Moving: Relocation.

Draft. Reconstruct. Remodel. Redesign. Move In.

I've had this lovely blog for almost 2 years. As much as I have shared and grown on this blog, I'm starting a new adventure with college life in a completely different part of California. I love this blog so I'm not taking it down but I am not going to update it either.

My new blog is at http://www.serenalee.wordpress.com

To update you (lovely blog readers), you can just click on this button below to update my new blog on your reader. And, if it's more convenient, click the "Get Serena Lee delivered by email" to get my blog posts (not me, my physical human self) in your e-mail.

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Or, if that doesn't work out, this link does the same: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/serenalee

Thank you for being part (and kindly reading and commenting) of my [mundane] life. But please join me on the other side (and I'm not implying death).

Thanks,

Serena

PS. If I don't have the right link to your blog/website on the "links" section of my new blog, please let me know. I was copy and pasting that page until about 2 in the morning so my brain wasn't functioning so well after an all-nighter from the night before.

Classic Asian Robot Mom....even in a city that's over an hour away.

While flipping through racks of gorgeous, stunning BCBG dresses I heard another Asian mother approach my mother. With the sneerish my-son-is-better-than-your-daughter attitude, she asked where I will be heading off to college.

My mother replied. Without skipping a beat, the sneerish mother directly answered, "She's studying Biology right?" My mother answered that I'll be studying Communications.

Then comes the classic your-daughter-fails-the-Asian-race answer: Why is she going there if she's not studying Biology? What's the point?

I could've walked over to the next aisle to where she was standing, whip out my investigative journalism skills and start snipping away at why her son shouldn't go to the school he is going to as a science major. Why schools shouldn't be judged on just one field and the strong programs each college offers.

As my mother walked toward the racks I was at, I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

Just another encounter with a classic Asian Robot mother.

In 10 days

I'll be in San Francisco volunteering for Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. I'm taking all my Friday quizzes on Thursday so my weekend is free for volunteering. There is a high chance that I'll get breast cancer (my grandmother is a breast cancer survivor) and I'm just glad that I have the privilege to be surrounded by such strong women.

Kitchen Confidential: 4 years too late

After spending an entire morning throwing up (I got food poisoning) and thinking that I had just entered hell-on-earth, the last thing I wanted to see--for a very long time--was any recognition of food. I didn't want to do any academic work so instead I started flipping through amazon.com recommended DVD picks and came across "Kitchen Confidential." In an entire sitting, I went through 13 episodes on hulu.com.

Though I tried to pry myself away from food, this show is absolutely stunning. Perfect dialogue, precise comedic timing, story lines were great, and there was a pace to the show that felt so contemporary, so perfect that I was amazed that this show was canceled after 4 episodes due to low ratings. Uh, Fox, are you crazy? Oh wait, "A Moment of Truth" is on Fox.

"Kitchen Confidential" combines the right amount of drama, comedy, and perfect chemistry. It is a show that has elements that current shows lack.

I wish shows like this would last. "Pushing Daisies" and "Privileged" were just a few of the canceled shows that were somewhat different but offer better entertainment than watching humans plop on red balls on "Wipeout."

Watch the first episode of "Kitchen Confidential" at

http://www.hulu.com/watch/128/kitchen-confidential-exile-on-main-street#x-0,vepisode,1

13 days

Do you like awkward pictures? I sure do! I'm very noticeable.

1. My neck looks too long 2. I am the only one smiling 3. Again, my neck looks too long.

Can you believe it? I graduated 13 days ago! I've been so busy since summer began that it's hard to absorb that less than 2 weeks ago was high school graduation. I had a couple of my friends tell me that they no longer see me on gChat (Apparently it's noticable that I have a life outside technology though my blackberry is glued to my left hand 24/7) .

I am barely making it each day, cramming in 5 hours of sleep. I never would have imagined that my summer before COLLEGE would be jam packed with classes but somehow even though I have almost no sleep, barely any energy, and wake up at 7 a.m. each morning, I could not be anymore happier. I love having a filled schedule, working out the logistics, delving into different types of literature, and (gasp) solving equations.

