Empty Wallets & Stuffed Closets

My Winnings!

It's Friday, you guys! Yesterday was the infamous Thanksgiving and I'm sure so many of us stuffed ourselves to the point of not being able to move haha. What did you guys have for dinner? I'm actually not having Thanksgiving dinner until tomorrow night. I spent my Thursday afternoon traveling to Fresno and then I went "Black Friday" shopping at Fashion Fair Mall during the Thursday Pre-Black Friday hours.

 So what is Black Friday? I'm not sure if it's just an American tradition, but it's basically an excuse for a majority of retail stores to have sales and for people to go out and shop. I went to a couple of stores and actually came across some really awesome deals this year! I also went last year, but I didn't have too great of an eye so I didn't catch many great clothes for great prices. Here's a list of stores that I stopped by at and what I got!

• Macy's
• Here, there were actually so many shoe sales going on it was INSANE. People were actually pushing each other, grabbing whatever they could get their hands on and stocking it somewhere else. I didn't get anything here, but my grandma got a pair of comfortable shoes to wear during her walks to her garden!
• JC Penny



Mint Matcha Frappé

• So actually... I didn't get anything here either, but my grandma got herself a pair of pants because this winter is hitting her hard and she does not enjoy the cold temperatures!
• American Eagle
• This particular American Eagle location had an Aeries section included with it so I decided to check out the clothes there too. I got a tank top, a black lace bralette, a pair of cotton leggings and a pair of spandex leggings for a REALLY good price! Everything in the store was 40% off and there was a 60% off of clearance items! ;)
• Forever 21
• The infamous Forever 21... It was pretty packed in this store. This Forever 21 was the size of Macy's at Paseo Nuevo. Unfortunately, they didn't have too big of a sale going on for Black Friday, but I got a couple of items that I didn't know were on sale! I got two sweaters, one shirt, two necklaces and a pair of earrings.
• Wet Seal
• I never actually shop at Wet Seal, but my cousin wanted to check out some of their items. Funny thing is, I was the one who got more items! The entire store was 50% off and the clearance items were also an additional 60% off. I got a sweater, a tank top, rings, and a necklace.

Some stores that I regularly shop at didn't hold too many sales, so I didn't buy anything then!

Taipei 101: Sweet Bread

Afterwards, my cousins and I went out to a small café called Taipei 101, where they had the cutest Frappés and yummy bread treats! If you're ever in the Fresno-Clovis area, it's a definite stop by.

Hope you guys all had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving holiday and a safe Black Friday experience. :)

See you next post,
Chey

Currently listening to Sorry by Justin Bieber

Native American Heritage Month

We Still Live Here - Âs Nutayuneân Trailer

As November begins, many of us are excited for Pumpkin Spice Lattes, layering our clothes and hearing rain drops plop outside of our windows. But, there's one group of our community that we are forgetting about! This month is Native American Heritage Month and it's a month where the Native Americans are recognized for their culture and how they have changed and contributed to the United States.

Traditional Moccasins (Apache)

When European settlers arrived in the United States, Native Americans were oppressed, removed and exiled. Because of this tragic happening, only 2% of the United States' population is made up of Native Americans as of 2013. Day by day, the culture is disappearing and the traditions are fading away. Yesterday, I watched a documentary in the IDC building called "We Still Live Here - Âs Nutayuneân" where the Wampanoag tribe in Massachusetts revives their language after more than 100 years have passed without using it. The documentary, sponsored by SBCC's Ethnic Studies Department and Ethnic Studies Club, opened my eyes to the consequence that losing one's origins could bring. Culture is such a significant part of America and it's what makes our country so unique!

So next year, when November comes around, drop those lattes, slap on those sweats and watch a documentary on the Native American culture if you have not already. Appreciate those around you, especially because it IS Thanksgiving season. :)

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Anna Sun (Acoustic) by The Griswolds

Monday Blues

Credits Rolling @ Mockingjay Part 2

Hi all! It's been a while since my last post and since it's officially the infamous Monday we all dread waking up to, I thought I'd do a bit of my weekend recap. And may I just add that it was a VERY eventful weekend?

