28 December 2012

Another List and the Intended Goal

In my previous post, I listed things that have been memorable in the past year and instead of adding on to the list, here's a list of things that I have found ridiculously ridiculous (or just plain ridiculous):

  1. Gangnam Style; no matter how many views it gets or how many Gangnam flash mobs there are, I will never ever like/appreciate/acknowledge this ridiculous song
  2. #YOLO; you only live once? true, but a silly acronym isn't getting the message across
  3. RMONEY 2012; Seen on the MHC campus: "VOTE LIKE YOUR UTERUS DEPENDS ON IT"

Then on a more serious note, my goal/resolution for the new year is to consolidate my two blogs, to become a better writer, and to figure out how to make a nicer layout. Also: "wordpress quick 5-minute installation" my ass. More like "wordpress 5-day installation for dummies who just want a pretty layout."

And coming off of that, a list of things I'm looking forward to in the new year:
  1. Enjoyable classes (if any, at all)
  2. Inception of a new crew season
  3. Numerous movies, TV shows, etc. Not even going to elaborate/

The Shortlist and The Goal

2012 is coming to a close, the new year is fast approaching and it turns out the Mayans were just too lazy to continue their calendar past 12/21/12.

As always during this time of year, every source of written information recounts the best and/or worst of the past year. These are not necessarily bad/good, but memorable in my year:

  1. The Hobbit. It doesn't help that Martin Freeman plays the part of John Watson in the beloved Sherlock because I just end up thinking of Watson's and Bilbo's likeness. They are, of course, played by the same person. In regard to the actual movie: I JUST WANT TO WATCH IT AGAIN (and again and again and again)
  2. College! I embarked on an exciting new adventure (kinda like Bilbo) and, well, I'll have an exciting announcement to share come March (or April, not exactly sure when)
  3. Crew. As I've surprisingly shared, I love waking up at 5 if it means I get to be on the water. It's something that I would hate parting with and besides, what did you do this morning?
  4. GWF. The Girls' World Forum in Chicago was my last experience as a Girl Scout and man, it was such a good note to end on.
  5. Graduation! Not so much the ceremony, per se, but the idea that our high school careers came to a close and in comparison to our feeble freshman selves, we've grown into fantastic human beings (well, most of us anyway).
  6. Getting into college. It seems like a lifetime ago, but it's hard to believe that at the beginning of this year, all our efforts paid off and the rest of our lives were determined by a few words of text in an email or letter.

I find it really interesting to think that in a single year, so many things can happen yet we are so focused on the present that it seems like a distant blur. Some people say that as you get older, the days get shorter, and I partially agree with that sentiment because in relation to our entire lifespan, what we do in a single day seems meager to the accomplishments that we've achieved in our entire life. But see, our goal shouldn't be to get through the day as fast as possible but rather to make every single day a vibrant memory that you can look back on.

More to come once mother and her cleaning spree ends so I can get back go my computer.

25 December 2012

Mrry Xmas from my couch to yours

Christmas without snow should not be a thing. It doesn't even feel like Christmas though, let alone winter.

Anyway, I am spending today on my couch because right before I was about to head out, my lower back died again so I am currently immobile and helpless. But I was kinda expecting it because I woke up with a migraine And our sad gift exchange consisted of me picking up my ridiculously wrapped package and handing out my gifts to mother and sister. Then I went back to bed. While I'm at it, apologies to all for being such a crabby loner child today: I'm just dying a little.

You should also not be reading this right now because its Christmas and you have no business anywhere near a computer (unless you don't celebrate Christmas). On that note, Happy Holidays to all from my couch to yours!

xx
J

23 December 2012

21 December 2012

H. R. and the quest fueled by passion.

I've decided to reread the fountainhead since it /is/ my favorite book and its been a year since I finished it. This may be a little irrelevant but when I was out with my aunt and mother yesterday, I got a chance to meet my aunt's old coworkers and one of them told me that "architecture is all about passion. You can do whatever you want as long as you're passionate about it, even though your friend who works in finance makes four times your salary. "

Don't go where the money is, go where your heart leads you.

... i also have this app for creating text layered on top of pictures...

20 December 2012

greetings from suite b16 at brooklyn's new barclays center.

18 December 2012

Inside-Out

What is an introvert? An introvert, as suggested by the prefix intro- is defined as a shy, reticent, and typically self-centered person. However, Merriam-Webster isn't always right. I identify as an introvert and I know a handful of other people who consider themselves introverts, but we don't perfectly fit the "shy, reticent, and self-centered" mold.

