Thoughts Behind...

I used to think I was a realist. Santa didn't exist, friends wouldn't last, and money meant success. But sometime between my childhood and now, this cynicism turned into idealism. While I am yet to believe that there exists a man with a belly too large to fit a chimney  and  can travel the world in a single night, now, I reject these remaining "universal truths." Call me an idealist, but I prefer to think of myself as a creator of possibilities. One of my greatest ideals lies in people. Although the infamous Golden Rule--treat others the way you want to be treated--was one I never believed in, I subconsciously started applying it to my relationships more recently. Because I surround myself with people whose presence I genuinely enjoy, doubts about whether they feel the same for me never occur. Why should I doubt their actions and intentions? Of course, many friendships fail as a result of a variety of seemingly uncontrollable factors. But, what friendship would succe...

One of the most common yet least permitted languages is constituted of swear words. Children are scolded, women are judged, and less wealthy users are labeled as unrefined for swearing. Why? Do we not hold distinct visions of wealthy businessmen yelling and cursing at business constituents through the phone? One of the few exceptions for such crude language is reserved for the rich, powerful, white man. Yet of all people, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a black woman ,  gets away with describing a "friend who you don't need to explain sh*t to" powerfully. In a novel? How unprofessional. As a true curious soul, I would like to analyze and discuss the flaws and inconsistencies of the taboo on swearing. (What, for me? A sixteen-year-old Asian female? Don't worry, I am not making this point to justify starting swearing; I would never.) To break it down, most swear words belong in three main categories: excretion (sh*t/a**hole), deity (oh my god), and sexually based (the worst o...

If you were on the hottest social media app Tik Tok this past summer, you probably know about what it means to be the Main Character. The archetype of the main character is nearly epitomized as being the center of attention, but not in the perfect life kind of way. More like in a "quirky" kind of way. Recently, as social media has begun to highlight quirky personalities and shame their basic counterparts, the trend has only perpetuated the cycle of homogeneity. Regardless of how unprecedented a goal may be, with everyone aiming for it, it loses its shine. Quite frankly, striving to match an archetype of any sort produces the most boring and predictable movie---for you, as the "main character," and for viewer: your friends. And not only is it boring, but aiming to fit that mold is tiring---unsatisfactory.  So as the clíche goes: Just be yourself.  But sometimes, even that's boring. (No offense) I believe one of the most satisfactory and thrilling ways to live is ...

 Would you rather find out that your significant other is cheating on you or never find out? Though very far away and presumably irrelevant to your and my current circumstances, this question raises an issue that's not so far from what we know: Is ignorance really bliss? Sure, I typically respond to the opening question by selecting the latter choice of oblivion as I imagine the pain and hassle it entails, but after I contemplate and fight my instinct, I choose the wiser option. The more daunting one. I choose to pop the bubble of ignorance and learn the truth. Let's break it down. Your significant other is cheating on you. This action may be a result of a few reasons, the major being dissatisfaction in the relationship and/or sole disloyalty and a lack of integrity. A cheater is prone to cheating more than once, and if one continues it may just be a sign of bad character. Do you really want to be with someone who isn't committed to you? Someone who doesn't find satisfa...

Empathy. It's one of the traits that make us distinctly human. It's what makes people like us. Much like making friends, empathizing is also how writers get their readers to root for the protagonist. Take Nea, for example. Reading "Saving Sourdi," we as readers are intentionally left in the oblivion of Sourdi's true situation--much like Nea is. Unlike the dramatic irony, in which our knowledge goes beyond the protagonist's, Chai uses mystery as an unexpected element to fully understand what characters feel. Or in writing our power paragraphs, our perception of Judd Mulvaney's personality and thoughts was so clear--just from a single page. Because instead of just describing Judd as a mature thinker, we're allowed into his mind to see how  he thinks. "ONEtwothree. ONEtwothree." Those aren't typically the things that run through children's' thoughts. We'll only believe the extent of his deep personality until we see it explicitly...