Over the Garden Wall

Over the Garden Wall is a 2014 animated series released on Cartoon Network. It’s usually correlated with fall due to its themes of autumn, taking place on Halloween, and its overall homey theme, as if you’re watching the show sitting next to a warm campfire.

The show tells the story of two half-brothers, Wirt and Greg, who travel through a mysterious forest, just trying to find their way home, despite not knowing how they’ve made it into the forest in the first place. The show is hand-drawn through every episode, and has beautiful visuals, well-done animation, and amazing storytelling throughout the short 10 episode mini-series.

I personally connect with the series due to my own experiences. The first time I watched it was when I had to evacuate my house due to the Mountain Fire in Camarillo, burning up to 19,900 acres of land, and making it to my property. We evacuated, and my younger brother William and I decided to finish watching the show because we had watched it a few days earlier.

I’ll spare you the ending and any other spoilers, but the show really changed me in a way I can’t physically put into words. I recommend that if you like dark animation (or just animated shows in general) or a good soundtrack with amazing worldbuilding to go along with it, you should watch it. Or if you just like the vibe of fall. I recommend that everyone watch it.

I.C. – Pinterest

Come Back Clouds

Don’t get me wrong, I love the sunny summers. In fact my very first blog was about my love for the beach. But after months of the beaming sun, sweat, and mosquitoes, I am very ready for the winter. I miss the fog rolling in and never leaving. I miss the sound of rain pounding on my ceiling as I sleep. I miss being able to wear sweatpants and baggy sweaters to school. The outfits I wear during winter aren’t the most fashionable, but they’re definitely comfortable. I yearn to sit in class in an outfit that feels just like my bed, not jean shorts that leave marks on my legs and a tank top. I’m most excited to bake cookies and watch movies on rainy days. Nothing beats the feeling of relaxing and cuddling up on a rainy day. I never feel lazy when I lay around while it’s raining. The sun makes me feel like a slug if I’m not up and moving. Playing sports in the heat has also been unbearable. I’m excited to finally play in cool weather that actually allows me to catch my breath. I know by the end of winter I’ll be begging for the sun to peak back through the clouds. For now, I’m begging for the winter and can’t wait another second.

Picture Credit-Google

FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona has always been my favorite pro soccer team. The players who made me love FC Barcelona are Messi, Ronaldinho, and Neymar, but none of them play for Barcelona anymore. The players that keep me loving Barca are Yammal, Frankie de Jong, Pedri, Gavi, Lewandowski, Raphina, Cubarsi, Kounde, Balde, and Eric. I also really like the coach Hansi Flick, who has been making Barcelona one of the best teams in the world. I have 12 Barcelona jerseys and they’re all hanging up on my wall. I also have a Barcelona flag, hat, sweatshirt, and scarf. Barcelona makes the best players in the world. I got to go to one Barca game in 2023. It was so fun and cool, even though they lost. The game wasn’t very serious because it was a preseason game, but I still had a lot of fun, and it was so cool to see. Barcelona forever!!!

pc – google

Chemistry

When the school year started, I felt like I would be able to do chemistry. With my high ego, I walked into the class for the first time thinking it would be a piece of cake. I ignored how all of my older friends said how this was the hardest class they had ever taken. They all had said that they finished the semester with below a B. What I don’t understand is why we are mixing science and math, the two hardest subjects, and my two weakest. On the most recent test, it was based solely on math. I did the first page before I broke down in tears. It was almost embarrassing, having a breakdown over a chemistry test. No matter how hard I tried to understand it and answer the questions, I just couldn’t. I was like I was staring at numbers floating all over my page, asking me which one is a kilometer. How does one even study chemistry? If I don’t understand it in the first place, how will I study it? Not being able to do the test discouraged me for the rest of the day. I started to doubt myself and my knowledge, in other classes too. Until I realized that everyone struggles in some way, regardless of what class or situation.

pc – google

LMU

This weekend I toured a school that was never at the top of my list, but after visiting, became the center of my target. Loyola Marymount University (LMU) was exceptional, and honestly, there was nothing I didn’t favor. The school is located in Los Angeles, specifically in the Westchester neighborhood, about four miles north of LAX. A prime location. With the beach Playa Del Rey being only 2.6 miles away, I practically have the ocean at my fingertips (an absolute non-negotiable). LA has diverse and delicious food, offering so many options. Aside from the location, the campus itself stands out on its own. The beautiful architecture was alluring. And unlike previous schools I’ve toured, the size of it didn’t consume me. Classes consist of an average of twenty students, meaning your teachers know you not only by name, but by character as well. The ability to form relationships with professors can be tricky, or even impossible at larger schools, but not at LMU. I could genuinely go on and on about the utter perfection of this school, but I would begin to bore you at some point. If LMU is not on your list, I would highly advise you to reconsider adding it.

PC: Google