Sometimes you need to start anew.

just breathe

"How on earth are you standing upright?" My doctor asks me, completely flummoxed when she sees the pitiful results of my peak flow test.

Sometimes, when I'm walking outside in the winter or when I'm giving a presentation - I realize that I'm not getting enough air.

I have to remind myself to breathe.

In and out.

Repeat.

It should be easy; it's how I keep myself alive, but it's strange to realize that air isn't getting through, that my inhaler is next to useless and panic is settling into my lungs -

little moments

On my walk back to my dorm from dinner, I noticed that the sky was a midnight blue. It was the kind of blue that they mean when they describe the dresses of princesses and fortunate merchant girls in fairy tales. It was a midnight blue, cloudy, far too cloudy for me to see stars.

I spent the majority of my walk back to Merion clutching my pink thermos of green tea (with brown rice and honey), wishing that the weather was slightly warmer.  it wasn’t cold - it was chilly. I had misplaced my gloves again, I was wearing a t-shirt and a black hoodie underneath my coat, and I should have worn more layers, but instead I was too lazy to dig through my mess of a closet -

I breathed in.

The lights from Rock and Pembroke West were glowed a soft orange compared to the bright white lights of the street lamps by the side-walk. Most of the snow had melted, revealing dormant grass and the scent of earth and dirt filled the air with each inhalation and exhalation.

The night actually was perfect, just the way it was.

the one semester i'm abroad, all the cool things happen

I miss my college so hard right now

Hogwarts Dinner at Bryn Mawr College.

End of the Semester Hogwarts feast, are you even kidding me?

One of my former bosses was Severus Snape.
 
...This better become a New Bryn Mawr tradition or I will cry.

because i'm a boss at procrastination

10 Random Facts About Me

1.  I am a complete introvert at heart. I love meet new people and hanging /clubbing with friends, but I'm honestly a low-key person. I don't like structured plans, they feel too constricting, and I always feel like I'm on edge (and I end up feeling drained and cranky) when everything's planned out.

2.  A one-way ticket to my heart is to be passionate (but not pretentious) about music. It also helps if you play an instrument and/or sing.

3. There are probably over 40 bottles in my nail polish collection (I know, I have a problem). 80% of it are shimmery darks or metallics. I'm currently rocking dark metallic green-black polish

4. I am 100% aware of my own flaws. Maybe overly so.

5. Public speaking makes my skin crawl. I've gotten a lot better, but I hate all that focused attention from people my age or older. Give me a bunch of kids anyday. (There's a reason why I'm seriously considering becoming a teacher...)

6. My GPA would be so much higher if I actually studied more than the day before (or day of) all my exams.

7. I judge people by how they treat others. Kindness and common courtesy are terribly underrated. It's not hard to be a decent human being.

8. I always feel like I'm half-way decent at things that interest me (creative writing, drawing, singing, gymnastics, ice skating, etc.) - but never exceptional at anything in particular. It bothers me. My greatest fear is mediocrity.

9.I'm good at reading people, but I always wonder how other people read me. Then again, maybe I'm better off not knowing...

10. I'm interested in social sciences and different cultures, but I love the arts and wish I had the talent (and patience) to pursue the latter.

you’re the part of me that makes me better, wherever I go

I never realized how much of me is a Bryn Mawr student until spending this semester abroad.


Don’t get me wrong - I like Hong Kong, I like the people I’ve met here, and this has been a an amazing experience…

But my heart truly belongs back at the Mawr, where I’d be surrounded by friends so close I consider them family.

I miss my support group. I miss Glee nights in the Merion common room, afternoons shelving books at Canaday Library, 10 PM peppermint mochas from Uncommon Grounds, and late, late night conversations with Andrea and Melody.

I have no doubt I’ll make the best of my time left in Hong Kong, but I already know that I’ll be moving into Bryn Mawr the first day the dorms are open for spring semester.

Home is where the heart is; after all.

(And yes, I’m totally quoting AVPS lyrics.)

SINGAPORE :D

In Singapore! Staying at the Fernloft Hostel in Little India until Sunday morning. Then I'll be off to Kuala Lumpur until Wednesday, then Bangkok until Sunday and Hong Kong! :)

Okay, now I need to get my hands on some Kaya toast...