Author: yrreskrap

Math Down, The Rest Is History!

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Yesterday was grueling.


My morning began with YouTube videos by khanacademy (who is BRILLIANT by the way) on solids of revolution. My favorite breakfast of waffles and milk didn’t manage to make my morning any better.

I dragged my legs as I forced myself to the Lecture Hall. I sighed as I saw the cold metal door knob and my opaque reflection on the still glass door. Then I went in.

It was torture. Hours and hours of math. I panicked. I think I did horribly.

With a bad mood, I went to the cafeteria to grab lunch before my track meet. With my Princeton Review AP U.S. History Exam book in hand, I trudged to the big, yellow Ojai Valley School bus.

The meet got a lot off my shoulders and I managed to get a lot of studying done. I met my friends at Cate School, Denali and Blake, both friends from 8th grade and that got a lot of stress and grief from my AP exam earlier that day. It helped me realize that I shouldn’t stress but I should try my best for the next test because I can’t change the my previous test score but I can try to get the best score for my next AP test.

Next:

Tomorrow, A.P. U.S. History.

Wish me luck!

Battle of the Bands!

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Eight. Jazz music encompassed me in an anxious din. The sweet, soulful voice of a freshman from Thatcher filled my ears-then stopped. The judges gave generous reviews.

Seven more to go. Again, the judges had accolades for the performers. Only kind words.

Six.

Five. Four. Three. Two…

It was our turn.

We were practicing backstage, doing our vocal warm ups and melting the pressure away. We didn’t sound too shabby. And my voice didn’t give out like I thought it would. We were going over the song one last time, making sure that-

“Maddie, Serry, Lindsey?” a frantic boy called.

We all nodded, the nerves flooded back, flushed into my weary veins. The clamminess returned once again to my hands and my knees were hit with a pang of unease as he led us behind the curtain, ready to push us under the unforgiving spotlight.

Easy notes of the piano gently filled the auditorium. I felt them in my fingers. Maddie’s velvet voice started us off and I felt a bit more confident. Throughout the song, I was nervous. Where should I put my hands? How should I stand? Where do I look?

The song was over soon enough and we all linked fingers while we waited for the judges to deliberate.

We had gotten marked down by the Thacher judge for having teachers playing the piano and the bass. We got the same score by a girl that hated me in 8th grade and-I believe-still hates me to this day. At first, I was a bit angry about the scores. But in the end, I didn’t care. I got to see my friends, Maddie, Lindsey, and Lucy snag third place out of the entire competition and I got a feel for what it was like to participate in such a big event. We didn’t receive horrible scores either.

For those of you who did not get the chance to hear us sing yesterday, you will get another chance to hear us sing the same song, Emotions by Destiny’s Child, at the graduation recital! Now, you can’t miss that because it’s mandatory!

Here’s my favorite cover of the song:

shh…promise not to tell!

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Woah. Two years.

Sounds like a long time.It is a long time. But I don’t know why, it doesn’t feel like a long time. Time doesn’t exist or really matter when I am with him.

Two years ago, on the 29th of this month, a much younger, braces-clad me was asked out by my current boyfriend. We both have grown so much since that day and learned so much about each other. Tomorrow, 24 hours from today, we will be hitting our 2 year milestone.

This is a big deal; neither one of us have been in a relationship this long and with the impending graduation coming closer each day, I want to make sure that tomorrow will be a special day, a memorable day that he can look back on after he walks the cobblestone stage.

I plan on making him a scavenger hunt. A series of six clues that lead him to me. I will tell him that I can’t see him because I am busy studying for the upcoming AP’s and that I am so sorry that I can’t see him on our anniversary. Then, his friends will make sure he doesn’t eat dinner or leave the vicinity of his room. He will find his first clue which will come with a rice krispies treat that I made in the shape of a letter. After finding all the clues, the rice krispies will reveal my location and he will meet me there to find a dinner made from scratch!

It’s not much, just a few pieces of paper and time spent putting a few ingredients together. But they say that the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. If he likes it, then that’ll be the best thing!

One Man v. A Row of Tanks

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As I was working on my second Decades Paper for my history class, the dusty shelves in the memory department of my brain were revisited. My eyes fell upon a small paragraph, containing information that I would have probably just skimmed over had it not sparked something in the murky abyss of my memories. Two words reminded me of the struggles of countless students and even more so of one brave civilian who decided he had enough.

Tiananmen Square, 1989.

Students, mothers, fathers. Civilians alike banded together in the name of political reform. They had just lost a leader and strong liberalization advocate, Hu Yaobang, and felt it was in their hands to fight for the changes they wanted to see. And fight they did.

Through mainly non-violent protests, more and more people joined the cause for a more liberal government. However, the communist government fought back, mercilessly.

Buildings were on fire. Rubble and debris littered the floor. Many civilian lives were lost. However, throughout this fear for the government and citizen lives, one man refused to back down. One ordinary man who did an extraordinary act.

This is a video of the man who courageously stopped a row of tanks.

