fresh.

senior second semester.

2010-01-31T04:08:00.001-08:00

post winter break.

2010-01-06T19:40:00.000-08:00

It's always hard to get back into the "study mode" after a break. Being a senior, post winter break has been quite a drag; it has been quite difficult to motivate myself to get on track. But I am now.

We had two extra days off due to the incredible amount of that coated the roads in Seoul. I was glad, frankly. Yet, it wasn't much fun to be stuck in a bus for four hours with foggy windows.

Now, there are finals coming up soon and all I can do is start studying...it's hard to believe that a semester has passed by already. I guess graduation will come even faster. Bittersweet graduation. Before the sweet second semester, I need to finish first final weeks of this semester. I'm crossing my fingers for this to go smoothly and to soon free myself from all this "final testing stress."

2010.

2010-01-01T17:37:00.000-08:00

2010 is a special year: graduation.
In 2010...
I'll be saying farewell to high school,
I'll be saying hello to college,
I'll be visiting Europe for the first time,
I'll be traveling to Beijing again,
I'll be free from college applications,
But many things are left blank...still,
and there are unpredictable events approaching me.

After all, 2010 will be a good year.
A year of life as eighteen.... (almost the last year as a teenager).

winter break: stream of consciousness

2009-12-21T20:09:00.000-08:00

cold. lazy. unwilling. sleep. twelve. sunrise. tv. a room with a view. spanish literature. college apps. blackberry. scarves. hats. hot coco. holidays. lights. christmas. red and green. no school. excitement. oxymoron. free spirit. time. priceless. family and friends. movies. catching up. endless, i wish. mindless. penguins. icecream cake. cheer workout. reunions.

inbox phobia.

2009-12-06T17:39:00.000-08:00

How many emails do you have in your main inbox? Thousands? Hundreds?
Well, I have five.

I hate it when I log into my account and see a bunch of emails. I hate it when I see spam or ads. I hate it when my emails are categorized. It just simply bugs me.

How can you let your inbox fill up to 23042304230? Does it no bother you?

Yet, having a phobia of excessive mails has its disadvantages. So, yes, I frequently delete my emails and categorize them. I simply assume that some emails are unnecessary. However, it turns out that sometimes, keeping these trivial emails are necessary. Yet, I'm not going to allow my inbox to go over ten mails, at least on the main page. I'll continue to delete what seems unnecessary, but I guess I'l make another category to categorize miscellaneous emails, so I don't have to regret deleting a seeming trivial yet important email.

hungary and korea?

2009-12-06T00:33:00.000-08:00

Who would have ever thought of a Hungarian dance group dancing to k-pop (Korea music)? I sure wouldn't have, but it's true.

In the video above, you can see a dance group looking sharp with leather jackets and simple jeans. Yet, their inspiration wasn't simply from trend, but from Taeyang, a famous Korean singer. Moreover, their dance is choreographed to fit into a song mixed with various contemporary Korean songs. I never thought of Hungarian dancers dancing to Korean beats, but I guess Youtube and other internet sources have done their job in connecting the world together. Although the mix juxtaposes several Korean songs, the Hungarian dancers bring in a unique trait to their dances.

Video via Youtube

what's going on?

2009-12-06T00:25:00.000-08:00

I was scrolling down through my news feed on Facebook and I came across my friend's "schedule" on her Facebook status, which motivated me to write one for myself.

12/9: Basketball game vs. TCIS
12/10: Basketball game vs. GVCS
12/11: Winter Break
12/25: Christmas
1/1: New Years

I still don't seem to have any interesting plans for the holidays, but hopefully something will come up, so I can up date this list.

winning streak.

2009-12-05T04:56:00.000-08:00

Cheerleaders on the sideline.
Basketball players on their ground.
Referees on the line.
Fans creating a sound.

Shoot. Swoosh.
The score goes up,
little by little.
Basketball players play,
harder and harder.
The fans scream louder,
one by one.
Cheerleaders cheer,
louder and louder.

Defense. Offense.
Defense hinders the other team,
blocks their offense.
Offense passes through the other team,
dribbles by their defense.

