Summer Vacation, Japan Trip, Part 2

Part 2 - Kyoto

Sorry for the late update, but there wasn't good wifi, so I'm posting this after the vacation.

After Osaka, we took a train to Kyoto 
(which is basically 30 minutes away).

I heard a lot about Kyoto being the heart of Japan's culture and traditions. We were extremely fortunate to arrive during the 'Gion Matsuri' festival, which is one of the biggest festivals in Japan.

During this festival, there is a huge parade, with floats decorated with lanterns. Everyone wears Kimonos.

The floats were decorated and ready to be paraded along the streets of Kyoto.

We then visited the ancient capital of Japan: Nara. 

Nara is known for it's three famous temples and parks. Something that's special about Nara, is the deer. After World War 2 - the government set free a lot of deer in the park. They roam around everywhere! 

The Todaiji temple, a five story pagoda and the Nara park filled with deer.

Next, we explored a street that had been preserved since historical times and saw a famous temple. Everything was extremely pretty. It felt we were in a different world altogether.

Famous temples in Kyoto and a few shops in the street we explored. 

We stayed in Kyoto for three days and I can say that it was an extremely cultural and spiritual experience. We headed to Tokyo next - by bullet train. 

The train station and the railroad.

Summer Vacation, Japan Trip - Part 1

Part 1 - Osaka

This summer, my family and I went on vacation to Japan (though, I technically can't say we went, because I'm in Japan as I'm writing this blog post). So, I decided to write about what we did in each place and all of my must-see places here. 

1) Osaka Castle
One of the most famous castles in Japan. It's located in a park and rises over five stories high. It overlooks the city. Inside the castle, there are a few exhibits about it and Osaka itself. 

These are some of the pictures I took on my phone. From left to right: Osaka castle, The view from the top of the castle and a close up of the castle.

2) Shitenno-ji Temple
This temple is located next to Tennoji park (a massive park with a zoo and a bonsai garden) and is really beautiful. Its a temple complex consisting of a couple of buildings and a park. 

A few pictures of the temple complex and the various buildings.

3) Tennoji Park
I mentioned this before, but it's a really nice park. It's super pretty, and has a few attractions, like the zoo and a bonsai garden with a little lake. The park is also located in a popular area with lots of shopping and restaurants around it. 

A couple of pictures of the flowers and the bonsai garden. 

4) Harukas 300
Is the tallest building in Osaka, which is over 200 meters high. It has a 14 story departmental store at the bottom and an observatory on the 60th floor. This is where you can see the whole of Osaka's city skyline. 

The city skyline of Osaka from the observatory.  

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The End of G7, Summer Reading and The Fault in Our Stars

I feel like there is a lot to catch up on, starting with: THE END OF SCHOOL! Yayy

I am so glad that school is finally over. The past few weeks have been stressful. This bit might be a bit late to acknowledge it, but still. 

Grade 7 was one of the best years ever! I really liked my mentor group and felt that we were really close and comfortable with each other. My teachers were amazing, and I actually learnt quite a bit. 

Now that we are done with Grade 7, it's summer! *gets ready to rant about everything*

Let's start off by saying: summer starts off with everyone being super enthusiastic about it. You can practically feel the excitement. But about a week into it, there's one word to describe it. Boring. Okay, not for everyone - but for people like me who don't have a social life. (i'm socially awkward. woohoo)

This is the reality though. So, I decided to fill my time by reading books, watching movies, blogging and catching up on TV shows while eating a lot of food. Starting off with books: I went ahead and made a summer reading list. I am currently reading: 'I Am the Messenger' by Markus Zusak. I chose this book, because Markus Zusak also wrote 'The Book Thief' which we read in class. 

Once I finish this, I am planning on reading 'The Catcher in the Rye' or '172 Hours on the Moon'. 

Next: Watching movies. So far, I've already seen 'Maleficent' and today I watched 'The Fault in Our Stars'. I loved both movies. I cried a lot during 'The Fault in Our Stars'. It was so sad! It's probably on my list for the best movies ever. 

But, coming back to summer, I am travelling to Japan in a week and I'm super excited! So, I hope whoever is reading this has a great summer! I will try and blog since I have nothing else to do. 

My current favourites - Maleficent, TFIOS and I Am the Messenger 

Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant.

Yes, I'm doing this.

I have now finished the Divergent trilogy (yay). Altogether, I actually enjoyed the books quite a bit, but I liked the first one the best. Here's what I thought about each book.

Divergent: 
Action-packed. Definitely, it was very plot based and moved along really fast. In the background, Tris had sort of an inner voice that would respond to each situation differently. I found this really interesting because I read a lot of plot based books, but giving that inner voice made me think about the character's perspective as well. All in all, the idea was really interesting and I found the book amazing.

Insurgent: 
Disappointment. This was what this book was for me. It was quite boring. They start off in the Amity compound, and for about ten chapters, the author described their lifestyle in the area before they escaped somewhere else. I found the book very dull and lifeless. The only page turning bit was near the end (I'm literally talking about the last 50 pages or so). So far, this book was not my favourite. 

Allegiant:
Interesting-ish. I guess I could say. This book was where they revealed everything about their city and why it was in the state it was in. It had a lot to do with genetics and the obsession over genetic purity. I found it interesting, but the author didn't portray a rebellion, but more of small acts defying the government. I think she could have described it better. The ending was a big let-down for me, and I think that the people who have read it would understand. But yes, it wasn't too bad. 