So, Mockingjay Part 2 finally premiered on Thursday and I went to see it with two of my friends, Sam, and Brenna, both of whom I have mentioned before. Officially, we had bought tickets for the actual midnight premiere at 11:45 PM and as we got so excited for it, we decided to meet up a couple hours earlier at Camino Real Marketplace. Sam and I arrived at around 4:00 PM and Brenna came at

Brenna & Sam @ Premiere

around 5:30 PM. After we had eaten dinner, I spotted a line and we immediately snatched up a spot in line and I went to my car to get blankets, Brenna went to hers to get snacks and Sam saved our spots in line. We set up our little comfy zone and sat for maybe a little under thirty minutes when one of the theatre employees came out and said, "Just making sure, everyone's in line for the 7:30 showing?" And all three of us exchanged glances. Wasting no time, Brenna and I went to the ticket booth and were successful in switching the showing times AND the three of us got wonderful seating. I definitely need to pay attention to all of the showtimes because apparently midnight premieres don't actually take place at midnight... Otherwise, the movie was phenomenal! I thought it was put together really well and gave the audience a great sense of closure. I would recommend seeing it if you've seen the past movies!

Entering the Hunger Games

On Friday, I woke up at 6:30 AM and finalized all of the classes I wanted to take for the following semester. Unfortunately, BIO 100 is always highly impacted, so I couldn't snag myself a spot in that class. Hopefully I'll be able to take it over the summer! When you don't have priority for registration, it feels like you're in the Hunger Games all over again. Later in the afternoon, I took my cousins and my grandma to the new ice skating rink. If you've never tried ice skating before, let nothing hold you back and just try it! I promise you it's not as scary as you think it is. I personally still don't really know how to ice skate, but with a couple more visits, I think I could manage without holding onto the wall, haha.

Grannie & Cousins at the Ice Skating Rink

Saturday left me in a food coma and I don't know how I survived it! My family went over to my aunt and uncle's house where we celebrated an early Thanksgiving because they'll both be in Minnesota on the official Thanksgiving Day. It was a potluck dinner so I made Mashed Potatoes and Pumpkin Spice French Macarons for dessert. We had the traditional Turkey, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and just so much many other dishes I can't even begin to name them! Instead of the turkey being stuffed, I was...

On Sunday, I spent my day catching up on schoolwork and just had a couple of hours to relax and close up my weekend. And now, it's Monday and I'm feeling the Monday blues. Definitely missing the weekend, but definitely looking forward to only having three days of class for this week. Hope you had a wonderful Monday.

See you next post,
Chey

Currently listening to We Won't by Jaymes Young and Phoebe Ryan

Friday the 13th

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOANA COSTA NOGUEIRA, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC YOUR SHOT

 It's Friday the 13th, everyone! The number 13 generally represents unluckiness and amplifies peoples' beliefs in superstitions. Silly things like opening an umbrella while you're indoors or walking underneath an open ladder can cause you to have a varied amount of years of bad luck! I'm not exactly sure where this originated from... BUT as a child, I am absolutely guilty of believing in these little things! If my mom ever opened an umbrella inside a store to see the size of it, I swear that I would get sweaty hands and I wouldn't be able to think. All I would be thinking about is, "Oh jeez! Mom! Why did you do that? Now we'll be getting seven years of bad luck!" Honestly, I have no idea where this idea of bad luck from opening an umbrella, a black cat crossing your path, or walking underneath a ladder.

PC: Twitter -  @VictorQuest

Onto more serious matters, a terrorist attack in Paris, France took place and more than 150 lives were taken today. While most of them were living their everyday lives, attending a concert, and watching a soccer game the thing they least expected to happen, happened. About ten months ago, France endured a terrifying attack, where twelve victims lost their lives at Charlie Hebdo. The country, still recovering from the unexpected and unfortunate situation, underwent another detrimental attack tonight. A global movement took place and hashtags such as #PrayforParis and #PeaceforParis were spread. Being alive in a place where there isn't much violent activity, I can only be thankful for where I am. I can't even begin to imagine the stress that all of the Parisians are experiencing right now. Without a doubt am I sending my love, prayers and care to the country. 