Effort. Practice. Fans.
Finally pays off.
Friday: first win of the season.
Saturday: first winning streak of the season.

Let it continue, let it be infinite.

Image via Flickr

another farewell.

2009-11-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

It is an end. It is a start.
It is bitter. It is sweet.
A six trip day ends with a brief farewell.
It is an end. It is a start.
It is sad. It is alleviating.
THIMUN Singapore has created countless memories.
It is an end. It is a start.
I can't go back. I can go back.
Goodbye THIMUN,but Singapore will be still there.
It won't be the same. It will be there.

Second THIMUN. Final THIMUN.
Thank you for the memories.
Thank you for the opportunities.
The conference has adjourned,
The memories will last.

(THIMUN Singapore: Model UN conference held in Singapore)

discovery.

2009-11-22T07:32:00.000-08:00

Recently, I've been on www.cnn.com quite often. The webpage has a convenient layout: a for top stories, latest news, highlights, and such. Personally, I click on the stories at the very top of the page and that have a photo accompanying the writing. This habit probably is applicable to countless people who read CNN or even other publication websites. Yet, there is a more psychological trend.

Reporters write. Reporters want their stories to be read. Reporters seek for a way to captivate the readers.
Readers read. Readers click on the full stories of some articles. Readers search for a key word to decide.

Evidently, this is a cliche. Society knows, we know that we all seek for the key word. As a reader, I refuse to read the full stories of all the headlines so I search for a word-an extreme one-that instantly captivates me. And it is this word that psychologically impacts my mind. Unconsciously, it drives my right index finger to "click." At first, I didn't see a pattern, but now I do. I looked back at all the articles I decided to read more profoundly or completely. It isn't surprising to many the fact that many of these articles had to do with massive killings and murders. Don't get me wrong, I am not interested in death or anything of that nature. However, the words that associate with death are strong. They can't be easily glided over.

I personally get concerned and even get goosebumps while reading these articles; some are typical, but some are outrageous. Either way, the key words that these reporters choose when submitting the headline my psychology. It is the key word that drives my mind to read such concerning and even horrifying articles.

Discovery: More than the main writing, it's the keywords that determine the popularity of the article.

Image via Xanga.com

the new style: it's the old style.

2009-11-09T21:24:00.000-08:00

Look around. Open a magazine. Turn on the TV. Surf the Internet.

Sequin. Studs. Tie dye. Old school's back.

Look around: girls are crazy to put on the "in" style, so they
Open a magazine: where the hottest celebs are dressed in sequined dresses, studded jackets, and tie dye shirts.
Turn on the TV: what's the new style? The 80s.
Surf the internet: and countless fashion brands have clothes that embrace the shining sequins, stylish studs, and trendy tie dye.

Either way, the three styles are eye-catching and it makes the person wearing it stand out. It adds a little fun to an elegant dress, a simple shirt, a plain bag, and just another denim.

Why do the past styles keep coming back? Is it due to lack of innovation? A appreciation for the past? A cycle in fashion?

image via Flickr

seoulite.

2009-11-07T18:57:00.000-08:00

SEOULITE: Model UN Press for SEOMUN (MUN in Seoul).

It was frustrating. It was confusing. It was nerve wrecking. It was lonely.

It wasn't my first time being on MUN press. Yet, this one was different- very different. The press is hosted by Seoul International School; hence, majority of the people in the group are from SIS. Starting from the preconference issue, which is the issue that is created before the conference even starts, it was hard to communicate with the editors as they were from a different school and Gmail was the only way to talk with them. They were, for sure, benign people. However, communicating through Gmail wasn't to convenient. Moreover, it left me dazed and frustrated. It wasn't anybody's fault, but the situation itself just thwarted me.

After the preconference came the actual issue. At that time, we were at SEOMUN, the actual conference. We were in a press room. There, we met everybody in the press and we no longer had to email back and forth, while waiting for a reply. It was alleviating to be able to talk to them directly. The first day, however, was nerve wrecking. First day of conference, two other girls from my school and I walked into the press room. It was frightening. We barely knew anybody. We felt alienated. We didn't know what to do. The editors welcomed us, but for some reason, we still felt secluded. We mostly talked amongst ourselves and formed a little corner for us three.At one point, we were somewhat disappointed that we couldn't approach the others easily. And to myself, I wondered, "Will the conference end like this? Without getting to know anybody?"

