As I prepare to move into my college dorm to begin my sophomore year of college, I’ve been thinking a lot about how different things are now than they were even a year before. Not just the things around me, but also about how I’ve changed as a person, too. I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting in the last couple of days about the things that did and didn’t happen in the past year, and I’ve also turned my attentions to what I want to achieve this upcoming academic year.

A year from now, academically speaking, I’d like to have made Dean’s List for both semesters of my sophomore year¹, have completed a summer language immersion program either for French or Mandarin Chinese, secured an internship for the school year, and have confirmed, or at least refined, any upcoming plans for a semester of studying abroad².

In terms of my social and romantic life, I’d like to have the same group of friends I have now as I love them all, but I’d also like to expand my circle of friends more and meet new people more often. I’m not really the type of girl to have hundreds of okay friends; I like to have several very close friends that I know I can count on in any time of need. I am open the idea to being in a relationship with someone but I’ve never been the type of girl to go looking for a guy – most of the time, the guy finds me, with varying results. Plus, I’m not good at relationships so it’s never made sense for me to go looking for something that will inevitably end in disaster and heartbreak.

I have a good feeling about this upcoming academic year. I have a lot of good things lined up and hey, there might be even better surprises in store for me!

Question of the Week: Where do you see yourself (or where would you like to see yourself) in a year’s time?

1. I made Dean’s List both semesters freshman year. [↩]
2. I’m looking at studying abroad sometime my junior year. [↩]

Cross-posted from breakthesky.net. Please leave any comments there.

I’ve officially moved back home for the summer. Now that I’ve finished my first year of college, it’s time for four months of summer. Four months of home cooked food, my own room and bathroom, relaxing with all of my friends, and all the free time in the world. While I do miss all of my friends from school, it’s nice not to have to worry about assignments or exams!

I already miss some of the perks of living in my own, but it is nice to be back home again. I like spending time with my family and dogs, and it’ll be so nice to be able to catch up with them. This past year was my first year away from home, and I know that I have changed, and that my family has changed as well. It’ll be interesting to see how the dynamics of the relationship I have with my family will change as a result of this, and hopefully we’ll be able to meet each other halfway. Otherwise, I’m probably going to find myself wishing I had chosen to stay in DC for the summer rather than return home!

I find that I am more social at school than I am at home, so I don’t anticipate any big dramas or crazy boy situations happening this summer, which will be a nice change. I’m hoping for a quiet, relaxing summer without any major events - it’ll be a very welcome change from this past year as well as past summers! Of course, I find myself saying this every summer, and things never quite work out the way I thought they would… but at least it gives me good stories to tell!

Cross-posted from breakthesky.net. Please leave any comments there.

Today is Mother’s Day, a day dedicated to all the mothers of the world when really, every day should be a mother’s day. Whether it be with flowers, breakfast in bed, presents, a nice dinner, or some other form of celebration, mothers today are experiencing a lovely day dedicated to thanking them for just being a mom.

My plans for today aren’t all that special, I’m afraid, as my family really isn’t into the whole celebrating of holidays, with the exception of Chinese New Year. My brother and I bought my mother two presents, one from each of us, and then later today we are taking her out to dinner at her favorite restaurant, and then I am baking her favorite cake for her later tonight. It’ll be simple, but a nice day, especially since it’s been a while since the whole family has been together as I’ve been away at school. I’m looking forward to spending time together as a family today, and I’m sure my mom is too!

To all the mothers in the world, Happy Mother’s Day!

Question of the Week: What do your Mother’s Day plans include this year?

Cross-posted from breakthesky.net. Please leave any comments there.

I have a million and one things to do as I wrap up my first year in college and prepare to move back home for the summer. I have no idea how I will have the time or energy to do it all, but somehow, it must be done!

