Home is Whenever I'm With You

I need to just accept that I don't have or make the time to post on a blog.  Ironic in the fact that I love to write as well as capture moments, but probably better that I don't capture every single one so that I can actually just live them.

Last week, I returned from an amazing senior year spring break trip to Disney World and the Caribbean with five great friends, only one of whom I really knew freshman year.  If you asked me last year who I'd be spending my break with, it wouldn't have been them. But things change, life happens, and you meet some pretty amazing people.  Now, we're talking about having a 10 or 15 year reunion...on a cruise.  Funny how life surprises you.

But what can I tell you without going to my usual essay format of a blog?  It's March 13...which means that I graduate in about two months. 

Am I scared?  Excited?  Ready?  I'm feeling a multitude of feelings, and I can't exactly pinpoint what they are.  They accumulate to some sort of happiness.  Not forced, or fake, but happiness in the fact that I'm pleased with my life and excited for what's to come next.

I talked on the phone with my parents yesterday.  Many topics came up, but a bulk of it was dedicated to summer plans, future plans, plans before my full year in Santiago, Chile.  Did you book your flight home yet?  Exactly how are you going to get all your stuff back home?  What do you, Jules and Lauren want to do when they come to visit? 

I'm close to my parents, and even though we don't text or talk every single day, I feel so lucky sometimes.  Lucky that I am so close with them.  That they understand I'm a busy gal but know that I think of them all of the time.  That they let me explore life, with some suggestion and direction, but never with a how-to guide.

Which inspires me to share this Youtube video and article with you.  Some pretty inspiring words dealing with fame.  A 24-year old father from California sings Home- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros with his 6 year old daughter.  Enjoy.

This post didn't exactly turn out to be as short as I wanted it to.  But then again, when does life go as planned?  Changing things up...and for the better.  Then again, isn't it about time?

Life is always good, in purple and gold.

Song for a Friend

An important life lesson I always re-learn while being home?  People grow apart...and it sucks.  Priorities reorder, values waver, and people change.  Cliche?  Maybe.  But I think many of us deny it and hold onto what was, not what is.  Of course, this doesn't devalue the friendship nor does it erase all the memories.  But I think it's only adult of us to realize and accept that the person you once knew may not be the same person.  And that's okay...which brings me to this idea of a best friend.  

You know, like in Grey's Anatomy when Meredith calls Christina 

"my person."

I've always been curious, jealous really, of those who have that ONE best friend.  I always think, it must be nice to have that one person you can go straight to, who you can rant to, cry on, discuss anything with.  You can have several of these friends, but it must be easy, even convenient, to know you can speed dial this one person, who probably knows most of your life story.

I just got home from dinner with lifelong friends...literally.  I've known Sarah since pre-school; as in, we've been friends since we were three, and we haven't grown apart since.  Sure, we attended different schools as soon as I moved from Eagle Rock to San Marino.  And sure, she stayed in Cali for college while I ventured out to Pennsylvania.  Yet after knowing each other for more than 18 years, we still get together with our families and pick up right where we left off.  No, Sarah and I don't Skype, text, or Facebok chat everyday.  Does that mean we're not best friends?

What does best friend even mean?  Are we supposed to save this term of endearment for that one person who you can tell all your little secrets to?    It's not as big as I love you, but maybe I do throw it around a bit too much.  Or maybe I just trust a lot of people and feel that I can be open with them.  But then again, who really knows that much about one person? 

I know that friends like Sarah are rare.  There are few that know where I come from, who I've been, and who I've become.  And perhaps that's the advantage of all the years knowing each other.  But it's these lifelong friends that stick by you.  And it comforts me knowing that I have friends who I don't have to talk to every free moment who will be there for me when I need them most.

People say that you make your friends for life in college.  If that's a case, I consider myself pretty lucky.  I've definitely made great friends at Nova, but I also have lifelong friends already here at home.  So maybe I have the best of both worlds.

I'm done with labels, really.  All I know is that I am thankful that you, yes YOU, are in my life, impacting it in whatever way you're supposed to.  Acquaintance, friend, close friend, best friend?  Who cares. 

I'm a person.  You're a person.  Let's just be real.

Life is good in purple and gold.  Merry Christmas Eve everyone.

No More Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

My college degree is done.  No, I didn't plan it that way, but I guess that's what happens when I overload every semester at a school I love.  So I'm taking two classes next semester to maintain my student status and stay involved in all my activities.  Yes, my friends from home: I have not changed one bit.

