IT'S FINALLY DONE. Junior year has had its highs, as well as its lows. I guess one of the perks of this year is that I've realized that your grades heavily affect how hard you work. There has been many sleepless nights that were filled with studying and finishing homework, so many times I had to tell my friends no to hanging out because of too much homework. So many times I'd go a whole day with just eating a bowl of soup I stole from Cheddar's or just eating a bag of chips because it's easy to eat in classes when my stomach was hungry.
This year I realized school is more important than a social life. For me, I want to go to college in California so what's the point of trying to continue friendships when I'll most likely not see any of these people after high school. I've accepted the fact that people will come in and out of my life, which is way beyond my control so I just have to build a bridge and get over it. Plus there will be other people to come in my life that can offer great friendships.
Junior year was the first year I found myself actually trying in my classes. The transition of having so much free time sophomore year (which was consumed with Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill) to having no free time to even watch a 5-minute music video that's not taken place on the toilet while going to the bathroom or during a 10-minute study break that's implanted in my schedule so I have time to eat and do human bodily functions. I feel very confident with taking a college class next year to prepare myself even more for college so when the time comes I'm more than ready to take on all the obstacles in college.
Although this is my last blog for a grade, I hope to continue blogging when I find something interesting about this lovely state of California. I plan to blog either on my vacation this summer or after I get back, but as lame as this is going to sound, I enjoyed blogging about California and about how strangely happy it made me this year. However at points of the year I found it hard and tedious to blog, I still tried to do my best and I guess that's all that really matters.
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Runyon Canyon Trail
Trying to make a list of things to do in California, I decided to look up good places to go running and/ or hiking with my aunt. According to AllTrails.com (sponsored by National Geographic) the best trail to go running is the Runyon Canyon that forsees the city of Los Angeles. The pictures on the website looks like the trail has inclinations and might get a little dusty however IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE A FUN AND BEAUTIFUL RUN AND I WANT TO JUST RUN ON IT RIGHT NOW BUT I CAN'T BECAUSE I'M STILL IN IOWA.
Running releases endorphins that makes people happy and is great exercise leading to a positive well-being. Imagine running and releasing those lovely endorphins while on this trail that allows you to overlook one of the most beautiful cities in the nation. Literally just thinking about running this trail is giving me butterflies because I can just imagine the pure happiness and bliss I will be feeling, especially the fact that I will be done with Junior year which is the most stressful (school) year of my life.
Running releases endorphins that makes people happy and is great exercise leading to a positive well-being. Imagine running and releasing those lovely endorphins while on this trail that allows you to overlook one of the most beautiful cities in the nation. Literally just thinking about running this trail is giving me butterflies because I can just imagine the pure happiness and bliss I will be feeling, especially the fact that I will be done with Junior year which is the most stressful (school) year of my life.
Joan Didion
These past couple of months I had to research about an author in which my partner and I unanimously picked Joan Didion. Throughout the duration of this project I learned so much about this woman. Not only is she an incredible author, but she's an outstanding person who is very intelligent and considerate.
So much of her work is actually influenced by where she grew up (born and raised in Sacramento). It's pretty neat when she talks about places I have personally been to, but also imagine the places in California where I haven't been to which is a lot. I haven't been to North and East California so reading Joan Didion's books are descriptive which allows readers like myself to picture what these places look like, even though I haven't been there personally.
I read a Paris Review interview which she was being completely and utterly honest. She admitted to being selectively an introvert. The reason why I said selectively is because she will have friends over for dinner or to hang out for a bit, but at times she can be off by herself for a long period of time and just work on a project. In fact she actually has her own routine that she does when she starts a project.
Joan has been through so much in her life, and she seems to still be hanging on. She literally witnessed her husband die right after coming home from a hospital visit seeing their daughter, who at the time was in critical condition with an internal disorder involving her pancreas. Then just a couple years ago her daughter passed away. I don't know what I would have done in her situation, but because of those events, she was able to create two really interesting and successful books- A Year of Magical Thinking and Blue Nights. Besides John Green, I've never liked an author as much as Joan Didion.
