The End :(

Five lines for each one
Then seven in the middle
And you end with five

Senior Year Has Come
I tried to be rebellious
And I failed at that

Lunch time spent outside
Shenanigans and ping-pong
I'll miss that a lot

Grad nite is here SOON

And then prom comes after that 

Good times approaching

Senior Year's Been Hard

Work Until the last Second

But now we are FREE

Moving on in life
B-R-O-W-N
Plane tickets are booked.

My Garden!

I absolutely love my garden. Every time this year, I consider myself to be subsistent. I could live off of the vegetables growing in my garden and I really wouldn't mind doing just that. I have an abundance of lettuce as you can see from the picture. I am also growing 4 types of tomatoes, 2 types of zucchini, 5 types of peppers, celery, and cucumbers. YUM! Every single item is grown with such love and care and I personally love how fresh my vegetables taste. I noticed that store bought vegetables taste chemically grown in comparison to my vegetables. I really think that more people should take the time and grown their own garden.  It's so peaceful to come out twice a day ( once in the morning and again in the evening) to water the garden. Seeing the vegetables grown from a seed or sprout into an abundance of delicious vegetation is so amazing!

Making Some Interesting Realizations...

Every time I turn around, I am being reminded that this is my last year and final year living at home as a kid. I know that I can come back during breaks from college, but it won't truly ever be the same as it is right now. I basically have no real burdens to worry about, my laundry gets done, food is always available and ready for me to eat, and a nice comfy couch is ready for my company. I just realized that how much I love my mom's cooking and that I am going to miss it so much when I go to college next year. I realized that I like my privacy in my room and that I might miss that alone time next year when I have a roommate. I realized just how nice it is to have a backyard that I can go in and I especially just realized how much I love my garden. I realized that sure all of these things are mine and will be available to me. But they will be available to me at a distance. I just realized how much I love coming home and escaping the drama of the day.
As I make these interesting realizations and as summer and college approach me faster and faster, I wonder what emotions I am really feeling. I wonder if I will be okay being so far away from the best homemade tacos ever!? I wonder if I will be able to cope with my now mysterious roommate. I wonder if Brown's Main Green can become my new backyard.
I guess I will just have to wait and see...

My Brown University Bucket List(up to my first year in college):

1. Make it on to the Brown University Campus
2. Decorate my room with gadets from Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, and Walmart
3. Buy my new winter wardrobe, which include furry boots, rainboots,warm coats, rain coat
4. Attend TWTP, the orientation for minroties located on Brown's campus
5. Attend the regular orientation
6. Complete the petition of 150 signatures to approve my membership into student council
7.Join The Undergraduate Council for Students
8. Find out where I can enroll in the "Making Decisions" class
9. Become involved with various clubs, such as the Women for Business Club
10. Join a dancing group such as Break Dancing, Hip-Hop
11. Find a yoga class and join it
12.Make a lot of friends! and invite them back to California with me for winter break
13. Email Dr. Forman before Christmas
14. Call my mom and update her.
15. Get through first semster of college.
16. Use all that I learned from first semester and apply it to making second semester ever better!

The Year is Coming to An End.. Already?

As we approach our last couple of weeks of high school, it is becoming apparent to me that I am experiencing the last of many things. I had my last AP Calculus and AP Government assessment ever...until the AP exam of course. I am also working on my last french project and leadership speech not only last for the year, but last ever at Buckley. It truly is so incredible how fast time flies. I am experiencing an array of emotions; such as being happy to have experienced this amazing and impactful 4-year journey as well as being confused and sad that I have to close the chapter of this part of my life.
I know that this time right now marks our transition period into beginning a great journey ahead.  College is finally here and that was made very clear to me today with the college t-shirt/sweatshirt wearing aspect. Ever since I entered Buckley in Fall of 2007, I have looked forward to this day and have looked up to those who were taking "the sophisticated photos by the pavilion." I would also creep on their luncheons as well, hoping that one day I would soon make it to this exciting moment. Low and behold, I made it!
Indeed, this is such an exciting time in which we will also share tears brought on by the fact that we will be parting ways very soon. All I can hope for is that we continue to be there for one another and that we continue to strive to reach our maximum potential. This is one thing I think our grade, in particular, has strived to do beyond belief. Although the year is quickly coming to an end, I am using this time now to reflect on my memories on and off The Buckley School campus. I will cherish these memories and plan to take all of the skills and knowledge I acquired in high school with me to college.

Consciously Conforming...?

I went to CVS last night in search of the infamous egg. Yes, the chap-stick in the shape of an egg that seems to be a popular possession for many Buckley students. Since I love chap-stick and a friend sold me on how good it was, I couldn't help but want it. As I was searching the aisles, back and forth and back and forth, it dawned on me that I could be conforming to the standard at Buckley which is to have this egg-shaped chap-stick. For a moment, I thought back to English class and our conformity essay, and mine in particular. I remembered that conforming only becomes dangerous if one does so unconsciously. So, I readdressed the situation and concluded that I wanted this chap-stick for it's benefits of soothing my lips, if ever they were to get chap. Since, I was aware of the benefits and aware of my desire for it, I decided that the final purchase of the egg was perfectly okay. Low and behold... they were OUT! Although, I walked away without the chap-stick, I was happy to have gone through a thorough reflection of my purchase if it were to happen.
Nevertheless, I am happy that we were forced to brainstorm conformity and to really take our analysis to different heights. I will now and forever look out to see if I am conforming, and if I am doing so consciously or unconsciously.

My personal Experience

I traveled to France in the summer of 2009. During my 4-week study abroad trip i stayed with a host family who did not speak any english. Once at dinner, my family expressed their absolute love and fascination with Hollywood. They were so excited to hear that I lived very close to Hollywood. As I was translating back and forth about my experiences on Hollywood and Highland, the big question came up: "So how is it? Do you like it?" I was so oblivious to the fact that they had put it on such a high pedestal that my response was very heartless. I, while answering very honestly, retorted back with my limited french vocabulary, "c'est tres sale et bruyant et un peu ennuyeux". This was the first thing that came to my mind and frankly would of been my response to anyone who asked me what I thought about Hollywood. My response translates into" It is very dirty and noisy and a little boring" Of course, my family was very confused and wasn't sure what to think. They had built up the idea of Hollywood, and there I was to shut them down.

However, unlike Meursault, I have a filter and morals and emotions. After my insensitive response, I immediately changed the mood and told them that that was only true of the outskirts of the town and that Hollywood was actually a very fun and exciting place to be.

In relation to The Stranger, I would have to say that at times I am irritated with Meursault's responses to many different situations in the fact that he fails to show any real feelings or morals. It might be a little more excusable if Meursault, like me, had slipped an insensitive comment in here and there and then reconciled it right after. However, he demonstrates no real care or concern for anything and he stands by all of his beliefs and responses.