How Mario Kart took over my life

I don't have much time to write this. I don't know how I managed to escape, but somehow I did. But I know I won't be free for too long so before I have to go back I want to leave a warning to all my friends. It all started 5 weeks ago, when the first round of Mario Kart was played. Since then, Mario Kart has taken over my suite's life. Sure we still "spend time" working on homework, study, and doing other stuff "normal" college kids do. But every time someone mentions Mary Kart our eyes light up and we have a sudden urge to join in the game.
We challenge each other to do the absolute best that we can. It's not a matter of being first place, it's much more than that. Winning means that you are the superior, you are better than your friends, you are THE supreme overlord. When just a normal race isn't enough we spice up the game. We make the AIs tougher, the items are set to be aggressive, and the track is mirrored. If you're in the lead you have the definite advantage, your items will help you gain more of a lead If you're losing you are practically done f or. You might be able to go up a few places but if you want to win you need definite skills. The game favors those who are ahead so if you're not one of those people you needs skills not items to give you the lead. Sometimes we want to change things up, instead of just racing we decide we want to battle. Coins or balloons? We each have our preference so we can never definitively decide. Personally I prefer coins since I an destroy anyone I play against; however, most of my suitemates are indifferent or strongly against coins. This starts a pre-game battle that just intensifies the actual game play. I wish I could be writing this and say I am still friends with my suitemates. Over the years I've heard so many horror stories about how friendships were destroyed over Mario Kart, yet I never believed any of them. How could people stop being friends over a game? Yet here I am, sure we still talk to each other and hang out, but every time the game is on we are sworn enemies.

I must go now, we're about to start another race and I cannot lose. Just remember though, if anyone ever asks you to play Mario Kart, you must say NO.

PS: bonus points if you hit Rosalina

Back to Case!

So okay first things first *cue fancy rap* I just want to tell everyone how super excited I am to be back. So last week was kinda awesome. I went adventuring to the Natural History Museum where I went to the past, a time filled with dinosaurs, smilodons, and the silk road and then was sky rocketed to the future with space probes, constellations, and undiscovered planets. My suite obtained a random shopping cart and Terran, the dinosaur head. There were multiple ice-bucket challenges (which I may or may not have been nominated for), adventures for food and shelter (minus the shelter). Oh and then there was the cultish Arena Bowl which resulted in a loss for Cleveland and the tamest riot I have ever witnesses. Now this was all before classes even started. If this sounds like a good time just wait until you hear what happened this week!

So what do you expect the first week of sophomore year to be like? An amazing time with your friends from last year and not really meeting people outside of your classes? Well guess what that's not what happened!!! I went to the Delta Upsilon rush events this week and I got to meet a ton of amazing new people. I have a policy of not actually naming names on my blog so I can't tell you who I met but everyone in the fraternity is super amazing and nice. It's really cool too because like you'd think people who smash printers for fun would be meany jockheads but these guys are really chill and cool. Plus they all are like real people, they aren't your typical frat guys that I may or may not have been expecting. Also I've realized that I can retain a crazy amount of knowledge of people I just met yesterday... So if you were to ask me for a few random facts about most of the guys (there are a few I haven't talked to yet) I'd be able to give you a decent stalker report about these people.

So classes...

SO MUCH FUN!
I think. I hope. I really hope so.

I mean so far it seems like it's going to be a good semester. My classes seem really good so far. They are definitely going to be challenging but a good challenging. Like I'm going to have a fun time being challenged opposed to just having a lot of busy work to keep me occupied like last year. And my profs are cool people. My four chemistry profs are all doing research in areas that I'm interested in so it's been easy to talk to them outside of class opposed to last year when my prof was only a lecturer.

So yeah this post was more of just an update on my week. Not really the most interesting thing in the world but I realized if I don't write about something I'm going to eventually lose interest.

Oh yeah one more thing though, so I think the best part about this week has been running into people! Like not literally running into them, no I haven't actually ran into anyone...yet. But like, if you ever run into me on and I don't really talk to you that much I might seem all cool and collected and like a normal person. But the second you're out of sight I do a little dance and squeal a lot. It's so nice to have people you don't really talk to, have a conversation with you and seem genuinely happy to ask about your day and how you are.

So to all those small conversationalists  and DU brothers I've talked with this week, thank you for being wonderfully awesome!

So what exactly is love?

I was asked a question today that left me totally speechless. A friend asked me what my definition of love was and if I believed in true love. I didn't know how to respond. Sure I believe in love, I mean but I think the term is only a placeholder for an emotion we get. The term love is so overused I don't have a proper definition for it. I mean we all tell each other "I love your new haircut" or "I love your outfit" or "I love this [insert noun here]" we love practically everything. 

The Merriam-Webster dictionary has 3 definitions for love:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/love

These are the formal definitions for love, but popular culture has overused this term so much that for any of these definitions you can trade in any noun and it still works. Love isn't bounded to people, it's bounded by our imagination. We can love anything we can dream up. 

But this leaves a hole in my thoughts. I do believe that two people feel a swirl of emotions when they are together that is incomparable to any other feeling in the world, but it's not love. One of the obvious emotions is lust. When you like someone in a romantic sense there is always that carnal desire. You not only want that person but you want their body too. But then they are deeper emotions too. You feel curiosity, you want to know more about them (their likes, dislikes, hobbies, etc.); you want to know their, for lack of better word, soul. You feel content, when you're with them everything else in the world disappears; when you look into their eyes time stops so you can be together for longer. But it isn't love. 

I think there's a great distinction between love and true love. Love is just simply a word you can toss around to any object that you want. But true love I think should have a different name. Hope. True love is when a tornado of hope hits your heart and with it bringing a whirlwind of other emotions. True love is when you place all your hope into one person, knowing that they would never betray you. When every second you spend apart is a second hoping to be back together. You hope that this person is going to be the one to bring out your best qualities. You hope that they will be there for you during your lowest points. I think hope is the most powerful emotion humans can feel. In our darkest moments it's the only thing that keeps us alive. When we have no place left to run, hope protects us from the shadows. Hope is the best thing that we have to offer to someone so why waste it with love? 

