I'm going to China!

So there will be no new posts these next two-and-a-half weeks, which, you know, is okay because I don't have any followers yet, but it will definitely not help me gain any followers.  On the plus side, I'll definitely have a lot of things to write about once I get back.  Toodle-loo.

How to give a great gift without even trying

So you've just been invited to a birthday party!  Hooray!  Man, how popular are YOU.  After this initial euphoria wears off, however, you're stuck with that whole issue of actually having to buy something for the lucky birthday boy or girl, and you can't for the life of you think of what to get.  Fear not, this handy guide will teach you how to give a great, seemingly thoughtful gift (whether for birthdays or other occasions) without even trying.


Giving Gifts to Girls

Step 1.  Get thee to a Walmart.

Walmart has everything, and for cheap prices.  And as long as you don't go out and buy anything that has the Walmart / Sam's Club / Costco logo on it, you're golden.  If you have complaints about Walmart's business practices or whatever, I guess you could go to a... a Whole Foods or something?

And if you were thinking of going to the mall or some boutique to look for the perfect present, I'm just going to ask you right now to leave from this lazy person's guide to gift-giving, because going to the mall requires a lot of shopping around and walking.


Step 2.  Consider your gift-giving options.

It helps if you know a little bit about the girl for whom you're shopping.  For example, does she have any favorite movies, bands, or authors?  Consider getting her a DVD, CD, or book -- it makes you seem thoughtful because you remembered something about her interests.  (In the case of book-giving, return to Step One, and get thee to a Barnes & Noble.)  Just make sure that she doesn't already own a copy of whatever you're getting her, because that just makes it awkward.  This will take some sly detective work from you, but I'm confident you can do it.

If you're shopping for a girl with whom you're not that familiar, or you just weren't paying much attention when she was talking about how much she loves The Beatles, there are a few generic gifts that almost any girl wouldn't mind getting:

• Lotion:  Walmart actually has lotion scents that can compare with those of Bath & Body Works.  Make sure to do a smell check before buying -- if you don't like the smell, she probably won't like it either.
• Fuzzy socks:  Basically, all girls love fuzzy socks.  (That might be a bit of a generalization.)  If I'm shopping for someone during the fall or winter, I will often get a pair of fuzzy socks and lotion that are the same color for the appearance of epic thoughtfulness.
• Make up or nail polish:  Be a little careful here -- not all girls wear make up and nail polish.  If you know your friend even a little, though, you should know if she does or does not.  For those of us who do wear make up or nail polish, we like variety, so we certainly wouldn't mind getting more.
• Chocolate:  Chocolate is an excellent and delicious bag-filler, for when it looks like you didn't buy enough.  And if your girl friend doesn't like chocolate...  LOL JK, that's never gonna happen. *

I also advise you to stay away from clothes, unless you're absolutely certain that you know your girl friend's tastes and size.

* I'm just kidding!  There are some crazies out there who dislike chocolate, so if you need to fill space in your bag, just get some other candy.


Step 3.  Buy a gift bag and some tissue paper.

Gift bags and tissue paper let you "wrap" your gift in approximately ten seconds, but at the same time, they give your gift a cute look.  For maximum cuteness, match the color(s) of the gift bag and tissue paper with the main color(s) of your gift.  And if you're feeling particularly cheap or lazy, recycle a gift bag or tissue paper from previous gifts that you've received!


Step 4.  For the creative types, don't buy a card.

Consider making one.  Sure, it takes a bit more work than just picking a Hallmark off the shelf at Walmart, but it can be fun, and it gives your present another thoughtful-ness point.  To avoid seeming cheap, subtly mention how you feel that homemade cards are much more personal than store-bought cards and just better.

Tips for making an awesome birthday card:

• Make it on card stock or thick construction paper.  If there's none around, fold printer paper twice (into fourths) to make the card thicker.
• Draw something cute.  Girls love cute things.  Like bunnies.  And bunnies eating flowers.
• Start your note on the inside with "Dear..."
• Don't forget to mention "Happy Birthday!"
• If you need to fill up space, draw birthday related things, such as gift-wrapped presents, balloons, and cakes with the correct number of candles.