So much of her work is actually influenced by where she grew up (born and raised in Sacramento). It's pretty neat when she talks about places I have personally been to, but also imagine the places in California where I haven't been to which is a lot. I haven't been to North and East California so reading Joan Didion's books are descriptive which allows readers like myself to picture what these places look like, even though I haven't been there personally.
I read a Paris Review interview which she was being completely and utterly honest. She admitted to being selectively an introvert. The reason why I said selectively is because she will have friends over for dinner or to hang out for a bit, but at times she can be off by herself for a long period of time and just work on a project. In fact she actually has her own routine that she does when she starts a project.
Joan has been through so much in her life, and she seems to still be hanging on. She literally witnessed her husband die right after coming home from a hospital visit seeing their daughter, who at the time was in critical condition with an internal disorder involving her pancreas. Then just a couple years ago her daughter passed away. I don't know what I would have done in her situation, but because of those events, she was able to create two really interesting and successful books- A Year of Magical Thinking and Blue Nights. Besides John Green, I've never liked an author as much as Joan Didion.
Sunday, May 3, 2015
What Makes You Beautiful
I'm sure a lot of people know or have heard of One Direction. This is the music video for 'What Makes You Beautiful' because it was shot in Malibu, California.
OneDirectionVevo. "What Makes You Beautiful." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 19 Aug. 2011. Web. 4 May 2015.
San Diego State University
There are two universities in San Diego, University of California San Diego and San Diego State University. Located in the heart of San Diego is where SDSU (San Diego State University) resides. Students that attend this school are known to be the San Diego State University Aztecs which I think is cool and unique.
For an undergraduate out-of-state student the tuition costs about $34,000 which for out of school tuition is really cheap compared to other schools. University of California San Diego is just slightly higher, $37,000.
However according to the SDSU website (x) non-residents can apply for residency so they can receive in state tuition only if they can prove to the state that they aren't just going to school in California and then leaving. If the person can prove that they're planning on staying in California then they will be able to apply for in state tuition, which in my opinion, why leave California? It is such a great place filled with nothing but great vibes.
Some perks of San Diego State University, other than the fact it's cheaper, it only requires the ACT not the ACT Plus (with writing), the college overall is more artsy- more into music and theatre but still offers a variety of majors and minors not in the art category. Also SDSU is near Scripps park which could be a great place to hang out with friends or study outside.
One thing that isn't so great about San Diego State University, compared to University of California San Diego, it isn't walking distance to a beach. In my case, coming from out of state I know I won't know anyone in the school so I've decided that I'm definitely living on campus and having a car won't be necessary. It will just be a pain in the ass to have to always pay for parking I'll most likely only use it to go grocery shopping which since my aunt lives in San Diego she can take me or I can just walk places. EXERCISE IS GOOD! This summer I want to learn how to skateboard and longboard so that could also be another option for me.
SDSU Admissions. "Day in the Life of SDSU Aztecs"
This six-minute video shows a little bit of what the daily life for a San Diego State University student is like. In the video you can see a bit of inside the dorms, as well as the campus and the classrooms. I like how this video includes three different people's perspective and a little background info like how the girl with long brown hair, Nikki, is from Phoenix, AZ and she is extremely involved in school activities as well as being in a sorority. She also said that she lives off campus and has to drive a little bit everyday to get to class but there was another girl in the video, Ikaika, who lives on campus and she said she can wake up and be on time just 15 minutes before class starts. Then the only guy in the video, Joquel from Hawaii, enjoys SDSU because the climate is similar to Hawaii's and he "likes the engineering program" and it shows him in his class and labs which I don't know if he's a good actor but Joquel looks like he truly is enjoying SDSU and the program that it offers.
Malibu/Pepperdine University
Malibu is yet another small city near Los Angeles. Whether people just know the name because of the beach or because of the many references to it on television shows or on movies, people just know of it. Those people who have watched the 'What Makes You Beautiful' music video by One Direction has seen the Malibu beach because that's where it was taken place at.
Also Malibu is where Pepperdine University is located at. Pepperdine is a private and religious school that is in a way "hard to get accepted" according to my aunt. It will be about $47,000 to attend this college which is extremely expensive and the acceptance rate isn't too high. However it ranks number 2 most beautiful campus in the nation which is believable.