Well, the conference did end in a status quo. Nothing much changed from the first day. BUT, at the press luncheon, thins changed. My school girls and I evidently sat together, but surrounding us were SIS press members and the editors. They wanted to comfort us, so they started a casual conversation and it lead to something more profound. We started making connections and the "ice wall" had melted instantaneously. It was pleasant. We finally stepped into the circle of the rest of the press; the people were fun and amiable. The worst part though was the fact that it was over. The best part was the fact that we had created new friends.

via SEOMUN.org

a little boy in a hot air balloon?

2009-10-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I was going through the headlines on CNN and I came across a intriguing headline. It was about a boy and a hot air balloon. At first, I thought the boy was in the hot air balloon and then fell out of it, but later, there was another article about the boy that proved me wrong. The boy was actually hiding in a attic in his house. Then, I wondered, why didn't he come out when his parents were eagerly looking for him?

Let me recap the situation or the story. A little boy,Falcon, who is now referred to as the "balloon boy" after this incident was last seen by his brother, boarding a hot air balloon created by his parents. The balloon went up high and for quite a while. At first, people suspected the boy to be in the balloon. However, when the balloon landed, the boy was missing. Appalled by the situation, the boy's parents were hysterical and looked for the boy everywhere. Yet, he was nowhere to be found. Hence, some people assumed he was dead or had fallen off somewhere. It was a big deal. It was a headline on CNN. It was shocking to all. Fortunately, the boy was safe in his attic. He ignored his parents when they were looking for him. Now, countless questions are being raised about this event as a whole. Why?WHY? And why?

I am unsure about this situation. In the latest article I read about this situation involved cops and mass media. Some people are saying all this trouble was a hoax. Yet, it doesn't make sense to me why the parents would make a joke out of such a perilous incident. Moreover, why would they publicize their family in such a negative way? It simply makes no sense. The case, however, still remains a enigma. We won't know for sure until investigations are completed, but here's an addition to the puzzle: "You guys said we did this for the show," said Falcon on an interview.

via CNN

how to succeed in life?

2009-09-28T08:42:00.001-07:00

via FFFFOUND!

coin laundry.

2009-09-24T06:53:00.000-07:00

Hi my name is Yura. I am currently living life as a seventeen year old. Life isn't too bad. I see some exciting things happening soon, really soon. This post is about me. Solely about me. So here it goes. During summer break, I went to Brown University for a summer camp, which lasted three weeks. This meant that I had to do my own laundry. It was my first time; first time in seventeen years. It was somewhat nerve-wrecking I must admit. Honestly, I really do care about my clothes. More like, I treasure them, so my only, "ONLY" concern was, "WHAT IF I RUIN MY CLOTHES?" I really would have shed some tears if the coin laundry did not cooperate with me. BUT, fortunately it did. To tell you the truth, I cheated. I made a friend, who had more experience than me in laundry, help me start the washing machine. Coin laundry, after all, was pretty efficient. It kept my clothes clean for three weeks.

juxtapose.

2009-09-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

It's surprising how when you put two dissimilar things together, they somehow manage to go together. The picture that accompanies this post is a picture of a street in Manhattan. Do you see anything in peculiar? Perhaps, my friend's face on the billboards of Pepsi commercial. Plus, the star shaped camera lens and the wild orange flower (which I found at my school). These items do not go together. They are juxtaposed into one picture, but have no interrelations. You may ask why I did this and here's my answer: FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY. Yes, I actually took all the pictures in this picture. The theme was surrealism. I'd say this frame is pretty surreal. The best aspect about surrealism is that totally unrelated things oddly go together. Moreover, they complement each other. It's is eccentric to see stars during the day. BUT, it's even more eccentric that the stars are camera lenses. I mean, frankly, what're the chances? YET, if you look at this picture, for some reason, it is an amalgam of objects that match, although they don't. So my point is, surrealism is an OXYMORON. MEANING, it derives its ingredients from distinct sources, but the final frame is cohesive.

it's up to you.