So, once I return to Villanova, what am I going to do with all this free time?

I figured...do all the things I've wanted, but never had the time, or made the time, to do.  And one of those things is to WRITE.  I remember my middle school days.  Not clearly, but I remember I always made it a point to get onto that MySpace and write.  Exactly what I was feeling.  And it was always such a cool and ego-boosting feeling when people asked me to write more.

So here I am.  A college senior, coming up on her final months as a 21 year old.  We've all heard your years in college are supposed to be the formative years, the years you get to find out what you value, who you value, what drives you...and figure out who the hell you are.  So, why not write at one of the most life-changing points in life...when your comfortable bubble slowly transforms into real life, and real life means doing, thinking, and living all on your own.

Too often, we wait...for someone to respond, for the opportunity to arise, for the right timing.  But there are so many things I want to do, to try, to accomplish...and we only have so much time.  So what the heck am I waiting for?

I'd say I'm finally jumping on the blogging bandwagon, but I'm not.  I remember those 8th grade days when I thought someone broke my heart, or a friend betrayed me, or life was just getting confusing (ah yes, the purity of adolescence)...and I used words to help me figure it out.  Or at least make me feel better.  And it worked.

Sure, I'm a verbal communicator.  I want to be a broadcast journalist and interview people, no matter how big or small, so I can share their stories.  But there's just something about communicating with the written word.  As if you're setting something in stone, and even if you feel different about something later, you have evidence that you simply cannot erase. 

So, here's to me going back to my old ways, to a time when I actually had time to write, to perhaps share a little piece of me that I usually don't have the chance to share.

The next couple of months are going to be some unforgettable ones, and if not for the blogging world, this is for me to remember and bask in the times when I thought anything was possible.  

So what will I be sharing with you?
My love for food?  I should share all the pictures I take of food anyway.
My love for the Lakers?  I love them too much to not talk about them.
My love for Villanova?  Especially since it's my last semester, might as well.
Or perhaps, my love for life?

Wherever this blog is going to take me, I'm ready for it.

Life is good in purple and gold.

The S Word.

It is 1:21 AM, and I am sitting in my beautiful living room. The purple lair of Gallen Hall.

Two finals and two papers await me...until I can call myself a....WAIT. DON'T SAY IT.
Seeeeee. Nior. SENIOR. AHHHHHH!

I'm sure it gets cliche, and in all honesty, when have I not talked about how quickly the time passes? But I still cannot believe that I am 21 years old and that I will be a senior in college in a matter of days.

Lianna, one of my two cousins, has always been a point of reference for me. When I was seven, she was born. When I was fifteen, she was eight. Now Lianna is fifteen, and I am twenty-one. The time just flies. Where did college go?

Last week, I performed on the Oreo in the middle of campus. It was for my Theories of Performance Studies class. For the unit of performance art, I decided to push my own boundaries and those of my classmates. I sang The Circle of Life, Forever Young, FAME, and Let It Be. Although I did not want to assert any sort of opinion, all of these songs have something to do with time and life. All I can say is that I had a great time doing it! And it didn't hurt that my classmates and random passers-by enjoyed it as well!

Alright, I should probably get back to studying and writing...but in approximately 24 hours, I will be a S word...or maybe I'm not technically the S word until the Class of 2010 graduates...

Sounds good to me.

Life is good in purple and gold. Game 2 versus the Jazz tomorrow night. Yes!

Lady Wildcats, hear them roar.

So here I am, sitting in my room on a Saturday night, trying to finish summer internship applications...and I've officially decided I need to write more. So how about today?

There's no questioning that my love for sports has crazily increased since coming to Villanova. I've always been a huge fan(atic) of the Lakers and the NBA, but it was only when I attended college games that I could appreciate college sports. This year, I became one of two Athletic emcees. As an official Athletics emcee, I get to run on-court promotions during time-outs and halftime at football and basketball games.

So I woke up today and went to the women's basketball game versus Marquette. The only students I saw were the band members, probably racking up points for men's basketball game traveling privileges, the cheerleaders, and other dancers who were performing. What's wrong with this picture?

Yes, there's a huge men's basketball game against Georgetown tomorrow, but I highly doubt that the majority of campus was sleeping. So where was everybody? Why are there never any student spectators at women's games?

Just because the women are not ranked #3 in the nation? Or is there a deeper reason for the lack of the support? There is obviously no excuse that students don't like the sport because of the crazy love for men's basketball. So is it just because they don't have a great record?