Pepperdine sits on a hill that overlooks the Malibu beach. The walk to the beach would literally take no time at all. Also the location of the school is great because it's extremely close to a beach and it's not a long drive to downtown Los Angeles so there will always be something to do.
My aunt and her daughter visited Pepperdine once upon a time and my aunt said it was absolutely beautiful. They said the dorms and the layout of the campus was the most beautiful of it all. However my cousin didn't have a big interest in going to a small university so she didn't apply.
To be honest, I'm on the same boat as her. I want to go to a college with tons of people and I want to go somewhere that has a variety of things to do. Coming from a small town with the same old people and nothing to do for years after years got tiring and is very boring, that's why I'm hoping college will be different, especially in California. I have a slight image of what I think college will be like and that image includes me living on campus in a school in California that's near a beach because beaches make me happy and I hope to someday learn how to surf.
Also Malibu is where Pepperdine University is located at. Pepperdine is a private and religious school that is in a way "hard to get accepted" according to my aunt. It will be about $47,000 to attend this college which is extremely expensive and the acceptance rate isn't too high. However it ranks number 2 most beautiful campus in the nation which is believable.
Pepperdine sits on a hill that overlooks the Malibu beach. The walk to the beach would literally take no time at all. Also the location of the school is great because it's extremely close to a beach and it's not a long drive to downtown Los Angeles so there will always be something to do.
My aunt and her daughter visited Pepperdine once upon a time and my aunt said it was absolutely beautiful. They said the dorms and the layout of the campus was the most beautiful of it all. However my cousin didn't have a big interest in going to a small university so she didn't apply.
To be honest, I'm on the same boat as her. I want to go to a college with tons of people and I want to go somewhere that has a variety of things to do. Coming from a small town with the same old people and nothing to do for years after years got tiring and is very boring, that's why I'm hoping college will be different, especially in California. I have a slight image of what I think college will be like and that image includes me living on campus in a school in California that's near a beach because beaches make me happy and I hope to someday learn how to surf.
Kylie Jenner Challenge
A funny thing that recently went viral was the Kylie Jenner lip challenge. People have been putting shot glasses or cups around their mouth and then sucking all the air out. After a while of doing it the idiot's lips would be swollen and big, similar to Kylie Jenner's lip transformation, going from barely any lips to large, full lips.
What people don't know and understand is that makeup has the power to do a lot of things, and one of those things is to make your lips appear bigger. Girls- if you want bigger lips, outline your lips with lip liner before you put on lipstick. Outlining your lips will make it appear bigger than they actually are. Kylie admits to using this trick to make her lips look the way they do, but I'm calling bs. There's no way you can make:
What people don't know and understand is that makeup has the power to do a lot of things, and one of those things is to make your lips appear bigger. Girls- if you want bigger lips, outline your lips with lip liner before you put on lipstick. Outlining your lips will make it appear bigger than they actually are. Kylie admits to using this trick to make her lips look the way they do, but I'm calling bs. There's no way you can make:
into this:
As much as she is telling everyone that she didn't get surgery, she did. Personally I think it's dumb that she's denying accusations of lip surgery because it's obvious she did and with her denying it makes her look bad. If I had the money for surgery to change something that I hate about myself, I would, and same with all the people hating on her for getting one. On one of her vines she said something about people accusing her of the surgery and she made a comment that proved it to be true.
Don't get me wrong, I do like her new lips, however I think she may have made them too big for her face, or maybe she just pouts a lot. For the longest time I was insecure of my own lips and I thought mine were too big and ugly but with the Kylie Jenner Challenge, I've started to like my lips.
Surfing [Video]
This is a video of how to surf for beginners filmed on a very well-known beach in California, Huntington Beach. Basically the video shows how to properly ride on a surfboard.
Orange County, California's luxury coastal destination. "How to Surf: Surfing Basics in Huntington Beach" Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 14 May 2010. Web 3 May 2014
Surfing
All the parts of California that I've visited were close one to at least one beach, if not more than one. Some of the colleges that I've looked at even offer surfing as an extracurricular activity. For example during my college visit at University of California San Diego, our tour leader told us that she didn't know how to surf entering into the college but she went to a couple of the surfing lessons and she slightly knows how to surf. One of the many reasons why I really want to go to UCSD for college.