I'm not saying that love doesn't exist or that I want to revolutionize the world by using hope instead of love. I'm simply stating that I don't know what love is, but if I had to define it I'd use hope because hope accounts for all the emotions that you feel with love. But even though I personally am a victim to the over usage of the term love, I don't really think anything needs to change. It's kind of like with Dante's version of Hell, even though there are different circles for different sins, in the end it is still all Hell. Similarly even though there's different circles of love, it's all still really love. Basically I guess what I'm saying is that when you're romantically involved with someone and you feel that level of love, you're in the ninth circle of Hell opposed to your love for puppies which leaves you on the first circle. 

HIMYM character analysis

So if you know me you know I'm obsessed with How I Met Your Mother. Since April I have watched seasons 1-8 twice. Also if any of you spoil the season nine finale I will hunt you down, stab you, disfigure your body so no one can even identify you, have hungry canines eat your flesh, dip your bones in sulfuric acid, and then dump what's left of you somewhere no one will ever find it. So don't say I didn't warn you.

Anyways...

I've been thinking a lot about the show. It's weird watching it all in the span of 3 weeks. Everything is so connected and the characters come in and out of life and it's amazing to see how stuff develops over time. Like my feelings for the characters constantly changes. So this all makes sense I have to go back a few months.

So to put in context, my friend and I made an observation. We were trying to decide what character we were most like when we realized that every character is an exaggeration of a real life characteristic. For example, Barney is an exaggerated player while Ted is an exaggerated romantic. There are a few people who in real life may have nailed 200 girls or may have stolen a blue french horn but most people haven't.
Also a personal observation, while most stories take years to develop characters, How I Met your Mother introduces them for who they are from the first episode. From the start we learn Ted is a hopeless romantic who is willing to do anything for love, Lily and Marshall are the married couple who bring sense and sensibility to the show, but also provide humor in through their romantic life (which is totally adorable, though at times exaggerated). So we know the characters as who they are right from the start, and that makes them more real in a sense. Even though they have extreme characteristics, we know who they are as people.

They're instantly in your friend group because you know the basics about who they are and you'll learn more secrets over the course of 9 seasons. It's why the show is so popular. By maintaining characters that you can develop bonds with from the start it makes each of their following stories like personal secrets. It doesn't feel like you're watching a show about 5 strangers, it feels like you're sitting in MacLaren's listening to Robin's crazy day at Channel 12 or at the apartment watching the superbowl. You feel connected to these characters.

But in real life we aren't just one amplified characteristic. We're a mix of different personalities. No one's just a Marshall or just a Lily. Everyone is a changing HIMYM smoothie. First round through the show I used to think I was a blend of Ted and Barney with a dash of Lily. I used to think I wanted to find "The One" but I also had a more adventurous side that would jump from guy to guy, and like Lily I was kind of like the mother of the group with people always coming up to me for advice. But then over the summer I realized I hated Ted. I can't imagine why someone would waste their life trying to find a singular person that they just miraculously know they're going to marry some day. But I didn't want what Barney had either. His lifestyle made him more unhappy than he let on. I became super envious of Lily and Marshall.They seemed like the perfect couple. Best friends and together since 1996. I wanted that. But I also liked the idea of just not knowing what was going to happen in my future; focusing on my career. I became a blend of Robin and Lily with a side of Marshall (I relate more closely to Lily for personal reasons). But then I continued watching and got to the point where Robin and Barney couldn't have the talk and I realized I wouldn't be able to be like her either. So what was I? I thought about it and talked about it with many friends and realized I knew exactly the right blend from the start. I was a mix of Lily and Barney with a dash of Ted. Now you might think but wait I thought you didn't like Ted and Barney?
But the thing is I gave their lifestyles a cursory analysis. Sure Barney may have slept with hundreds

of girls but went it got to the one he cared about, he was there for her. I want to be like that. But at the same time I understand Ted, he's at a point where he's lived most of his crazy life. He has some sort of stability; he has a job and a home, in his mind all that's missing from the picture is a pretty little wife. At one point in my life I want to be like him. And besides that short period of time when Aly was off giving birth, I love Lily. She's sincere to the core, a great and loyal friend, but she also sometimes lets loose a wild crazy side that leaves Barney bewildered (watch NPH's facial expressions anytime Lily mentions any of her fantasies) and that's the person I want to be.

A relationship rant

Okay so I've been talking to a few people about relationships recently and they keep on asking me questions about various aspects of relationships. My first thing piece of advice, watch How I Met Your Mother. My second piece, specifically season 4 episode 13 (Three Days of Snow). I'm not going to ruin the whole thing but at one point Marshall and Robin talk about their fundamental differences in relationships and I think they made a point that many people choose to ignore. EVERY COUPLE IS DIFFERENT!!

Now that you've watched the episode or decided to keep on reading regardless of my spoilers.

You can't compare yourself to different couples and reading those articles on 9 steps to a perfect relationship will be a definite waste of your life. Like the way you do things is not the way other people do things. So what if you don't have a little rituals like Marshall and Lily? That doesn't mean your relationship isn't as strong as theirs is! There are a lot of people who've been happily together for 10 years without telling their SO what they have everyday for lunch. That doesn't mean their missing out on life it just means that they have other ways of showing each other their affection.

Also speaking of other ways of showing affection. With the whole long distance thing there's going to be a lot of people who give you advice. Most of it is along the lines of, "Oh you should talk every day to show that you're in love. Oh if you're not talking everyday that means the feelings are probably fizzing out." Well I can assure you that both those statements are a lie. Talking is my boyfriend is the highlight of my day, but if you try to schedule a time to talk every single day it becomes more of a task than something enjoyable. But the thing is this is my view. Both of us are spontaneous people and we don't like making big complicated plans so for us setting a time that works for both of us was difficult because we don't have a set plan for our day. Plus in my opinion, true love is knowing that the person of your dreams is in your mind regardless of whether you talked that day or not. Also in this line of advice, do what you feel is comfortable. If you want to talk everyday by all means no one is stopping you. If you want to text during the week and skype on the weekends, go for it. It's your relationship, do what you both want.