It’s quite breathtaking. To have the strength to go alone in front of tanks that can crush the human body in a matter of seconds.

Silently, I scolded myself for having let the dust collect over such a power event in those shelves of mine. So I decided to blog about this single event. This event happened 21 years ago, way before I was even born. I had almost forgotten this important moment as I am sure many other who will read this blog have as well. I am writing this blog to remind people that such bravery exists in today’s society and to inspire those who have never heard of this man-whose name I don’t even know-that stood against the row of tanks.

To learn more about this event watch the following video:

Crunch Time

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Who knew so much pressure could mount up on one’s shoulders? I’m trying to cram so much information into my head. The AP weeks are coming up and I am on the brink of crumbling. AP Calculus AB and AP US History the first week, followed by three SAT II subject tests that saturday. Oh and what else? An AP Biology test that upcoming Monday and an AP Writing and Composition test to top it all off.


I am beginning to think that I will not be able to get the grades that I want to on these tests. I will need to stay up very late and buy multiple Starbucks double shots from Starr Market. However, what frustrates me is the recent ruling that girls are not allowed to stay up to study in the girl’s lounge past lights out. I just can’t wrap my head around it.


I understand that the faculty is concerned with us staying up and that those staying up may have abused the privilege by eating food while studying or being on Facebook. I am not going to lie, I did both. But that doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t be eating in my room or checking my Facebook for a quick five minute reprieve (because my brain cannot handle studying for hours on end without a quick break). However, I don’t think that the faculty understands that we cannot reach our goals of staying up to study and fully grasp our studies as well as do extra work for the upcoming SAT and AP tests in our rooms. My roommate usually goes to bed after a half an hour or an hour after study hall and studying under the small light of my desk lamp is very difficult. I chose to stay up. I want to stay up. I do so to get the grades I get and I do so to stay on top of things. But now that I can’t stay out in the lounge, I can’t study to my fullest potential.


It’s crunch time. This weekend and every night after tonight, I will be studying, studying, studying and praying my BUTT OFF so that God would bless me with the knowledge and preparation I need for this test. Ahh, maybe I should build my own personal girl’s lounge as an extension of my room. Ha! Now that would be odd.

I HATE THE SAT!

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Yesterday was the big huzzah. It was the day that would determine the fate of my summer. Yesterday, Thursday, March 31st, 2011, was the day I had been waiting for. And it was nothing short of disappointing.

I was home sick yesterday, but I still remembered, the moment I woke up from my slumber, to check my SAT scores. It only made my condition worse.

The screen read 650-reading, 670-math, and 620-writing. Goodness, it seemed as if my previous summer had been a waste. I had spent two months of pure studying for this one test and I had gotten a 1940. The colleges that I am hoping to get into require over a 2000.

I did remind myself, however, that I was sick that Saturday I took the test and the week following up to it. But a 1940? That is no exception.

I haven’t told my mom my score yet because I am afraid for her reaction. This summer, before taking my first SAT prep class, my diagnostic grade had been in the low 1900’s. My mom was very disappointed in me and I know that she will still be disappointed in my score if I tell her that after two months of sending me to classes, I have arrived at a almost identical score.

My goal for the SAT’s is a 2100. A 700 in critical reading, a 700 in math, and a 700 in writing. I know this is attainable because my scores (650, 670, 620) are not too far from my goal. But sadly, I will have to spend my summer not at the beach and having fun, but in a cold, isolated classroom, shoving hundreds of vocabulary words into my head in SAT classes. Oh goody, I just CAN’T WAIT!

My Day at the Aquarium of the Pacific

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Today, I, along with 8 other students, ventured out (Haha get it? Ventured out as in…venture van?) to Long Beach and visited the Aquarium of the Pacific.

It was a long and tiring van ride. For almost 3 hours, I was dealing with the bumps and turns of the 101 until, finally, we filed out of the white container on wheels and breathed fresh air.

It wasn’t my first time at the Aquarium of the Pacific-I had been there a few years ago. However, it was Kai’s first time there. Together, we looked through tanks full of leafy seahorses and venomous stonefish as well as the egg cases of bamboo shark and clown fish (better known as the “Nemo” fish).

At first, I did not expect to have such a fun time. I had forgotten how fun aquariums could be. It had been almost 2 years since I have been to one, when I had taken oceanology class in Carlsbad for a month at the Academy by the Sea.

Anyhow, the day turned out to be one of the best in a while. Kai bought me a souvenir stuffed seahorse although I’m pretty sure that there are no such pink and orange striped seahorses that live in the ocean.

Overall, the day was great but I had this strange feeling that hovered over me since last Wednesday. I have been feeling very light headed lately, like I have been blowing a billion balloons. Oh well.

If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say, Don’t Say Anything At All.

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For the first time in a very long time, I was shocked and shaken to the very core. I was ashamed to know that I share the world with such narrow minded people and I was reminded of the ignorance and blind arrogance that plagues and clings to our society like a heavy, dirty rag.

