Reflection

I have really enjoyed this past semester in composition. I liked the
freedom we had to write about whatever we wished in our blogs as well
as in our essays. In the past I've been so used to writing traditional,
thesis structured essays. However, in this class I was able to pursue
the beginnings of writing without boundaries . I had fun writing the six
essays for this class. It challenged me to be more creative and
thoughtful. As a result of this class I feel more confident about
writing non traditional thesis papers. I'm glad I decided to take this class. Reading the in class essays and then trying to write my own helped me to be a more well rounded writer. I only wished I took this class before I wrote my college essays.

teleportation

It’s the 21rst century already, why hasn’t someone invented teleportation yet?! Life would be significantly easier and more convenient if some Einstein figured out how to get human beings from one place to the other without motor vehicles. Imagine there wouldn’t be any stop and go traffic or need for cars at all. If there were no cars, there wouldn’t be any drunk or reckless driving and no more casualties. If teleportation was possible, I wouldn’t find myself running around on this hot campus premises looking for my teachers and deans. It’s such a bummer when you walk to teacher’s offices and class rooms and find that they aren’t there. I know that they don’t have an obligation to be there 24/7 but it would be so much easier to stay in contact if we could just, teleport there.

Facebook

Facebook is quite an interesting creation. Unlike myspace, it's a connection between specific high schools, colleges and occupations. Currently I'm apart of the Punahou network. But like the many second semester seniors across the country, I've already joined the network of the college Ill be attending next year. In addition to the network, I have found and joined the group call SPU Class of 2011. At first I thought it was pretty cool that there was a group for all the incoming freshmen. I mean, actually seeing the faces of your future peers brings to reality that we're really off to college in a few months. People in this group are really friendly, too friendly if you ask me. To be specific, its not creepy friendly. More I find it rather strange that these people are overly enthusiastic. These future SPU students pretty much post their autobiography on the SPU2011 group page. There are a bunch of really chatty white girls who have added the all the members so far. And a group of people who have already come up with a name to call their informal coffee gets together at the May 19 registration up in Seattle. Don't get me wrong; I have no problem with the fact that they're trying to get to know people, even if it's a little extreme. But it's just that I'm not that enthusiastic as they are and its making me a little worried.

summer plans

Basically there are seven more days till senior skip day. Four long months of summer are ahead of me and the big question is what am I going to do? You would think that once school was out that I'd find myself with a lot of free time. But it's amazing, funny even, that it's not the case this summer. There are so many things I want to do but am not sure if it will work into my schedule. First of all, I really want to find myself a job before summer begins. For the past two summers I've been working at a clothing store in Waikiki. But working with a bunch of middle-aged fobs isn't my idea of an exciting summer. Plus, walking back to my car at midnight isn't really safe for any girl to do by herself, especially in Waikiki. I am hoping to find a job somewhere in Ala Moana. I'm considering Juicy Couture or Macaroni Grill. But in addition to working, I really want to participate in the YMCA summer dance concert at the end of August. At the moment I'm taking three, possibly four classes. The only hindrance to this are the awkward class hours. Normally summer dance classes are in the morning however, theses classes are from either 7-8:30 or 8-9:30 at night. Also I am afraid that if I'm not able to control my work hours (when I get a job) and with the addition of dance classes I wont be able to fulfill my responsibilities as a youth staff at my church. The rules about being a youth staff are quite simple, I just have to attend three out of four Friday youth services. Still yet, on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday we meet in smaller groups to do variety of things. I also want to make an effort to attend all the basketball games that my church league has for high school and college students. There are so many things that are going to be going on. I guess time management doest simply end when school ends. I well planned out summer leaves ample times for friends and family in addition to the responsibilities that need to be fulfilled. Even though this summer will be busy, I know it will be my best yet.