Since the eighth grade I've wanted to surf. I remember the one thing that jumpstarted my desire to learn how to surf; a Juicy Couture surfboard. Randomly one day I was looking through the Juicy Couture website and saw the most beautiful (and expensive) surfboard. It basic, pink with a Juicy Couture logo which was originally priced at like $800. I'm embarrassed to admit that I thought about buying the surfboard just because it looked really pretty, also keep in mind this was before I had my heart set on moving to California for college. So basically if I would have listened to my instincts and bought that surfboard and stayed at home for college, I wouldn't have ever used it.
The only thing I'm scared of is not being able to swim against really strong currents. When I was younger I taught myself how to do a flip underwater. It took a couple tries at the pool on different occasions to finally be able to do one without the help of the ladder or edge of the pool. One random time when I was swimming with my family from Omaha, I tried to do a flip and as soon as I started to flip I noticed that something was off. My balance and twist didn't feel right, it was to the point where I couldn't find my way to the surface when I should have. Instinctively I tried to breathe because I couldn't hold my breath anymore, that's when I started to panic. I kept thinking I'm too young to die. I don't want to die. This isn't the way I should die. Choking, miserable and scared from being stuck underwater, I somehow I managed to open my eyes and find the surface where I then could breathe air instead of water. Since that day I haven't been confident when it comes to swimming, diving, or doing any other tricks in the water.
I don't know how I'll be able to get over my fear of drowning especially since I'm not able to touch the bottom of the ocean like I when I was drowning in the pool, however I'll do what it takes to try surfing at least once in my life. When I want something, I'll do anything I can in order to get it, even if that means putting my fear of drowning aside so I can get on a surfboard and surf.
I've watched numerous movies and television shows that involved surfing as well as watch some videos of how to surf for beginners. From what I've seen you start off with a surfboard and proper clothing. Then you lay yourself on the surfboard just on the sand and imagine yourself on the water. There's a certain way to get on and off a surfboard in the water, as well as a specific time to do so. I've also learned that early in the morning during mid-or high-tides typically are the ideal times to go surfing.
Since the eighth grade I've wanted to surf. I remember the one thing that jumpstarted my desire to learn how to surf; a Juicy Couture surfboard. Randomly one day I was looking through the Juicy Couture website and saw the most beautiful (and expensive) surfboard. It basic, pink with a Juicy Couture logo which was originally priced at like $800. I'm embarrassed to admit that I thought about buying the surfboard just because it looked really pretty, also keep in mind this was before I had my heart set on moving to California for college. So basically if I would have listened to my instincts and bought that surfboard and stayed at home for college, I wouldn't have ever used it.
The only thing I'm scared of is not being able to swim against really strong currents. When I was younger I taught myself how to do a flip underwater. It took a couple tries at the pool on different occasions to finally be able to do one without the help of the ladder or edge of the pool. One random time when I was swimming with my family from Omaha, I tried to do a flip and as soon as I started to flip I noticed that something was off. My balance and twist didn't feel right, it was to the point where I couldn't find my way to the surface when I should have. Instinctively I tried to breathe because I couldn't hold my breath anymore, that's when I started to panic. I kept thinking I'm too young to die. I don't want to die. This isn't the way I should die. Choking, miserable and scared from being stuck underwater, I somehow I managed to open my eyes and find the surface where I then could breathe air instead of water. Since that day I haven't been confident when it comes to swimming, diving, or doing any other tricks in the water.
I don't know how I'll be able to get over my fear of drowning especially since I'm not able to touch the bottom of the ocean like I when I was drowning in the pool, however I'll do what it takes to try surfing at least once in my life. When I want something, I'll do anything I can in order to get it, even if that means putting my fear of drowning aside so I can get on a surfboard and surf.
I've watched numerous movies and television shows that involved surfing as well as watch some videos of how to surf for beginners. From what I've seen you start off with a surfboard and proper clothing. Then you lay yourself on the surfboard just on the sand and imagine yourself on the water. There's a certain way to get on and off a surfboard in the water, as well as a specific time to do so. I've also learned that early in the morning during mid-or high-tides typically are the ideal times to go surfing.
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