Gambare!

I think we all need a little encouragement at this point in the school year. I'm so tired of this school thing, I just wish summer vacation would hurry up already. But before I can relax and feel carefree, I must go through all my exams, even if it means stumbling through them. Which is not what I plan on doing - let's try our best and finish the school year with a bang, everyone! With determination, we can conquer anything, especially if that something is a piece of paper with some questions we know the answers to. And if we don't, just guess.

PS: Gambare = "try your best!" in Japanese


What I am listening to: Namonaki Tane (alan)
What I am thinking of: the MMVA awards coming up
What I should be doing: relaxing after a fun day with friends and before a long week of studying
What I want to do: watch After Earth, omg

You know best!

A Year in Quotations: 49/365

Go On

I'm running out of steam... Pretty sure everyone else feels the same, wishing that the damn school year would end already. I don't have any more passion or curiosity for learning! Most classes are still giving new material, which is so overbearing when you are trying to complete projects and study for final exams. Sigh... We have to keep going; only two and a half weeks left!

What I am listening to: some Coffee Shop playlist from Songza

What I am thinking of: we put too much butter in this shrimp Alfredo pasta

What I should be doing: studying, obviously

What I want to do: print photos, finally finish my Italy Journal

Background Noise

This... Stuck on replay every evening.

A Year in Quotations: 48/365

A Year in Quotations: 47/365

Feeling Inspired

Yesterday, I watched the entire graduating class of 2013 walk across the stage and receive their diplomas. It felt odd, seeing my friends in long black gowns and graduation caps (and all of them taller than me, some girls wearing five-inch heels). I secretly envied them with a smile on my face, thinking of all the exciting new opportunities they will be faced with once high school is officially over. But I was also glad that I had one more year to make more friends and more memories, and to continue picking up the slack from all the past years, so that I can make my parents proud when I receive more awards than they could hope for. It was a great feeling, to see my friends become adults almost overnight, and to know I can still improve.

on the same page

Mrs. Sharma gave us a detention, though only for twenty minutes. Still, I felt very pleased with myself. I'd finally done something worthy of punishment. The world was opening up.

Larissa Lai, Salt Fish Girl

Original > Common

"What are you wearing??" - she hisses, stalking past you with a revolted, but satisfied grimace on her face. Admit it, we have all heard that at least once in the past year.
People are so critical of each other these days. Why does it matter how a person dresses or what type of music they like? We base so much off appearances and are too hard-headed to see past the outside and understand what each individual is all about. It is unfair to judge someone on just their exterior, weren't we all taught that as children? Never judge a book by its cover, they told us.
There are various styles of music (pop, rock, country, rap, K-pop, J-pop, whatever) so we could enjoy them, not be critical of the ones that don't appeal specifically to us. And most of the time, we are ashamed to admit that we like a certain type of music, because it is deemed "unpopular" in our society, and we are forced to pretend to only listen to the Top 30. To me, that is one of the sadder things of this world. Why are we prevented from appreciating the beauty of all styles of music just because it might not be common? And if it is common, why do we automatically bash it? You like One Direction, a British boy band? Great, I like Yiruma, a Korean pianist. Let's be friends, you might be cool.
In the end, we are all human, and we all want the same things. Happiness, love, peace. Think about that the next time you open your mouth to criticize someone.

What I am listening to: Are We There Yet - Dumbfoundead

What I am thinking of: maaan, this song...

What I should be doing: my homework, I'm going to be slaughtered

What I want to do: just chill or something, I dunno

How to Write Good

1. Avoid Alliteration. Always.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. Avoid clichés like the plague. They're old hat.
4. Comparisons are as bad as clichés.
5. Be more or less specific.
6. Writers should never generalize.
Seven: Be consistent!
8. Don't be redundant; don't use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
9. Who needs rhetorical questions?
10. Exaggeration is a million times worse than understatement.

Silencio

Like most people, I love music. Unlike most people, I descend into depressive madness after living a day empty of music. Even as I write this, there is a song playing. It's perfect.
But sometimes, I walk outside and think, I'm going to listen to the birds and the rain. I'm going to take my earphones out of my ears and hear the sounds of the world, whether it be the cars or the wind. It is all music to my ears.

What I am listening to: Send Me the Moon (Sara Bareilles)

What I am thinking of: this song... pure perfection.

What I should be doing: preparing for my math quiz, don't want to bomb it again

What I want to do: nothing really, I'm happy here

New Obsession: Pentatonix

Avi, Kirstie, Scott, Mitch, Kevin

Dear school, thank you for having a Pro-D day today so we could go see my brand-new love yesterday, the a cappella group Pentatonix. Coming from Los Angeles on their second national headlining tour, they blew my socks off. I found out about them from a friend on my trip to Italy, and fell in love with them from then on. The decision to go to the concert was a bit sudden and spontaneous, but that's partially why the night was so much fun.

In 2011, Pentatonix won the third season of the Sing-Off, have since released 2 albums, and are currently working on their third studio release. As expected from the name, the group consists of five diverse members, each irreplaceable: Scott Hoying (leader of group, lead voice, age 21), Mitch Grassi (youngest of group, mezzo-soprano, age 20), Kirstie Maldonado (soprano, age 20), Avi Kaplan (vocal bass, age 23), and Kevin Olusola (beat boxer, cellist, Yale graduate, age 24).
The concert was really amazing. The whole show was put together so well, all the elements played perfectly with each other and the music really came to life. Everyone in the hall enjoyed it so much that we all sang "We Are Young" at the top of our lungs with Pentatonix for their second song of the standing ovation. It was an incredible feeling, to be off in my own little world while being a part of something much more powerful.

Lumos

There may be just one thing you might not know about me. I freaking love Harry Potter.
I grew up reading the books, watching the movies, and waiting for my acceptance letter from Hogwarts. Some stories are forgotten within days or weeks, but there are a select few that stay with us forever. Those are the tales that mould and shape us into who we are today.
Perhaps you find it difficult to understand my connection with the series, so let me explain. If you grew up with Disney, you can relate. Even though we've grown up and no longer believe in magic or fairy tales, we are flooded with memories and nostalgia whenever we see a picture or hear a song from our childhood.
This story is here to stay.