To sum it up, I didn't mind the trilogy. It was quite eventful and interesting. If you haven't read it yet, I would recommend it, but not as one of the best trilogy's that I have read. 

Bloggers Block - Ranting.

I feel like this post is overdue. I have had a lot of homework, but that's not the reason that I haven't been blogging. I just couldn't think of what to write. It's a case of bloggers block. I hate this. 

Okay, since I couldn't think of anything to write about, prepare to hear me rant about the insignificant (maybe, maybe not) things that have been happening in my life. 

First off, is it just me or has the homework just suddenly increased? At least once a day in school, I slump down in my chair and say that I want to sleep. I can just think of things that are due or coming up. My humanities essay, a spanish test next week, a science test next week and much more. I even have a music performance tomorrow, which I am dreading since my group abandoned me to sing alone in front of the class. Thanks guys *cough* Trisha and Florence *cough*. 

I also feel that we are so caught up in doing this stuff, we have forgotten to notice the beautiful things around us. This also applies to BTC in which my group is doing an action project about spending time in nature. But more about that next time.

Over spring break, I went on vacation to Koh Samui. If you haven't heard of it, go search it up. Google is here for a reason. Anyways. It's one of the prettiest places I have been to - and I mean everything about it. My parents and I were walking down to dinner when I noticed that the sky looked amazing. For a moment, I just stood there and looked up. It felt as if I was frozen in time. The picture I took is below. I swear that there isn't a filter on it. 

Sorry about the disjointed and random post, but there you are. 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 29, 30 and 31

Day 29 - Are you a lefty or a righty?
I am right handed. Okay, that was a super short answer, so I'm going to do day 30 as well. 

Day 30 - What's something not many know?
I don't really understand this prompt, but I don't think a lot of people understand or know the consequences they have on other people. Someone may say something and think it doesn't affect anyone, but in reality it does - and I think we need to realise this. 

Day 31 - My favourite hobbies and ways to spend my down time?
Yay - I'm on the last day of my blogging challenge that was supposed to last a month, but I started it in August? I don't even remember, so the last day - here goes. 

1) Listening to music
2) Reading
3) Writing
4) Going on my laptop and doing random stuff
5) Blogging

And, we're done! I'm so proud of myself, I mean I procrastinated so much! 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 27 and 28

We're getting closer to the end! Anyways..

Day 27 - Something I Miss
Something I miss is, the freedom to be myself. I know it sounds weird, but the moment you enter Middle School, it feels like that freedom is taken away from you. You can either be the "perfect" stereotypical person or no one at all. It feels like the minute I am myself, I can feel people judging me from everywhere. Even the people I know really well. Well, I guess that's the thing with middle school.

Day 28 - Top 5 Moments in Your Life
I feel really productive today so I'm going to do day 28 as well.

1) My first piano recital. I was around seven or eight. I was absolutely terrified. My mum convinced me to fit into a floor length dress that looked horrifying on me. I was so nervous that I slipped and fell on the way to the piano. Everyone was laughing, and I was performing to a crowd of 300 people. I made it through my performance without messing up and I was really happy.

Oh god I can't think of anything else. I think I will leave that at that. My mind just blanked out for a second. Sorry. 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 25 and 26

I haven't been blogging for a while now. Oops. Again. Anyways, I said I would finish this challenge around six months ago. Another mistake on my part. I'm going to try my best to get through the nest few ones. To make up for not blogging, I did two days in one. 

Day 25 - My Favourite Recipe/Comfort Food
Cookie dough. Oh my god, it's the best thing in the world. Especially with ice-cream. I don't really make it, but I found a recipe online if anyone would like to. It's really simple, here's the link: 

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Edible-Cookie-Dough

Day 26 - Share: A Difficult Time in Your Life
There are loads, but the most difficult was when I was leaving India. Before I came to Singapore. It was strange but I kept falling sick, getting hurt and losing friends. All at once. I was only nine but it was hard. I have asthma, and I find it difficult to breathe a lot of the time. Someone might think that once I take the medicine, it's okay - but for severe cases of asthma, it's difficult to breathe a lot of the time. In India, I didn't have a lot of interest in sports and this was hard. In academics, I was fine. But the minute I stepped on the sports field, I was pushed to the back. My friends started to ignore me as well. The people in my class would make me the goal keeper (in football) on purpose and would kick the ball into my face. It wasn't nice. On top of that, India's weather didn't suit me and I was constantly wheezing. I was almost glad that I was leaving and here I am. 

Okay, there you are. I'm trying to (for real this time) finish this challenge. 

The Stories We Love - Themes

Throughout time, we know that we have learnt a lot, developed and evolved but I don't think we actually have learnt the basics about life. Why do we always write about or create movies based on themes that have been repeating themselves for years. these usually end up to be: love, family, drama, mystery, and so on. What I think is that these topics are so broad and very relatable that makes them really easy to work with. The themes are often about life and being human - I think this is because we don't fully understand the potential of these things in our life. This potential is experimented with in ways which we see today like movies, books or songs even. 

Why do we pick these themes out of all of them. I think it's because they can be seen through many different perspectives. Theme gives us the opportunity of forming our opinions based on how we look at something. The most common themes are the ones that can be seen through a lot of perspectives. As humans, we are given the flexibility of how we can look at something. 

