the student life + youtube discovery!

It's been about three months since my last post...all I can do is say sorry. My new goal is at least one post a month :) 

A lot has been happening since July (my last post). My last year of high school has begun but honestly I felt like it began before the first day of school in September. Why? Two words: College Applications.

Honestly, its not too stressful as long as you really take advantage of your time. But I do find myself at the bookstore a lot doing homework and writing essays. The essays are the most stressful part but also really rewarding. I finally finished a common app essay that I'm proud of. For those who are struggling through this journey with me, it's an essay for prompt four: 

Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?

I wrote about Barnes and Noble and so far the feedback I've gotten (only from my mom, haha) has been good. But, for other people writing essays and looking for tips, one thing I have to say is don't let other people's opinions overrun your own. Find something you really want to write about, it can honestly be about anything, and write it in a way that you're proud of. The essay really is and should be an expression of yourself. When I initially showed my essays to my parents, their feedback was nice but then they started to get a little too involved. If you think your essays are a true expression of yourself, that's perfect. It's still going to take work, long hours of frustration (I can never spell this word right the first time) and rewriting. I probably scrapped about ten drafts of my common app essay until I wrote one I was proud of. Save your drafts though, because they may answer some supplemental essay or who knows, you might go back to them. 

If you're going through some major stress right now, here's a remedy. Drink some green tea with honey (my favorite tea), eat some ramen (did today. definitely comfort food), or watch some youtube videos! This leads me to my next segment. So while getting all the college mail, sometimes you find gold in the mass heap of junk. Pomona college sent me a brochure where they showcased some of their students. One of them, Albert Chang plays violin and makes videos of covers that he writes. His videos are really good quality, really creative, and his music is really good. His username is sleightlymusical. Here are some of my favorites:

Comment below about who you've recently discovered or love on youtube! I love finding talented people on there, they're so inspiring :)

Remember, don't get stressed out by college applications if you're doing them or school work. Find little things to make you happy and get you motivated~ believe me, it'll be worth it in the end. Until the next post (hopefully sooner than later)!

Day in my Life..

hi everyone, I haven't been posting much...I realized how hard it is to commit to posting often. But today I went to 2 college tours since the hectic admissions year is slowly coming my way.
We didn't take much pictures but the campuses were amazing. The college I went to were Haverford and Swarthmore, both in Pennsylvania and close to us somewhat :) I REALLY liked these colleges.. Sure I've visited Princeton, Harvard, Yale, etcetc. those Ivies, and it would be great if I got accepted, but these colleges seemed more to fit ME. I could actually imagine myself taking classes there, walking on the sidewalks, studying there. We even got to see the Swarthmore dorms and they weren't that bad. The only problem is the lack of AC :P I already experienced that in my 3 wk camp earlier this summer and it's only bearable if you have a good fan that's on most of the time and the window open. Everything else was really nice though, I wish I had pictures to show you! I think I'm really leaning towards Swarthmore, they had this awesome space called the amphitheater and it was AWESOME. It was all grassy, looked all greek and really cool. It had lots of trees too. I'm pretty sure there was one in a korean drama I watched a long time ago...maybe Boys Over Flowers? But again, it has one con that will drive me crazy. MOSQUITOES Dx WORST BUG ON EARTH. They love my blood too much, literally when the campus guide warned us about the mosquitoes I looked down at my leg and there were two already sucking my blood. Dx awful awful awful. But the rest of the campus is really nice, beautiful. It's so green and everything with lots of trees, I think that's what I like about the east coast so much compared to the west. Sure palm trees are awesome but you really get the feeling of being free in the outdoors here, you know? I live on the east coast by the way if you haven't already guessed :)
Haverford was nice as well, from the little glimpses of the campus we got. We didn't get to go on a campus tour but the information session made me like the college. I think I'll probably apply to Swarthmore as well as to Haverford. Besides they have this whole consortium thing where they and Bryn Mawr College sort of have this partnership where you can go to any one of their campuses to take classes, socialize, and even eat. It's pretty cool and they're only about 1/2 an hour away from each other.

After we got home though, I got myself some POPS cereal and zoomed upstairs to my room where I read for 3 hrs a book that I have been just addicted to. It's called Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen. I think it's pretty old, this is actually my 2nd time reading it, but I didn't remember it at all until one part where I was like, wait...this sounds familiar. I would definitely recommend it :) It's a really touching story about family but you also start to feel for the characters and connecting with them. The people in the book are awesome. *SPOILER ALERT* but I would love to marry the guy who is the sister's husband in there..he's so awesome x) But you wouldn't understand what I just read if you haven't read the book, so go read it!

Here are some fall pictures in preparation for school and the wonderful season. I think suddenly, strangely, unexpectedly Fall has become my favorite season. As well as winter. Maybe its just the holidays. Anyways, here you go!

perfect for halloween~ i love candy corn

pumpkin snickerdoodles <3 I'll probably post a recipe of this later

caramel apples! P:

aww..

i am so making this b/c its so awesome. HP ! <3

socks! My fall thing <3

when Starbucks comes out with Pumpkin Spice Coffee, that's when my Fall truly starts :)

pumpkin monkey bread :) Maybe I'll post the recipe later

really, I just love the colors of Fall! So bright and cheery and warm~ Plus I think its the food that makes me like Fall so much too~ pumpkin pie and my god Thanksgiving is the best!! xD
Have a good first day of school everyone and a wonderful first day of Fall! (Sept 20 i think? possibly :)