(also side note that's not part of my rant: Emailing is really amazing because you can say so much more and it's more expressive of emotions than messaging)

Just remember everyone is unique in their own special way and you don't treat everyone in one generic way, so then why do we have this mindset that what works for one relationship is going to work for the next? I think people get so caught up in trying to make their relationship perfect that they forget to enjoy what they have right there. There are so many people who look compare themselves to other couples, but what good is that doing you? So what if they like to cuddle and talk about life? You probably play competitive laser tag and they're jealous of you for that.

Chain Mail Questionairre

It's 2014! But I don't think you got the memo. (Oops!) Remember how like 5 years ago chain mail was like big thing. Those questionnaires that you sent your friends so you could "get to know them better." Yeah I totally forgot about them too until this morning when this dainty little email showed up in my inbox. My response: *gasp* a chain mail (random wave of nostalgia flows through) I've got to fill this out. So now here I am (and here you are) ready to embark a journey that will tell you more about me (also you should respond with your own responses in the comments so I can know more about awesome you!!!) 

1. What time did you get up this morning? That sir is classified information. 

2. Diamonds or Pearls? Both? (the correct answer is Opal)

3. What was the last film you saw at the theater? Captain America: Winter Soldier 

4. What is your favorite TV show? I hate this question. Right now? HIMYM, Firefly, Game of Thrones, and Once Upon a Time

5. What did you have for breakfast? Pancakes and Peaches and cream

6. What is your middle name? Trick question. I don't have one

7. What is your favorite food? Brownie ice cream sundae

8. What foods do you dislike? My least favorite food in the world would be... ummm... oh god this is a hard question.... ummm... can I get back to you on this??? 

9. Would you be a pirate? I like this question. A lot, also the only answer is yes. I would be the fiercest swashbuckler to sail the seven seas. 

10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Now this shows how long ago this chain mail is from. Umm I don't think you guys want to know the last CD I listened to. But my favorite song of the moment is "Closer, Faster" by Against the Current

11. What kind of car do you drive? N/A

12. Favorite sandwich? You know I have a weird thing about sandwiches. If you ever ask me I'll explain but I don't really have a favorite sandwich. 

13. What characteristics do you despise? Meanie buttheads=people who are ignorant, jerks, intolerant, judgmental. You know people who are just straight up meanie buttheads. 

14. What are your favorite clothes? shorts. actually socks. No I'll stick with shorts. well i don't know it depends on the weather. Do shoes count as clothes? (i don't like this question)

15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it 
be? Australia (Great Barrier Reef, Ayers Rock, P Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sydney) 

16. What color are your eyes? brown

17. Favorite brand of clothing? the comfy brand?

18. Where would you want to retire? someplace nice. Not to hot, not too cold but just right. I wonder where Goldilocks retired? That's probably where I should go.

19. Favorite time of day? Sunset/Twilight

20. Where were you born? New Delhi, India

21. What is your favorite sport to watch? Depends... 

22. Who do you think will not send this back? Sorry but i have no faith in any of you so I don't think anyone is going to respond to this :(

23. Person you expect to send it back first? See 22

24. Pepsi or Coke? I don't really care but I usually find myself asking for Coke so maybe coke?

25. Beavers or Ducks? Ducks. Quack quack quack. 

26. Are you a morning person or night owl? Depends on what I'm doing. Goofing off=night time. Being productive=morning. 

27. Pedicure or Manicure? manicure

28. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with everyone? I'm officially a knight!!

29. What did you want to be when you were little? Haha depends on what year you were talking about, I went through many potential job choices when I was really little 

30. What is your best childhood memory? Going to the state fair. 

31. If you could eat lunch with one famous person who would it be? Assuming I'd be able to have proper conversation Cleopatra. 

32. Ever been to Africa? No.

33. Ever been toilet papering? No.

34. Been in a car accident? Almost once but other than that no. 

35. Favorite day of the week? Thursday and Friday 

36. Favorite restaurant? High Thai'd is pretty good. Although for some reason I can't really remember any other restaurant names at the moment...

37. Favorite flower? Roses, chrysanthemums, lotus

38. Favorite ice cream? Mint chocolate chip or rocky road. But if we're getting really serious Ben and Jerry's Phish Food is the greatest. 

39. Favorite fast food restaurant? Taco Bell or McDonalds (depends on what I'm craving)

40. How many times did you fail your drivers test? Once or twice depending on what you are asking. 

41. From whom did you get your last e-mail? Anonymous

42. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Walmart. For practical reasons.

43. Bedtime? Not early enough. Maybe if I got more sleepy I wouldn't be so excited all the time. 

44. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? Everyone!

45. Last person you went to dinner with? Family...

46. What are you listening to right now? "Mykonos" by Fleet Foxes

47. What is your favorite color? Purple (specific shade: amethyst), Green (specific shade: Emerald) and Red (specific shade: so according to my crayons my favorite shade is lava which makes sense, I like reds that remind me of fire)

48. How many tattoos do you have? Zero

49. Does someone have a crush on you? Well I wouldn't refer to it as a crush but yes. 

50. What's your favorite candy? Gummy worms

A post about weather

As most of you know (or at least I really hope you know) I'm from Arizona. Hot dry Arizona of the eternal summer. Yeah we don't have "seasons" we just have varying degrees of summer. There's hot summer (spring and fall), cold summer (most people refer to this as winter) and then there's I'm going to burn and die it's so freaking hot outside (summer).