Even if you're not the artistic type, you might be surprised at how cute drawings turn out when a non-artistic type tries to draw something.  At any rate, your giftee will appreciate the effort.


Step 5.  Take off the price tag.

Please don't forget to do this.


Step 6 (optional).  Bask in the glory of a job lazily done.

Arrive at your friend's house and give your gift with a smile and hug, knowing that your gift is passable, and you barely had to do anything!


Giving Gifts to Guys

Step 1.  A gift card to GameStop.

Or to a sports store, if he's more of a sporty guy.  Or to a book store, if he's more of a bookish guy.  Or cash, if he's one of those hard-to-shop-for hipsters.  The point is, I don't know anything about buying gifts for guys.

Why I hate texting

Don't get upset!  It's not that I dislike the people who text, it's just that I find it annoying when people text while I'm talking to them or text during class (or worse, while driving!).  And I'm not saying that other people shouldn't text; these are just the reasons that I will probably never start texting all the time.


1.  What's the point?

Maybe it's because I don't text, but I see no way that you can have a real, full conversation with text messages.  On my iPod touch, it's hard for me to type and spell things correctly, so I end up writing shorter comments on Facebook or whatever than I normally would.  Basically, I'm saying that with your ability to communicate lessened like that, each text response might be one or two sentences each, which is not what a normal conversation should be like, for me.  If you want to talk to someone, just call them, yeah?

Sure, sometimes texting can be convenient, and I text my mom and friends occasionally to let them know where I am, that kind of thing.  But I just don't see the point of devoting time and attention to an entire texting conversation.


2.  It's distracting.

So, so distracting.  In class, it distracts your attention away from the teacher and learning (I know, it sounds so nerdy); on the road, it makes it so that you can't pay attention fully, putting yourself and other drivers in danger.  And in any other situation where texting wouldn't interfere, you could almost always call instead.  So again, I don't see the point.


3.  It's annoying for people around you.

Am I the only one who gets annoyed when people I'm talking to pull out their phones to check and reply to their texts?  It makes me feel like they'd rather be talking to someone else or they think I'm boring or something.  And... even if I am boring, at least keep it a secret from me!  It seems to me that texting cuts you off from conversations going on around you and discourages other people from talking to you.


Again, I don't mean to preach, and I'm not saying that everyone should stop texting; I just wanted to get my thoughts out there.  I'd love to hear your views on this, but please just remember to be nice!

Four reasons why I love The Beatles

Four reasons why I love the Beatles

How's that?  Seriously though, there is so much to love about these guys.  This list would probably be longer, but I need it to fit in with my pun above.


1.  Their Hair / Suits / Smiles / General Adorable-ness

Anybody can see that these boys are a couple of handsome fellas.  I mean, just look at Ringo's smile!  Is that not the cutest thing that you've seen since the last kitty you saw?  And the suits that they wore during the AHDN days!  I hope I don't need to explain how suits make good-looking guys look good-looking-er.

One thing I want to point out, though, is that while I love their later musical works, this era's clothing and clean-shaven appearance best suits my fancy.


2.  Accents

What is it about accents that make English men irresistible?  How can the words "girl" and "world" as sung by the Beatles be the cutest things an American girl has ever heard?  I will never know, but I don't complain.


3.  Talent

Their gorgeous voices, perfectly comfortable harmonies, effortless skills at multiple instruments, beautiful and meaningful compositions, and occasionally, downright witty lyrics that make me want to laugh out loud.

How is it even possible that there exist/existed people with so much talent.


4.  Revolutionized pop music

Okay, this might be an over-statement -- everyone has his or her own opinions as to when pop music started and who did it best.  (In my eyes, it was the Beatles.)  But listen to a couple of the Beatles' albums in order, and you can hear their evolution from love-song-y boy band to full-out rockers / innovators.  I love the early songs, middle songs, and later songs, but to me, the changes in their lyrics and style show how they grew up and matured during those ten years.