2009-09-17T05:04:00.000-07:00

In my AP Literature class, we have been having countless discussions about numerous short stories. Every time I read each of these short stories, I am determined that I interpreted the story exactly the way the author intended the reader to do so. However, when I step into the "literature circle," I become uncertain about the determination I had the night before.

As the discussions start, everyone starts actively participating. They clearly state the way they understood the story and there are others who agree. On the other hand, there are some people who disagree. Although we aren't refuting over what interpretation is right, we are trying to convince other students that one perception is better than the other. I, however, came to realize that there is no right answer. The author's intention is unknown. It's simply up to us to decide the meaning of the story. Symbols, point of view, metaphors, and other literary devices decorate the story. Yet, the way they are deciphered varies from one to another.

Although books seem rigidly structured and composed, it's actually flexible. Books give us hints and we utilize them to completely understand a story. It's simply intriguing to hear other students' perceptions of the stories. In a way, it broadens the way I view the book or even the world. It gives me insight into things I have never thought of.

I think I like literature more than math or science because it's indulgent. It allows me to put my characteristics into studying. It has no definite right or wrong answer. It's simply up to me to decide on what is correct and what isn't. I can pick the direction I want to take.

macro effect.

2009-09-06T22:16:00.000-07:00

FOCUS. I need to focus. Deadlines are around the corner, but distractions are right beside me. I need to learn or teach myself to blur out the rest and emphasize my focus- like the camera effect, macro. Blur the distractions and focus on the subject is the objective that should be attained when applying macro effect when taking pictures. HENCE, I will (hopefully) apply the macro effect in my life.

dazed and confused.

2009-08-31T03:35:00.000-07:00

I frankly enjoy writing blogs. Yet, I can't seem to find a definite way to characterize my blog. It is embraces numerous topics and I can't help, but wonder if I should concentrate my blog on a specific topic. The problem is the fact that I am intrigued by countless aspects in life; therefore, I have an urge to write about them all. I refuse to rigidly structure my blog as I define it as my "free space," but a little bit of concentration would help my blog be more substantiated. This is a dilemma. BUT but, if I do decide to structure my blog rather rigidly and create a focus, I would have to delete several posts from the past, which I do not want to. ON THE OTHER HAND, if I do have a focus, I could attract more readers and broaden my network.

Any suggestions?

will it ever stop?

2009-08-24T04:18:00.000-07:00

As I was surfing around looking for blogs about politics and international relations, I came across a blog. the first article I see on the page was about the deaths of 95 people in Baghdad. Even before reading the article, I thought to myself, "not again."

Baghdad seems to be the "hot spot" for terrorist attacks and violent bombings. There are countless motivations for such vicious happenings. The explanations behind them include rage at the Westerners, religious differences, and political disparities. It is evidently inevitable to satiate a nation as a whole. However, Iraq isn't the only nation that faces problems. Yet, why is it that the bombings never seem to seize in this nation? Why is violence always the key to the issue? After all, violence kindles more violence.

I sit in front of my computer dazed. I wonder, when will it ever stop? Or can it ever stop?

i got your back.

2009-08-22T03:22:00.000-07:00

surprise surprise.

69 people becoming united into a single group. really? is that possible?

i would of answered no until yesterday. however, now, my answer is YES. yes. YES!

at the beginning of the trip, too many us wished we stayed home. we were not too excited about our senior retreat. too many of us didn't like the small groups because they had no friends in their groups. yet, they managed to get through. actually, no. they managed to have fun. they managed to be friends.

class of 2010. externally, we look somewhat united, but it wasn't until yesterday we actually became one. yesterday was a time in the woods. we didn't even know where we were. we were apart from out comfort zone. we were away from home. we only had each other.

at first, it was awkward and simply tiring. however, we went to enjoy the sun and go through a ropes course. it wasn't exactly what we expected. the results weren't exactly planned. the games required group work. we had to go over and beyond, support each other, cheer each other on, and at times, hug each other. it was something we had never done before. however, one thing was for sure, we were interconnected. we didn't care anymore who are friends were. we just talked to anybody and got along with anybody. we simply had fun. now, we can truly say, we are the class of 2010- we are united.

via Jessica Yun

first week as a senior.