 So living in a place like this most of my life I missed out on some really cool weather phenomenons like snow, tornadoes, hurricanes, and even just frequent rain (like the fact that there are different types of rainstorms is so weird, I've only grown up with summer monsoons). Sure Arizona has it's weird weather phenomenon like haboobs (I'm pretty sure some of the people reading probably think I just made that word up so here's a picture to prove that it's a thing [also it's just basically a giant sandstorm that pretty much coats the entire city, think Dust Bowl]), but past that we don't have anything remotely close to what you would call normal weather. Unless I guess if you call cacti weather those are pretty normal around here. Or tumbleweeds!

You know everyone insults Cleveland and talks about how ghetto it is and what not. But when it comes down to it it's not that bad of a place, I guess it's just a matter of perspective. Sure there's the unpredictable weather but you just conquer that by making it a game. Am I dressed right for the day or will I regret this outfit 5 minutes after I leave the door? If you managed to dress yourself nicely reward yourself for being awesome. If you had instant regrets, reward yourself anyways because you're still awesome just not so good at deciding clothes. But I mean seriously even though the weather is unpredictable at least there is some variation in weather instead of the same constant thing for 12 months in a row!


Also the sky actually falls in Cleveland (no chicken little, the sky isn't literally falling I'm talking about the rain or snow, something more commonly known as precipitation). Like it's so magical watching the snow fall from the sky, especially at night when the stars are out. Like it's so mesmerizing how peacefully it falls even when the wind is gusting all around it. Also actual snowflakes really exist. My friends can attest to this as I have dragged many of them outdoors to show them the snow flakes. Also there's more than just heavy rain. There's the misty kind of rain, thunderstorm rain, light showers, light drizzle, shower, drizzle, sprinkle, you get the picture.
Also rain has different temperatures too there's hot rain and cold not just the awkward water's too cold but it's too hot outside the rain temperature. Also OMG!!! There's actually puddles that you can jump in! The water doesn't just mostly evaporate as it falls. Puddle jumping is one of the best Olympic sports out there (even if it isn't an Olympic Sport yet, when it will be one it will be the best). Like okay I don't like the idea of getting wet on a rainy day, but puddle jumping is one of the absolute best feelings in the world. With every puddle you feel like a carefree 5 year old for those 5 seconds of your life and it's the absolute best.

And the ultimate best part about Cleveland is that there are actual seasons. It's not just a continuation of summer, there's fall, there's winter, there's a brief period of spring, and then there's summer. Like this whole topic of seasons is not a myth, they actually exist. For anyone outside of Arizona (maybe even me) the whole concept of seasons is so magical because it's amazing how the plants change and react to the change in temperature. The colors of leaves actually do change and then they do eventually fall off only to regrow in the the spring. It's so amazing to witness this phenomenon first hand. Also making leaf piles and having leaf fights is the best thing to do in the fall.

A new place called home

Home is where the heart's at.

I've heard this statement casually tossed around so many times but until now I never realized how true it is. You can't just build a house and call it home. A home is a place where you feel safe and loved because that's where your friends and family is at. Humans are naturally social animals, we need social interaction to survive in this world and home provides us with a place for that. Home is where your social bubble is and the best part is your home is constantly expanding. Sure I call my place in Arizona home, but I have more homes than just that. When I'm visiting family in India, that is also my home and the newest collections to my homes is Cleveland (well not all of Cleveland, mostly just Case). At Case I have people that I love with all of my heart and people that I can talk to with just about anything. At Case I felt like I was part of something bigger. Life didn't revolve just around me (well at least not all the time) but it was an intricate balance of different friend circles. It was odd the way things worked you'd be a fringe person to one circle but the core of another yet some people at the core of one friend circle would be fringe friends of another core person's other circle. Basically it was an overlap of networks that would get confusing really fast if you thought about it for longer than necessary.

Ignore the words at the bottom I was to lazy to crop the image but yeah I guess exploring possibilities is something Case kids are good at (whatever that means). Also I was really tempted to crop out the big silver ugly but it's a part of Case so whateves I guess. Also it's really hard to find a good picture of campus. 
Basically what I'm saying is this past year I found a new home. A place that has unpredictable weather and randomness of architecture, but is also wonderful in that it is full of people who love me, interesting places, and an opportunity at every doorstep. Until now I hadn't realized how important being at Case was for me. It was more than an opportunity to make friends, I had the chance to make connections with people I otherwise would have never imagined talking to. I made friends everywhere. Sure some were just in namesake but others go much deeper than that.

I just wanted to mention how I really love this picture because yeah the freshmen dorms aren't the prettiest thing in the world but in this photo life at Case seems so relaxed (and cold, but relaxed) and I just don't know how to explain how it makes me feel in words but it's a nice feeling. Also there's a couple in the photo so bonus points for romance? (cause you know romantic pictures always make you feel so warm and mushy inside because romance is just an alien from space that is slowly vaporizing your brain cause it can)

If you're reading this, regardless of whether you are from Case or from Arizona I want to thank you for being such a great friend to me and I also want to yell at you because it's probably you're fault I'm feeling homesick. Seriously though stop being such an awesome person so I can momentarily stop thinking about home.

How to tell if he's really into you

So after my previous post I was asked how you can tell if a guy is really into you or not. Here is a list of things I've noticed guys do when they are interested in a girl.

1. He talks to you as often as he can

The amount varies from guy to guy but when he's into you he loves to talk to you. His favorite mode of procrastinating is talking to you. It doesn't matter what your talking about, he just wants the opportunity to talk to you so he'll take any chance he gets.

2. He remembers small details that you told him

While any decent friend should be doing this, it's also a tell tale sign that a guy is interested in you. He might mention in passing, oh I remember you telling me how much you like this random thing. Or hey you were talking about this the other day. The thing about guys is when they care about someone, they tend to remember the small details about your life.


3. They confide in you

When you like someone, you start to trust that person more. When a guy likes you he'll start to tell you about his fears, his accomplishments, what he loves etc. They'll be small things, you won't immediately pick on them, but when you look back you'll realize that the reason they started liking you is because they started trusting you with their "secrets."