I think that we have treated these themes like an experiment. We want to see how many ways one theme can go. We are curious about what anything could lead to and want to try it out. Today, these different 'experiments' are conducted through media. Since these similar themes are what we have experimented with for years, we didn't want to change them and have stuck with them. Humans want to see the same themes again because they are familiar and don't make you think in another way. It's a reassurance. To me, this is what is behind the stories we love. 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 24

Day 24 - Three things, two true - one false

1) I've had asthma since I was 9 months old.
2) I used to have three pet fish but they died in 2 months. 
3) In total, I have 42 stitches on my face. 

Quantities matter by the way. Here's where you come in - figure out which ones are true and which one is false. Leave your answer in a comment below! 

It Sucks Doesn't it? Feeling Like You're Second Choice...

Feeling like you're the second choice. Everyone has been through it at some point and so have I. I wanted to bring this up because I was thinking about middle school in general; and no matter how much people can sugarcoat it or make it seem amazing, it's just not. 

Of course it sucks. I feel it all the time. I know that I have my amazing friends who are always there for me, but I don't feel like that with them. But I feel like that when I'm surrounded by people who I don't even care about, but my brain automatically goes into a stage where I want to partner up with them. No matter how hard I try to shut it out, I feel like I shut myself out instead. I shut myself out of what's going on around me instead of facing it. I'm not going to lie: I feel like I have been ripped apart by my own sadness, ripped apart because I used to feel that no one liked me. I used to care too much about what others thought of me instead of surrounding myself with positive things. 

There was a time when I thought too much of the things around me and analysed everything too much. I would dwell on that little thought or action that made me sad for days and end up curling up in my bed and crying everyday. There was a time when I used to be negative all the time that it led me to being mute. Wouldn't talk for months even. Observing, I would try and convince myself that it was. People just assumed I was shy, but I wasn't. My 'friends' were nice, but never there for me. They would treat me like I was one of them until we had to partner up for something. They would go with each other. I used to feel isolated, alienated from others. I had to go with the last person left - the leftover. I pretended I didn't mind and always went back. They would ignore me unless they needed me and shut me out every time I tried to talk. 

I found that this was actually indirect bullying and even though I don't talk about it - I know what it feels like. I know what it feels like to be the second choice, the ignored person, the least valued person in the class. I knew I had to change but I didn't know how. I was stuck in this routine and I couldn't pull myself out of it, but I had to try. I talked to them and I guess it's better now. I found new friends that mattered to me and cared about who I was. I didn't have to act normal - I could be myself. I surrounded myself with positive people who helped my scars fade. I slowly grew out of my mentality about caring what others think, and even though I'm still insecure about things, I know how to deal with it. I'm human - I couldn't be perfect, but I could be happy. 

This was a hard post to write because I didn't want to talk about this time of my life, but I had to get it out. 

What this taught me was to stop caring. Because the less you care, the happier you are going to be. 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 22 and 23

Day 22 - What do you want to do for a living? 

Yes, I guess I already answered the question but I'll take it from a different perspective. When I earn a living, I want to have fun while doing it. Not just a 9-5 desk job that involves numbers and presentations. I feel like I want to do something I'm passionate about and make a difference in our world. My mum is one of my role models because she gives back to the society. She is funding two night schools in India and we are sponsoring two girls' education. 

So since this was a short post, I decided to do day 23 as well. To make me seem more productive and I'm really happy that I'm getting closer and closer to finishing this challenge. 

Day 23 - What's your schedule like?

My schedule: Eat, sleep, do homework, repeat. Kidding: 

Wake up: I try to wake up at around 6, but it ends up being 6:30 and I rush to the bus every morning. 
Eat breakfast: What is this? I literally don't have time to eat anything in the morning. 
Go to school: School, I feel differently about it on different days, but yeah I go to school. 
Basketball: On some days I have basketball practice and other days I have piano or tennis. 
Homework: I do homework. 
Procrastinate: A big part of my day. I think it's really important. 
Eat dinner: Yeah, I eat dinner. 
Wash my face.
Go to sleep. 
Repeat

Oh god, my schedule is really boring. 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 21

Day 21 - Memories: Where have you lived?

This was originally, 'Where have you travelled?', but I have travelled quite a lot. So it's now, ''Where have you lived?'

I have lived in a few places. I was born in India - Gurgaon (a small town next to Delhi). I lived there for about a year. Right after - my dad got a job transfer to Switzerland. Everything was new to us. Even though I don't remember much, we went through a lot since it was our first time abroad. We had to get used to *everything*. I remember growing up there in a little suburb in Zurich called oberengstringen. There wasn't much there, but I loved it. The snow, picturesque every time. Me stomping on it trying to make it imperfect, the way I liked it. I would play in the snow every day until it was the few months of summer. The quaint town and the small supermarkets. It was so pretty - I thought I would never leave. Until I did. 

I moved back to India when I was five. Back to Gurgaon. This was where I made some of my friends who are still my friends to this day. It was hard - picturesque to pollution, snow to dust. But I loved it all the same. My friends and I would play with each other everyday and it was easier to settle in. I met people who were like and we would talk for what seemed like forever. Once again, I thought I would never leave. Until I did - again. I moved to Singapore this time. 

I moved here. I was so sad that I was mute for a few months. It was one of the hardest times of my life. But I got over that. Singapore instantly clicked with me, my health, my friends, the house. I don't know where I'm going next, but I can't wait. 