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to We Are One by RUNAROUND

Staying Wise

Time Wise visits SBCC

Throughout the United States, racism has always been a touchy subject amongst myriad of groups living here. Mentioning my Ethnic Studies class once again, we've focused on the Black American group this week. Next week, we'll be covering Latino/Hispanic Americans! Being a person of color myself, I've been in situations where racism was extremely apparent or I felt like I was looked at differently because I was Asian American.

For the past 25 years, Santa Barbara City College has held an annual lecture on anti-racism and ethnic diversity in honor of Leonardo Dorantes. Dorantes was a victim of hate crime when he was murdered in Santa Barbara in November of 1990. He was a Mexican immigrant who attended Santa Barbara City College as an ESL student. Because of his nationality, his life was forcibly taken from him.

Earlier this afternoon, Tim Wise, an anti-racism activist, paid SBCC a visit to speak at the Leonardo Dorantes lecture. Wise, also a nationally acclaimed writer, spoke about the reality of racism and its toll on the communities in the United States. Throughout his entire presentation, I had never been so engaged in something like that and all of the claims he made seemed absolutely true. Something Wise made clear to the audience was that we, as Americans, don't want to face the reality of racism and how it's affecting our country. We don't want to face the reality of police brutality, the voting system, immigrants and more because we're SCARED of the truth.

Racism is definitely still alive in America and with all of the ongoing movements, I feel extremely blessed to be living in Santa Barbara where there haven't been extreme riots or violence that is race-related. I am also very impressed and proud of our generation for trying to change the stigma that society hold on so many different groups of people. For the growing generation, it is undoubtedly important to make known the hidden issues of apartheid in America. In addition, it's strongly recommended that we not see the world as we want to see it, but for what it really is. If we don't start somewhere, how are we ever going to make a change?

See you next post,
Chey

Currently listening to Underneath Your Love by David Choi

Don't Worry, Be Happy

At this time of year, exams, quizzes, and homework seem like they are all just ganging up on you. I've been really stressed out this past week from trying to juggle all four of my classes! It seems like every time I finish an assignment, I have an even longer one to finish and the cycle never stops. In addition to that, I'm undergoing a couple of personal life issues and I don't feel like doing anything!

PC:  PoisonedCandyFloss/Tumblr

I do realize, though, that I need to learn balance. Completing tasks in chunks at the very last moment are definitely not going to help me! It's only going to add to my stress which means I won't be getting enough rest to get through my day and I'll be exhausted. Life can become really complex when we find ourselves stuck on a web of things. I have to start making a schedule and wholeheartedly complete everything according to that schedule. If I start slacking off, I'm only cheating myself!

As for personal life issues, people can cause all the drama they would like, but if I let that get to me, how am I ever going to function? Don't let those kinds of petty things affect your mentality. We are stronger than that! Be the bigger person and walk away from those types of situations. Of course we'll be experiencing negative energy, but if we allow that to consume us, it's going to impact our daily lives, thoughts, and actions. So what do you do? Try and get rid of that negative energy as soon as possible! You'll thank yourself in the long run.

See you next post,
Chey

Currently listening to Dancing on Glass by St. Lucia

Penny Pinching

Since the holidays are just around the corner, I have to start saving everything I can! Black Friday and Christmas shopping are wallet burners and I need to be prepared for what's to come.