4. They make you feel wanted

When a guy likes you, he wants nothing more than to make sure you realize it. Of course he'll start small, but eventually (unless you're me) you'll notice it. They'll pay full attention to you when you talk, they'll listen to everything you have to say, they'll make sure they have time for you. If a guy cares about you he'll make sure you know it. No one wants to spend the effort without letting it be known. Sure they won't start of grand and big but eventually they will either get to that stage or they might give up (in which case they weren't the one for you anyways!) This is where the cheesiness of a relationship comes into play. I have seen guys do crazy and (no offense) kind of hilarious things in order to woo a girl with their wild charms. The amount of cheese that you get depends on a guy, some guys are like cheese dip (super cheesy) and others are like salsa (not so cheesy). (Aside: Do they have cheese flavored ice-cream? Would it even taste good?)

5. Let's get philosophical

No I'm not getting philosophical, the guy is. When guys are interested in you the conversation tends to get deeper. Instead of the casual how are you? Guys want to talk about more in depth subjects. They want to know your thoughts on a specific topic. They want to hear you get passionate about something you believe in.

6. It varies

No guy is the same. Everyone expresses their feelings differently. These are just some common trends I've seen in some guys, obviously there are things I'm forgetting and things that other guys do that these ones don't.  Also most of these things are stuff any good friend should already be doing. Don't get to paranoid by this list because there are some guys out there who are just amazing, decent gentlemen who value your friendship and don't want to ruin that.



These are just some of the basic things to look for when you think a guy is interested in you. If there is something glaringly obvious that I am forgetting or that I should omit, let me know because I based these points off of my personal experience with guys, I don't really know how guys think so I don't know how accurate my observations are. 

P.S. You're probably wondering, why did you do it from the guys perspective. The answer to that question is simple. I pay more attention to what other people do around me and less attention to myself. Therefore I don't really know what I do when I'm interested in a guy but I do know what guys do when they are interested in other girls. 

Questions about college

So this is for all of my high school friends that are about to go off to college. The summer between freshmen and senior year is one that is full of opposites. At the same time that you are euphoric to move on to the bigger and better things in life, a part of you wants to hold on to your high school memories. They are a thing of comfort in a time where you have no clue what the future holds in store. It doesn't help that your college years will be a factor that shapes who you are and who you will become in the future. These thoughts fill you with worry, especially the thoughts of: will I make friends?, how's the food?, the weather?, the workload? Every question answered generates another dozen.

While answers to some specific questions do change based on where you are going, there are some common questions that I can answer with my own experiences.


1. How's the workload? 
Honestly it depends from person to person. Just like in high school there are things that take one person 30 minutes to finish and another person hours. Graded homework is assigned in some classes but not all. Others just expect you to do problems for the benefit of practice.  So on average I'd say on a daily basis you'd probably spend 3-4 hours a day working on homework and then this will increase when you have projects, tests, or anything stressful coming up.

2. Can I get assistance with coursework?
Of course. Most colleges offer some sort of tutoring program that will help struggling students with the coursework. If you need the extra help, I urge you to take advantage of it because a little extra help never harmed anyone and learning a new study strategy along the way is never a bad thing.

3. What is it like living in a dorm?
This is honestly the most difficult question to answer because it really depends on how lucky (or unlucky you get). I got lucky and got a roommate that was easy to talk to and even though our living styles were way different it was easy to just talk through and find a compromise. However some of my other friends didn't get so lucky and had roommates that were argumentative, disrespectful, and very hard to approach. But the thing is the way you and your roommate interact is up to you. While it doesn't make sense to argue over everything you disagree about, do try to compromise on the issues that really matter. Don't argue over how loudly she chews her popcorn when you're more annoyed of the fact that you get sexiled every weekend.

I know this answer might seem a little scary but remember, it's YOUR room too and if you and your roommate keep on getting into disagreements, talking to the RA is not a bad thing.

4. How is the Greek Life?
Again the answer to this question really really depends on where you go. If you go to a huge state school you might end up with fraternities and sororities with the big parties you see on MTV. However if you go to a private institution the Greek Life is more service oriented. Also there's a difference between social and profession fraternities. While I can't speak for the social side, I am a member of Alpha Chi Sigma (the Professional Chemistry fraternity) and even though I've only been a member for a year, it has really shaped my freshman year. Through AXS I was able to connect with people I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet otherwise and I had a really great time doing service events and just generally having the opportunity to be a part of something that means so much to so many people.

5. What do you do for fun?
There is a plethora of things to do for fun. Different organizations across campus like to host different events so there's never a shortage of things to do on the weekend. Just keep your eyes open and there should be posters/fliers/facebook events for all the different stuff going on around campus. Plus you'll have friends who will want to do stuff around campus or watch a movie so you don't have to worry about having fun.

6. Do you get homesick?
Initially yes but it also varies from person to person. It's weird being in a place where you don't really know many people on campus and if you're going out of state you are not even very familiar with the city. Also there are many factors that feed into why you are homesick. Some people miss their family, their friends, their significant others, the atmosphere, everyone feels homesick for a different reason. The good news is that eventually you get over it. Once you start talking to new people and making friends and discovering more about campus it's easier to lose the homesickness.

7. How do you make friends?
The first few weeks are not a time to feel shy. Talking to complete strangers is out of most people's comfort zones so stop thinking of all the unknown faces around you as strangers! They are your classmates, your peers, your potential friends/romantic interests. Everyone is a mystery and the answer to that mystery is not stranger, but it's up to you to figure out who they are. Talk to people, find common interests and remember they are feeling the same exact way you are. You aren't alone.

8. How do you keep in touch with your parents?
So this one definitely varies from person to person. I've met people who call their parents multiple times during the day, to once a week, or a month, even to once a semester. This is something you're going to have to talk out with your parents. How often do they want to hear from you and how often do you want to talk to them? Also to keep in mind as time goes on, your habits and frequency will definitely change.