Of course, I don't expect every team at Villanova, or any university for that matter, to be successful. Hey, we already have a women's cross country championship and football championship in the matter of a year! And our men's basketball team isn't looking too shabby. But couldn't there have been at least a couple students there? People are interested in winning, and some say they go to support their school...but there are few. Now, I am in no way critiquing Villanovans. I am however questioning the way in which society views male versus female sports. Where is the support?

I try to imagine being an athlete. A female athlete. And I can't. Not because I am obviously not inclined to playing sports (yay dance!), but the fact that many female athletes ultimately endure the same pressures as males and no support from their peers saddens me.

The double standards just never end.

This entry isn't meant to be a downer, but I realized that even I am guilty of not attending games and not questioning it. Of course, college kids lead busy lives, but I never thought of the inequality behind it all.

GO WILDCATS. (Men AND Women...but then again, do we really need to separate them?)

Life is good. In purple and gold. And blue and white.

Girls' Night Out!

I don’t think I had the typical high school life…or at least not one that the majority of my peers experienced. Perhaps last night made up for it.

[Pincinqo minus camera-shy Jessica]

My four friends and I (we call ourselves Pincinqo…don’t ask) painted the town red and enjoyed a night out in Hollywood. We ate at a restaurant called Ketchup, where we barely made the reservation. If you’re ever in Hollywood, avoid Sunset Blvd. at all costs. Cleverly enough, Ketchup’s décor was all white interior with red accents. I enjoyed a lobster bisque and good ol’ mac n’ cheese with Dungeness crab. YUM.

We hopped back in the car and drove to Jess’ apartment near UCLA to get her keys. To our disappointment, Sammy found a white envelope tucked under her windshield wiper. What was it? A PARKING TICKET...only in LA. According to the ticket, we “walked off the property.” LAME. Long story short, I’m writing an appeal. I guess the police are cracking down on every little thing they can, considering our state is in the toilet right now.

Then, we took pictures at CUE!!! It’s safe to say that I feel extremely Caucasian when I’m in an overwhelmingly Asian place like Cue. I love the whole idea of spontaneous, old-school photo booths …except the ones at this store speak in Japanese…and none of us speak the language. I guess it makes it all the more fun!

We ended the night with KARAOKING! What an unforgettable experience!!! Not only because I’ve never actually heard my friends sing, but I didn’t expect us to make our private room into our own little club! We sang some Britney, N*Sync, Kelly, and other songs to jumpstart our middle school memories when we weren’t even friends yet. I even attempted to flow like Flo’ Rida. I think the girls got a kick out of that little shenannigan.

All in all, it was a wonderful night. Who would’ve thought that I’d only get closer to my high school friends once we went our separate ways? Funny how things don’t work out the way you expect them to…then again, that’s LIFE.

Life is GOOD in purple and gold.

He who MUST be named...TIME.

[at Walk of Fame with HARRY POTTER footprints,
one week before the premiere]

Taking this picture got me thinking. How must Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint feel right now at this point in their lives? The Harry Potter movies have dictated the entirety of their youths, and no matter how hard they try to live a normal life, they’re never going to. Apparently Emma Watson will start studying at Brown University in the fall. I give her major props to her for wanting to pursue an education in the States. On the other hand, how will she make any true friends? Anyone who is in my generation, especially still in college, will definitely know who she is. If you don’t, I feel sorry for you. Let’s see how that pans out.

Some may people may wish to be that world famous, but I wouldn’t want to wish the famous life on anyone.

Oh, and I finally watched the movie tonight!!! I couldn’t go to the midnight showing like a true fan because of CBS…not like the movie needed my help! 22 million dollars for one night…WOAH. Also, I don’t know why the new Harry Potter film disappointed so many fans. You can’t expect the movie to include every great moment in Rowling’s book. It’s just not possible. Instead, enjoy the movie for what it’s worth. Relish in the fact that we’re growing up with these characters and actors.

Not to depress anyone, but the last installment of the movies series is expected to come out July 2011. That’s the summer right after I graduate. Talk about the end of our youth…oh well. Time, why must you fly by?

I’m proud to say that I’m a half Muggle, half witch. Besides, anyone in their right mind would take Harry Potter over Twilight or Hannah Montana any day. No bias, of course. =) It's just my youth we're talking about here.

Life is good in purple and gold.