Vice and Other Advice

Maybe the title is a little misleading. No, not being able to send group snapchats was not exactly the "first world problem" I had in mind. By "first world problems", I literally mean problems faced by regular humans living in the first world. ~ I wish we could compare our pains, but we really can't. Ever. I'll be honest. I've been down in the dumps, but haven't we all? I often downplay whatever I'm dealing with because I know there are bigger problems people face in the world. With this mentality, I've lived in a shallow pit of self-loathing, calling myself petty and ungrateful (which I still cannot deny). But why I am in this pit in the first place? Because I could have ended up in a place much worse. And that's why I downplay everything I've ever faced. I felt as if it didn't matter because things are much worse for a large percentage of the world. With that in the back of my head, my mind jeers at every challen...

I finally cleaned out my room. I have a tendency of holding onto everything I feel has sentimental value- including essays, notes from a favorite class, club shirts, receipts from new cafe adventures. Some of these things I still refuse to let go (minus some irrelevant and on second thought crappy high school notes), but I took a second glance at my mountain of school shirts I've been saving as memories. Was I really going to haul a bunch of Beta Club and Science Olympiad shirts with me to college? Did I really need that many shirts as backup PJs? No. As I participated in clubs and volunteered at major events, the t-shirts I got were a major award to hold onto and literally wear. But now, I feel as if high school memorabilia has nothing on what college holds. I won't say high school wasn't an enjoyable time. I definitely learned a lot and am super thankful for the crazy experiences I've had. I've matured slightly and met a variety of personalities; these things ha...

We often consider what it means to be "genuine" or what it means to be "fake". Let us begin by first defining the teenaged word "fake". fake- the quality of being double-sided and having a forced or social norm-shaped personality. The opposite is considered "genuine". genuine- the quality of reflecting every emotion truthfully and maintaining consistency with thoughts and actions. It seems evident that we should all strive to be genuine. But what if our thoughts and true emotions are dark and indecent? I can't help if a certain personality annoys me or if what someone says does not sit well with me. However, as a mature being, I would not need to tell said person exactly how I feel. Sometimes, it's best to keep your thoughts to yourself. We've always been told that "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all". We will be in good hands if we follow this advice often, but realisticall...

I'm sure someone does, but the flock only pays attention to those with publicity. Think about all the all-nighters that are pulled to make this world work. Recognition is not given to everyone who needs it, and dealing with that fact can be tough on people who have such selfish personalities as myself. People complain about things much easier than what you may be dealing with, and they may be receiving more sympathy for whatever they struggle with. Sometimes, we get so busy with work that we don't even have time to complain about it. Meanwhile, those who still have the energy to whine get the sympathy. I don't mean to sound so shallow, but don't kid yourself into believing that all hard work pays off with recognition. And that's life. At the same time, if we feel this way, realize that millions of people feel this way too. This doesn't mean we should just stop working hard the moment we realize we won't be recognized. We must just deal with this fact and...

We don't remember the mediocre first impressions; we tend to remember the extremes- the bad impressions and the extremely good impressions. What sucks is that a "bad" first impression really depends on who you ask (well, apart from the universally accepted things like hygiene). What also sucks is that it's impossible to prepare for every single first impression you're about to make. We have to account for the unplanned, like meeting your future interviewer as you overtake them on the highway, or seeing that person you've social-media stalked at the gym. What sucks the most though is that impressions tend to stick, and regardless of how much you change, a sticky and bad first impression can hinder others from experiencing your glo' up. This isn't necessarily true, but I'm guilty of letting my first impression of someone dictate how much I chose to befriend them. Regardless, being too conscious of your first impression on someone can work to ...