9. How well do you keep in touch with friends back home?
I know you're going to hate hearing this but you're large extensive group of friends most likely won't last. The thing about high school is that you become friends because you don't really have a choice there are only so many people in your grade/classes. In college you make your friends based on who they are, not because you have no other option. In a place with over 6000 students you don't have to pick your friends because they are in your class you pick them based on personalities and if you drift apart chances are you won't see them at a lot of things anymore.

Basically what I am saying is you might not have your giant group of friends but you will still have that small group of people you do care about and you're going to keep in contact with them in your own way. Everyone does something differently from playing video games with their friends to just snapchatting them everyday. How you keep in touch is up to you.

10. What if I'm in a relationship?
So yeah the whole long distance thing really sucks. It's hard trying to talk with your other half when you don't get to see them everyday. It's hard because you want nothing more than to talk to them for hours on end but when their schedule is different from yours you can't really do that. But if you're serious about each other you'll make it work in a way that works best for you. There are many options that people in LDR opt for such as being in an open relationship. Other people (if it's possible) just promise to see each other as often as they can.

The way the relationship plays out is up to you. Sometimes things aren't meant to work and it's for the best that you break up. Other times you'll last through college and even well past that. You can't predict the future so focus on what you have now and just cherish that.

These are just some of the questions I've been asked about college, if you have any other question you'd like me to answer just comment and I'll answer it as soon as I can :)

The amateur's guide to facebook stalking

With the advancement of technology it has become increasingly easier to know intricate details about other peoples' lives. With a click of a few buttons you can know what music they are into, their favorite movie, places they've been, they're accomplishments etc. all before you even meet them in person. But what discerns you from being a stalker* and being a stalker** (there is a big difference between the two!)?

1) Looking at profile pictures

To avoid being a stalker proper protocol insists that you only look at the 3 most recent profile pictures. That means you're allowed to press their profile picture and click the right scroll button twice. And if you don't know the person the left scroll button is completely off bounds! You've never even met the person before and you want to see what they looked like when they were in 8th grade?


2) Scrolling through their wall

To avoid being a stalker only go as far as you need to. Which means, unless they have explicitly given you permission, no more than 6 months is ever necessary and even that is stretching it a little. If you haven't met them before you have no business knowing what they did prior to the 6 month deadline because 6 months is a long time and anything stupid they've done can be condoned (since they've "grown up" since the time, and anything super-cool will undoubtedly be mentioned again). However exceptions always apply (for instance if someone mentioned something from 2 years ago you can always do a fact check on facebook).

3) Likes and dislikes

Go through everything! Do you really want to be friends with someone who doesn't like your favorite show, musician, or movie? That's exactly what I thought. But seriously, if you're going to look up a person and look at their likes, you might as well check everything out. It can tell you a lot of about the type of person they really are.


*stalker- someone who causes determines information of someone they know first hand and therefore the act of online stalking is not as sketchy

**stalker- has never actually met the person and chances of meeting are slim. However this person goes through the person's social media profile in order to determine more about the person. Stalkers are borderline sketchtastic.


DISCLAIMER: please don't take me seriously -_-

Ask them out already!

Okay so I want to preface with the fact that I can count the number of relationships I've been in on one hand, so I'm not an expert or anything of the sort. But there is one thing I do know and that annoys me so much. No one is going to know your true feelings until you say them out loud!

Like I get it, it's a huge deal asking someone out. I've been there I know the feeling all too well. You don't get butterflies in your stomach, you get huge giant anvils churning around. Your confidence melts away to doubts. Do they really like you? Or were you just misreading the signs the whole time? It's a scary place to be because you don't know how much they like you or how willing they are to start a relationship. There are plenty of people who want to be in relationships but it isn't their main priority at the moment, there are also people that like you but don't want to ruin the friendship you have, and lastly, and the most dreaded, there are people that just aren't into you.



But I mean hey, it happens. You can't get too hung up on one person who rejected you. Sure it might feel like the end of the world but it's really not. There are billions of people on this planet, you just have to reach out for some of them. I'm not saying to do something drastic like die your hair and style it like a mohawk while wearing riding boots and blasting metal music (unless that's your thing). Be yourself but talk to people. Take a friend with you and sure at first it'll be awkward when you're trying to think of what to say but try to find common ground: interests you share, stuff that you're passionate about, simple stuff like that and then from there expand. Basically going around and talking to people is a sure fire way to help you get over your rejection and hey you might find someone you like on the way.


Also don't let the thoughts of getting rejected stop you from asking the someone you're interested in. It's stupid. Life will move on like nothing happened. You probably won't remember that moment 20 years from now so get over yourself and just ask them out. I'm not saying it's easy but you'll never know if they like you back if you don't ask. Sure you'll have doubts ever step of the way. You'll probably back out a few times before you actually tell them (I definitely did). And then when you tell them it probably won't be that smooth. I ooze confidence on a normal day, all of that flew out the window when I started talking. I stalled for a solid 20 minutes (which worked given the situation) and then managed to convince the guy that I'm not interested in dating him (oops!).

Basically what I'm saying I guess is it's not going to go perfectly, but does life ever go perfectly? Life is like a rickety old railroad that is constantly being built. You'll have your ups and downs but in the end you are the architect so make your life how you want it to be. 

What happened to TV?

Remember all the great shows we used to watch as kids? You know the ones with important life lessons? The ones with the comedy? The ones that actually had a decent plot?

Who remembers shows like Spongebob (no the new episodes do not count), Rugrats, The Amanda Show, Lizzie McGuire, As Told by Ginger, Wild Thornberries, Jimmy Neutron, Chalk Zone, Even Stevens, Phil of the Future, Proud Family, Kim Possible, Lilo and Stitch, All That, Zoom, Out of the Box, The Brady Bunch, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Dragon Tales, Maggie and the Ferocious Beast (okay yes it's a preschool show but it was awesome!), Avatar the Last Airbender, Power Rangers (when they were good), Drake and Josh) to name a few.

