under construction: opinion outpost

I guess to begin, I would like to say that my blog has grown so much from the plain template, beginning stages. However, this is not the final product. I would like to further expand my “Party in the Pond Brand” and consolidate my general lifestyle blog into its own little niche. So here’s my announcement.

I don’t quite have the time or materials to create a top notch, world class blog, but that won’t stop me from trying. We are all given the right to free speech, provided by the first amendment of the Constitution. And I will exercise that right in any and all ways possible. With that, that is what my blog will become. I will post opinion pieces and discuss controversial topics and always, open it up for discussion in the comments.

As I redesign my blog, I will stray further from the basic, girly, lifestyle posts, and transition into an opinion outpost of sorts. I look forward to revamping the design and appearance of my site, slowly but surely. But in the meantime, my readers may notice a switch in gears of my posts. Rather than continuing with the travel posts and random rants, I will properly title every post and connect it back to a topic of debate. I feel like recently, this has already occurred, but this is just a formal announcement to explain the changes.

In the past few months, I have been busy and seemed to hate my blog more and more. After some searching and researching, I have determined that the cause for my annoyance was because I was not truly happy with my content and progress. So here we go with another angle.

I hope you guys will continue to support me with the transition into a new face of Party in the Pond.

Quick question: Please let me know in the comments if you would like me to keep my old posts, or simply archive them. I would really like your opinions on this.

journal my life 01/30/15: why it hurts

So here’s more of my life. I am upset today, a bit angry, annoyed, and just want to cry forever. Well that’s it for this brief intro. And for all my new readers, this is essentially a segment of me randomly ranting and acting bratty and complaining about my life. It is not who I am, but like everything, I need to get this off my shoulders and tell anyone who is willing to listen. Please feel free to exit out of this post if it is not pertinent to you, or do not like whiny teenage girls. (Post note: if you want the actual message of this post, skip to the last sentence/paragraph)

Because of the “historic storm” as it was called, my midterm week is yet extended. But beyond that, several of my teachers have already graded several tests and we are beginning to get them back.

I absolutely HATE all math classes; yet somehow, I am taking two math classes (Honors PreCalc and AP Stat). To put it lightly, I am not doing very well. And my midterm grade reflects that. But my parents are torn. My mom is acting irrationally, and very disappointed. On the other hand, my dad, is always supportive and recognizes how hard I have worked in preparation despite the poor result. Its just stressful because I want to do well, and have not done this poorly in a while before this year. And this year matters.

But my biggest problem, is that because I am Asian American, people expect me to do well in math. English is actually my best and favorite subject. Once again, I HATE MATH. No one understands or believes me when I say that I don’t do well on tests and quizzes. I just need to cry and rant and I don’t even know what I am getting at.

But I guess what I am trying to express through my jumbled, angered thoughts, is that expectations are worthless. It is your internal thoughts and efforts. Sometimes, it is beneficial to fail. It lights a fire underneath you. You are not alone in your thoughts.

“You haven’t failed until you stop trying”  There are many things that we cannot control in life. We cannot be the best at everything. But regardless, no one ever has the right to call you a failure or make you feel that way.

you’re worth it: monday inspiration

I was supposed to have a midterm today, but thanks to the “historical snow storm,” it was cancelled. So I am sitting by the window, watching the calming snow float by, sipping on cocoa, and doing what makes me happiest: BLOGGING. I hope you find time to do something that makes you smile today.

Last night, while I should’ve been studying, I stumbled across Meghan Rienks’ YouTube video. I scroll through YouTube from time to time and Meghan has always been one of my favorites. I feel like YouTube is essentially a video blog; and YouTubers are essentially bloggers, but with their face behind the camera lens. Anyways, I digress. Her video, titled Spark, was inspirational, although it was a bit slow for me at times; but definitely worth the view in your free time. Promise me that please.

We have a choice on how we live our lives. We can be defined by our numbers and scores and things you write on paper. Or we can measure our worth in compassion, gratitude, and things we cannot touch. I hope you choose to grow, to learn and to be your own spark. -Meghan Rienks

Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.

(The last quote especially reminds me of a previous post.)

We all have a choice on how we live our lives. We have limited control. Do what makes you happy. Be around those that make you smile. Eliminate those that don’t contribute positively. Take a deep breath. You are loved. You are good enough.

Let’s start this week off the right way! Stay warm!

journal my life 01/23/15: why it doesn’t matter and COLLEGE TALK

I’m back with “Journal my Life.” With its short absence, I have noticed its therapeutic function for me to express myself; but has also proved comforting for readers to see that they are not alone in their feelings and emotions. Midterms are literally right around the corner (2 days away). I am stressed to say the least, but something is different. And I guess the only way I will really be able to figure it out is by expressing myself to my readers and “internet friends,” for lack of a better word.