2009-08-15T00:56:00.000-07:00

not so much of what i expected. so at the end of last week, i was terrified to go to school as a "senior," but after all, nothing's different. indeed, we look taller, bigger, and older than the new freshmen class. yet, everything is still the same old same old. probably because it was only the first week. maybe that's why i wasn't overwhelmed with a pile of homework. also, i haven't had my usually all nighters YET. emphasis on the three letters: Y-E-T.

i think little homework is having an adverse effect on me though. why? because it won't help me snap out of what i call "summer mode." i feel so alleviated still. i enjoy my "doing nothing" hours still. i should be APP-ing and SAT studying, but i take too much time off for myself. in a way, it might be good to store some energy for the future all nighters, which might start on monday, tuesday, or anytime soon. well, it feels good to be a senior (for now). it's still surreal to me that this is my last year LAST year as a high school student.

summer at brown.

2009-08-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

the last summer as a high school student is supposed to be efficient. efficient meaning studying diligently. however, i chose to attend a summer program at brown university. it was an academic camp, but more a place to socialize and take a break from the usuals. at first, i though it'd be a humdrum experience, but i was 100% wrong. living in korea, there are countless pressures to study the whole break and purely concentrate on college application. frankly, i was worried that i was using half of my precious time at an academic camp. however, it was worth it.

of course, i did not spend three weeks studying and preparing for college (at least in an academic sense). yet, i found more about myself and learned a lot about college life than i would have staring at a book. through out sophomore and junior year, i felt as if i lost myself. i felt like i just went with the"flow" on everything and just veiled my true personality. but at brown, it was down to earth time. no worries about criticism. no worries about studying. it was an ideal time- filled with relaxation and fun.

it may be that the camp did not help me THAT much on academics, but it did help me become a better person. it encouraged me to study diligently and most importantly helped me be myself 24/7.

at the moment.

2009-07-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

at the moment, i fear the end of summer. the end of summer is around the corner. more cumbersome than the termination of this break is the beginning of my last year in high school. i'll be a senior. i thought i would be overly excited and elated, YET, i am far from that. i am rather concerned and stressed.

elephants.

2009-04-12T05:08:00.001-07:00

Elephants have been known to die of broken hearts if a mate dies. They refuse to eat and will lay down, shedding tears until they starve to death. They refuse all human help.

via Flickr.com

oxygen please?

2009-03-22T05:13:00.000-07:00

When oxygen becomes depleted in one's lungs, desperation and fear fill one's brain.
Breathing in and out, slowly and attentively- she tries to make herself feel better.
However, oxygen won't help out. She's stuck.
Soon, she loses focus and motivation.
Then, she finds herself sitting in front of a computer.
She surfs the net. She chats with friends.
Hoping that talking with somebody will help.
So, then, she goes on explaining why she's so out of place.
However, she cannot find the answer.
Worried, her friends try to help her.
She feels 1% better, but something is still wrong.
Oxygen comes in and out of her body.
Yet, she feels oxygen depleted.
She tries to handle this situation.
So she comes and writes a blog, hoping it'll be the oxygen mask.
Her blog seems to be her alleviator.
It brings her back to her happy state- her normal state.
Her blog is the "cure-all" medicine.
At times, she worries that her blog will be filled with "emo" content.
But, at the end, she knows that she is an elated person- most of the time.
Her blog is just a simple resource of help.
For anyone who is reading this, don't worry. She's fine.
Junior year is stressful and sometimes, it brings her down.
Most of the times,however, she's fine. Satiated with her life.
NONETHELESS, she is a human that at times, breaks down.
And for her, blogging is the best remedy.

THE END- ps. it's all good now. ALLEVIATED.

via Flickr.com

asian drama stereotypes.

2009-02-12T17:15:00.000-08:00

Many Asian dramas have very similar patterns. For Asian Studies class last year, my group and I worked on a video called "Asian Drama Stereotypes." The video is just based on Korean drama stereotypes. You'd be surprised how repetitive these patterns are.