Yes there are many many many more television series out there that deserve their name to be on this list but I don't want to put every single one of them up there because that takes more effort than necessary and like most human I am somewhat of a lazy person. Instead I want to point out how the quality of television has just decreased in the past few years. I mean think about it. Dora is just as clueless as ever, Joe (from Blues Clues) still can't see the paw print, and Squidward still gets annoyed with Spongebob. You'd think after a decade these people would have figured their lives out by now (This must make you feel so much better about the quality of your life right now).

But okay in all seriousness, television has really gone down the drain. Sure there are some great children networking shows but they're more like diamonds in a coal mine than anything else really. For instance Disney Channel today airs:

•  Dog with a blog- which is, you guessed it, about a dog with a blog. You know this show could have had great potential but it's really not about anything. The children get into a situation, talk with their parents, fix said situation, ends with the dog typing in his blog. Overall very predictable and leaves nothing to the imagination. 
• Jessie- Nanny in New York. Children get into a situation. Talk with nanny, fix said situation.  Overall very predictable and leaves nothing to the imagination. 
• Austin and Ally- Two aspiring singers working towards the big time. One of their friends manages both of them. The other friend is there for comedy. It's a comedic show with a simple, predictable plot line, oh and there's a budding romance. 
• Ant Farm- group of student prodigies who get into situations and use each others "tal-ants" to find a way out. 

So yeah these shows might be a little useful in helping children think about life situations and all of that, but for the most part as TV shows they are highly predictable and are focused around the same exact plot line just using different characters. This is where you might argue that older shows did the same thing. But the difference is that older shows let children use their imagination. It wasn't about laying out the story, it was about setting the plot and characters and letting the audience fill in the blanks for some details. 

Also when we were little, there were more shows that allowed us to use our noggins. There were a plethora of shows similar to Zoom and Out of the Box which focused on presenting DIY ideas to kids about science, other education, and just straight out having fun. These shows fostered the imagination and encouraged kids to get off of the TV for a while and have fun doing stuff elsewhere. But today the most imaginative you'll get in a TV show is them asking you which tool, color, object is necessary and for you to yell at the TV. Shows today encourage kids to mindlessly sit in front of the TV for hours, which makes them inferior to the shows that we got to experience a decade ago. 

This issue isn't about the plot anymore, or even just general quality. The issue is about what shows throughout the decade are encourage kids to do. 10 years from now do we want a generation of young adults who grew up glued to the TV or a generation of young adults who can think for themselves and who know how to think outside of the box?

The true meaning of summer

What exactly is summer?

Is it a name? A season? A state of being? Throughout the year we look forward to this one word but what exactly is it?

When I think of the name Summer. I think of a long, slender chick with auburn hair. Obviously she's really preppy and you guessed it, she's wearing a summer dress. She also has a huge smile plastered on her face and she's a genuinely nice person. Her favorite color is probably pink and she loves flowers. Did I mention she's probably valedictorian too? Yeah if there was ever a word for perfect, it's Summer. She's got everything going for her but it makes her a little cocky at times. 

What we probably know the word as best. Summer is the season conveniently located after spring and before fall. The opposite of winter. The months of hell, oh wait, no one calls it that... But yeah you know these 104 days of summer vacation and all of that jazz. Since the first school year, summer has been the season every person looks forward too. Three whole months of no school and a odd feeling bordering on feeling carefree (until you remember how much work you actually need to get done). 

As for it being a state of being I think this one might only apply to me. So I have this weird thing that every memory I have is set to a nice summer day. Even the ones that blatantly happened in the dead of winter with snow all around me. I mean the ones that happened outdoors have their appropriate background but the ones that occured indoors are set to a summer background. So like most of my memories take place in the room that it happened in, but with no windows and it's not like I'm seeing a summer day with the heat and everything but it's more of the mood is like a summer day mood. I could probably spend a lot more time discussing this feeling but I don't think it'll ever be fully clarified...

Bonus!!!

Summer=a person who sums! Duh, it's been so glaringly obvious this whole time. It's not a name, it's not a season, it's not even a state of being, it's been an occupation this whole time. I bet you all feel really stupid right now. If it's any consolation, the answer to the problem above is 3 and not gummy worm. 

Recent Addiction: How I Met Your Mother

So recently I've been watching a ton of how I met your mother. I don't mean like an episode here or there but like an entire season in one night type of addiction. But the world doesn't like me and took off most of the seasons on netflix and the sketch sites have become really sketch (I was watching season 8 with Italian subtitles). But the reason why I'm so addicted is because it's extremely easy to relate to the show. Sure there are certain characters that you relate to more than other but in the end you sort of have a bit of everyone in you. No one is completely Barney or completely Robin, they are a mix. Personally I'm a blend of Barney and Ted with a dash of Lily. I'm not going to explain this further so take it as you want :P

Also their friendship is incredible. They are a group of people who truly, legitimately care about each other. Sure Lily and Marshall went through that phase where they only wanted to hear problems if they were an 8 or higher, but at the end of the day they realized that they wanted to be further involved in the life of their friends. Sure not every friend group is like this and most of the time it's usually only seen on TV, but I've been lucky enough to find a friend group just like HIMYM's. My friends and I tell each other everything, we ship each other with people, and we always have each other's backs.


Marvin Waitforit Eriksen! He's not the only legendary baby in the show. Don't forget that the show has some incredible ideas like bro-parents. "I mean, what’s better than raising a kid with your bro?! No arguments, no touchy feely-ness, none of that. Just you and your bro, broing the hell out of your major city of choice. Plus, they dont’ get mad when you turn around and check out the chick who passed by. AND I CAN USE THE CHILD TO GET CHICKS!!!!" Like seriously this is the best idea ever!!! If I adopt a baby with my best friend we'd get all the guys, a great tax return, and it'd be a great experience.

Also the show is just plain AWESOME!! I mean they have the perfect balance of sadness and comedic relief. They show you how to get through the tough parts of life and how to enjoy the happy moments. Also they don't try to hard to be humorous. They just are. Sure the laugh track can be annoying at times but there are genuinely funny moments. And sad moments. And cute moments. And infuriating moments. The show just basically sums up life in short 30 minute doses that are meant to watched for hours at a time.  