Of course, everyone says junior year is different; its important, stressful, and VERY IMPORTANT. And I completely agree. But more than anything, life is about living, not worrying, not spending useless time, not dreading the next day, not wishing each moment away. So as an extended study break, I would like to be brutally honest to all of my readers. After all, I am sharing my life. I have a few observations about life and school and stress I would like to express.

Aside from the everyday struggles of my parents, my life is already jam packed with stress. My mom specifically, wants to live vicariously through me and takes every matter in my life into her hands and micromanages just about everything. So no, the part that is actually my rant for the day:

To begin, simply going to the library with a bunch of your friends, a Starbucks coffee, a binder, notebook, laptop, and headphones DOES NOT MEAN YOU’RE NECESSARILY “STUDYING.” I cannot begin to stress how simply going to the library to sit on Instagram for three hours is not studying. I know this is not everyone, but many people (including myself) fall victim to convincing ourselves and others that we are studying and working hard while simply sitting in an academic environment. Eh, it’s really none of my business, but a pet peeve

Second off is the dreaded college situation. For me its a tossup. With the job competition nowadays, I know how important a good college education and college degree is, and its value in society. However, in a similar sense, life is about experience and doing what makes your heart flutter. There’s a subtle difference between being conscious of college in the future horizon, and manipulating life so that it revolves around college. Our futures are more than the grade that we think defines us (grades DO NOT define us AT ALL). Our lives should only be evaluated by ourselves; it is unfair for anyone else to judge it based on the external view.

So with that, I am taking school one step at a time, learning the important life skills of time management, studying skills, work ethic, and everything else, while maintaining my standards in terms of the grades aspect of what everyone considers the most important part of school. I am really conflicted in terms of what I want to go to college for. I have loved neuroscience, journalism, philosophy, and oncology.

I know my decision has no relation to any of you, but I would love to hear your thoughts. Which subject do you think would be fun to major in?

inspiration wednesday: the light and the dark

Happy Wednesday! Here’s some inspiration through what may be a dark time so that you can begin to see hope.

Good people are like candles. They burn themselves up to others light.  -Unknown

Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.  -Unknown

Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. -Martin Luther King Jr.

I want to make “inspiration Wednesday” a new segment, so like this if you would like more!

the most dreadful time of year: midterms on midterms on studying on studying

So here comes the most miserable, dreadful, stressful, hated time of the year for all high schoolers. Yes, that time is midterm week. Midterms are stressful yet important. But in itself, the studying is the difficult part; the game changer. I can either love or hate studying, mostly depending on my motivation, but I have learned some tips and tricks along the way.

There are always the basic flashcards, which I have used in the past, but they have never really spoken to me. However, if I do use flashcards, I use the BrainScape app on my iPhone, which I love because it is accessible, organized, and all technological. I love how sleek everything is and technologically accessible.

Another overused, but very helpful tip is the use of color coding. And believe me when I say, I go all out: post its, highlighters, markers, pens, and stickers. I love being able to visually see everything in front of me, organized by a topic. My notes are essentially a coloring book. I’m such a child, but it really helps.

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My planner is my best friend. It always is and always will be, but especially now. With deadlines looming and test date piling up, it is imperative to keep on top of things and remain organized in anything and everything. I love making checklists and writing everything down so I can’t forget to lose track. And yes, once again, color coded. I’m a bit rushed right now and unable to explain my system of color coding, but Id love to go into detail. Leave a comment down below if you would like a separate post on that.

I am still in the phase of deciding whether I like handwriting notes or typed better. Usually I am all for utilizing technology, but I like the active act of handwriting. Its mixed feelings because I like the clean look of typed notes, but the personalized aspect of handwritten notes speaks to me. I don’t really know. Comment down below which one you prefer.

But anyways, studying ahead is always a good option so that you can retain information in small chunks and make associations. It is important to actively study by writing, rather than reading. Make associations between all the material and don’t compartmentalize it by unit, but rather by themes of the class as a whole. My biggest tip is to use your friends and teachers for help and review a bit everyday and don’t blow it off.

Good luck to everyone who needs to take midterms!

And on a side note, I did not forget the rest of my vacation posts, I just wanted to space them out and get new content online. I hope you enjoy. Separate side note, my science blog (iscienceresearch.wordpress.com) is up and running again.

learning to accept and love

This does not come easy for me to write. I contemplated whether I should follow through with this post or not. I am not asking for pity or sympathy, attention or compliments; it is important for me to write, for myself, for admitting, and to use the voice that I have on the Internet. Having just made New Year’s resolutions, I know that more than half of the country has claimed the desire to “lose weight,” “be fit,” “be healthy,” and others along the same lines. It is one thing to be healthy, but another to damage your body in attempt to be skinny.