Graduation

Graduation is coming up in a little more than two weeks. The alumni actually weren’t lying when they said everything after carnival goes by in a blink of an eye. It’s hard to believe that I'm actually a senior-that six years at Punahou has really flown by. It feels like yesterday that I was being dropped off at an ungodly hour of 7:30 at the Science Center, a freshman. Time traveled fast and at 3:30 I have magically turned into a senior, a graduating senior that is. I seriously can’t get over how time traveled so fast. How is it that the minute hand goes so slow during math class yet it has made thousands of rotations during all these years and yet, I hardly have seemed to notice. It’s hard for me to believe that we are going to graduate. After high school graduation, nothing is ever quite the same. I don't think I have realized how much I’m going to miss hanging out with everyone at school. It will be summer soon and it will be rare that everyone is at the same place at the same time, just chilling. As much as I’m looking forward to graduating, in all honestly, I’m rather scared. I worry about how I will be without the companionship of the only people who really know me and are there for me. Being in Seattle there will be no more 6:30 am starbucks talks, no more weekends at the Haleloa house, no random games and silent libraries, no Wednesday night lounge time or beach days. How will I deal? One things for sure, I will definitely have to make the best out of summer!I'm very much looking forward to not three, but four months of leisure!

300

Are illegally burned DVDs really that bad of a thing? This past weekend my friend gave me a copy of the newly debuted movie, 300. I didn’t personally ask and beg for this DVD, he simply just showed up and gave it to me during his basketball practice. I'm not a person who craves for the latest DVDs before they hit blockbuster, but if someone offers it, ill take it without any arguments or thinking twice. My parents on the other hand, they were not happy with my actions. They weren’t outraged or anything but simply said that I shouldn’t have accepted it. In my opinion, I think that accepting DVDs in my situation was fine. My friend only gave out a couple of copies. On the other hand, it would have been more wrong if he had mass produced the DVDs and then sold them at a price. I know that both are illegal. Still yet, there are different degrees of acceptability.

I wish all days were like today

The eclectic pressure builds up and the distance between music and body seems microscopic. Energy and life runs through my veins; it sends waves of movement that flows out of my feet and arms like the watercolors on a canvas. I close my eyes for a second and the world disappears. I can feel everything, not just the cool air and the vibrations of the speakers, but I also feel the aches of bottled up bitterness, anger, frustration and loneliness transform into satisfaction and joy as the burdens of my heart make the connection to my motions. These fluid emotions and tensions ease through by body, slow at first, but the sharp hits and jerks of the choreography beat the ill feelings about of my system. I loose myself in the dance. It carries me off to a place where I am no longer inferior and captive. It’s been a long time since I've felt this way. I've always danced, but it’s been dead to me. Today on the other hand, I feel liberated. I am free again. My soul is at peace, I am refreshed and at home.

How far will you go for a belief? Will you stand up for it or could it be subject to fade with time and persuasion, or even money? If not a belief, the will you stand up against all odds for a conviction? If you look at the leaders around you or even passionate students in high schools, you will notice that they are separated from the others because they hold not merely strong beliefs but a solid conviction. Whether their convictions is religious or non religious, it drives them to live life based upon their standards and not the worlds, or their friends or parents. Besides the general stuff such as your heritage, people become individuals through their convictions which make them unique. With out convictions and goals there is a fine line that separates one person from the other, especially in a tight group of friends (where so much is in common.) Beliefs are not enough. There are many people who believe that certain things should or shouldn’t be done yet if persuaded by materialistic things or by other means, then what good is that. In order to stand your ground and be different amongst a culture that tries to conform, convictions are necessary.

silent library

Ever since the librarians turned the senior section of the library into a "silent zone" at the beginning of this year, its not uncommon to get kicked out of the library. I mean, it’s reached a ridiculous level if you ask me. Once, during 2:30 break, my friends and I got kicked out of our section even though we were extremely quiet and were the only ones occupying the section. Talk about taking the "silent
zone" literally. I could understand if we got kicked out because we were bothering others who were trying to study, but if no ones in the section but us, then is it really neccessary? I dont understand the point of them trying to enforce such strick rules, 5 mins later, things are the same.
Anyway, all this silent library stuff really reminded
me of a Japanese game show called Silent Library that my friend showed
me onyoutube. On this game show, a group travels to different libraries and performs funny dares, silently. The first time I saw it, I had a stomachache because I laughed too hard, especially at the last stunt titled,
old man nibbles gently. You got to watch it. I think it would be pretty funny if someone tried this in our own library.