So anyway, those were the ramblings of an obsessive fangirl.  (Also, there was a lot of Paul in this post, because he's my favorite.)  You're free to disagree with me, but please just be nice about it!

A letter to future orchestra members

During the school year, I tutored the violin at my old middle school through a program that we called BOW.  I really enjoyed the time that I spent there, so my middle school orchestra teacher asked me to write out some of my thoughts about the program.

Dear future orchestra members, 

I want to tell you guys a little bit about the B-- Orchestra Workshop, how I started going to it, and how it became one of the things that made my Fridays even better. 

At the beginning of senior year, having completely blown off NHS my junior year, I was in dire need of points.  When I heard that I could tutor violin for points, my first reaction was actually, “But what if I mess these kids up even more while trying to teach them?” 

I decided to try it anyway. 

I don’t know if you all realize, but a lot of the younger students really look up to us.  My kids were always saying things like, “How did you get so good?” and “How can you play that without even practicing?”  Even if you don’t think you have anything to offer, please believe me when I say that you do, and not just because you know more than they do. 

Because even though Mrs. G-- is an amazing teacher, she is only one person, and I think it helps to have that individual support and attention that BOW gives.  Every time I went, I felt like I was actually making a difference, even if it was just a little bit. 

My only complaint is that we often did not have enough tutors to offer that kind of one-on-one time that I felt was needed.  I always had to tutor two or three students, which was inconvenient and difficult for them and for me.  I kept waiting for the day when we would have enough tutors so that I could focus on just one student at a time, but it never happened. 

So while I’m definitely not asking you to drop every other commitment for this, if you know that you’ll be free after school every once in a while, please consider adding your email to the tutors list or giving your number to someone in charge so that they can contact you if they’re short on tutors. 

After all, even though we all know that orchestra is about the music, there’s more to it than that:  Being in orchestra makes us part of a team and a community, and we’ve got a bit of a responsibility to give back to it. 

Sincerely,
Shela.

Finding my college

This is a mini-essay that I wrote for a scholarship entry.  Obviously, I have very little chance of winning the scholarship, but I kind of liked what I wrote, so I'm posting it here.

When I got rejected from MIT, I was devastated.  I kept saying to myself and my concerned parents and friends, "It's okay, it's okay.  It's not a big deal."  But it was a big deal.  It felt like everything I had worked for the past three years had been a waste.  What was the point of getting good grades and working hard in school if there was no MIT?  Where else in the world could I possibly be happy? 

Several days later, encouraged by my parents' and friends' support, I got out of this funk and, for the first time, started seriously considering the other schools that had accepted me.  Carnegie Mellon and University of Michigan have excellent engineering programs, and besides that, I used to live near Pittsburgh, and many of my friends would be going to Michigan.  But I wanted an adventure.  It sounds a little silly when I put it that way, but really, I just want to go somewhere new, to get out of my comfort zone, and to force myself to get out there and meet new people and see new things. 

So when I got an invitation to visit Cornell during its admitted student welcome sessions, I said, "Why not?" and drove eight hours with my family to Ithaca, New York.  Even though I kept hearing people talk about how gorgeous Cornell was, I was unprepared to find out how beautiful it really is.  The roaring waterfalls, the breathtaking gorges, the stunning view from the mountains -- all that, on top of the time I spent exploring and touring the campus and hearing about the school's engineering program, made up my mind. 

And so what if Cornell is not MIT?  Some time during this whole ordeal, I decided that the college I attend will not determine what I achieve and become.  No matter where I go, there is no guarantee that I will be successful or happy -- that is something I have to go out and get for myself, whether at MIT or Cornell, and even afterwards.

How to write an AP English essay without even trying *

1.  The Introduction

One of the hardest parts of writing an AP English essay is the beginning.  After all, we've been learning since elementary school that the beginning is the most important part of the entire essay, and if you get it wrong, you will fail.  We don't want our readers getting bored and walking away after the first sentence now, do we?  This idea stands true despite the fact that the AP readers are kind of required to stick it out and read the whole essay.