A few days ago, my friend shared a YouTube video with me. It was a video of a blonde girl, Alexandra Wallace, from UCLA, singling out a group of people, stereotyping all Asians. Let me tell you, it was nothing short of disgusting. Click here to watch the video.

In her rant, she complained about the burdens of having Asians in the dorms on the weekend. Their family members come on the weekends to cook for them and she claimed that their parents were not letting them grow independent. Apparently, having parents who care for their children enough to come and cook homemade food for them is a huge nuisance for her. At this point, Alexandra left me thinking “Why does it matter to you?”

It only snowballed from that point.

Rolling her eyes, Alexandra continued to rant about Asians in the library. Apparently while poor Alex was studying her political science, Asians were always on the phone. She raised a mocking hand to her face and opened her flagrant mouth: “OHHH CHING CHONG BING BONG TING TONG.”She heartlessly disclaimed the severity of the earthquake in Japan and proudly mounted herself on a rocky pedestal of fool’s gold when she called herself “the polite, American girl.” She publicly and very ironically announced that Asians needed to learn “American manners.” Sadly, this queen bee, this high and mighty girl who studies political science has forgotten that America, a salad bowl of cultures, was founded on its immigrants. “American manners” is in part Asian manners as well as manners of Hispanics, Africans, Germans, Italians, and more.

What shocked me the most was the her complete dismissal of the disaster that has shocked Japan. In her few short words, she had repudiated the heartbreak and worry that the earthquake brought onto many. My friend, Minako Otake, could not sleep all night when she heard of the news because she was worried for her family at home. She was tense, waiting for the call to hear the comforting voice of her mom and dad telling her that they were okay and to know that they weren’t a part of the thousands that were reported to be injured or dead. My boyfriend’s family lives in Japan. As Alexandra called it, “the tsunami thing” is a very good excuse to answer a phone call in the library.

The motives for her video were racist, debasing, and facile. I am sure that Asian families aren’t the only “hoards” of people that come to visit on the weekends. I am sure that Asians aren’t the only ones in the library that are using their phones and I am sure that she has probably realized the magnitude of her words. In these 2 minutes and 52 seconds, Alexandra Wallace of UCLA proved her sheer ignorance.

I am Korean American and proud of it. I know that when I get into college, wherever that may be, my family will come visit me on the weekends too and bring me food and maybe do my laundry. It is not because I am Asian. It is because I know my family will try to make my first year of college as comfortable as it can be. I know that I will probably be one of the many people from different ethnicities that might use their phones in the library. I know that my language might sound like a harsh din of rushing vowels and clanging consonants to the foreign, prejudiced ear but it is most definitely not something to be mocked or ashamed of.

In a world where people strive to be different and find beauty in the rarity of things, it is remarkable and eye opening when I find someone so narrow minded and audacious as she. To label a group of people because of their roots is wrong. What kind of world would we live in if we were all one generic race, one generic language, and one generic look? Hopefully, Alexandra Wallace (and many others) will come to terms with the many cultures that constitute our diverse home that we call America. Until then, I hope, at the very least, the magnitude of her words and their ramifications has taught her that if she doesn’t have anything nice to say, she shouldn’t say anything at all.

RELAY FOR LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

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As you can tell by my all caps, exclamation marked title, I am a very happy, excited girl!

Last Friday, I organized a meeting for those interested in Relay for Life. An amazing 25 people showed up, almost a quarter of our small school‘s population. Yesterday, I announced that our school’s team has been made a Relay for Life website. A goal had been set for $500 to be raised by May 15. However, an overwhelming wave of happiness blanketed me this morning when I checked on our team’s site.

In just a span of two days, we raised $520 and trumped our goal with only a few people who had donated! $520 in TWO DAYS. Crazy. Tomorrow, I will announce our new goal of $1,000.

Words can’t describe how proud I am of my friends. Giving to the community is one of the greatest, most rewarding feelings and to know that my small community on the hill is giving back to another is fantastic. I can’t wait till May 14th comes to see my friends walk around the track in the name of fighting cancer. Until that day comes, I will try my best to keep our school inspired.

Prom Dress Post…Again

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Well, I could not get my hands on that beautiful French Connection Samantha Sequins dress that I previously blogged about. It’s really such a shame. I called the corporate office and a snobby sounding woman snapped at me, telling me that seasons change and as a result, the clothes come and go. My dress had long gone.

So, as of today, I am still on the search for “the one.” This is the only prom that will really matter since my date will be the only one that matters! So this is the big hurrah, shopping for my dress. I found one on Bloomingdale’s website called the Kimberly Taylor Long Sleeve Button Down London Dress. But, the slight problem is that my good friend Wendy was also contemplating this dress.

AHHH there is always seems to be a problem when I find a dress that I like! Today’s goal: ask my good friend Wendy if I can buy the dress.

Assuming that I will buy the dress online, I will most likely be shopping for shoes and earrings this weekend with my mom. My mom is taking me out this weekend before she makes her big move to Denver, Colorado. A really random move. I already know I want nude colored heels and turquoise earrings so I can’t wait till tomorrow!