That's a wrap!

With finals coming to an end and the end of the year quickly coming to a close it's weird to think that my first year of college is finally done. It's been a rollercoaster of a journey from meeting a ton of new people, dancing in the snow, to going on crazy adventures. It's been a great year and if I had the opportunity, I'd do it all over again. Sure everything wasn't perfect and there were times were my stress levels were off the charts, but over all it was a great experience. I was able to meet new people who showed me so many different things, who taught me more about myself, who made me realize how beautiful time really is.


 Sometimes life is just like a really slow video, even though you're annoyed that it's taking forever to buffer, sometimes in the end you're somewhat happier because it meant being able to spend more time with your friends laughing and just hanging out (TOTALLY WORKED IN THAT ANALOGY! BOOYAH!). The one thing we all look forward to every year is summer but for the first time in forever I don't want summer. The thing about college is you get so used to seeing your friends all the time it'll be really weird not being able to see them on a day to day basis.
 Like seriously, if I'm ever bored I literally walk out of my room and go bug someone (several friends can attest to this). I mean yeah everything will be "back to normal" once we're back in the fall but it's kind of weird thinking about how close I've gotten to a certain people these last couple of months.

        But this post isn't about me being sad or even bittersweet. It's kind of amazing just to look back at the past year. I've learned that life is really just a series of coincidences that sometimes work in your favor. Where I am right now (not physically but like mentally) would not be possible without the little things that happened in the way. For instance during orientation week had I decided to continue hanging out with my "friends" at the time, I would never have even met the people I'm friends with now. Instead I had decided to head over to Raymond and the people there were playing cards and I decided to join them. Because of that decision I'm friends with some of the most amazing people.(#+emergency rainbow). 

Weird philosophical thoughts

   

   You know sometimes I really don't understand life. Like think about it when you run into a friend you don't have a list of conversation starters, you're just able to have a conversation. You don't need to consciously think about the conversation, it just flows naturally. Sometimes you can end up talking for 10 minutes, an hour, or even a whole night just chatting. Yet what are you even talking about? Once you start thinking about it you realize that you've talked about everything and nothing at the same time. But these are the people you call your best friends.

    Then there are the people you'll talk for ten minutes at most. Small talk. How are you? How's your life? The wife? Kids? Stocks? That stuff. These people you have a conversation with actual substance, not deep conversations, but relevant stuff. Yet these people aren't you're friends per se. They just happen to be placeholders for conversation. You have the conversation half heartedly and afterwards nothing really sticks into your mind. 

     Then finally there are the people that you crave to have a conversation. These conversations are unexpected. You can confide them with anything. You tell them your deepest fears, your darkest secrets, everything. When you're around them, you don't have a care in the world. But why? Why do we feel this way? I mean yeah there are emotional reasons why, but WHY???

Okay now that I'm done being psuedo-philosophical.... 

Why was I even thinking about this!?!

Like seriously like being philosophical is cool and everything and sometimes it's enjoyeable but I have a lab to write and stuff to do... I shouldn't be thinking about this right now... Oh well. 

Mud and Apologies

Hey Everybody!!!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I could say that the reason I haven't been writing is because I've been extremely busy but the real reason is because I've had writer's block for the longest time. Usually I know exactly what I want to write when I have a topic but for the last week there's been a plethora of topics but I don't know what I want to talk about with them. Everything is like a grass field. When I start talking about it, it feels like it'll start getting greener. But then I actually start talking and it's really just a muddy spot on the ground. OOH! Speaking of mud....

I wish this was the mud that I was talking about, but nope.
The mud I'm talking about is even better it's the real deal filled with real worms.

You know the stuff that oozes between your feet when you step in it. The thing that squishes between your toes making you shiver with it's ooey goodness. The stuff that cakes your feet and leaves muddy footprints as you walk. Yep that's the stuff I'm talking about. The amazing gooey brown stuff that covers the grass in it's awesomeness. The home for worms and other little critters. The stuff that becomes super apparent after a nice rain shower. Mud is so amazingly awesome yet it is so underrated of all of nature's natural things.*



Want to hear some cool things about mud that I really bet you didn't know before? Of course you do. I mean if you didn't, you really wouldn't have read to this point anyways...



1. Mud is an Old English word that has been with us since at least 1400.

In case you didn't know that's a really long time. I had to use this really complicated device that does really hard calculations to determine that this means the word mud has been in use for more than 600 years! That's like 30 times older than I am... That's as old as Nicholas Flamel (I wonder if he had anything to do with this?)

2.  Playing in mud will make you happier

Scientifically proven somewhere somehow but honestly I can say with 100% conviction playing in the mud will make you a ton happier. Don't believe me? Go walk in some mud, there is no way you'll be unhappy

3. Volcanic mud is sold as a moisturizer for hair

One second I'll be right back. I'm gonna go buy by volcanic mud moisturizer so I can have the prettiest hair of all mud monsters. 

***commercial interlude***

4. Walking barefoot in the mud is quite possibly the best experience you can have
I love walking in the mud and having it squish between you toes. The feeling is indescribable, its so icky yet at the same time it's mesmerizing. It feels so gross but at the same time it feels like childhood memories. It doesn't feel like I'm stepping on earth, it feels like I'm a time traveler going through the memories of mud cakes, mud fights, searching for earthworms, thunderstorms, just everything. 

5. This is a mudpuppy

This is still a mudpuppy. Mudpuppies are not the lovechild of mud and a puppy. It's kind of impossible because mud isn't really an animate object therefore it is physically incapable of reproducing... But yeah I don't really know what a mudpuppy is, it's here because it has mud in the name. I'm assuming that it probably spontaneously combusts into mud at some point like a phoenix or something and it's muddy ashes look like a puppy. 

*I don't really have a better word for this....