It’s a Trip. Someday, It’ll Be Worth It.

It’s almost done.  My high school years are almost over.

Seeing the faces of all the friends who have been with me as long as seven years (that’s almost half my life…),  all the teachers I’ve grown to love and respect, the acquaintances I’ve worked with, and the family that has supported me, it’s kind of hard to think: I might soon leave.  Move to someplace previously unknown to me.  Somewhere without familiar faces.  I’m definitely going to miss everyone.  Heck, to be perfectly honest, I’ve been with the same friend group, the Nerd Herd, since the fourth or the fifth grade.

To think, sometime next year, I’ll be completely new.

Daunted? Scared? Nervous? Yes, I am.

Yet, it’s a challenge, isn’t it?  So many things in life are just hurdles, hills or even mountains on the path of life.  But you know what?  Once you get over it, climb to the top of the obstacle that once blocked your path, the view you see could be a field of brilliant gold.  Life is not just means to one end.  It’s a never-ending marathon with ups and downs.  Dark and light.  All we can do is to keep running, climbing.  Cherish those moments you experience from clearing one hurdle, keep the memory alive, but keep pushing on.  Who knows?  The obstacles ahead might be much more daunting, but who says the journey must always be terrible?  Maybe, just maybe… No, keep your head up because as long as you keep going.  Pushing.  Persevering.  Hoping.  You will see: The stars will shine, illuminating a beautiful night path.  The day will break the sun-less night.  There will be new, wonderful people to meet.  You will live new adventures.

You write your own unique tale.  Make it a memorable one.

 

The Tragedy of Perspective

I took this picture somewhere in Canada on a hiking trail… What do you think of it?  I loved it because it has a special place in my heart– first time in Canada, went hiking with family, and I felt free seeing all the greenery.  Yet, is my love for this trail the same as that of my mom’s who dislikes most things to do with nature?

Some food for thought: “Love doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone.”

Think about that for a second.

That one line has been tugging at my mind.  It’s beautifully tragic, isn’t it?  One person’s love doesn’t quite equate to that of another.  Both people in a relationship could say “I love you” and be truthful about it.  And yet, their love is not equal.  It’s just not the same.  One partner in a relationship, or even just a friendship, could care about the other person so much more.  The one that cares more could see the other person as the center of their life; yet, the other person could be caught up in their own ambitions in life and would hardly notice the caring one’s absence.  But somehow, at the end of the day, they both love each other.  Just… not with the same magnitude.

Another relevant example: if I befriended someone, made them my first friend ever, but they already had ten or twenty other friends before me, that one person would mean so much more to me than I probably would to them.  And sadly, both scenarios happen very often.  Tragic, no?

Just thought I’d share a little bit of what’s been going on in my head!  College applications, tennis season, and other things have made me forget to post for the longest time.  But I have a few pieces written up that should be posted soon!

No Time for Tears

These two pictures are from Shokugeki no Soma Chapter 117, page 17.  If you are interested in manga, I highly suggest you check this one out.  I admit that some parts might be a little more slow, but around chapter 110-120, it gets really inspirational.  All credits go to the writer, author, and publishing company.

Hey everyone struggling with testing and those who are just struggling with life,

Fun time of year isn’t it?  For students, summer is just around the corner, a breath of freedom and fresh air from school work and tests.  You’re almost there you guys, don’t give up.  Keep pushing on!

I have to admit, going through junior year of high school and challenging myself has taught me a lot.  Not only about my limits and myself as a person, but also about life choices and management of time.  A quote from Legend of Korra philosophically claims, “When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change.”  Additionally J.K. Rowling famously asserts, “Rock bottom became the foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”  Now I realize comparing stress from work and school to poverty, danger, and life-threatening situations may see trivial and very first-world problems-y, but when you strip away the social situation and economic standpoint, stress isn’t something trivial at all.  Stress in an base emotion that all humans experience (hopefully) that can be both a blessing and a curse, often times it serves as both simultaneously.  It pushes you to get things done, yet it may slowly wear you down.  But at this point and always in your life, keep an open mind, know that no matter what, you can get up.  Once you hit that low point and overcome it, you will be invincible.  You have survived.
The question now (my dear Watson), is how do you overcome the struggle?  Well for starters, don’t let yourself get down.  Come back with a vengeance.  Time won’t slow.  People hardly stop for you.  Find a resolve.  Find a purpose.  See those with happiness from their accomplishments.  Those who transcend their time to achieve great things.  Remind yourself that if they can do it, you can; one step at a time.  Use a pen, write yourself a symbol reminding you to stay positive and learn.  Keep learning.  Always.  Like Yukihara says in the manga above, there’s no time to be depressed.  Only time to learn and improve.  Things may look dim, but hopefully, we’re all on a roller coaster that only goes up (Yes that was a TFIOS reference).

Remember, don’t waste your time. Don’t let yourself get down.

Find your faults and improve.  Don’t beat yourself for them.

Strive to achieve a dream.  Walk with a goal in mind.  Find your purpose.

If you can’t live for your own goals, live for the purpose of help another.

Volunteer to seek a light in the dark.

Believe. Hope. Act.

Live.

A/N: This post was inspired by the manga Shokugeki no Soma, final weeks, SAT subject tests, ACT, friends studying for MCAT’s, surviving junior year of high school, and Kelly Clarkson’s song Invincible.

The Media and The Mind

“Whoever controls the media, controls the mind.”

-Jim Morrison

This awesome art is made by Flickr user mkhmarketing.

How true is this?  It’s one of the things I’ve been pondering: when does this apply in society?  When doesn’t it?