However, what was really exciting that happened last week was my college orientation. I think I am absolutely in love with my college after orientation. Though I'm kind of afraid of my future classmates learning about my blogging lifestyle...to the point where I took it off my facebook website links except it still shows my twitter which links to my wordpress blog which links to this blog. So I guess if they're really into stalking or whatever, it's still possible to find this blog.

Orientation. Well, I lived in a dorm for a night. I locked myself out of my room (I know, day 1, I locked myself out. This is a bad premonition) and had to get a suitemate to find my roommate from the dance party she was at...to come back to open the door for me. I felt SO bad but at the same time I was SO excited to see my hairdryer. My hair was dripping wet after coming out of the shower. Okay, I am excited for college, new campus, the views from the dorm rooms (if they're on the upper floors), and just meeting new people.

I am NOT excited about the dorm room. I'm a little bit OCD about germs. I mean, I carry purrell everywhere. Having some gross jail-looking type blanket that had weird stains on it covering me up when I slept was kind of revolting. And I realized the complete awkwardness of meeting new people and trying to strike up a conversation.

photo taken from http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1216/1436222619_09ae57ce04.jpg?v=0

Sitting in my suite couches with girls from different parts of California (NorCal kids and SoCal kids have different diction so it's easy to pick up where people are from) we just talked about guys, music, and television. It was kind of surreal but really relaxed to just be in this completely new environment and trying to soak in the reality that oh dear, I'm here for the next FOUR years.

The artsy-liberal part of campus really excited me. Too bad it was raining during orientation though...I only brought short shorts, flip flops, and tanks. Maybe I'll start checking the weather...by my boobs. Mean Girls, anyone? Okay, maybe I'm just cracking jokes to myself.

On another note, there is a comment form on the right side of my blog AND you can sign up to get posts directly in your e-mail box (and you can basically unsubscribe really easily....I think).

1 Essay. 1 Paragraph. 20 Math Problems.

The Devil wears Deadlines

Remember that scene from "The Devil Wears Prada" when Emily Blunt's character is completely congested and mutters "I love my job. I love my job. I love my job" ?

As exhausted as I am right now and with 300 more words to go in this hideously straining essay (thank goodness the Final for the class is next week!) I can't stop playing over in my head "I love to write. I love to write. I love to write." It's like a broken record in my head to force me to write faster and now I'm writing on my blog...instead of analyzing more pieces and integrating different writing pieces for an overall theme.

"I love to write. I love to write. I love to write."

Perhaps if I wish it continously, it will come true at 3:05 a.m. in the morning.

On another note, check my Twitter timeline for the url of Taylor Swift rapping. (Someone put it on YouTube earlier tonight). I think it's pretty darn funny and my favorite part is when her mom makes a cameo. No, actually, my favorite part is when she flashes her grillz. Haha, now that was funny.

I love to write. I love to write. I love to write.

Stressed and Busy

In the last 48 hours, I have...

1. Taken an American Sign Language with a deaf instructor and was completely amazed by each person's choice to enroll in the class
2. Got extra credit in one of my classes by sharing that I eat Pasta with sugar
3. Drank delicious coffee from a coffee cart
4. Learned about Asian-American literature
5. Played the Sims 3
6. Woken up at 7 a.m. each day

I am now faced with:

50+ math problems, 60 pages of reading, 1200 word essay, and 1 Quiz.

And the weird thing is, I am so stressed beyond belief but more than that I am in love with learning. I know, right? It's weird but I feel like with the right mixture of classmates, professors, and material, it makes everything seem just perfect and all the help I am offered is extremely supportive. I'm on a schedule of taking a full-time college workload while juggling some free lancing work here and there but I love productivity. I love having a schedule completely booked up and without any extra time to spare. It's so much fun and it just makes life really worthwhile.

I had 3 days of "summertime" to kick back and relax before my classes started. Those 3 days were miserable. I was bored out of my mind and could not sit still for a few hours of doing absolutely nothing. I got bored of skateboarding, running, and watching television.

I have a feeling I am pulling an all-nighter today (in the summer, I know!) but I'm really excited. The material is amazing and I sheepishly admit, I'm beginning to love math.

Senior Prom

Note: I only took the last 3 pictures by myself.

CANDID MOMENT: Laughing about something I can't remember.

GIRLS: Lookin' Pretty

SEAGULLS: Real close to us. All I could think was "Don't Poop on Me!"