That, was a really long post. I feel productive now. ^_^

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 20

Day 20 - Something you are trying to figure out

Oh gosh, I haven't done this challenge in a while. So here we are: Day 20. 

Something I have been trying to figure out is, why people aren't aware. Why people are so caught up in their own lives, their own struggles, hardships and challenges, that they aren't aware of what's around them. I can tell you, by personal experience that I'm not aware half the time about what's around me and the consequences my actions have. I could be sarcastic and laugh about something at someone else's expense, but I wouldn't know that they would have felt bad about it, because I don't realise. Whereas when someone does that to me, I spend hours dwelling on every word as if it were echoing through my brain. Awareness can be about anything though - the environment, the people around us, global issues, anything. 

Another thing I'm trying to figure out is how to make a pentagon using a compass. Ehem (I am AMAZING at math okay?). 

The Music Challenge - Day 1

Day 1 - Your Favourite Song

So, I decided to start early with this challenge. Here is a little introduction that you may or may not read. Music is my life - literally, I've grown up with it, and everyone has in a way. I have played the piano for 9 years now and ever since I was a little girl, music would be the way I escaped into my own dream world. This is the challenge I started to express my love for music and here is (one of my) favourite songs: Dark Horse.

WARNING: I'm not a professional singer and I'm not trained either, so I'm sorry if it's not the best cover. 

Sorry for the boring background - I didn't want to have me singing in front of everyone, because that's just weird, I mean I would look weird. 

Hope you guys enjoyed, and leave a comment below! 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 19 + A Short Note

Day 19 - 20 Facts About Yourself

It's getting closer and closer to the end! So here you are: 20 facts about me. 

1. I love music
2. I love fashion
3. My favourite colours are aqua blue, purple and gold. 
4. My dream is to record and album and become famous. 
5. I like chocolate. 
6. I love candy. 
7. I love to sing. 
8. I'm an only child. 
9. I don't have any pets, but I really want one. 
10. I used to have fish, but they died in a week. oops
11. I love taking selfies. 
12. I try to be organised. 
13. I'm weird. #weirdandproud
14. Most of the time I end up acting like an idiot. 
15. I'm very sarcastic. 
16. My birthday is on the same day as Justin Bieber (ew) and Kesha. 
17. I'm good at giving advice. 
18. I have asthma. 
19. I like to design things. 
20. Finally - my name is Anvita. 

Yay! I'm getting closer to the end of this challenge. A few more days to go! 

A Short Note: 

About the music challenge I was starting - I'm wondering if I should start now, or start once this challenge is over. I feel like it could be a bit too much for me, but I'm really excited. What do you think? Comment below!

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 18

Day 18 - Your Favourite Childhood Books

This is an interesting one. I used to love to read when I was small. I would read everyday for as long as I could getting absorbed into the world of fantasy and magic (I used to read Rainbow Magic. Don't judge me). My favourite books would be:

1. The Disney Collection: I used to love Disney stories. They were full of fun, adventure and magic. I had a book filled with every Disney story there used to be. My favourite by far is: Peter Pan. The upside with these stories was that I could flip through them whenever I wanted to since they were filled with short stories. 
2. Secret Seven: I started reading Enid Blyton when I was in 2nd grade and I absolutely loved it! The adventure and the secret club. My friends and I tried to do the same, but the only difference was: we lived in a condominium where everyone could see what we were doing and there was no 'cases' to solve and we weren't surrounded by the thrill of finding clues and experiencing suspense. 
3. Famous Five: Another Enid Blyton series. These were slightly longer and more adventurous. I would say the same about them as Secret Seven, except I read this in 3rd grade. Another thing that I loved about Enid Blyton's writing that it was so familiar, I wouldn't read anything else. 
4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: I absolutely love this book. I have nothing more to say. Kidding, I really love how I can just see my dream world come to life in this factory. I hoped is was real, asking my parents every day if I could visit. My dreams were crushed when I realised it wasn't there. But I really love this book a lot! 

That's it! What are your favourite books from your childhood? Comment below! :)

The Music Challenge!

I am really passionate about music and my friend just inspired me to start a challenge about it. I found one and I am going to start it soon. Even though it isn't blogging, I would love to share my music with an explanation about why it's important to me. 

Here it is: 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 17

Day 17 - Where would you like to work? 

This prompt was originally, 'Where do you work' but, I don't work anywhere, yet. My dream job would be to record an album and become famous. That, is probably not going to happen. My second option would be to work at Google, partly because their office is so cool, and I really share their thoughts on creativity. My last and something that sounds really fun to do work place would be to go into luxury retail. For those people who have no clue what I'm talking about, luxury retail is when you work for a high end fashion brand. I have loved fashion since I was a little girl, and would love to follow my passion. 

What is your dream job? Comment below! 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 16

I'm sorry for not doing the blogging challenge for a while, but I was out of town for that past few days!

Day 16 - What are the three things that you want to do but haven't done yet? 