I just read the Student Health 101 Magazine (which can be found here) and there was an interesting little article

Student Health 101 Online Magazine

suggesting a few tips on how to manage yourself, financially. I can be a big spender; however, I always try to find ways to make money. I've never been great at saving money, so I thought why not start now? I'm hoping to make a habit of saving money for the next six months and hopefully it will be incorporated into my everyday life. In case you're interested in saving money, here are a couple of steps I'm taking:

November Plan

1. Keep ALL of your receipts! Not only is it great to keep your receipts on hand if you need to return something, but you can keep track of your monthly expenditures. In addition to keeping you receipts, make sure you keep them in a organized fashion. A little organization won't hurt and you'll be less stressed when you're shuffling through your receipts. I'm currently keeping a notebook and adhering the receipts to the pages. 
2. A little goes a long way. If you're not ready to take on any significant changes to your spending habits, set a little bit of your monthly earnings aside each month. It can be as small as $5 or as much as $200 per month and as long as you set a goal for yourself, you'll be able to reach it in no time. Trust yourself and don't touch that money unless you absolutely need it! Since I'm still living at home and don't have bills to pay, I try to put away a little more than half of the amount of money I get every time I get paid.
3. Is it a need or a want? I always find myself buying something just because I want it. For example, my runs to Michaels are just extra dollars spent on miscellaneous things that I've been eyeing. So ask yourself, do you need it or do you just want it? It's okay to spoil yourself maybe once or twice a month, but the more you ask yourself this question, the more dollars you'll be able to save and achieve your end goal.
4. Start now! Try not to give yourself any excuses for not being able to start saving. The sooner you start, the more you'll have set aside. I know some of us will wait until January 1st and say that their goal this year is to save x amount, but if you start today, you'll be able to save x amount since Jan. 1st PLUS x amount from now until then.
5. Give yourself a limit. A lot of the time, people will end up swiping their credit card because they don't have money at the time and sometimes will get sucked into debt. For the first month you start out, find out your monthly spending average and then weigh out your options. From there, you'll be able to see what you need to spend your money on and what you can spend your money on. 
6. How can I make money? This can really start anywhere! You just can't do nothing and expect to get paid in return. It doesn't work like that! If you don't have a job, start by applying. It can be a scary process if you haven't had any kind of work experience before, but once you've turned in apps, look forward to being hired! If you need help, ask a friend or family member. I also visited the Career Center in the Student Services Building on East Campus for help on my résumé. If you're worried about balancing work and school, don't be afraid to communicate with your supervisor about your hours. If you do have a job and want to make more pocket money, look out for small opportunities to make money such as working a day-event, babysitting, cleaning, maintenance services, yard sales, selling items online, etc. There are a lot of ways to make money, you just have to put in a little effort, is all!



Receipt Notebook

7. And lastly, have a little fun! My friend Michael and I are having a money saving competition. Whoever spends the most this month has to buy the other lunch. However, I have to add an extra $30.00 on my part because he lives in Ventura and commutes to and from SBCC Monday through Thursday and SUPPOSEDLY has to fill up his tank every five days while I fill mine every two weeks.

I hope this inspired you guys a little bit! Happy saving :)

See you next post,
Chey

Currently listening to I Will Follow You by Rivvrs

A Month Closer to Winter

Cloudy with 100% Chance of Chilly

Happy second day of November everyone! I hope that all of you remembered to change your clocks to an hour behind and that you guys didn’t eat too much candy! 

Well after the time change, I definitely feel a little more awake and active than I do on a typical Monday. It’s nice to wake up and want to take on the day rather than feeling like you have to. I woke up this morning to a couple of grey clouds and a slight breeze throughout Goleta. After checking the weather on two different apps, I decided to wear a patterned romper and a brown cardigan with some brown ankle boots. I was debating on whether or not I should have thrown on a scarf, but doubted the weather and decided not to. However, now that I’m sitting outside, waiting for my next class, I’m experiencing cold wind and a little bit of sprinkling!

Aside from the weather, I’m so excited for the big holidays to come around. We’re officially a month away from December which means Thanksgiving, Christmas and celebrating the New Year! What holidays are you all going to be celebrating as 2015 is coming to a close? I really can’t believe that this year is almost over and I’ll be finishing my first semester of college soon. Sometimes, I don’t realize that I’m already 18 and I’m considered an adult… Me? An adult?