Lucky to have my best friend on my side

A boat on a boat! And then the security officer came out to us...

Senior Prom was exactly a week ago. At this time, 11:53 p.m., last Saturday, was my last high school song to dance to. I meant to blog this a few days after prom but I got caught up with graduation and redesigning a wordpress that I plan on moving to. However, this post will be strictly prom and I'm posting other ones on end of school, graduation, sanp, etc.

It wasn't a surprise that my dress was going to be purple. It was a last minute (ok, so I bought the shoes about a week before prom) decision to have 4-inch heels. Now, those hurt like hell. While we were in front of my friend's house taking pictures, the girls would go into the house for a few moments of foot release. Luckily, a 2008er had warned me beforehand to bring flip flops to the dance. No pain, no gain? Psh! I wasn't going around barefoot in San Francisco. I had purple flip flops! Also, for all you girls going to Senior Prom/Senior Ball next year, I'd highly advise you to bring a coat. I brought a pea coat and boy, was I warm in the chilly night.

Prom was seriously a night of fun. I guess a lucky part of it was that I went to prom with my best guy friend. No awkwardness, no lulls in conversations. We spent a lot of time in the front of the boat, on the lower deck where a part of the section juts out outside (somewhat like a "mini deck"). We gazed off into the distance as we approached the Golden Gate, the Bay Bridge, and the City around us. We watched as the sun went down and as the night twinkled on.

With a Peets Coffee in my hand (I think I was one of the only students who drank coffee that night), we held onto each other looking far into the distance. We talked about how much we've grown up with each other and how our futures would plan out (with each other just a phone call away). We wondered how the hell we'd survive our freshman year without each other. We stared and soaked in the scenic views in silence. No words were needed to make us happy.

Throughout the night, as I wandered in to dance with my friends or hang out with them around the boat, it didn't hit me that "Wow, this may be the last time we, as a class, will be together, dressed up like this." When the last song played, I finally realized that our theme was that song. (Sorry, I've been a little occupied with...life instead of wondering about theme songs).

I loved Prom. Prom really isn't about forking over hundreds of bills for the perfect dress, the perfect shoes, or the perfect nails. (Seriously, girls, spend that money on college or something!)But more importantly, I love the people I spent prom with. Whether it was for a quick photo op, a hug here or there, or just laughing so hard as the cold California winds blew into our faces, those were the memories that stick out in my mind as I write this.

Senior Prom with the Class of 2009.

"Catch a Falling Star and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away."

One Day.

I've spent more time with these 4 people than I have with my non-Journalism friends. Isn't that kind of sad?

What a Snoozer

Mamma Mia movie soundtrack's "Mamma Mia" blasted at 7 a.m.. Groggily rubbing my eyes, I walked over to my phone charger, removed the charger, and put the phone next to my bed. I pressed snooze.

8:30 a.m. I hear my mom standing next to me on the phone. In Chinese she shouts, "What do you mean you dropped your child off at school at 7 a.m.? Isn't it late start?"

I jolt up and ask what time it is. Misunderstanding at its best. In the first time of my high school life, I missed class without a real legitimate excuse. No asthma attack. No bloody nose. No headache. I overslept.

Embarrassed, I walked up to the Attendance desk. Sheepishly I say, "I thought it was late start...and I have a first period."

She nodded her head and did one of those "Oh...yeah..." looks. Handed me a white slip that marked "tardy" and I headed on to class. 

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Two School Days

I have two full school days left. In less than 48 hours, I will be "done" with school. Checked out at least. Somewhat bittersweet, isn't it?

I didn't cry at the banquet--surprisingly. I did cry ridiculously on the last late night...that one Friday night after the film festival. I was sad. Now I'm excited. 

More than anything I am ready for summer to begin. I guess officially I am now a college student. Sounds old, doesn't it? I realize that being 18 has its perks. 

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Dateline NBC: Taylor Swift.

Other than P, I don't know anyone else who doesn't like to party or who doesn't like to drink/smoke/drugs. Taylor Swift's dateline NBC special officially confirmed her as someone I look up to. Asked by the journalist who shadowed her for months if she had ever smoked or drank a glass of alcohol, she replied "No." because it didn't interest her. 

