Taking a Step Back...

Right now, I have six more pages to write for my 12-page paper that's due tomorrow. Tomorrow I need to meet with my classmate to prepare for a presentation Tuesday morning. I need to read two novels before Tuesday and come up with ideas for my final paper. Oh, and I have a short paper due Tuesday. And another one due Wednesday. A portfolio due Thursday.
    The point is, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by all the work I have to do within the next 48 hours.
    Someone on Facebook posted this gem in which an amateur photographer shot a panoramic view of the night sky. I randomly clicked it and as the night sky filled my screen, I felt so insignificant. All my worries seem so important now but I know that they'll pass and no one will remember them, not even me.
    Some people get depressed when confronted with the insignificance of their life, but these things serve to remind me how beautiful life is. It's so painfully short and filled with hard moments, but there are glimpses of happiness and hope that make me wonder what heaven will be like. Yes, things may suck now, but there's always something to look forward to. And we live in such a beautiful world. I'm lucky to be where I am, smack dab in the middle of an endless universe that's filled with stars. If you were to view the entire universe, I wouldn't even be a speck of dust. But I can see the stars from here.

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Tuesday Rants: Plastic Surgery

It's Tuesday so that gives me permission to rant about something. 

    Recently Dulce Candy, a Youtube beauty guru, uploaded a video in which she describes the plastic surgeries she's done. The part that bothered me and inspired this rant is when she starts talking about her nose. She says that before, her nose was "broad" and "wide" with a bump. She says she wanted a more "delicate, softer looking nose" and now her nose is just as she wanted it. Dulce calls her rounder nose a "clown" nose. She reinforces societal norms of beauty by saying that she wanted a pointy nose and that her main reason for getting a nose job is because her original nose had a bump. 

    Dulce Candy has over a million subscribers on Youtube. She has a fun, bubbly personality. Most of all, she's pretty. Yet, she shows us that she had flaws in her appearance she was unhappy with and she fixed them through plastic surgery. What kind of message is that supposed to convey to her audience? If we don't like something about our bodies, are we supposed to change it instead of accepting the traits that make us unique?

    When I was younger, I liked conventional beauties. I thought long, straight, blonde hair was beautiful and that green eyes were desirable. I thought that you needed big, doe-like eyes and a straight, perky nose to be considered attractive. Now, I've realized that beauty comes in all different shapes and sizes because true beauty isn't something that's dictated by society but something that comes from the person within.

    Whenever I see someone celebrating the diversity in beauty, I think that's a cause for celebration. 

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I Love Freshmen

I used to hate freshmen.

    They're easy to make fun of. They ask for tips on which parties to go to, how to establish good relationships with professors, and directions to a building they're 500 feet away from. Freshmen are so eager to please, willing to do anything that involves alcohol, and naive about how college works.

    Being an upperclassmen, I thought I was all past that. Gone are the days of staying up till 4 a.m. "studying" with friends but actually going on Facebook. Gone are the days of watching bad movies, ordering bad Chinese food, and puking in all the bathrooms on your floor because you don't know your tolerance. 

    I realize, though, that freshmen have this supernatural energy that allows them to do everything and at the same time, nothing. Sure, they join every club, but they also talk to their friends for five hours at night because they don't have homework. 

    Talking to freshmen now, a part of me pities the inevitable crash they'll experience, the realism that will set in. However, I realize that I'm not as grown up as I believe myself to be. A part of me still feels like a freshmen. I still want to stay up late with my friends under the stars, I want to watch bad movies without feeling guilty about wasting time. I want all that back.

    I may be (slightly) more responsible now but a small part of me still embodies all those qualities we think only freshmen have: naivety, idealism, and hope. Maybe it's not such a bad thing to have those traits. Maybe growing older and wiser is overrated. 

Keep thinking,

Candy

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The English Language

I have a confession to make. I used to think the English language was ugly.

    Once my dad, who was born and raised in South Korea, told me why he thought Korean was the most beautiful language in the world. 

    "You can create sounds to describe sensations. The sound of footsteps going up the stairs, the sound of rain on the pavement, the sound of pages turning in a church."

    That always stuck with me. Language is descriptive. When we have the right words to describe what we think, that's beauty right there. It's art. That's why I have tremendous respect for authors, whose jobs are to find those right-fitting words and create something out of them.

    Even though a part of me still thinks English is an ugly language, I appreciate it when I read something beautiful in English. Most people don't use it to its full capacity. When I read something that describes a sensation perfectly, I swoon. It doesn't even have to use complex words. One of my favorite quotes is by Anais Nin: 

    A leaf fluttered in through the window this morning, as if supported by the rays of the sun, a bird settled on the fire escape, joy in the task of coffee, joy accompanied me as I walked.

Isn't it beautiful?

Keep thinking,

Candy

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Myers-Briggs Personality Type

You know what's really popular? Myers-Briggs. Mention it in any social setting, and people will all start comparing their personality types, pulling up the test on their iPhones so that those who have never taken it before will be able to find out, then and there, who they really are.
    Do I sound a little sarcastic? I think the Myers-Briggs types are fascinating, and can hold some truth for many people. However, I don't like the idea of putting people into a box. Does knowing your personality type mean that others can get to know you just by reading your Myers-Briggs? What's the point of getting to know anyone, then? Every person is full of contradictions and nuances, which is why I'm a bit skeptical of set personality types.
    Today, I decided to take the test again. A few years ago, I took it and was an INFP. I've had people tell me that I'm probably extroverted, and recently I do find myself enjoying time with people more than spending time alone. OK, so these things change, right? I took it again, and got ESFP. After reading descriptions of INFP, ENFP, and ESFP, I've found that all three fit me in different ways.
    My conclusion? Myers-Briggs is fun, but not wholly accurate. People, stop taking the test so seriously.

Keep thinking,
Candy

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Thursday Thoughts

It's almost Friday!
    I know that Fridays are considered the golden day, but personally, I love Thursdays. It's that transition day when the week is winding down so you feel lazy and content, but you're anticipating the weekend so you feel excited and buzzed.
    THE LOW: I got a paper back for a literature class, and the teacher gave me a C.
    THE HIGH: It was my birthday yesterday! Happy birthday to me.
Random thoughts this week...
    1. A high school Spanish teacher was fired after parents found out she modeled nude for Playboy before. Read the article here. Do you think it was justified?
    2. I've been playing around with Adobe Illustrator, and it's been fun messing around (see the above image--my first creation! I promise I'll get better with time.)
    3. I've been jamming to Drake's "Hold On, We're Going Home." Click here for a cover by the talented Joseph Vincent, mashed with JT's "Suit and Tie."

How is your Thursday?

Keep thinking,
Candy

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Amortentia

I have always been fascinated by this one potion that first makes an appearance in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Amortentia. It's the strongest love potion in the world and has a different aroma for everyone who smells it.
    I've always wondered, if I ever smelled it, what would I smell? What smells are most attractive to me? I like to think I have a good nose, and my sense of smell has always been important to me. Plus, smell is the strongest memory trigger; it can call up memories instantaneously. It's fascinating that out of all our senses, smell recalls past memories the most. The scent of warm laundry reminds me of my bed. The aroma of chai tea reminds me of Kenya. Marc Jacobs' Daisy perfume reminds me of my best friend, Sarah.
    What smells do you love? Personally, I can't resist the smell of freshly ground coffee beans, Herbal Essences shampoo, warm laundry out of the dryer, and sesame oil. Do the scents we find appealing reflect something of us, or are they arbitrary?

Keep thinking,
Candy

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