Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
goodbye
It has been really interesting to write a blog a week for so long. Although they have changed from the usual format I would have wanted, being able to document this time in our lives is so important. I never really thought I would be involved in so many global issues. In this moment not much seems normal. Most of our usual patterns have been changed. It is easy to get down, I myself have defiantly felt it. But also I have felt so much gratefulness and happiness. Being able to reflect on what your morals are and what really matters to you is so important.
If we know what makes us truly happy and look for that in life then that’s all we can do. It is so hard with all these issues occurring in the world to stay sane but that’s what we have to do. I wish that I could find more ways to help.
Since my family has been social distancing and in quarantine for so long. I have chosen a few friends to see every once in a while while maintaining our distance. This has actually been a life savor as I can talk to someone other than my family. It was recently my friend Zoë’s birthday and we sat six feet apart for her birthday. It is strange to think that a few months ago I would have imagined staying distant from my friends. However, it proves how strong some friendships are.
My friend recently got her film camera developed. In the first picture, it is Zoë and I at my birthday dinner. Even eating in a restaurant in unheard of now. Although, some restaurants are having outside seating. In the second picture, Emma and I were having a sleepover at my house. It’s so strange that we can’t even go in each others houses now. In the third photo, Ava and I our with a cat we found at Emma’s house. We were there for Emma’s birthday and the next day the social distancing order went out.
It was so fun getting to see old photos from not so long ago.
However, it reminds me of how different the times are now. Something that gives me hope is looking at how everyone else is going through the exact same things.
How do you guys see hope currently?
dismissive
these days, almost everyone is involved in social media one way or another. for most teenagers, including myself, snapchat is our main source of interaction/communication. when you want to reach someone or meet up with someone, you would send them a snap. not a phone call or text; but either a picture or text in the chat on snap. there is a lot of convenience with this. the receiver of the snap can slide in the chat and secretly read what is sent to them and decide if you want to reply or lag. in many situations, people don’t feel the need to reply and will wait sometimes days to answer. this has become the main way of communication.
what really starts to bug me is the dismissiveness this behavior leads to. if you don’t want to talk to someone, simply don’t open their chat. if someone is bugging you, simply remove them. we aren’t given the chance to look someone in the eyes and tell them what we feel. instead, we are given responses of faces or get left on read.
in one situation, I was explaining how I felt to a friend in great detail. when they read the chat, they responded with simply a picture of themselves making a sad face.
I was genuinely shocked. I did not realize how lacking of real emotion our social communication had. no longer are we forming bonds over unplanned, spontaneous circumstances. they are now perfectly laid out in front of us. we choose who we respond too. we choose what we let others know. a small part of us is laid out that we let others base their impressions on. we get judged but don’t know it.
you may be talking to one person but they may be simultaneously talking in another group chat about you. are deception of each other is totally off.
what hurts the most is when someone dismisses you. they decide you aren’t worth their time and energy any more.
this is our reality. it’s most likely not going to change for a while. in this pandemic, there is no other way to interact socially expect for online.
this is not a typical blog post for me but I thought I would share my thoughts!
thankfulness
It has been really easy for me to get down during this time. My scale of good or bad has been a bit skewed. This is mainly because not many dramatic events have been happening on my day to day schedule. Because of this, I have been trying to realize that there is both good and bad in life but we should not get to caught up in it. Taking time to be grateful right now is a big focus on mine. There are so many things that we should cherish and be thankful for that, at times, go unnoticed.
On Sunday, it was mother’ day. This holiday, and other holidays during this time, have felt a bit strange. My mother and I woke up and got breakfast from a local restaurant called raynaud’s bakery. Then we say on the wall of butterfly beach to eat it.
Usually, all of my family comes together to celebrate Mother’s Day. Since we have all been social distancing, this year we decided to all meet in the front yard of our house and stay are distance. It was so strange not being able to hug my grandparents. The whole event was a bit stressful for all of us but it was really special to just all be together safely.
