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!!!
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.
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.
Baseball, America’s favorite pastime, is a sport normally played in the spring and summer. Through the sunshine, the little white ball is hit, thrown, and caught. But for me this fall, I had to beat the heat of Scottsdale, Arizona, and also try to pitch my way to not get beat by the #1 ranked team in Arizona.
It was Saturday, 8 am, the game was just about to start, and it was already a brisk 88 degrees in Scottsdale, and my coach had given me the nod to pitch against the #1 team in Arizona, Swarm Red Elite. With me already shaking in my boots and beaming with sweat, it was already an uphill climb. The game started out hot with me picking up a quick out on 3 pitches, but then giving up a 2-strike single to the next batter, but I came out with no runs.
The bottom of the first was a huge inning for my team as we put up 3 runs with only 1 out. The game progressed, and I only got better until I gave up a huge 2-run single to their 3rd hitter, who was a big lefty. In the 4th inning, it was 3-2 us, and we haven’t gotten a hit since the first inning. When I went out to pitch, missed calls from the umpires and a couple of mental mistakes put a runner on 2nd base with no outs. I got a huge flyout, which advanced the runner to third. Runner on third, 1 out, and a 3-0 count, the batter pops the ball up to right field. The right fielder catches, throws to the cutoff, who throws the ball away, letting the runner score with ease, tie game, 2 out. I strike the next batter out.
I went on to finish the entire game, throwing a great game against a very good team that scrapped together another run on a sacrifice fly to left field. They kept us hitless from innings 2-6, which ended the game when we got no hits in the last inning, which happened to be the 6th due to time.
What was a great game for me turned into a devastating loss for the team, which took us out of bracket play for the weekend.
It’s getting closer every day. The more time passes, the closer it looms, like someone watching over your shoulder. Although you can’t see them, you can constantly feel their presence. It makes it somewhat challenging to focus on the present when the future keeps moving forward. Once November 1st arrives, people will be applying and waiting to hear back from colleges, marking the beginning of our future.
After that happens, the floodgates will open. People will be either delighted or disappointed with their response from their colleges. It makes me think of all previous seniors, were they this stressed, yet excited? Were some of them sure of their likelihood of getting in, only to be rejected, or were they correct?
The more I think about it, the thought that almost constantly remains the same is that after November 1st, what will happen to my friends? Where will they go? Will we be as close as we are now after departing? Or will we slowly begin to fade from each other’s lives? As these thoughts sometimes consume me, it is those exact friends that pull me back in and remind me to enjoy now.
Listening to Drake is a life-changing experience. While some generalize him as a popular rapper with hit songs that all sound similar, his catalog and talents run much deeper.
Drake is a lyrical genius. His songs touch on all aspects of life, from the highs to the lows, which can help the listener find the right song for the moment or occasion.
Drake’s talent extends beyond rap. Drake is versatile and not afraid to rap, sing, or perform in different styles of music or even languages. Some notable hits from Drake, including “MIA” and “Gently,” both featuring Bad Bunny, exercise Drake’s talents beyond simple English rap. Drake’s hit album “Honestly Nevermind” is widely considered a top Drake album, with all but one song being House/Dance music.
Drake’s catalog is versatile and easily rotatable without the feeling of overlistening to one artist. I am currently listening to “Summer Games” from Scorpion and “Race My Mind” from Certified Lover Boy.
It is refreshing to hear different types of music conveying different sounds and feelings when listening to each song. Drake is easy to listen to and is widely respected as a top current artist, with his longevity of producing hit songs that have exceeded a decade.
Most aspects of life are not permanent or guaranteed, subject to spontaneous change.
Those who were once closest to you can drift apart due to physical distance or changes in character, leaving you feeling as though a piece of you was stripped away and left hollow. Artificial intelligence is increasing in its influence at an overwhelming rate, contributing to the perception that humans are obsolete in the face of technological advancements and posing a threat to human jobs. And with the current trajectory of United States politics, international students, such as myself, never know what new policies could be established that hinder or outright restrict our ability to continue my education in this country.
