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10 Year Reading List

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Reading hasn’t really been a hobby of mine, but only because I never really done any research on books in my free time. But now that I did so, there’s a good chance I will follow through the list I created. My list transitions from the first few books about time management and habits (because I procrastinate a lot) to works about purpose in life and future possibilities. The list is supposed to represent a timeline as I transition into adulthood, but the list might easily change since it’s difficult to know what my interests are 5-10 years in the future. Anyway, here it is: 2 025 - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey I’ve heard of this book before, and my mom recommended me this book several times already, but it never really interested me - until now. Covey’s seven habits listed in his book help empower individuals to take control of their lives, which I think will be really helpful as I live more independently in college. 2026 - Atomic Habits by James Clear This ...
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The End of an Era

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Have you ever been on a vacation and, just as you begin to settle in, realize that it's almost over? For me, I compare this feeling to the thought of graduating in less than two weeks. It's like I finally learned how to swim - only for the pool to close. Forever.  As I look back on the past four years, ironically, I find myself missing the very things I used to dread: the quixotic quizzes that quashed my brain, the sadistic SAT that slayed my soul, and the absurd AP's that abused my anxiety.  Saying this might get me testified in the court of student society, but hear me out - there's a strange nostalgic feeling of looking back at my suffering and realizing they were part of a larger journey.  It might be only me, but I've always felt my pursuits were stopped short in not just school, but my life in general. This isn't the first time I've had nostalgic feelings come up right out of the blue. A younger version of me around the COVID Era mourned the Mario Kart...
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"Howl" in the Midnight Library

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 When I was reading my third-quarter reading selection "The Midnight Library" by Matt Haig this week, the last thing I expected to see was a whole chapter dedicated to a poem called "Howl" that reflected the story's plot. And I couldn't help but notice the poem's strategic placement right after a climactic realization of the protagonist Nora Seed. "The Midnight Library" is about 35-year-old Nora Seed who is unhappy with her life choices and feels like she is no use to the world. However, when she tries to commit suicide, she ends up in an area between life and death called the Midnight Library. In the library, there are millions of books all featuring a unique life Nora could have lived if she made a different decision in her root life. At first, Nora believes she has no way forward but as she starts to explore more lives, she realizes the "success" she receives in other lives, didn't bring her the happiness she expected. For exam...
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When Poetry was About a Burrito

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     The word "nostalgia" comes to mind when I think about poetry. During 5th grade, I somehow won a poetry award for writing about a burrito. I know it sounds crazy, but the ridiculous story of myself creating a burrito that comes to life and begs me to spare it and become my pet actually won me an award and got my poem published in an online book. I still remember the shock and disbelief I had because I was completely unaware that there was an award. It all happened so fast - on one day I was handing in my hard copy of my poem to my English teacher as an assignment and a few days later, I was typing up my silly burrito poem online so my teacher could send it to get published.     That was over 7 years ago, but I still remember how fun poetry was. Creativity was encouraged, rules were limited, and my imagination was working its magic. I'm don't remember clearly how I came up with the crazy burrito story of mine, but I'm almost sure my idea came from the fact th...
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Reflection of the 1st Semester

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    Iago. Othello. Pangloss. These are just a few of the fascinating characters that have caught my interest. After all of the literature we read, I felt there were many characters that contributed to the differentiation from other narratives, opening my mind to new interpretations, such as themes that could be connected or complexities that could be narrowed down.  Over this semester, the themes of fate/free will, the philosophy of optimism vs. realism, and the complexities of human behavior were topics that I had the opportunity to explore more in depth and deepen my critical thinking.     A theme that was central to the part of Oedipus was fate vs. free will. Exploring whether the tragedy was caused by fate or free will really interested me because I came to realize at some point that Oedipus’s fate could have been preventable, even if “fate was uncontrollable.” For example, if Oedipus had chosen to refuse to kill anyone during his lifetime, how could he have...
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Reverse Reverse Psychology?

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     There are many types of villains - some rely on brute strength, others rely on fear or guilt, but only a few can compare with Iago’s unparalleled manipulation tactics and intelligence in the Shakespearean tragedy Othello. He’s not just a manipulator, he is a mind controller so skillful in his deception that even those who suspect his motives have a hard time grasping where his mind is at. Trying to understand Iago’s true intentions is like trying to catch a fish in the sea with your bare hands - his schemes always just seem to slip out of your fingers.     One of Iago’s tactics is his use of reverse psychology on his victims. Reverse psychology is when you advocate for something that is opposite from your desired outcome in order to trick others into doing what your want. Iago implements his reverse psychology tactics in Act 3 Scene 3, warning Othello, “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on; At fi...
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Satirizing CollegeBoard - Short Story

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     In our good-natured world of education, there once was an organization called CollegeBoard. Now CollegeBoard had a very special relationship with a high school scholar named James - a relationship that involved more stress, fees, and "college prep" that he could have ever dreamed of. Their relationship started on a positive note from the very beginning when James introduced himself to CollegeBoard as he was signing up for his account. CollegeBoard was really nice about the whole signing up situation, asking for his name, address, and phone number in all the correct boxes and even giving him a "remember me" box to check to ensure their long-term friendship. Unfortunately for James though, he wasn't quite high up on CollegeBoard' s "friend list" and CollegeBoard had a bit of trouble remembering James when he tried logging back in each time.  James soon realized that CollegeBoard chose to value his privacy and security so deeply that he erased hi...
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