This morning, I joined the MAD zoom meeting where Andre Slough explained his career. The biggest thing I learned from him is that you just have to let things go some times. And that, in an industry, you can say no. It is easy to stress over making people happy but, for sticking up for yourself, they will end up respecting you. He says, “don’t over stress yourself.” He has knowledge in so many aspects of the media industry.
Andrew’s dad was a photographer for Notional Geographic which started him in the marketing industry. During this time, he has been working even more than usual as things have switched to an online approach.
I wanted to reflect on what has been occurring in most teen’s as well as adult’s lives currently. Our main form of communication/interaction is online. This should make it easy to communicate with your friends since all it takes is a click of a button. However, to me, this has not been the case. I feel like teens are getting so comfortable behind there screens and only focussing on what betters them individually. This can lead to miscommunications and, instead of being able to work things out face to face, people are able to simply “mute” or not respond.
Although there have been so many good parts of this pandemic such as the ability to reflect and reconnect with your family, there are definitely things that I can not wait to go back to normal.
family time
I am so lucky that most of my family lives in Santa Barbara. Growing up, I have gotten to see my relatives all the time. Our family is so close. Being separated from them is very hard. However, we have been lucky to see them a few times recently by keeping our social distancing. Although it feels weird not being able to give them a hug, it is better than not seeing them at all.
The other night, we all met at the beach to have a picnic. My brother surfed and we all watched him as the sun set. My mom made her famous brownies which everyone loved. It was such a fun night!
Every night, we have been sitting on our deck and watching the sunset. Last night, it was amazing because there were so many clouds in the sky. I love seeing the thousands of different sunsets.
I still love going down to the beach during this time. Last week, I went to Mesa Lane two times. The first time I went to just watch the sunset. The waves were really good and so we ended up body surfing as the sun set. The water was the perfect temperature. I wish I had brought my board that day so, two days later, my mom and brother and I went again. This time we brought our boards. We had been looking for surf all day but everywhere was packed. There were still about thirty people out but we managed to get some fun waves.
Recently, with all the time on my hands, I have been making new meals. My mom loves to cook and has always inspired me to do so. At first, COVID started out with a lot of cookies, bread, and pasta. However, now we are making salads, protein shakes, and other healthy meals. Its easy to just sit and snack during this time which is totally ok but it is also fun to try making something new.
This is honestly my favorite place on earth. It’s an island in the carribean that my grandma lives on half of the year. During this time, I wish I could be quarantined here. I miss the warm weather and ocean. I hope that once everything gets better I can go back.
Where is somewhere that you want to be during this time?
importance
At the begging of this year, I would have never thought this is how I would be writing these blog posts. I wasn’t sure what this blog would exactly be or how I would write it to really portray my life the way it truly is. However, now I am so thankful that I have this blog to document this time in my life. Although I may not be writing about all the things had planned, these are the things that are giving my joy in this time. In today’s blog, you will get a look in my, day to day, quarantine life.
My family has been spending a lot of time at the beach. Being in the ocean and laying in the sun is one of the best feelings. I am so thankful that Santa Barbara beaches are staying open in this pandemic. Last night, my whole family went down to the beach to watch my brother surf. The sun was going down and it made the water look unreal. We were not the only ones with this idea, however, as were about 50 other people. They lined butterfly beach’s wall. There were also about 3o people out surfing.
The weather has been in the 70’s and 80’s which has been amazing. I often lay out on my deck to sun tan as I watch Outer Banks on Netflix or catch up on some school work. I love being able to control when I do things.
My brother absolutely loves surfing. 🏄♀️ It used to be me and my dad who would motivate the family to surf. However, now it’s always my brother. I think that if you find something that you are passionate about, you should never let it go. As long as the drive and motivation stays, nothing should stop you. It might take you stopping it for a bit to realize how much it has importance to you. I have noticed that recently. This time off of things has made me realize what has value in my life and what I should continue working for.
living 6ft apart
It is difficult not to feel isolated during this time. Many of us aren’t able to focus on our usual activities. However, this week, I want to share with you how I have tried to get my “normal” activities back.