I get that college is about having the time of your life and partying. I've been to a few parties and they didn't really excite me. Alcohol? You know how people throw up after they drink alcohol? I pre-throw up. If I smell a strong glass of wine or hard liquor around me, I begin to get nauseous and start gagging. I'm pretty sure I'll throw up coffee or something before a sip of alcohol. Clearly, I'm not made for drinking.

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Journalism Banquet 2008-2009

I think Banquet was the official realization for me that wow, high school journalism is over. It's weird glancing around the cafeteria looking at all the people I've worked through the years. I kind of feel like a proud "sister." When I see the returning staff members for 09-10, I think of their initial journalism interviews, their poor first drafts massacred in (pink pen or highlighted purple), and the progress they've made this year. 

Thank you for the nominations of "Unsung Hero" and "Golden Pen." It's comforting and humbling to know that I've done my job right...or at least tried my best at it. It's been a good month of awards. If only my senior superlative award of "Most likely to write for the NY Times" comes true then my life is complete. Though, I do have all these NY Times memorabilia items that my aunt gave me (she works at the NYT). 

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New Blogs

I'm in the process of redesigning my blogs. The tumblr is done and I want more freedom from this blogspot format. I'm figuring out the kinks and format for my WordPress before it goes all-out-active. I feel like it's time for a new start. A new chapter begins.

Oh, and, Patty and I will start our college blogs about our different experiences on two sides of the country and will make weekly posts. We're still figuring out what layout we want and how we want to do it all. But I hope this executes well. I'm kind of excited for it. At least, if I were a senior or junior, I'd want to see what college life as a freshman is like from different lifestyles.

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Truancy?

Each day, my classes get emptier and emptier. Seniors are no longer attending class...at all. I'm getting used to seeing half of my class present and the other half completely empty. It's pretty interesting and seeing a frequent ditcher on campus is quite a surprise.

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Delete FB friends

A lot of seniors (myself included) are discussing the Facebook friends they have deleted. Truth is, there are 700+ seniors, right? The most I'll stay in touch with is probably 50. Browsing through my friends list, I realized a huge chunk of these kids I will a) never talk to again b) never see again c) haven't spoken to in a while. And thus, that means, DELETE!

Pretty refreshing, I must say myself.

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Reality?

There are many things I won't miss about MVHS. 

Actually, I felt pretty darn happy after the last rally. Surrounded by girls with tears in their eyes, I couldn't even force myself to feel sad. I was relieved, happy, and ready to go.

There are many requirements as a senior to "graduate" and essentially "senior check out" requires a bunch of stuff.

10 minutes ago I had to go onto Naviance. I really don't get Naviance. I haven't used it and all I did was take a personality test that was so stereotypical that I could tell what it was going to tell me before I finished the test. 

Well, there is a requirement of having to list out 

1. All of the colleges you applied to

2. The result: waitlisted. rejected. accepted.

3. The school you confirmed your acceptance

And then there are these crazy colors and numbers that tell you if you were above average or below average compared to other MVHS seniors who applied to the schools you applied to. 

And if you don't do this, you can't "check out" of MVHS.

I get statistics. I get that it boosts up MVHS ratings. Whatever. I get that. I get that Ivy Leagues are ranked in the top 12 or whatever it is. Who knows. Who really cares anyway. But back to my point, I find it SO absurd that I was just basically forced to do what I refused to do all year because I find it absurd to know that there are parents who purposely stare at the school newspaper's senior map and compare students integrity. I find it absurd that there is a color that indicates how I "fit" in with my high school results when I really could care less about what an absurd program thinks of me. 

Do I think that Naviance will help the class of 2010? Class of 2011? Class of 20__?

No, I really don't. I just think it's feeding into this crazy "Asian" society where a person's integrity doesn't matter but a competitive edge does. It's a strange community that thinks a non-medical career means failure, that will gossip over absolutely nothing, that thinks life is all about numbers.

I'm just saying, I'm glad that I'm graduating and leaving this town.

There are kids who aren't as fortunate as I. I know people who want to pursue their dreams of becoming an artist, a writer, an event planner--but they can't. Because their parents won't allow them. Because they won't make money. Because this life isn't a life for them to pursue their dreams, it's a life to pursue their parents' dreams.