1. Visit Greece: Every since I read the Percy Jackson series, I have really wanted to go to Greece. Every postcard I've looked at has a beautiful beach with crystal clear water and sand the colour of cake batter. I really hope that I can visit soon and be one of the people who takes pictures at the Parthenon and tries to cook Mediterranean food. Greece really fascinates me, it's culture and it's history (yes, it sounds weird but I like it). 
2. Start Another Blog Dedicated to Fashion and Lifestyle: Yes, this is a weird one. But I'm weird and everyone knows that. I love fashion and spotting trends that happen every season. I started a fashion look book - cutting out pictures from magazines and trying to see what's going on in the fashion industry. It's girly, fun and silly and it helps me calm down. It's kind of like my sanctuary where I can do whatever I want without worrying about anything else. I would love to start a blog and talk about what I'm passionate about. 
3. Skydiving: It sounds exciting. Even though I might be plunging to my possible death, I would love to feel the thrill. Some of my friends have gone skydiving but haven't told me anything. The most exciting thing that I've done in my life is ride a few roller coasters and take the wrong bus. My life needs adventure, and no I don't think adventure classifies as running across Orchard road to find an MRT station. 

That pretty much sums that up. What are things that you want to do but haven't done yet? Comment below! 

Birthday Surprises.

A few days ago was my birthday! On the 1st of March. So first things first, it's on the same day as Justin Bieber, and as many fans of JB may like this. I don't. Okay, so now that's out of the way, I just wanted to say that I had an amazing weekend and thanks to all my friends and family for making it the best two days of my life (so far). 

On Saturday, my parents got me a few presents. One of them was an iPhone 4 case. I admit, I was a bit sad and disappointed in myself for losing my phone. My mum was about to take the picture with me looking a bit gloomy, when my dad said, 'What do you think about the phone case when you see this?' and he placed an iPhone 5s in front of me. My first reaction: I screamed. Really loudly, not worrying that that we lived in a condominium where I could be heard from two floors up and down. I screamed for many reasons; joy, happiness, excitement, the urge to download and play flappy bird and finally, guilt. I wrote a post a few days back about how I feel great not having my phone, and now I did again. 

Of course, my first instinct was downloading flappy bird, snapchat and whatsapp. But as I did scan through the app store, there was a feeling of guilt and dread settled at the bottom of my stomach. The challenge I had set myself was to go without a phone for a couple of weeks. So, today as my friends and I rode back in silence (as usual) on the bus, I thought of restarting that challenge, with a phone this time. This is hard for me, because my phone keeps buzzing with a new notification for snapchat and reminders. But, what I have decided is that I need to stay committed and at least try and not use my phone unless there's an emergency. 

But overall, my birthday was a blast and I spent it with my friends and family! 

Makeup

What I've noticed these days, is a lot of makeup. Ads, commercials and shops claiming that their products will make you look the best. 

"All you need is a wand of mascara and a sprinkle of blush to make you look perfect"

As if. They make it sound like a fairytale. I'm not against makeup, but I'm trying to say that everything needs to be done in limit. I have a friend (http://trishofish.blogspot.sg/) who is really good with skincare. She recommends me and my other friend (sugarcoateddaydreams.blogspot.sg) about what we should and shouldn't use on our skin. Even though this might be girly and silly (which is fine by me), I have realised how these tips and products can't work with the amount of makeup the world is using. 

I have had a few experiences with makeup and thy were okay. Mascara and eyeliner make my eyes look bigger and bolder. Lip gloss makes everything more pretty. But the thing I realised was, the more I wore these products, the more acne and bad skin I got. I have sensitive skin and makeup isn't really helping. I stopped makeup for about a month and there was a dramatic change in my skin. I didn't have that much acne anymore. Some people, naturally have acne and I'm one of those people. It's normal at this age, but what I'm trying to say is not to make it worse by putting more and more product on it. 

This goes out just to girls, because there was a lot of controversy about this. It's your choice if you want to put makeup on or not and I'm not forcing you to stop if you do. What I'm trying to say is that no one is perfect but everyone is beautiful with or without makeup on. 

Phone Loss

A few days ago, I lost my phone. It was an iPhone 4 and the home button didn't work. I remember carrying it off the taxi and placing it on my bed, but then it just disappeared. I think I've checked the iPhone tracker about a hundred times since. I've been struggling. I'm not going to lie. Everyone says that you should take a break from your phone and enjoy what's around you. It's so addicting to be  all the time, even if my eyes are strained to their limits. It's funny because I never realised how valuable we think our electronics our. What I have learnt is that tapping on a screen to keep a bird with a heavy face flying through pipes isn't what our lives are all about. 

We need to find other things to do and ever since I lost my phone, I have become more attentive to the things around me. I have started to realise what is really going on in the world and focus on some important things that could actually affect us in the long run. Things like recycling, littering and even wastage of electricity. As I sit here typing away, I have now started to remember all of the things that I should do to make my life better for myself. I left the laptop charger in my house on and I'm pretty sure that I have to throw away wrappers that are squashed at the bottom of my bag. 

This phone loss, might not have been a loss at all. We always have to look at the bright side and I think this loss might have actually turned into a gain for me. 