My family started off this week by going on a walk on butterfly beach with my grandmother. During this time, most of us have become lonely. We met my grandma on the beach and made sure to stay 6ft away from her as we walked. We were all so happy to be able to see her.
I have always loved the water. I feel very fortunate to have grown up in Santa Barbara with parents that love the ocean. My dad would take my family down to Rincon and the beach ever since we were little. When I was 6 years old, we went on a surf trip to Costa Rica and my dad would push me into the waves. I have always loved the feeling of surfing. When I am out in the water, everything that I am worrying about slips away. I get a surge of adrenaline that fuels my energy. We drove down to Rincon on Tuesday and, although the conditions were not perfect, had the best time surfing until the sun set. Just being in the water with my brother and dad made me feel at ease.
This photo was taken at my “desk.” School continues on throughout this pandemic. Some may say it is an extra stress for them. However, to me, I love being able to keep this norm in my life. I actually have so much motivation to do my work. From the comfort of my home, I am given a new since of creativity. I feel like my thoughts flow out better now without any distractions.
Going to the beach has also made me feel so much better. Even though the ocean is pretty cold, it feels so refreshing. It has been so hot out that the beach is a necessity to keep rain.
New beginnings
I feel as if being quarantined is the new norm. My family has been adapted this this lifestyle for the past four weeks. It is crazy to think that we haven’t been able to go out for so long and that it is undetermined when we will be able to. However, as humans, we have adapted our whole life’s and this is no different. This week especially, I have gotten into a routine and found out what works for me during this time. To me, the most important things is being patient with this whole process. Being patient has not always been my forte. But I have been given an opportunity to work on it.
This week, I started writing task lists for what I needed to accomplish in the week and it greatly improved my ability to accomplish everything in a timely manner. I used to think that being Quarantine would give me so much extra time. However, days seem to be passing by and I feel like the workload is just as much. Time does not really have a meaning at this point. Although I have classes and things in my schedule, I often find myself wondering what day it is. I end up looking at the clock and realizing that a few hours have passed.
I am usually not very organized. Now that I have had time to focus on other things I have found myself cleaning my room and staying organized. I guess that staying in control of how clean my life is is one thing I can do.
This past week has been extremely sunny which has uplifted my mood. I went down to the beach once and also have gone for two swims. As a water polo player, it is extremely odd for me to not have been in the pool for about a month. Being able to just even be in the water again felt amazing. I had not realized how much I missed it.
at home
During this time in our lives, we have been given an opportunity to reflect. Although it may seem as if we are forced into our homes and have transferred our learning and jobs to remote learning, there are things happening now that are better. Suddenly, we have been fully transferred to online communication. With this new time, I have tried to keep myself busy by trying new things and focussing on old hobbies. I have also been very appreciative that I live in Santa Barbara. It hardly feels like isolation when I can see the ocean every day and watch amazing sunsets from my house. Above all, during this time, being with my family has been very special.
Personally, I find myself being very productive in this time. I talked about old hobbies I have taken up again. One of which is art. I have been painting on my canvases and even painted on an old pair of jeans. It is easy for me to benefit during this time because we also get to take time to rest and reflect. I have spent hours looking out at our view which has changed from sunset skies to light sprinkles to stormy clouds.
I have been very motivated to start tasks and complete my work. Attending zoom classes has made me feel more connected with my friends and teachers. It also reminds me that, although this time is strange, we are all going through it together. Personally, I am getting though this by doing things that make me happy, staying productive, and making sure to stay connected with friends and family.
Finding new music and listening to songs that make me happy has also really benefited me. I have made countless playlists and added many new songs to my liked songs. My friends have been sharing their music with me and my brother as well. Listening to these songs, in a way, takes my mind off my worries and also makes me feel better.