• Finish studying for my remaining exams
  I have two exams left. One is for French, and the other is for Chinese. The only bright aspect about these two exams is that I have already done (and aced!) the oral portion, so I just have the reading comprehension, listening, grammar, and translation component of the exams. Still, it’s nerve-wracking; French is one of the hardest Romantic languages, and Chinese is one of the hardest Asian languages. Remind me why I’m double minoring in French and Chinese again?
• Ship my cousin her birthday package
  My cousin has sent me loads of drawings and photos she’s made during the course of the year to use as dorm room decorations. Have I sent her anything in return? Um, I sent her a Christmas gift, but that is far from enough. I have already picked out something, both of which are National Cherry Blossom Festival-related, and I need to get to the post office and send them ASAP because I feel like a horrible role model with being lax in sending gifts!
• Email my work supervisor with my available working hours
  I took four days off work this week so that I could concentrate on studying for my finals rather than work, and I need to make up my missed hours next week. My supervisor is fantastic and is letting me pick whatever hours work best for me next week, so I need to double check with the working hours of my workplace (it changes every day) and then come up with a schedule that works for me and email it to her for approval.
• Clean out my room and pack up my things
  My room is an absolute mess, and I need to leave it in better condition than it was when I first moved in. Not only do I need to clean and vacuum and dust, but I also need to begin packing up my belongings and sort out what I need to store over the summer, and what items I will need to bring home, and possibly if there is a place nearby where I can donate some of my stuff. I also need to figure out if I need to order any more storage boxes from the storage company - the boxes that they already gave me do not look like it will be enough to store everything!
• Figure out what I’m going to do over the summer
  I have some tentative plans set for the summer, but none are as definite as I’d like to be. I’m still on the lookout for a summer job, I’ve only just begun to sketch out some possible ideas for my Etsy shop, and I need to get my driving permit so I can take the driving lessons that have already been booked in order for me to get my driver’s license (finally!). I’d love to just take summer as it comes, but I’d like to have at least a few definite things in store for me!

Cross-posted from breakthesky.net. Please leave any comments there.

After my one and only class today (my second one got canceled because my professor is amazing), I get to go home for spring break! I’m really, really excited to go home and just spend a week relaxing with friends and family, with the occasional bit of studying thrown in¹. I love college, but I think my friends and I have all earned this much-needed break. There are so many things I’m looking forward to when I’m living at home again, even if it is only for a week.

• Home cooked food
  While I don’t really mind the cafeteria on my campus, it gets really tiring eating there day in, day out, on average twice a day, every day of the week. Eating out is an option, but that adds up fairly quickly and I’d rather try and save money rather than spend it. My mom is an amazing cook, and I’ve really missed her food while I’ve been away at college. Plus, as my mother is Chinese, Chinese food is her specialty, and I have yet to find a place near me that even begins to compare to her Chinese cooking.
• My own room
  I love my roommate and we get along fantastically, but I know there are times when we both crave privacy. I miss my room at home, and I miss having a place all to myself from the rest of the world. And oh my god, I miss my bed. The mattress I have in my dorm doesn’t even compare to the one I have at home.
• My own bathroom
  I am more excited about having a bathroom to myself than a room to myself, actually. No need for communal toilets, showers, and sinks, no need to trek all the way down the hall if I have to pee in the middle of the night, and no need to wear freaking shower shoes whenever I have to shower in an effort not to catch foot fungus if anyone else on this floor has it. Nope, I’ll have my own personal bathroom that adjoins to my room, and it’s going to be fantastic.
• Catching up with friends
  Sadly, not all of my close friends have the same spring break as me, so I won’t be able to see all of my friends, but I’ll see a few of them, which is better than none. All of my friends and I went to different colleges around the country, and while Facebook, Skype, and iChat have been fantastic to help us keep in touch, it’s still not the same as physically hanging out together.
• Catching up with family
  I am very close to both my mother and brother, and even though we call each other regularly to keep each other updated, it’s still not the same as being there with them. I miss talking with my mom, and teasing my brother the way any sister would tease a brother. Spring break will definitely be a good time for my immediate family to be reunited, and I think a good time will be had by all when I’m back home.

1. I have two tests when I get back from spring break. Lovely, no? [↩]

Cross-posted from breakthesky.net. Please leave any comments there.