Here is a challenge: Don't go on your phone for at least two or three days. How will it feel? Comment below on what you think about this and if you do this challenge how it felt like. 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 15

Day 15 - How Am I Like my Mum/Dad? 
Even though I deny it, everyone says that I look like my dad. The cut of the face, right down to the position of the nose. It's a bit scary when someone knows that I'm my dad's daughter, because every time I get a little shock and the same comment, 'She looks exactly like you'. I don't know why I don't like it. I'm not saying that I don't like the way my dad looks, but I really don't like carrying down someone else's face instead of having my own. I have my mum's personality. My mum is a bit quiet, but she likes to try her best at everything. But this sometimes bothers me too, because our conversations can turn into arguments depending on the similarity or difference of opinion. Unlike my mother, I am not a perfectionist. She likes to make sure every last detail is perfect, whereas I don't mind my work or my presentation to be a bit rough or messy. I like everything that way. 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 14

14 - Would you like to go to a concert? 
The original title of this post was had I been to any concerts, but sadly I haven't. But if I had to go to a concert, it would be a Demi Lovato one. I really love her because she has such an inspirational story and such a greta voice. I love all her songs and know mostly all of them by heart. It is a bit weird and it sounds like I'm being an obsessed fan (which I am) but I would love to go. 

Holding Things Together

Have you ever felt caught between what to do? I have and it's going on now. The thing with middle school is that you don't know who is your friend and who isn't. In a stereotypical school, there's a bully, a clique and the person everyone wants to be. In our school, it's a bit different. There's a problem with friends. I've seen many people just sitting alone and reading, or walking around from group to group at lunch trying to figure out what to do. 

Friends can be great, but sometimes you just have to let go. But this isn't about that. It's about holding things together. As you get older, friendship gets more and more complicated. Fake friends, friends who are only your friends because they want to use your skills to their benefit. I'm not saying this in a bad way, it's great to learn, but this is taking advantage of other people. I have had a few friends like this and I still do and I need to learn how to hold things together. A few years ago, I had a friend who was younger than me. She used to go to our school. I didn't know why I had wanted to be friends with her, but she was nice to me on the first day. She used to live in the same place I used to. I used to go around innocently trying to figure out who to sit with on the bus and who to talk to. I was in third grade and didn't know what exactly I was going to do. This person laughed at me behind my back, and I mean this literally because she would sit behind me on the bus and talk about how weird or crazy she thought I was. I took these whispers and menacing laughter to heart. I would cry every night and waste a lot of energy thinking about what was wrong with me. I had to learn how to hold things together. 

This has really helped me and I just wanted to talk about how it can affect you in middle school the most when you and your friends are all over the place (trust me, I mean that in the best way possible). 
Comment below and talk about what you think could help everyone through this time. 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 13

Day 13 - Something You Have Been Avoiding
Okay, I have a lot of things that I have been avoiding. I'm going to try and talk about a few. 

1. Piano Practice - I have been playing the piano for eight years now and I really enjoy it. The problem is, that I just don't have the time to practice it or this is what I think. I love to play, but every time my piano lesson starts and the teacher asks if I had practiced or not, a feeling of dread just settles in my stomach. I try and lie and get away with it. The problem is, it shows in my work. I try to practice, but I just don't like to. It's hard and a bit annoying, but I really need to know how to deal with it. 

2. This Blog Challenge - I love to write, but sometimes I just forget to. Sometimes, I don't know what to write about and that's the first reason I started this challenge. So far it's going okay, but I just 'forget' to write about it sometimes. I have these moods when I feel like I could write a book, and the other end of the spectrum where I feel like I can't even type a word. I don't know why, but I want to catch up and build my stamina (Omigosh, I feel so healthy when I say that word even when I'm not) for writing. 

3. Facing My Friends - This was something I was avoiding earlier, but a few days ago, I just let it out. My friends were leaving me out (the usual), but this was going on for years. I felt neglected. I didn't want to waste my time, energy and tears on it but I had to let it out. Once I did though, it got better and I felt better. 

4. Participating in Class - I come across as shy and quiet, but once someone gets to know me, I think they change their mind about that. The thing with participating in class though, is that it scares me. I'm scared that my voice might become all weird and the slightest bit of error can lead to everyone trying not to laugh at you. Even when I know something that I can contribute to, my vocal chord feels like it's being strangled and my head starts to hurt. I have no clue why, but this alarm just goes off in my head telling me not to. I guess I have to learn to overcome that. 

It's great to get something over with and stop avoiding something and face your fears. It might be hard, but I like to think of it as the next challenge to overcome. 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 12

Day 12 - Share Your Bucket List

1. Listen to different types of music - I only listen to pop and mostly Demi Lovato. I really want to try and listen to different types of music and be more open.
2. Run every week - With this one, I don't mean running in PE, but I want to run outside of that to stay healthy. I just can't. Chips are just unavoidable.
3. Meet a celebrity - I don't know why, but I really want to meet a celebrity. It's probably not going to happen, but I guess it's okay if I think it will, right?
4. Perform at a concert - I have performed in front of people before, but mainly before the mirror and my parents. The only other concert I have performed at was when I was 7.
5. Visit Greece - I have really wanted to visit Greece for the past 3 or 4 years. First it was for the beaches and the pretty pictures on postcards, but after I read Percy Jackson, I have been obsessed. 