I still have worries about the coronavirus. I wonder how long it will last, how many people will get hurt, when I will see my friends again. I worry for the people I love and the jobs that may be lost. However, in life, good and bad occurs and it is up to you what your mindset is of it.
What are you currently doing during this time? What helps keep you motivated? What are you looking forward to doing once this time passes?
Saturday Night
It was Charlotte’s 16th birthday party this Saturday. She had us all where white and she wore a pink dress. When we got there, she made an entrance under a pink and white balloon arch. We all took pictures and ate dinner at her grandparents house. The view was amazing. The sky was filled with bright colors as they soaked into the many clouds. Her parents had gotten us each a film camera which we each used throughout the night to capture fun moments.
After dinner, a party bus arrived to drive us around Santa Barbara. We all got into the back where we played music and danced. Charlotte had made a six hour playlist that we played. We were on the bus for about two hours. We stopped at the mission and the beach. At the mission, we all got out and had cupcakes that her parents brought. When we were driving around downtown, it was fun to see the reactions to the people on the streets who saw us.
After Charlotte’s birthday party Jaeda, Remy, and I went to Jaeda’s house. On our way home, we stopped at Vons to get a chocolate cake mix to bake. When we got back, our legs already felt sore from standing up and dancing for two straight hours. Although it was only 9 at night, it felt like so much later. We made tik toks and baked our cake. We made the mistake of opening the frosting before frosting the cake. We kept eating it and it ended up being a fourth finished before we had even frosted the cake. However, it ended up tasting amazing. After eating the cake, we ended up watching Netflix and then falling asleep.
The next morning, we awoke to a time change. However, since we got to sleep in, it was not that bad. We finished what we were watching the night before and then had breakfast. Jaeda’s parents had made us a fruit plate and had muffins, bagels, yogurt, and granola were laid out.
What did you do this weekend?
The Wrong Direction
This weekend, my family and I went up to San Fransisco to see our cousins. My mom dad, brother, grandma, and I all crammed into my moms Lexus and began the six hour drive. The car ride was definitely squishy as we were all in the same tight space for hours. However, when we finally arrived, we were greeted with the smiles of our family. I feel very lucky to be so close with my relatives. After I created my family, I immediately went to my head and the second my head hit the pillow, I was out. This was the beginning of a very jam packed three days.
The next morning, I woke up to the smell of apple and cinnamon filling up the house. My mom had made us oatmeal which we ate as we looked out at the view. I peered out into touring redwoods and crowded roads. We then all headed to the city to eat Dim Sung. This is a traditional Chinese meal. The thirty minute boat ride went by extremely fast. We got to see a lot of the city.
Our lunch reservation was at 12 so we once we arrived in the city, we mapped our way to it. The restaurant was called Yank Sing. Little did we know that there were actually two locations of Yank Sing in the city. We walked throughout the streets but noticed that we were not going the usual way. When we finally made it to the restaurant they told us that our reservation was at the other location. My aunt mapped the correct location which we made our way to. I guess you could say we definitely worked up an appetite.
The next day, we spent time with each other. It was exciting because both my cousins had lacrosse and soccer games that day which we got to watch.
On our last day, my family drove into the city again to go on a chocolate tasting. We left thirty minutes earlier then our cousins so we could get their early and look around. We ended up getting a bit lost of the way. My mom accidentally put the wrong address in and we arrived in a random neighborhood. After this, we thought she put the correct address in and made our way to it. However, it was incorrect again. The ironic thing was that when we realized we had gone the wrong way again, the song “The Wrong Direction” was playing in our car.
I bursted out laughing and so did my family. We realized that going in the wrong direction is not always bad. We had each other and got to experience different parts of the city.
The next time that you realize you are going in the “wrong direction” try to come at it with a different approach.
Rachel’s Report 