Take myself, for example. I am an introvert and sometimes I like doing things on my own. I don't need a posse of people to make things enjoyable nor do I thrive in social situations. See, I like going to museums on my own. I find it more enjoyable that way. I can take my time, see whichever collections I choose, and take the time to think about things. Isn't it amazing to think that you could be in the same room with one of the greatest paintings in all of mankind? Just imagine Monet toiling over his water-lily pieces, trying to get the colors just right. On the other hand, if you're ever at MoMA or the Whitney and you come across a piece that instantly triggers an "Is this even art?" response, just think about it. What could the artist possibly be trying to exhibit? Anyway, this is beside the point.

Maybe what I'm trying to get across is that people in general should be more like introverts, instead of the other way around. According to about.com, introverts make up 60% of the gifted population, but only 25-40% of the entire population. So chances are, if you're introverted, you're probably kinda smart. In that case, why do people strive to be extroverted and sociable with thousands of Facebook friends when the introverts tend to be more "gifted?"

I think that everyone should just take a moment sometime and just think. Think about something that matters. Just think.

17 December 2012

30/30

Have you thumbed through the 30 Under 30 feature yet? It's incredibly phenomenal what young people can accomplish these days. All you need is a little ambition and a whole lot of hard work.

Some notables include:
Leandra Medine of The Man Repeller
Alexander Wang, the new creative director of Balenciaga (!)
Nikhil Goyal, a 17-year old author

Every child's goal should be to be on this list.

14 December 2012

Question week fail.

Well this was a bust. I think that part of it is that I have no friends and well, no one is vaguely interested in anything at all. #lonerforlife

12 December 2012

Question Week!

I need to take my mind off of schoolwork (not that I've been thinking about it to begin with) so I hereby declare the inception of QUESTION WEEK!

Every day, I'll conjure up a 'Question of the Day' to which I DEMAND answers! You can leave your answers at the bottom of the post as comments and yes, there is an anonymity option.

The second half involves questions from you! Go to formspring.me/whoisjulialu and ask me random questions to which I will answer to the best of my ability. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO KNOW ALL OF MY DEEPEST AND DARKEST SECRETS. I'm an open book.

May the festivities commence!
To start:

Question of the Day (for Thursday):
What do you do in your spare time?

leave your answers below, friends. DO IT.

11 December 2012

Who You Are vs. Who You Are


Each and every one of us has different personas in different situations unless you’re Joanna Coles (who will always be Marie Claire’s EIC to me). We certainly don’t act the same way during vacation with the family versus a lunch date with close friends. Sure, you may think you do, but do you really? I’ve always known this to a certain extent but you grow up and things change—you change. 

See, growing up I was shy and quiet and I kept to myself and I never spoke up in class. I was clingy and had a couple of friends, but never any best friends. I suppose this is why I’m so good at being independent. You can ask my mother, she’ll vouch for me. Anyway, high school happened and in the beginning I was still pretty shy but come junior and senior year and there I was, bigger and better than ever! Okay, I definitely wasn’t bigger, I hadn’t grown much since freshman year, but in a way I was a better version of myself. I was more outgoing, more sociable and I was fearless!* You want to know why? Sometimes I tend to think that it was because of Girl Scouts because they’re always boasting that the program builds “courage, confidence, and character” and it does, don’t get me wrong, but the reason behind my sudden improvement in character was that I was at the top of the food chain. That’s right.

For once, I was the one kids were looking up to—well, maybe not myself per se, but you know what I mean. Kids whom I once was several years before were now looking up to me as a role model, and I loved being at the top.
 
But here I am, a first-year in college: back at the bottom of the chain. I am once again the quiet kid except for the rare occasions during which I am overloaded on sugar. Being a firstyear/freshman/firstie is a different experience in different schools.  I think the only reason why I have regressed in personality is because Mount Holyoke is smaller than my high school was. There’s also a strong emphasis on class years that just kinda reinforces a separation. But I know that everyone loves firsties and yadda yadda yadda… but still. So there’s most definitely a difference in experience between small schools and large schools. Big schools with thousands of students are like small cities, only everyone is of the same intelligence level (relatively) and you’re all the same age! College is kinda like a mini semi-utopia if you think about it.
 
The interesting thing is that when I return to the city, I feel like I’ll become my less-introverted self again. But maybe it’s just because I’m so comfortable in New York.
 
If there’s anything you take away from reading (or skimming) this, then let it be this:
-       To seniors applying to college: if you go to a small school, go to a small college; if you go to a big school, go to a big college. Chances are, you’ll be happy.
-       I think too much.
 
Who I am is not who I am.