I really can't think of anything else right now. What's your bucket list though? Comment and tell me below! 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 11

Day 11 - Share Your 10 Favourite Songs Right Now
Okay, this is a hard one because I love music and I like quite a lot of songs. But I narrowed it down and these aren't in order: 

1. Let It Go - Demi Lovato
This song is in the soundtrack for frozen and I am really in love with this song. Some people prefer the movie version, but I like this one better because I like Demi Lovato. 
2. Dark Horse - Katy Perry
So I heard this song on the radio and was instantly obsessed. 
3. The Monster - Rihanna ft. Eminem
So, I'm not a big fan of rap but I really liked the tune of this song. I actually first came to know of it when someone *cough Akanksha cough* was singing it. 
4. Applause - Lady Gaga
It's been a while since this song has come out, but I really like it. 
5. Neon Lights - Demi Lovato
Another Demi Lovato song because she is my favourite singer. I really love this song and she is on the tour for the album. #neonlights
6. Stars Dance - Selena Gomez
This song was really catchy and I liked it better than some of her other ones like; Come and get it (which my friends and I make fun of to this day) and Slow down (I'd rather not talk about this one). 
7. Clarity - Zedd ft. Foxes
I sang this song at a talent show and I feel like I have a bond with it (I don't know, I'm weird) and I really enjoyed it. 
8. Pompeii - Bastille
I heard this song a while back and I didn't really like it, but when I heard it again I was a bit surprised that I didn't like it right away. 
9. Top of The World - Imagine Dragons
I remember hearing this song on the radio and really liking the catchy tune. I couldn't get sick of it (thats saying something) and I really enjoy it. 
10. It's Time - Imagine Dragons
Another Imagine Dragons song, yes. But I heard this when I was watching the trailer of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' and I really liked it. 

That was really hard to do. There are lots more songs that I really love and would like to share, but for now what are your favourite songs? Comment below! 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 10

Day 10 - Share Some Old Photos of Yourself
Oh no, this was the post I was dreading. I look very messed up in all of my baby photos and the ones when I was a kid, since I had an underbite. I'm going to share another one from when I was 10 though because I have to do it. This was taken when we were on vacation, but I'm not sure, and it's a picture of me and my family. 

Friends

Okay, so I this isn't really a cheesy post about how friends are the best and they're amazing and that they are always there for you. They can be there for you and they are amazing, but sometimes they change. They might change for the better or might change for the worse. 

My two best friends are Trisha and Florence and I know that they're going to be there for me and they are the greatest friends that I could ever ask for. Trisha and I have been friends for four years and our friendship started off after an argument which just made us better friends. I met Florence last year and our friendship also started off after a fight. The three of us are super close now, but you know the problem with threes. Someone always feels left out and in our case it isn't just one person, but everyone feels left out at some point. The thing is that we choose to acknowledge it and try and fix it. The thing that Trisha and Florence have taught me is to be strong and stand up for myself. I think that they have been really supportive and can always make me laugh when I'm feeling a bit down. 

The other thing with friends is the downside. I'm not saying that I want to be antisocial, but the other type of friends who choose to ignore you and talk to each other instead. It might even be incorrect to call them friends. I have personal experience with these friends and they aren't the best. Sometimes they an be hurtful without even realising it. I have two friends that I have known for a while and they are in the same class. Sometimes without even realising it, they tend to exclude me for no reason at all. I get the feeling that they don't want to be my friends anymore. the funny thing is that I knew them both before they knew each other. I don't know what to do and I have already confronted them about it. It feels good to vent, but if they are reading this right now. they are probably annoyed at me because I've told them quite a few times. 

I guess the point of this post is that some friends are amazing and some aren't and we have to learn to let go of the ones that aren't. I really want to, but I can't because I see the ones that leave me out everyday and I can't avoid them.  

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 8 and 9

I haven't blogged in a month (oops...) and today was my wake up call (mainly because we were reminded about it) and I really want to catch up and finish this challenge that I started last year. 

Day 8 - What Books I'm Reading?
I am currently reading 'The Book Thief' for English and I'm going to start reading 'Divergent' because all my friends have recommended it to me. The Book Thief is a really interesting book that was set during world war 2. I really love books that are realistic fiction because you can always find out more about them. I particularly love the theme of war and the affect of war on people and what it can bring them to do. Divergent seems like a dystopian themed series and I am looking forward to start reading it. 

Day 9 - What's in my Purse? 
I don't really have a purse, but I can talk about my essentials when I go out and what I put in my bag. When I go out, I carry a small bag since I really don't like heavy ones that are baggy and oversized and I just don't like them. I always carry my phone and wallet (even when I don't have any money, partly because it makes me feel rich). I like to carry some mints with me if I get hungry, which is always and a hand sanitizer. I carry some lip balm and hand cream and finally some headphones if I want to listen to music. 

Well, thats it. I'm probably going to write another post soon because I should be finished with this challenge and I really want to finish it! 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 7

Day 7 - Your Earliest Memories
I am asthmatic and the only memories I have of when I was younger was about this. I (once again) narrowed it down to two. 

1)My First Asthma Attack happened when I was nine months old. I don't remember anything, but my mum told me that I had a rash everywhere and I couldn't breathe. I remember my second asthma attack very clearly though. I was at my friends house for lunch when I was eight years old. I remember eating a dhal which I was allergic to, but not realising after the attack. I was fine for about ten minutes. We chatted at the table and played with their dog (which I probably shouldn't have done, because I'm a little allergic to fur, but anyways). After those ten minutes I remember not being able to breathe and feeling my throat choking me. The ironic part was, I was sitting in front of a 'When You Know You're Getting an Asthma Attack' poster, since she had it too. I was rushed to the hospital and given a Cortisone (I think) injection which calmed me down. I was then put on a nebuliser which helped me breathe again. 

