Yesterday, I received a surprise in my e-mail inbox. On December 18, 2005, I used a website called futureme.org, through which you can write yourself an e-mail to be sent to you on a designated date. I chose June 14, 2008 as the date of receipt because that was the day I was scheduled to graduate (this, of course, was before I decided to graduate a year early).
I had completely forgotten that I wrote the letter to myself and trust me when I say that it was a verbose novel, how typical of me! Reading it was pretty surreal; I mean, I keep a diary and update it extremely consistently, but having all of my thoughts at that point come back to me was a different experience. It summed up a lot for me, showing me how so much of my life has changed, yet so much has stayed the same. I'm still the same super ambitious person who is a little unsure of herself at times, but I've also become so much more independent and headstrong.
Sometimes when I'm with my friends and we're happily giggling about some trivial event or something else, I forget how far we've come. With this weekend (and last month for those on semester system!) marking the eve of many of my friends' departures into the real world, it's nice to remember that we really have grown, even though our inner silliness can still shine through. I can still remain a generally happy and positive person, who is supplemented by an understanding that the world can be cruel and inconsiderate, while not letting that take away my spirit.
I thought that I would feel left out not being a part of the same commencement cycle as my friends, and I am a little, but I also feel like I have a new commencement for myself: a revitalized view of myself, who I want to be, and through encounters with people I view with the utmost negativity, what attributes I definitely do not want to acquire. I can only hope that my friends and past classmates have the same epiphanies as I have had in this last year and can look back at the past fondly, in addition to humorously at the realization of how the petty people and frustratingly dramatic situations haven't fazed us for the long run in the slightest.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
I think I'm going to Boston...
I think I've gotten to the point where I'm completely unabashed about telling people and fielding the endless questions regarding where I'm going to be spending the next three years of my life: Boston University School of Law.
At first, I was really set on just heading back to Los Angeles because I knew that was the easy thing to do since I am familiar with the area and I wouldn't have to get out of the bubble I created for myself in college. However, I realized that Boston is this amazing city that I've gotten the chance to fall in love with through visiting last summer and I should be ready to test my comfort zones and move somewhere faraway. I can't imagine living in a city where so much history has taken place and I won't need a car (!!!), but I am beyond elated and excited.
I cannot wait to start my legal education at a school that is so well-known for its great educational experience, which I guess is also a perk of being a small private school, and its accessibility to amazing opportunities in the future. I also am ready to explore Boston for its history, shopping, night-life, and of course, its dive bars. I guess I'm going to have to start investing in some good winter clothes and cute pink rain boots soon.
There are going to be a ton of challenges like even figuring out how to move all my stuff to Boston, but I somehow think I'll be able to tackle them come August. After all, I was able to find the perfect pair of jeans yesterday (7 for all mankind) and every girl knows that's quite a feat to be accomplished.
At first, I was really set on just heading back to Los Angeles because I knew that was the easy thing to do since I am familiar with the area and I wouldn't have to get out of the bubble I created for myself in college. However, I realized that Boston is this amazing city that I've gotten the chance to fall in love with through visiting last summer and I should be ready to test my comfort zones and move somewhere faraway. I can't imagine living in a city where so much history has taken place and I won't need a car (!!!), but I am beyond elated and excited.
I cannot wait to start my legal education at a school that is so well-known for its great educational experience, which I guess is also a perk of being a small private school, and its accessibility to amazing opportunities in the future. I also am ready to explore Boston for its history, shopping, night-life, and of course, its dive bars. I guess I'm going to have to start investing in some good winter clothes and cute pink rain boots soon.
There are going to be a ton of challenges like even figuring out how to move all my stuff to Boston, but I somehow think I'll be able to tackle them come August. After all, I was able to find the perfect pair of jeans yesterday (7 for all mankind) and every girl knows that's quite a feat to be accomplished.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
La vie en rose
I find that with the cycle of work, sleep, and trying to fit in some fun, I don't have much time to think about adding to a blog. I am pretty good about keeping my actual journal up to date though. In any case, it's been almost a month (!) since I returned from my European adventure with my brother and two of our friends, who also happen to be siblings.
Going to Europe (especially countries that use the Euro) is pretty excruciating for one's dollar-lined wallet these days. I found that it was not difficult to spend close to $100 on food each day to get a decent meal. However, I tried not to let this dissuade me from enjoying my time in a continent I used to regularly spend my summers in.
Taking a vacation to Europe as an adult is entirely different from the trips I had as a child. I especially find salient differences in the places we visited and excursions we set to go on. Going this time definitely required a lot more walking rather than being driven everywhere. In my eyes though, this makes the trip more invigorating as you can take in all the scenery and have strong realization that you are in a different world.
Italia was amazing; from seeing the rustic qualities to Cinque Terra to viewing sculptures, paintings, and artistic beauty in myriad galleries, I was amazed. I couldn't even pinpoint a highlight of this leg of the trip because I enjoyed everything. There were only two low-points in Italia: being extremely scared being on the top of Duomo (and climbing the 463 steps to the top, which amplified my fear with each step) and then being pick-pocketed at the Palatine in Roma. It wasn't exciting to lose any cash I had and my driver's license and credit cards. Thankfully, all of those are replaceable and I still had my passport.
Praha brought back so many memories and sentimentality as my family lived there when I was eight years old. Walking down the Karluv Most (Charles Bridge) and through Mala Strana made me feel like a kid again. The entire city is beautiful although it has gotten a bit too touristy in the past decade. Having the Czech food all over again was a pretty nice treat since it's impossibly hard to find authentic Czech cuisine in the U.S.