Body image. Acceptance. Happiness. Where do I begin? I could rant for hours about this and probably even write a book about it. But I’ll try to be concise.

From a young age, I was always the athletic child. The one who was competitively swimming, playing travel soccer, and on the school volleyball team. This as until eighth grade. I quit soccer to play volleyball full time. I played everyday of the week. On top of my heavy middle school work load, I was always in the library doing work during lunch periods. As compared to soccer, volleyball was much less intensive and more muscular. I saw great results, so I thought, skipping lunch periods.  I was less stressed, finished my work, and was skinner because I wasn’t eating.

I would go home and binge eat after practice each day. My family didn’t help either. They always mocked me for being “fat” and “ugly” and “a pig.” I believed it all.

Freshman year wasn’t much better. But worse, by the end of the year, I was stressed with finals, and my best friend stopped talking to me. We got in a huge fight and I never slept, always worked out, ate lots of junk food, and didn’t have any meals.

That was the year I was diagnosed with depression.

Since then, I have been promoting healthy eating. But, because of my distorted habits, my digestive system has since been destroyed. I am hypersensitive to gluten, dairy, and meat.

I share this story because I feel that I have a social duty. You are worth it. You are better than this. You are the only one that can feel comfortable in your own skin. Beauty comes fro the things inside and attitudes toward life. Sometimes we need to ignore what the outside world says and defines as “beautiful” because many times, it is fake and not what true happiness stems from.

So here’s to finding our new beautiful in the new year.

Must love, support, and understanding, xo,

Alyssa

(I considered attaching a picture to this post, but thought it would be a bit inappropriate. There may be a few pictures in the coming vacation posts, but today is not the time.)

the key (west) to my heart

First Port of Call: Key West, Florida

Despite still being in the country, Key West was beautiful, and very warm at a whopping 80°F. Its one of those little vacation towns I had heard so much about but never visited. Unlike Miami, it is small, quaint, comfortable, and quiet. I had so long confused it with the bustling night club scene in Miami, but it was quite the opposite (besides the large number of bars and alcoholic beverages everywhere).

The Excursion

As many of you will notice as a theme on this vacation, my family opted for comfortable and relaxing. So with that, we chose a trolley tour around Key West, a small island, and the southern most point of the continental United States. On the island, there were a few resorts, a bunch of bikes (like literally everywhere), bars and high end retail shops, Ernest Hemingway’s estate, and that’s about it.

Our excursion was provided by City View Trolleys.

My Take

For me, I loved the city/town, whatever you may call it. It reminded me very much of my suburban hometown (I make it sound like I’ve moved out, yet I am currently sitting in my house, in my hometown; so I don’t really know what I’m getting at right now). But what really struck and stuck with me was something our tour guide told us: the people of Key West do not like the tourists.

Somewhat secluded from the nation, I was under the impression that many residents would appreciate the tourism boost in the local economies. But from the native resident angle, they are self-reliant and had even tried to declare independence to become a separate country from the United States! Its a tossup, but I’m glad I had the opportunity to visit the beautiful island.

I became slightly obsessed with Key West for a few days. I loved the culture, the care-free attitudes, the biking, the local shops and boutiques, and everything, including the weather and Key Lime Pie.

PICTURES (by far my favorite part)

Post card worthy? I love anything with sand, palm tress, and water, so this was basically paradise

One of my favorite poets of all time. This was a little memorial on the side of the beach for HIV victims.

This was also part of the memorial. I loved the inspirational message to mourn and suffer, but leave the tears into happy memories. What a great new year’s message. And more than anything, the palm trees in the reflection are perfection.

I believe this was a library or museum right outside the first trolley stop. It is seriously so quaint and cute. I can’t describe it. But the clouds, and the trees, and the red paint. It speaks to me.

What a nice day for some sailing on the bluest water!

OOTD: romper from Charlotte Russe, Sperry’s, and aviators from a local boutique.

(Why is this gap space here?! I can’t remove it.)

They really celebrate being the Southernmost Point. So close to Cuba!

I LOVED this with a passion. It was on the pier at the beach.

Famous Key Lime Pie (and it was gluten free)!

Just Southern things. Just Cuba things.

The port. And everything holiday and beautiful, and tropical, and ugh obsession.

Up next: Cayman Islands

a sad ending or a new beginning: my resolutions for 2015

We are at that point of 1 day left of the year and 364 already done. We can see it as a sad ending to a year of what ifs and could haves, but we can also be a little more optimistic. Although I do not necessarily feel this way at this moment, I am going to opt for the optimism.

We have conquered a year; a year of amazing feats and a year of the saddest experiences. But that year is behind us, and all that are left are the memories. We are all together as one, never alone. So lets run into the sunset, into the confetti, and the glitter embellishments that are the new year of two thousand and fifteen.