2)The Cut on My Head also happened when I was eight (I had a rough year). I remember just getting a new bike. i really wanted to try it out, but the floors were being wiped. Me being the impatient person I am, really wanted to try it out and so I did. Which was a little dumb because the floors were slippery and I should have probably tried it out outside. But anyways, I rode it through the house until you could imagine, I slipped and fell. I fell on the floor while hitting the edge of a door. There was a big gash in my head and the last thing I remember was my parents rushing me into the car. They later told me that I had passed out and was loosing a lot of blood. I was taken to the hospital and I had stitches done on my head. This operation took an hour because they first had to bandage the cast and take care of people who were in worser situations than I was. 

But those are the two main things I can remember from when I was younger. 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 6

Day 6 - Something I want my kids to know...
I was really looking forward to this post, because there are quite a lot of things I want them to know. I narrowed it down to about three though: 

1) Best friends are people you don't need to talk to every single day. You don't need to talk to each other for weeks, but when you do, it's as if you never stopped talking. Best friends are people who don't create a big fuss over your mistakes and best friends are the people who always lead you in the right direction. These things are what make best friends. Something I want my kids to know is to always remember these statements. I once had a friend who did quite the opposite of a few of these things. She always used to make fun of me and would pressurise me to always go with her in activities, but whenever I tried to shut her out or try to talk to her about this, she would start to act sad and depressed as if she didn't have any friends in the first place. I soon learnt that everyone you meet can't be your best friend, but those people who you can instantly click with can. 

2) Live life to the fullest, because before you know it, it's over. Okay, so this is a bit of a cheesy one because its a bit mainstream, but I really want them to know that life is short. The basis of this one came form when I was small. I'm asthmatic and I had to miss out on a lot of water based activities when I was small, and when I grew out of it being that severe, I still wouldn't enter the water because there was this fear I had developed that I would drown. I missed out on a lot of opportunities and this is why I choose to take everything that comes my way from now on. 

3) Work hard and you will get there. This is the last thing I want them to know. Everything you work for is going to lead to something. I imagine it like a meter. the more you work and the more effort you put in, the higher/better the result. I would like to tell my kids to always give their best and to try their hardest, because the only work that pays off is hard work. 

Well, that was a longer post than I expected. 

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 5

Day 5 - Share the Best Advice you Ever got...
One day I remember looking through something until I came across two quotes by Coco Chanel. 

The first one said; 'I don't care what you think about ME, I don't think about you at all,' 
It's not really advice, but I carry it with me to this day. Every time I know that someone might have bad mouthed me or talked about me behind my back, I always think of this and it makes me feel better. In situations where my friends choose to leave me out, or act as if they are the only people who matter and I don't, I always think of this and it brings me back to earth. 

The second quote that I always like to remember is, 

'In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different '

This quote is what I think of when I see someone trying to be exactly like someone else. It's a bit cheesy to say to be yourself, because in order to find yourself, you need to be different. When I think that no one appreciates me for who I am, I think of this and it makes me feel better. It is something I always remember.

The 31 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 3 and 4

Okay, so I haven't done this in a while (well maybe quite a while), but I want to continue the 31 day blogging challenge. So...

Day 3 - Why Do You Blog?
I used to blog because I didn't have anything else to do, to fill my spare time or just write freely about anything I wanted to. Once I realised that blogging can be a lot more than that, I wanted to start writing more meaningful posts that people wouldn't just flick through. So now, I blog because I want to - not to just fill my free time and I love to write, so it's great having the freedom to do so.

Day 4 - Your 5 Favourite Websites...
I know day 4 was my 5 favourite blogs, but I don't really read a lot of blogs (I know, I should probably start), so I decided to do my five favourite websites instead.

1) So, my first favourite website is probably Polyvore, which is a place where you can create your own outfits (yes it sounds girly, but I'm a girl so yeah) and I love to create outfits and combinations of clothes using it. The link:
http://www.polyvore.com/

2) My second favourite website is probably megashare because there are so many movies there and I love movies. The link:
megashare.info 

3) I really can't think of anything else, because my brain is shut down right now. I know, I haven't really finished the challenge, but were all a bit lazy right... Right? 

If You're In a Shell,

This video is  about how someone can shut themselves out from the real world. Into a shell. A shell which probably everyone has shut themselves into. Harry Shum Jr. was a shy boy when he was small, 'painfully shy' as some might say it. Painfully shy meaning what? Painful for the person who is shy, or the person describing them? 

Everyone (including myself) has been through a stage where they have been shy and shut them into that shell. Everyone thinks you don't want to speak because you are afraid. But afraid of what? Afraid of expressing your thoughts, or painfully enduring the looks of others around you who you know are going to judge you? I think hiding in a shell just sounds much better. But this won't get you anywhere. The shell might keep you hidden, but you can still hear everyone around you. 

A few years ago, I was really shy. I never spoke in class, I never dared to raise my hand up or even talk to my friends in a normal voice. I didn't have many friends and I kept thinking they thought I was boring because I would never talk. I shrank further and further into my shell until I stopped speaking at all. Not a single word would come out of my mouth. 

It took me several months to realise and fix this. It took me a lot of time, but I slowly regained my confidence and came out my shell. This made me realise how hard it is to do that. The shell feels protective, but dangerous at the same time. It gives you a feeling of safety, but you are always vulnerable. 

Even when someone thinks they have never been in that shell, it is always there in someplace or another. It all comes back down to judgement. How people look at you and what they think. The best thing to do is to try and always be happy and surround yourself with positive and caring people who you know you can trust and won't judge you.