minute thoughts 5.23.16
Alpha Thugs for life (photo credit to Michael Aie)
Thoughts while eating my last ice cream cone at DLG
1. A bit late, but the annual TIME 100 is out! My favorite thing about reading it every year is that not only do I learn about so many people whose achievements I would otherwise not have been aware of, but also that it's written by other influential people. It sends a nice message of support, that you can recognize greatness. It's very inspiring.
2. I recently discovered Documentary Addict and it's the GREATEST THING. There isn't enough time in the world.
3. Why is cosmetic surgery so unfairly stigmatized? Braces are a purely cosmetic procedure, and it's completely normalized, so why is cosmetic surgery any different? I personally am guilty of having judged people for drastically changing their appearances, but ironically, I wouldn't have the guts to do it for fear of other peoples' judgment. But why wouldn't you do something to make you feel good about yourself?
4. I'm a very strange brand of food snob, because I'll make any excuse to justify eating instant ramen (there's just something so comforting about pure sodium), but then I'll get really offended by the suggestion of buying things like pesto or pancakes when I can make them from scratch myself (pancakes from a box; how dare you).
5. It's a bit old-fashioned but I think the term "significant other" or "SO" is 10x better than "boyfriend"/"girlfriend". It doesn't trivialize your partner or sound childish, and I like that it acknowledges the "significant" part of it. It's very cute.
6. For some reason, when it comes to conversation, there is this odd conception that silence is awkward or uncomfortable. We like noise. We live in a culture that is buzzing with technology, one that is always "on," and there is no such thing as silence. But I appreciate silence. If there's something I'm excited about, I'm guilty of talking until I run out of words. But in normal in my day-to-day interactions, I mostly like talking only when it's necessary. I talk to contribute something to the value of the conversation, not just to make myself known. I savor silences the way people savor chocolate; I like to just sit and hear the sounds of the world, of all the empty spaces. I get asked if I'm "okay" a lot, and it's just because there's always a lot on my mind. I'm learning how to be more open with people, but I think I'm always going to like silence, to a degree.
7. I promised myself I wouldn't buy any more eyeshadow palettes but lately I've been lusting after the absolutely gorgeous Urban Decay Alice Through the Looking Glass palette. I've never seen anything like it; it even looks like a work of art. The jewel tones are amazingly striking, but also wearable.
8. I keep seeing articles with titles like "Ways to Attract More Women to STEM", but I don't think that's the problem. Women are interested in STEM fields, it's just disheartening to them when there's such a "bro culture" in a lot of them. It's easy to say "there should be more women doctors/engineers/scientists," but when women aren't taken seriously in their own professions or feel marginalized as the minority, that's the real issue at play.
9. A couple of days ago, someone posted on Free & For Sale that he found a graduation pack lying on the ground, and mentioned offhandedly that he couldn't afford one ($75 for a cap, gown, and stole...UCSB's trying to start off our student debt early or something...). But then people commented on his post things like, "It's not mine, but can we start a fund to get you one?", "You can use my stuff to walk," and "I'm willing to pitch in for you to get a set; you deserve to go to graduation after all the work you've done." This is why Gauchos are the best people in the world.
10. And on that note, only 19 days left until I leave paradise for good. The graduation-induced nostalgia has hit me hard. I'm becoming wistful over the smallest, most insignificant things. I think of everything in "lasts." My last meal at the Dining Commons. My last Dog Therapy Day. My last initiation as an active of Alpha Kappa Psi. We had our graduation of seniors yesterday, which is always pretty emotional. It's so bittersweet. There's so much I want to impart to the younger actives, in who I see much of myself when I first crossed. I've seen so much growth since then. And it's difficult to articulate exactly what AKPsi has done for me, because the truth is, I'm a completely different person because of it. A part of my heart will always belong to Santa Barbara, and to the fraternity.
