Babbles of the Week

• College is really all about independence. The teachers are there to help you but YOU have to build your own career. 
• Sleep is a blessing. As always.
• Wearing my chiffon dress for the last days of summer. (above)
• Listening to audiobooks on the subway makes those mundane rides so much more enjoyable. Especially if you're listening to Lemony Snicket and you don't mind others giving you weird looks when you're all smiling like an idiot.
• I have to write a first draft for a narrative by tomorrow and I've been having a terrible writer's block.
• My new vintage 1950s dress came in the mail a few days ago but the bust area is a little large for me, even though the measurements on the shop were correct. Maybe it's because they were designed with bullet bras in mind?
• Chorus is my favorite class. What's more enjoyable that making music with others?
• Seasonal allergies are starting to kick in...*grabs Kleenex and blows nose for the I-lost-count time*

Intense Inspiration Therapy

College can take a toll, especially for a freshmen like me. And amidst all the packed schedules and practicing, it's easy to become creatively fatigued, even when you are doing something you love. Sometimes you just need a little break. My friends and I were craving some serious inspiration therapy lately so we decided to hit up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art after class without any specific plans of what areas to focus on. We seemed to naturally gravitate to the Egyptian Art exhibition and managed to swipe through the entire wing. It was enormous...but absolutely spectacular to see how man managed to create such things with nothing but hands, a few tools, and an insanely creative mind. And a very smart and innovative mind at that. It's so mind boggling, I can't wrap my head around it.

Afterwards, we checked out the Modern and Contemporary area and then the 19th century Impressionistic wing. Funny story: my friend R was trying to explain to B why she was looking at the Monet painting (below) at such close proximity. She said that she liked to first see the individual strokes and touches along with the colors and then step back, taking in the painting as a whole. At that moment, a security guard shouted at her, "Too close Ma'am, WAY TOO CLOSE. You're nose is going to break the glass!" And then the security guard followed us around the countless rooms for three hours. Yeah.

(Note: the couple in the last photo aren't friends of mine. I just couldn't help getting a shot because they were so cute together.)

1st Week Recap

This past week has been quite possibly the longest week I've ever experienced in my entire life. I'm back in school...but I don't remember a week being this long when I was in high school. It's been only a week and I'm already stressed and feel like I'm going to go haywire if I make the slightest error. But still, it has been enjoyable...it is actually fun, being able to take classes on a subject that I am actually passionate about. And being able to be around others who share the same interests and rub elbows with them? Perhaps I'm merely freaking out too early and just need to realize that adjustment takes time. A lot of time. Especially since this is college, not high school.

First it will be useful to know that I do not attend a traditional state university. Or a private university like Yale for that matter. I study piano at a prestigious private music conservatory which is vastly different than the college that you might be familiar with. We have homework, yes. We still have to write papers. But we also have choir rehearsals, ensemble rehearsals, and orchestra rehearsals for the instrumentalists. And on top of that, we need to get many hours of our own practice. Hopefully I can get used to this rhythm pretty soon because I've been very tired everyday this week!

Few things I've realized about college:

• You have to tell others what your major is a million times in the beginning of term because of all the new people you meet. But then you realize you're asking the same thing to others.
• Sleep is a blessing, a luxury.
• Organization and time management is CRUCIAL!
• At least for me, I'm not sure where I belong. I've made several friendly acquaintances and I'm lucky to have a few friends attend the same school as me, but I don't think I've found my comfort group yet. I probably won't for a while.
• You start to think differently. You start to think like an adult. I don't think I'm at that stage yet and honestly, I'm a little scared. I guess I'm scared to leave behind my teenage self forever.

Thoughts of the Day

• It is good to be back in New York. It's good to be back to all the hustle and bustle, the overcrowded subways, and walking. (LOTS of walking!) 
• Maybe it's because I've been staying at a tiny university city in Washington State for two and a half months, and I've become so used to seeing school logo T-shirts and yoga pants, but the fashions here in the city seem so WACKY. But most of them not exactly in a good, creative way...more of like an eyesore. But to each her own.
• Orientation is tomorrow and I'm terribly nervous! I've been home schooled for the past three years, since my sophomore year, and I'm worried if I'll get my rhythm of going to school again in time. I really hope it won't take too long to adjust. 
• I'm scared about college. I think it's more nerve wracking than competitions because at least I know what to expect at competitions. I have no idea what I'll be facing at college, class-wise, people-wise, networking-wise, performance-wise, and fill-in-the-blank-here-wise.
• As much as I love New York, I'm missing the clean air and tranquility of Washington State. I don't know exactly when I'll be back there again.

Back-To-School Wishlist

It's been quite a long time since I last was so psyched for "back-to-school" as I had been homeschooled since my sophomore year in high school. Now I can't go inside a store without getting all jittery and excited at all the signs welcoming the new incoming freshman or returning students.

Here are some things I'm eyeing for the new school year. Hopefully I can snatch one or two of these, especially...

...this pair of skinnies from Uniqlo
...this iphone case for my future iphone soon (though there are so many cute cases in Chinatown)
...this skirt that would perfect for late summer, fall, and spring
...this tulle skirt that I could wear for my student recitals or just everyday (I'm obsessed with tulle lately)
...this backpack or something similar to hold all my books
...this dress or this dress which I would wear every single day, alternating shirts to layer underneath
...these saddle shoes from Bass or a new pair of oxfords to replace my old ones
...this sweater which would look perfect with skinny jeans or any flouncy skirt
...and this boater hat from Urban Outfitters

Poor college student coming right up? At least my lovely DSLR I bought recently keeps me from sobbing. And also the fact that I'm leaving to New York in three days!

First Post

Hello...my name is Margaret...

I will be a college freshman at a private college in New York this fall and I hope this blog will be a successful diary of documentation of my experiences, lifestyle, and New York adventures through words and photographs. I have had personal blogs before but none of them lasted very long due to lack of commitment and center theme but I have a feeling that this one won't meet a similar demise.

I guess I can say this is more for myself than an outlet for gaining followers or you, the readers. College is an entirely new chapter in life and of the most important, and I want to be able to look back at something many years later and see a version of myself that I once was, so I think having a visual documentation other than my personal diary is a great idea. 

Currently I am in Washington State for the summer, visiting my old home. Next week I will be going back to New York so I am terribly excited...it's so close I can taste it. Student Orientation is just around the corner...

I'm curious to see how much I will change within the span of four years, granted, even one year as I hear that people dramatically change during freshman year!