Lastly, Paris was spectacular, but I don't think anyone would expect anything less. The weather during our stay was on the wet and gloomy side, but that didn't deter us from having a good time. The Louvre was wonderful, but Musee D'orsay was even better. The view from the top of Tour Eiffel was pretty awesome even though my fear of heights was intensely evoked again. Parisian food was delicious and my favorite dish, interestingly enough, was steak frites.
The trip was a quite nice respite from work and was a great time for me to spend time with my brother and kind of rediscover my love of travel all over again. Next trip: Taiwan in July.
Going to Europe (especially countries that use the Euro) is pretty excruciating for one's dollar-lined wallet these days. I found that it was not difficult to spend close to $100 on food each day to get a decent meal. However, I tried not to let this dissuade me from enjoying my time in a continent I used to regularly spend my summers in.
Taking a vacation to Europe as an adult is entirely different from the trips I had as a child. I especially find salient differences in the places we visited and excursions we set to go on. Going this time definitely required a lot more walking rather than being driven everywhere. In my eyes though, this makes the trip more invigorating as you can take in all the scenery and have strong realization that you are in a different world.
Italia was amazing; from seeing the rustic qualities to Cinque Terra to viewing sculptures, paintings, and artistic beauty in myriad galleries, I was amazed. I couldn't even pinpoint a highlight of this leg of the trip because I enjoyed everything. There were only two low-points in Italia: being extremely scared being on the top of Duomo (and climbing the 463 steps to the top, which amplified my fear with each step) and then being pick-pocketed at the Palatine in Roma. It wasn't exciting to lose any cash I had and my driver's license and credit cards. Thankfully, all of those are replaceable and I still had my passport.
Praha brought back so many memories and sentimentality as my family lived there when I was eight years old. Walking down the Karluv Most (Charles Bridge) and through Mala Strana made me feel like a kid again. The entire city is beautiful although it has gotten a bit too touristy in the past decade. Having the Czech food all over again was a pretty nice treat since it's impossibly hard to find authentic Czech cuisine in the U.S.
Lastly, Paris was spectacular, but I don't think anyone would expect anything less. The weather during our stay was on the wet and gloomy side, but that didn't deter us from having a good time. The Louvre was wonderful, but Musee D'orsay was even better. The view from the top of Tour Eiffel was pretty awesome even though my fear of heights was intensely evoked again. Parisian food was delicious and my favorite dish, interestingly enough, was steak frites.
The trip was a quite nice respite from work and was a great time for me to spend time with my brother and kind of rediscover my love of travel all over again. Next trip: Taiwan in July.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Twenty One and a Half
Today is my half birthday, which officially means that I cannot say, "I just turned 21," and actually mean it. It's a little strange to realize how quickly my year off from school has gone by, but I think that I have found some good ways to find fulfillment.
I guess as an update of the past events, June of 2007 to now has been a flurry in my mind.
During the second week of June, I had my "Graduation Week," which consisted of Phi Beta Kappa graduation, College Honors graduation, College of Letters and Science graduation, and the Psychology Department graduation. It all was just kind of a formality for me to realize that the last three years of my life had actually come to a close.
Right after graduation, I came home for a day and then flew to Boston for a little less than a week for my first solo vacation. I immediately fell in love with the city, taking advantage of the T system's convenience and walking everywhere. I felt a sense of freedom and independence seeing everything that interested me at my own pace.
I spent the majority of summer living in Los Angeles, tying up loose ends with internships, school activities, and taking LSAT classes (which surprisingly were really fun). It was nice to get a little last taste of Los Angeles and the carefree collegiate lifestyle while I had the chance.
Finally, during August I moved back home to the Bay Area to spend my final tenure as a resident of my parents' house while saving up some money for Law School. Since then, I've been working as a litigation assistant, which pretty much translates into doing tedious work. In addition to that, I've been finding time to reconnect with friends from my past and get the chance to meet a few really great people.
I've had the opportunity to get out of my Cupertino bubble a bit, visiting San Francisco, dabbling in skiing in South Lake Tahoe, exploring little things in the Bay Area, and making my way to Chicago for a second solo trip.
Now, I'm kind of at a stand-still because I have no idea where life will be taking me next. It's a little daunting to not even be sure where I'll be living in six months, but I think I'm ready for the challenge.
I guess as an update of the past events, June of 2007 to now has been a flurry in my mind.
During the second week of June, I had my "Graduation Week," which consisted of Phi Beta Kappa graduation, College Honors graduation, College of Letters and Science graduation, and the Psychology Department graduation. It all was just kind of a formality for me to realize that the last three years of my life had actually come to a close.
Right after graduation, I came home for a day and then flew to Boston for a little less than a week for my first solo vacation. I immediately fell in love with the city, taking advantage of the T system's convenience and walking everywhere. I felt a sense of freedom and independence seeing everything that interested me at my own pace.
I spent the majority of summer living in Los Angeles, tying up loose ends with internships, school activities, and taking LSAT classes (which surprisingly were really fun). It was nice to get a little last taste of Los Angeles and the carefree collegiate lifestyle while I had the chance.
Finally, during August I moved back home to the Bay Area to spend my final tenure as a resident of my parents' house while saving up some money for Law School. Since then, I've been working as a litigation assistant, which pretty much translates into doing tedious work. In addition to that, I've been finding time to reconnect with friends from my past and get the chance to meet a few really great people.
I've had the opportunity to get out of my Cupertino bubble a bit, visiting San Francisco, dabbling in skiing in South Lake Tahoe, exploring little things in the Bay Area, and making my way to Chicago for a second solo trip.
Now, I'm kind of at a stand-still because I have no idea where life will be taking me next. It's a little daunting to not even be sure where I'll be living in six months, but I think I'm ready for the challenge.
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