Tag: #college

Friends in College

spinakopitaLeave a comment

Val is living her best life. Val is studying abroad in Paris and traveling to different countries every other weekend. Val couldn’t be more excited to go to her dream college in the second semester. But I miss Val. I miss hanging out with her every day after school, going to Pilates, getting lobster rolls in Malibu, and going to watch the sunset at Lake Casitas until it’s so late our moms are calling us. I miss all of the fun adventures she would surprise me with, always having something to look forward to. I miss lying in Val’s room giggling with her about dumb TikToks, or having dinner at her house almost every night to the point where her family felt like my family.

Writing this blog makes me emotional because I’ve never experienced one of my best friends leaving and starting a whole new life, knowing nothing will ever be the same. I love my friends; they distract me from thinking about it, but it’s on those late-night drives home where I put on music we used to listen to and just burst into tears. Sometimes I feel like I’m being too dramatic about it but I really miss Val.

I feel like she has helped shape the person I am today. I do not know what I would do if I had never met Val. We’ve had our ups and downs like every other friendship, but we’ve always gotten through them positively. Right now, it’s hard to stay in contact with her because of the time change in Paris. But I still know that even if we don’t talk everyday the minute we see each other in person, everything will still feel the same.

“Friends Hugging” by Helena Lopes/ CC0 1.0

College

spinakopitaLeave a comment

Though I’m a Junior, thoughts about college are racing through my mind. I feel like I’m the only one stressing about it, but in reality, I want to get it over with this year so that next year I know where I want to apply. I know the places my parents and grandparents want me to go. But what about where I want to go? I wake up in the morning and immediately just start researching because of how interested I am. I’m so excited to move on to a different chapter of my life once I finish high school. I know it’s a while away, but it’s something to look forward to and work hard for during my final two years. College essays, applications, and the SAT are all so stressful, and I believe that it’s something that I should start preparing for now, so that in the future I’m more than ready to move on and start my own life as an adult.

Colleges have many options, but one thing I’m sure of, at least for now, is that I want to stay in California close to home. A lot of my friends tell me that college is your 4 years to leave and experience something new, but I couldn’t imagine anywhere else that I would even want to live. Maybe my mind will change within two years, but I know that California is my home, so even if I do end up leaving. I will 100% come back.

SCU or UCSC

zombiegxrlLeave a comment

May 1st is in seventeen days. I have seventeen days to decide where I will spend the next four years of my life. Where I will sleep, where I will study, where I will meet new people, and hopefully where I will thrive. Considering factors like housing applications and looking for a roommate, I’ll probably need to make a decision much sooner. Over spring break, I toured both UC Santa Cruz and Santa Clara University. I was sure that I wouldn’t like SCU and that I was going to commit to UCSC as soon as I got home. When I began walking around SCU, I was pleasantly, but inconveniently surprised; I actually really liked it. On the drive home, my mind changed; I loved SCU, and I was sure I would be attending in the fall. Later that day, when I finally saw UCSC, my decision was again complicated. I loved both schools. Each one was gorgeous, but in vastly different ways. Seeing the people on both campuses, I feel as though I might fit in better at UCSC, but the consistent rain and shade may make me a bit depressed. SCU has D1 sports, which could be fun to watch, while UCSC only offers D3 sports. SCU’s party scene is definitely more lively as well. SCU was smaller and much easier to navigate, but will I be sick of that after four years? UCSC dorms are pretty bad, and they only offer communal-style dorms, and none of them have kitchens. Since there are no kitchens, students are forced to get a meal plan, and I’ve heard the meals are pretty terrible. Santa Cruz, the city, is absolutely perfect, though. There is so much to do, it’s right on the beach, and just absolutely stunning. Santa Clara, on the other hand, isn’t nearly as charming. SCU is more prestigious, and they offer great suite-style dorms, and even the communal-style dorms are decent, and they have better dining hall food. There are better post-graduate opportunities, and the housing crisis isn’t as severe as it is in Santa Cruz. The pros and cons point to SCU, but is it the right choice? There are so many factors to consider and it makes my head hurt. I don’t want to make the wrong choice, and I want to thrive and be happy. I wish somebody would just tell me what to do with complete confidence in positive results.

PC- Google