So here’s an update from a couple of posts ago:

Five of my friends have confirmed that they’ve all received my letter and I got one back! I’m telling you, the feeling of receiving something in the mail is like receiving a present. My friend in San Diego hasn’t confirmed with me if she’s gotten my card or not, but I hope she did. The cards were really fun to put together and I definitely want to send more out, but I don’t think I have too many people to send them to.

Chey on a Self-Balancing Board

One last thing before I go! In my last post, I talked about what I did during my weekend, but forgot to add that I had the chance to ride a self-balancing board. I’ve been seeing them a lot throughout campus and my cousins own one so I decided to give it a whirl. It was definitely really scary and I had to hold onto someone to help me work the board. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to really ride it on my own, but I did go maybe 30 or 40 seconds on it without holding onto someone.

Hope you all had an eventful weekend!

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Geronimo by Sheppard 

Halloween Wackiness

Chey @ Zoo Boo

It's 11:55 PM on October 31st, 2015 as I'm beginning to write this post. I'm absolutely exhausted from a long, but really fulfilling day. I have a ton of family in Fresno, which is about four hours north of Goleta, and spent my Halloween weekend here! I have to admit that it's refreshing to be away from Goleta for a bit, especially with the notorious Isla Vista Halloween "celebrations" going on.

So instead of attending crazy parties, I enjoyed a day at Michaels, Target, the pumpkin patch, and zoo with my cousins, aunts, uncles, and my mom. One of my closest cousins, Alyssa, and I got up a little early to go to Michaels because they were having a major Halloween sale and you know how much I can't resist good deals ESPECIALLY when it comes to crafts! Alyssa's always been my right-hand lady and I feel bad that she has to browse around a store with me that she might not really enjoy, haha. But's it's alright, because I found some watercolor brush pens for more than they usually retail for and I got my hands on some more scrapbook paper! (Sorry, Mai... I couldn't help myself.) After that, we hit Target where I grabbed a new pair of black ankle boots, the eos Lemon Drop lip balm for Alyssa and some Christmas stickers I grabbed at the dollar spot. Those were my main purchases for today!

Pumpkins & Hay Bales Galore

Afterwards, we went back to my aunt's house and got ready, put on our costumes and headed over to the pumpkin patch. They had so many different activities for the kids such as hayrides, train rides, a forest trail that takes you up to a small wooden cabin, a swing, a rope swing, and snow cones. I don't remember the name of this particular pumpkin patch, but it was kind of out in the middle of nowhere and it was about thirty minutes away from my aunt's house. We spent about an hour there looking around and taking photos of my 1-year-old cousin, Ellie! This year, she was Little Red Riding Hood. My mom sewed her entire costume and she looked completely adorable! The hood had a sort of cone shape to it so whenever the hood was up, Ellie looked like a little gnome wearing a puffed out dress.

Ellie @ the Zoo

Eventually, we made our way to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, where they were holding the Halloween night special, Zoo Boo. It's really similar to Santa Barbara Zoo's Boo at the Zoo. We arrived an hour and a half early because parking gets really difficult to find and the lines to just enter the park would be insane. Once we got in, we headed straight for the park restaurant where they served hamburgers,
fries, pizzas, salads, and sandwiches. They weren't your ordinary microwaved-tasting pizzas and burgers, but were actually well worth the price, in my opinion. I decided to get a Pepperoni Pizza and a side of fries. When we finally took Ellie trick-or-treating, there were lots of kids and parents dressed up and booths from radio stations to personal businesses who handed out candies. I personally had so much fun just seeing the smiles on my relatives' faces and just soaking up the moment.

Some of us really feel inclined to attend the really intense parties because that's what everyone seems to be up to, but I think that we should all consider taking the time to really immerse ourselves into something that we find a little bit of interest in. Time isn't stopping for anybody and we have to make decisions every single day that will benefit us emotionally, physically, and spiritually! I hope you all had a fulfilling and safe Halloween 2015 experience. :) Also, since I've mentioned time... The time will be "falling back" an hour as Daylight Savings is coming to a close. Remember to change your clocks tomorrow (or today), November 1st, 2015!

See you next post,
Chey

Currently listening to Some Type of Love by Charlie Puth