Therefore, a winning introductory sentence should start with something all-encompassing and vague, such as, "In today's society," "For many years," or (my personal favorite), "In the words of [insert important historical figure here]."  There's no way you can go wrong when someone like Albert Freaking Einstein is starting off your paper.

From there, contrive some way to transition to your thesis.  The best thesis statements analyze the theme of the passage while also managing to answer the prompt fully.  Theme is tricky.  Look over the passage or think about the work that you are writing about, and think about how it makes you feel.  The stuff that they make us read for AP English usually has something to do with society or something, so try to mention that.  If you're still stumped, that might be an indication that the theme involves the ambiguity of society's morals or the lack of clarity in life.

Once you have your thesis, remember that this is what you're trying to prove from now on.  Keep referring back to it to ensure your reader that you haven't forgotten this task.


2.  The Body

Everybody knows that good essays must be long.  Therefore, feel free to embellish and adorn your sentences as much as you like, making sure -- and this is important -- to add several clauses and the like; make frequent use of semicolons, as these also make you look like you know what you're doing.

Using the passive voice is a good way to lengthen sentences -- never mind the fact that it makes your writing dull and ineffective.  Redundant phrases such as, "Needless to say," and "It goes without saying," serve the same function.  Sprinkle in some long, impressive-sounding words that you read in that book that one time.  In a word, if you want your essay to look impressive, never say in one word what you can say in many.

Never use, "I think," or "In my opinion."  Even if you feel that omitting these phrases might make you seem abrasive or assertive, giving others the impression that you're just generally unfriendly, these phrases weaken your argument.  Instead, use "one" when you feel the urge to use "I," because it sounds sophisticated and smart.  Sentences such as, "One would think that one would get used to one knowing oneself," will show off your writing smarts and impress the reader.

Transitions are important.  Scatter such phrases around your essay as: furthermore, in addition, moreover, however, on the other hand, in contrast, therefore, and thus.  Please keep in mind that "thusly" is a bit ridiculous sounding and might not actually be a word.


3.  The Conclusion

The conclusion is the last the thing that the AP reader will see before grading your essay.  Logically, then, the conclusion is very, very important, since you can't possibly expect the reader to remember everything that you wrote in the previous paragraphs, whether it was good or bad.

As you'll be running out of time at this point and cracking under pressure, brow sweating, fingers cramping, checking the clock every twenty seconds because OMG YOU HAVE NO TIME LEFT, it's best to keep this  section short and sweet.  Don't panic.  Flip back to your first page and take a look at what you wrote for your thesis sentence.  Using your extensive AP vocab, substitute appropriate synonyms, rearrange the word order, and voila!

You've just finished your winning AP English essay without even trying!  Feel free to discuss the essay with friends afterward and brag about how easy it was for you.


* LOL JK, there is no easy way to write a decent AP English essay.  I'm truly, sincerely sorry.

So, what is it like being all graduated and everything?

Not much different from being un-graduated and everything.

I'm actually having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I'm finally done with high school.  Forever.  Previously, I would imagine myself after graduation, devastated and heart-broken over the fact that I would never, ever see my friends from high school again.

But that has not been the case.  I am not devastated, and (surprise!) I'm in fact quite content right now with my freedom off from school, SAT's, college apps, summer programs, etc, etc.  I've been trying to learn some songs on the guitar and playing a lot of Lord of Ultima, which sounds really nerdy (and probably is) but is actually a lot of fun.

I've been absolutely obsessed with the Beatles lately.  I've stopped watching my normal subscriptions on YouTube and have just been listening to their music and scrolling through pages and pages of Beatles gifs on Tumblr.  It's a very bad case of Beatlemania.  (Side note:  Google Chrome is telling me that "Tumblr" is not a word, but "Beatlemania" is.  YES!)

Hello World!

Seeing as I won't be doing much else this summer, I decided to start a blog! I'm new to this whole blogging thing, so please be kind. I'm thinking this will just be a "what am I up to, here are my thoughts" kind of thing, though I've read that you're supposed to find a blogging niche and whatnot. Anyway, I'll do my best to write some stuff and have fun doing it.