My Resolutions: To be quite honest, this is difficult for me to write out and share with the world, but I guess it holds me accountable. Disclaimer: some “resolutions” are more like bucket list items, but hey that counts too right?

1. (It’s basic but) Be healthy. Not starving skinny, but fit, toned, and happy and confident with whatever size that may be. No fad diets or starvation, rather staying active, and eating right.
2. Work to be self-motivated. As many of you know, I have struggled with motivation in school, social events, and family. Sometimes with so much technology, I just want to cuddle up with my computer, phone, TV, and some food and watch Netflix rather than study for the hard quiz next week or do my homework.
3. Get into college (if I decide its the right course for me). It is high pressure, but I will be a senior next year, and in addition to graduating, I want to find a future, whatever it may be.
4. Find a job. I peer tutor and intern at a science lab (read about my experience here), but I would love to fid a paying job, just so I have a better sense of what the future could be.
5. Keep a notebook/journal and write in it at least once a day (words, quotes, doodles, anything). How cool would that be?
6. Reach 100 subscribers/followers on my blog. Thank you to everyone who reads and likes and comments on my posts. It means the world that people enjoy reading my thoughts and care what I have to say. I love each and every one of you for that reason.

Comment any other resolutions/bucket lists items you may have down below. Have a safe, but fun New Years Eve. xo.

all aboard (say it in a conductor’s voice)

A cruise is the best way to travel and experience a variety of destinations within a short period of time. Some things in life are meant to be repeated and re-experienced. An unforgettable cruise experience is something that is meant to be experienced endlessly and deeply. Carnival Cruise Lines, complete with its signature red, blue, and white smokestack, has the greatest adventure on the seven high seas. Aboard Carnival Freedom I relaxed and regrouped, some much needed “me time.”

I know its not “cool,” but I am only in high school and the holiday season is meant for family, so with that- I went on vacation with my family. I will admit, during the trip, I did wish I had my friends with me, or even (honestly) a boyfriend, but my family had to make do as my traveling companions. My family traveled down, by JetBlue Airlines, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The weather difference between New York and Florida. Enough said. Our red-eye flight was a tad bit hectic (so I apologize for the lack of photos of any sort from this aspect of travel).

Once we arrived at Fort Lauderdale, we took a little shuttle, provided by Carnival, to the port where our boat was docked. Once again, due to the chaos and security/customs regulations, I was unable to take any quality pictures.

Due to our last minute accommodations and booking, my brother and I were rooming separated from my parents. To say the least, my parents had a much better balcony room and view, while my brother and I were stuck in the hallway, balcony-less and window-less. Nonetheless, we managed to enjoy ourselves.

The Experience

I will admit, I have a slight positive bias for Carnival Cruise Lines. As a gold card member, having been on six total cruises, four total Carnival, one could safely assume that I trust their ability to provide for a relaxing, enjoyable trip. This trip was no different, if not better.

I was weary that a holiday cruise would be crowded and less joyous, but boy was I wrong. The ship was decorated with garland and Christmas trees, lights, and lots of holiday chocolates and eggnog. It was as if Santa and his elves had helped decorate. But fear not, it was not overdone; just the right touch.

The staff and crew were all so thoughtful, jolly, and helpful (as their job is to be). The other passengers were all polite, and had the same intentions and motivations as myself: to enjoy the holiday season away from home.

The Cabin (or “Stateroom” as they called it)

As previously mentioned, my brother and I shared a separate cozy, and semi dark room in the hallway on the eighth floor of the cruise. It was a handicap access room, so the bathroom was roomy, but other than that, not so much But I for sure was not complaining; I rarely spent time in the rooms besides for the purpose of napping or sleeping. The majority of my time was spent on the deck, tanning and reading, or eating the endless buffet of food provided for all guests.

Fine Dining and Casual FOOD

Like any other normal human being, my first expectation was the food. Endless buffets with endless choice.

But my favorite part as by far, the fine dining rooms with the most sincere and genuine staff of waiters and waitresses, catering to every need with a smile on their face. Despite al of my dietary restrictions, the staff and chefs were able to adapt and create delicious gluten free, vegetarian and dairy free foods. Just make sure to send a request ahead of time so that they can prepare.

For the normal eater, there were always basic selections of pastas, chicken, bread, but also exotic delicacies, such as snails, alligator, and frog legs, among other choices.

Going back to more than just the food, the ambiance was amazing. Everyone was patient, genuine in wanting to hear about your day, and they even danced and sang for us!

Itinerary

COMING SOON: Key West, Cayman Islands, Cozumel

Until then, enjoy some pictures. xo.

Make sure to subscribe and stay updated on my trip! Until tomorrow…