to Christmas: CA Christmas

Personalized mugs ^_^

Hi everyone!

Today is CA Christmas -- a day where I get together with my fellow seniors and we exchange gifts with each other. There are about 10-12 people in our squad and I made everyone a personalized gift on about $22. The key to my gifts is memories. I think about a memory the recipient and I share together and that inspires me to sketch a blueprint of that reminds me of them. I then do my best to produce a card, mug, box, or something that encompasses the memory. For instance, one of my friends really likes Disney, so I made her a Disney logo with Christmas themed bottom and on the back I placed some pictures of us together and a personal message. It's classy, personal, and affordable  ^_^

My friends were really thoughtful and generous in the gifts they gave me. I screamed every time I unwrapped something because I loved every single present I received; everything was a reflection of how my friends view me and I can see that they know I'm going to do something amazing. They made me feel so appreciated! I'm so grateful to have a group of friends that loves me like family. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas <3

Me opening all my gifts d ^_^b

                                  

3 Days Until Christmas : Lunch at Brio

Hi everyone!

It's been a very trying, stressful, and lively senior year. I've journeyed through the college application process. All the fly outs, school projects, volunteer initiatives, and basic human requirements-like eating and socializing-become time consuming. I've been spending so much time trying to do well and take care of other ppl that I've forgot how to take care of myself a little bit (which explains my blogging hiatus). No worries, I'm back and ready to write all my stories.

Today I went out to lunch with one of my friends that I don't usually get to see at this fancy restaurant called Brio. It's a really nice Italian place that's nicely decorated and reasonably priced. There was supposed to be a 20 minute wait, but after catching up with my friend, the attendants called us before we knew it. Just by waiting a few minutes, we got a very nice booth in the middle of restaurant. It was great to take a couple hours to spend time to old friends and update each other on everything that's going on. I definitely suggest calling up a friend you haven't spoke to in a while or just going out to lunch in general. If you need a place to start, I'd suggest Brio.

Delicious flatbread!!!

Fly-in: Tufts University

Hi everyone!

So I'm in Boston visiting Tufts University and everything seems really nice. The town is quiet and they have nice facilities. The people are very relaxed and ready to help whenever need. I am experiencing real cold for the first time and I'm seeing what fall looks like in the movies. I love all the different color leaves; it looks like there are golden trees and fire trees dotted all over campus. I went on a campus tour and listened in on a Q&A with admissions officers. I went to an ice cream social and a "supershow" which actually was spectacular. The performers were all so talented and down to earth.  It definitely added some appeal to Boston ^_^

My first time seeing leaves change :)

College Fly-in: Pomona College

Hi everyone!
Right now, I'm in Claremont, California at the Pomona Diversity Weekend. There are 54 students from around the nation invited to participate in the events of this weekend just to experience the college and get a taste of what it has to offer. After my 5 hour flight followed by a 2 hour SuperShuttle ride from the airport, I finally arrived on campus. It is hot and sunny like my hometown except without the humidity. Palm trees line the roads and the sidewalks are filled with friendly diverse students. There are people from the diversity team waiting to greet me as I exit the shuttle and hand me a folder with my name on it as well as a bag with a water bottle inside. They walk me  through every piece of paper in the folder and hand me over to some other students. I check in at a table of relaxed college kids, the table of which is FULL of snacks. I ask questions about dual enrollment and my host for the weekend. All the people handling check in know my host and seem to assume that we would be a perfect match based on ethnicity and similar hometown. My host isn't available to pick me up and walk me to my dorm so she sends her friend Jasmine to get me instead.

Literally what the quad looks like ^_^

Jasmine is really cool and majors in Linguistics. She tells me about the dorm and the different halls based on focus languages (i.e. Spanish hall, French hall, Chinese hall). I am ecstatic because I love language and I major in International Relations. I drop off my bags, go pick up a piece of pizza from check-in, and follow Jasmine around campus. We walk pass the quad (which looks like it came straight out of a movie) to the Psychology building. The building looks brand new with several places to relax in peace. We go upstairs to what looks like a glass sunroom filled with books, a couch, a big comfy chair, some working tables, and respective decorations. I finally meet my host. We'll call her Nelly. Nelly is really cool too. I am like the younger version of her; we both are of the same ethnic background, come from the same hometown, applied for the same scholarships, and completed high school with an A.A. degree. I meet her other friends at the same time and everyone is very relaxed and comfortable with each other and themselves.

I really like this program because they have organized it so that each student has an individualized experience. I've already got to experience the freedom and spontaneity that comes with the college experience and I really appreciate that.

Little Kids -_- : Ice Cream Day

When I was little, I loved fun days when we got to get all hyped up on sugar and run around. It was fun and I couldn't wait until the next fun day. I actually questioned why we couldn't have fun days everyday. I recently got my answer.

We wanted to give the kids an ice cream party so we got all the scoopers, the cups, toppings, napkins, spoons, and ice cream and laid everything out. I pre-scooped the more popular flavors into cups so that when the kids came I could give them their cup and move on to the next child. This system worked quite well for the first child. The second child tells me she wants mixed ice cream so I hand her a napoleon (chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry) and she bursts into tears. I ask her what's wrong and she tells me "it's not mixed right." I tell her to let me help the four other kids behind her and then I'll come back. The other kids take their ice cream with no complaints. I come back to help the crying girl. I ask her if she wants a different one and she says "I want chocolate." I give her chocolate and keep moving. We get through kindergarten through 3rd grade when the ice cream tubs have to be replaced. I take the empty ones and have to maneuver my way through a crowd of excited kids to swap out tubs. The ice cream is frozen rock solid so we have to get hot water to warm the scoopers to scoop the ice cream. The line of kids is endless and becoming more demanding. One kid demanded cookies and cream ice cream, several kids cut the line in an attempt to get seconds, and on top of that, we were running out of ice cream. After rationing ice cream and giving extra toppings, we managed to feed all the kids. After the last kid sat down, I felt like I just completed a 5k. I have never been so happy to clean up in my life.

It was a lot of hard work and a little chaotic, but in the end, I felt closer to the staff and I felt like a better person. Watching the kids laugh and smile while I worked was just so fulfilling. I still can't wait until the next fun day :)

P.S. Thank you so much for reading, commenting on, and sharing my blog posts. I really appreciate it and it really makes me feel good ^_^