If these factors are out of our control, it makes us wonder why we try. If they are within our control, it makes us doubt whether we are trying hard enough.
Now more than ever, the very act of trying or investing time into anything can feel so daunting, with there being no peace of mind that we will be reciprocated for our efforts. But as much as I find comfort in what is familiar, I realize that change is not inherently or always an adversary.
The act of continuing despite uncertainty forces us to adapt and grow in alignment with the contiously unraveling world, serving as a testament to our resiliance. So while I can not prevent the disruption of the familiar, I refuse to let it leave me behind.
I love Trader Joe’s. There should be a Trader Joe’s on every corner, and even then, that is not enough. It is so weird how they can make dupes for stuff and not get in trouble for it. I have the Brazil Nut Body Butter, and it smells almost exactly like that one Sol de Jainero lotion. Or the Rolled Tortilla Chips, Lime and Chile Flavored, and how they taste like mild Takis. But dupes aren’t the best thing about Trader Joe’s. The original snacks are so good.
Recently, I’ve been liking the Crispy Crunchy Mochi Rice Nuggets. I hate how long the names are. But the mochi nuggets are delectable. The salty, crunchy exterior is perfectly crisp every time.
Imagine this: you come back home or to your dorm after a long day at school, you had 3 tests today, two club meetings, and volleyball practice in 5 minutes, when you see the Crispy Crunchy Mochi Rice Nuggets. Suddenly, your world brightens. The once bleak reality is now filled with light. You reach for the bag to find out it is unopened! You reach your hand into the dark bag for a fried mochi cube, and you pull out the biggest, crunchiest one. You throw it into your mouth, and it is overwhelmed by the flavor. The salt bounces around as you crunch into a piece. So you slowly start throwing more and more into your mouth until you reach for the last one. You aren’t sad that you ate all of them; you are satisfied.
All this to say I love Trader Joe’s and I really want some mochi rice nuggets right now.
This past week, I have been sleeping through all of my alarms that I set in the morning for school. I don’t think I’ve woken up on time a single morning the past two weeks. I set two alarms just in case I don’t wake up from the first one. I’m not even fully sleeping through them. I wake up, turn the alarm off, and go back to bed. It could have something to do with motivation, not wanting to get up and get ready. The problem could also be that I’m going to bed later than usual to get all my homework done and study for exams, because of all my studying, I’m going to bed around 1-2 am and waking up at 6-7 am. In the mornings, I have to rush to get ready, and it impacts my day with a chaotic start. Staying up late and studying positively impacts my day because I feel confident in schoolwork and tests. Hopefully, I can get my sleep schedule back on track after these past stressful weeks and try and balance sleep and school.
I had an extremely boring week. I did absolutely nothing exciting or interesting. One of the things I dont hate about school is that it gives me a better routine to follow but I also hate that it gives me no time to do things I actually enjoy.
Monday: I got to wake up late because I had two free periods first so that was nice. I still woke up too late and had to rush to get ready for school. It was a very normal day at school I got through my classes and then went to work. It was a bad day at work, it wasnt busy enough to stay interested so it felt like 10 hours. I went home did homework and went to bed.
Tuesday: I woke up late yet again, I got ready for school and left just in time. School was hard because it was my busy schedule, I went to all my classes, fell asleep during lunch finished the rest of the day and went home. I washed my sheets and cleaned my room and did my homework. I tried to fall asleep early but couldnt.
Wednesday: I woke up late, what a surprise. I hurried to school, went through my day as usual, and went home. I tried to go home early because my classes ended before lunch, but I didn’t. I went home and went to my workout class. I then went home and made dinner.
It is now thursday I expect today and tomorrow to be the exact same as this whole week. I hope that this rut is over soon and I can get back to doing things I actually enjoy.
OVS Journalism Blog 
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