breakthesky.neti'll break the sky, for you and i are going nowhere.

As of today, I have officially finished my second year of college¹. It’s been a very interesting year, with extreme highs and lows. On a whole, though, it’s been a good year. I’ve definitely learned a lot academically and even more socially, both friends-wise and relationship-wise. I’ve gained a plethora of work experience and have a much more impressive resume to show for it.

Academically, I’ve taken a full course load both semesters and have excelled in my classes. I’ve now taken classes that have begun to really get at the heart of my studies and I now know for sure that I am choosing the right academic path. I worked really hard fall semester and early spring semester on my scholarship application and was fortunate enough to be chosen to receive it.

Work-wise, I’ve held what might possibly be my favorite position, ever. I also had my first internship, which was a huge learning experience and gave me great insight into the workplace in my field of study. I made some great contacts through both my job and internship, and I am hoping to maintain them throughout the next few years. I also worked at a prominent museum for a brief interim last semester, and that most definitely taught me everything I ever cared to know about standing on my feet for hours on end!

Socially, I think I’ve learned more this year than in any other year of my life. I lost a best friend; I drifted apart from some of my old high school friends. I made a vow to detoxify my life from the “poison” that was in it. I also became so much closer to my core group of friends and met some absolutely fantastic people this year. In a nutshell, I learned who my real friends were and became a stronger person because of it.

There were some great memories from the year, as well as some pretty low ones. Last semester, I had a tendency to focus too much on the negative. (To be fair, the majority of the negative stuff from this year happened in the fall.) But this semester, I’m taking away all of the positives and running with it. These are the memories that will last me for my year abroad; these are the memories that will make me want to come back after being away for so long.

Throughout this entire year, I’ve been so eager for the school year to end so that I can clear off and go abroad next year. Now that it’s ended, though, I find it to be a very bittersweet ending. I am still as excited as ever to go abroad and am beginning to make more extensive and detailed plans for my adventures in Beijing. But there’s a lot I am leaving behind, and I’ll miss so many people. Still, everything will still be here, when I get back, right?

1. I would say I’ve officially finished sophomore year, but credits-wise, I’m somewhere in the murky area between a junior and a senior. [↩]

I really don’t understand why some people are so temperamental about giving up personal space during rush hour when commuting via public transport. Yes, it sucks. Yes, no one likes being so close to a stranger that you know whether or not that person used deodorant that day. But if it’s something everyone has to suffer through in order to get from Point A to Point B… what’s the big fuss?

When I was commuting back to campus after I finished interning the other day, rush hour was in full swing on the Metro. Regular rush hour always sucks, but when you combine rush hour with tourist season, it really sucks. One of the women that was in front of me in the line to board the Metro looked around the crowded platform in disgust, rolled her eyes, and said, “I can’t deal with this.” She threw up her arms in a very diva-esque manner and then backed out of the line, disappearing into the crowd. I’d like to know where she went, because unless she went outside to a nearby cafe to sit for an hour and a half with a cup of coffee, it’s not like she had much of a choice about her lack of personal space. Unless she left the Metro stop to get a taxi, I guess.

I don’t particularly enjoy giving up my personal space when commuting during rush hour, but it’s not a big deal. Maybe it’s cause I’m used to Hong Kong public transport, which is always crowded. That doesn’t mean I enjoy being shoved around by others in a mad dash to try and get on an already-packed Metro car (Russian woman who shoved me forward so hard that I almost plowed headfirst into a poor old lady standing in front of me, I’m looking at you), but at least I get that it’s part and parcel of a rush hour commute (diva woman whom I mentioned earlier, that’s directed at you).

At least I make friends every time I commute back and forth during rush hour. Although since today is my last day at my internship, I won’t be making anymore rush hour friends for quite some time!

My thoughts are all over the place at the moment, so I’m going to settle with bullet points for this entry.

• It has been 70F without a cloud in the sky all week
  I have been spending every moment possible outdoors, soaking up the sun. I appreciate this weather so much more after the Snowpocalypse and Snowmageddon. It makes having to stay inside and do work that much harder!
• I got accepted to study abroad in Beijing next year
  I got my acceptance letter yesterday! I’m going to be in Beijing next school year, baby! Words cannot describe how excited I am for this opportunity of a lifetime. Can it be September already?
• Mission Detoxify is going superbly
  There’s been some drama among my circle of friends this week, but none of it involves me, either directly or indirectly. Plus, I encountered someone on my list of people to cut out from my life in an effort to rid myself of negatives and I am very proud of the way I handled myself in that situation. I did my best to keep it classy and I definitely succeeded.
• I did well on my midterm papers and exams
  This week, I received all of the exams and papers I worked so hard on prior to spring break. I am very pleased with all of my grades; all I have to do now is keep them up for the rest of the year.
• I have been assigned awesome projects at my internship
  I am going to be assisting with the redesign of the website at my internship as well as working on the content and copy. While this project is still in the initial stages, I am very excited to be able to do something very tangible that I will be able to use to “show for” my work.
• I spent quality time catching up with friends I missed while away on break
  I might allude to all the drama that happens in my group of friends (which, frankly, happens a lot) but they are my friends for a reason. It’s been really nice hanging out with them and catching up this week, especially as the weeks will only get crazier as finals approach.