For simplicity’s sake, I’m going to distinguish media as a body controlled by a tight-knit group of television executives, news casters, and celebrities.  While society is a mush-pot of everyone else.

Also, before you read this, my mind has been whirling about with too many things, worries, and pressures lately.  So I apologize if this post doesn’t really make sense.

1. How society treats certain genders?

Movements like the HeForShe campaign and the AskHerMore movements championed by major figures in media including Emma Watson, Meryl Streep, Lena Dunham, and Reese Witherspoon have been making waves in media for those who see the reasoning behind these movements.  Before figures in media rose up and noted this inequality, few people spared a second thought about how women were treated in society and in media– as mere “eye candy” or viewed as “weak” and only adequate as mothers (who mind you are freaking awesome).

Here’s a compilation of female celebrities lashing out against sexist questions: http://www.buzzfeed.com/kristinharris/reporters-asking-female-celebrities-the-wrong-damn-q#.gva1lrlEY.

2. How society treats certain races?

It took a while for African Americans to gain a foothold in the equality spectrum in the United States.  Period or large movements fighting for equal rights, many people were afraid to stand up for the cause.  Mass-media let those people know what they are not alone and that there are more willing to fight for the same causes.

On the other hand, media is also the one causing stereotypes, especially on account of gender, race, and other minute factors.  For example, Asians are stereotyped as “nerdy” and typically strict; however, I definitely know that that’s not true for everyone.  Often times, these social norms built up by society becomes what defines a person, not their individual idiosyncrasies.

3. How society views people with certain preferences?  How society makes us think?  How tolerate and accept?

In some ways, media has mixed results when it comes to preferences.  From what I have been seeing, sometimes society tends to champion beliefs that are different from those of media.  But then again, in any group of people, there will always be at least one “rotten egg.” Although, this brings me to another point: which influences what more– society or media?

How much can individual people, not under the microscope of scrutiny change the “idols” and those who’s lives are broadcasted and discussed in detail?

With questions like these, it annoys me that all I can really conclude is that every situation is conditional.  Ever case and debate is unique.  It’s hard to come up with a generalization and answer these questions, just as it is not right for society to stereotype, problems can’t truly be clumped up and addressed similarly.

So, how much influence does mainstream media really have over us?  Well, to some extent, in too many ways.  And in other respects, however much we let it.

Something Old

Hey guys!

I’m sorry for not posting recently, but junior year has been pretty hectic and I’ve been writing in my free time on my shared blog (fun for English) Come Down the Rabbit Hole.  Come check out our posts there!

Anyways, in light of Valentines day (or Forever Alone Day in my case) and the addition of one candle to my yearly cakes (aka my birthday :P), I’m going write something fluffy (like baby cats).  In attempts to give this blog a little bit of love, I’m going to set a goal to post about one aspect of the saying “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.”  Because what better way to celebrate “forever alone day” and my birthday, than with a quote about marriage. 🙂

Baby catsssss.  The one on the right should be DaiDai (see this post).

Something Old:

Genuine Niche: The Purpose of Content.

This is a picture of my grandpa’s crystal globe.  It’s distinctive design allows for different appearances based on point of view.

It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.

–Tom Brokaw

Recently, someone linked me to a podcast featuring Seth Godin on Krista Tippet’s podcast series, “On Being.”  Godin is a marketing specialist/analyst and author with a divergent view on the world, art, advertisement, and making a different in one’s community.  The podcast begins with the captivating claim that we are in a post-Industrial connection economy and that we are all called to create to inspire and make an impact to the people around us.

The Irony of the Human Race

Hey guys, random insight into the human race.  We’re filled with irony.  Example: We make and write books about trees and nature, confine ourselves in little homes sticking our noses in books, while there is nature to be found and observed outside.

This work showing irony is by Flickr user Laurie Michelle.

Strength

Hey guys, I know I haven’t updated in… yikes, about three months!  I guess my only excuses would be a creativity hiatus, SAT and ACT studying, loads of tennis, and school!

Anyways, the topic that brought me back to this blogging world is strength.

I found this picture on Monkfit.com.  It’s the Chinese character for strength.  And hey, it looks cool.

This is just a general message to everyone because we all experiencing stress, whether physical, mental, or emotional.  And everyone, everyday must work to overcome all the obstacles life puts in our path.  The catch is that sometimes, there’s so much stress on us that we feel like we are and have been broken.  But the truth is, we’re all elastic.  Humans are elastic.  And in the words of P!nk, or Alecia Moore, “We’re not broken, just bent.”  Because with the right mindset and people surrounding you, there is nothing that can break you.  And if it’s any consolation, my mindset is that I’m never the only person suffering.  There are always people suffering with me, people suffering less than me, and people who suffer more than me.

Teenagers- The Feelings of Invincibility?

As a teenager, everyone and everything kind of just makes you feel invincible.  It’s been a topic/stage of life that many novels and teens alike have discussed.  But until this week, I guess it hit me harder than usual that as a teen, life isn’t necessarily always going to move on.  In fact, we’re just as fragile, both physically and (especially) mentally, as everybody else.

Perhaps the one biggest thing as a teenager (for me at least), that is a big-smack-in-the-face reminder that life is always limited and should be relentlessly valued is when someone, especially if they are young, passes away.  Just last week, a 15 year-0ld sophomore at my school passed away after being hit by a car.  I may not have known him, but from the words spoken about him by his friends, he was a great individual.  But a mere 15!  That age is too young, even I’m older than him…  So my open ended thought (I guess) is, should teens be told often to treasure everything in their lives and be reminded of the cold hard reality?  Or should they be allowed to remain in their realm of invincibility? (Hm a bit like ignorance is bliss…)

DFTBA,
vicki.