After 3 Months...

To: San Diego

In September, I posted about my cousin, Tyler, who left for Marine Corp Bootcamp in San Diego... It's officially three months later and I'm so excited to say that he's finally back, right in time for the holidays!

On Thursday, my family and I drove all the way down to San Diego to attend his graduation which would be taking place at the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot. As we were exiting Santa Barbara, the rain was pouring and the roads had tons of water sitting on them. During the whole road trip, I spent time editing photos and videos, haha. We decided to take a break from traffic when we arrived in Los Angeles and stopped in Thai Town to eat at a Thai restaurant called Ruen Pair. The food was SO delicious! We had papaya salad, chicken curry, Rad Na (pan fried flat rice noodles mixed with gravy and greens), and more..

Weather Conditions: Poor

We finally hit the road again and arrived at our hotel in San Diego at 11:45 PM. I was reunited with my beloved Asa! We talked, caught up and discussed our happiness to see our brother, cousin, nephew and grandson the next day. The following morning, everyone quickly got ready, excitement and anxiety lingering in every hotel room we stayed in. Today was the day we would be bringing home a Marine.

When we arrived at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, the skies were grey, rain was coming down and it was windy, no day where it should have been. One disappointing factor on Ty's graduation day was the weather. Twelve weeks of hard work, dedication and struggle should have been celebrated with the Marines marching on the stadium they deserved to walk on. My family was praying for a miracle that it wouldn't rain, but unfortunately, the rain came down harder than I've ever seen it come in a long time. We waited around two hours for Ty's platoon to be presented in the indoor theatre and the time finally came. My cousins and I filed into the theatre which was pitch black, the only light reflected on the audience members' faces coming from the stage. As different Marines were being presented the across the stage, my family and I were on our toes, waiting to hear the next clue about our Marine. Then, the drill sergeants took the stage. They would be giving the last command to their platoons. As they yelled out, "Platoon #____, Dismissed", the dismissed platoon shouted in return,

Brothers, Cousins, Chey and so much love.

voices unanimously together, filling the room. The hope, relief and hidden excitement in the mens' voices as they knew they would be headed home could be heard and clearly struck a chord. My heart was so uplifted after realizing how much every single Marine in that room had gone through. From the day those boys walked onto the bus, wondering what they had gotten themselves into to the day they walk out from the ceremony, men and proud of their every accomplishment. Without knowing it, my eyes were filled with tears and they spilled out, but only filled with pure joy. We left the room, ran towards the barracks to meet up with Tyler. And the moment we'd been waiting for, we saw our dude covered in bags and in his uniform, smile plastered on his face and everything. Hugs and "I miss you's" were exchanged. With a ton of hesitation, my Santa Barbara family departed and we were on our way back home. ALL of us, waiting for December 22nd, the day we'd all be reunited again (in Fresno, of course...).

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to You Bring Me Home by Imaginary Future

I Love Winter Break.

Atop the Water Tower

The title is the most simple way to express my feelings about this winter break. We've already been on break for a whole week and I've already done so much, which is so so exciting. So many people identify break as being a time where you get to stay home, do nothing, sit, breathe, blink, not shower for a day or two (maybe more, whatever works for you...) and no school! I personally think that break should be a time where you spend your hours doing things you couldn't do while school is in the way.

I've already seen so many people that I been wanting to see and I know I'll be seeing more! My friend Sam just got home like an hour and a half ago, I'm so excited to see her face! I haven't seen her since August and I really miss her, haha. Brenna, Sam and I are planning to have a Christmas hangout party and homecoming party because Sam's flight was cancelled and delayed for 24 hours and we were supposed to be attending a concert in SLO tonight, but it just felt so incomplete to go without Sam...

Just me trying SO HARD to be a photographer.

As for what I have already done, I've hung out with Maya twice and we both went on our fun photography adventures to Franceschi Park, which overlooked Santa Barbara. We have so many hidden gems in the 805 area and this is exactly what I think my break should be spent doing: exploring, enjoying and living. It's not that recently I have been into photography—I've always loved it—I just don't have time for it and have recently become more active in the art. Especially with Maya, it helps having someone who enjoys doing the same activities as you. We obviously have to tell each other to pose or wait for people to pass by and do awkward things together, but it's so much less awkward when you're just having fun. The following day, we drove out to Lizard's Mouth, which is off of Highway 154. We stopped at the water tower and took a bunch of artsy photos there, posed, danced, goofed, haha. After that, we decided not to do the Lizard's Mouth hike because we would be missing out on the sunset, so we stayed at the water tower for a bit then drove down 154. Literally two minutes after we pulled onto 154, we pulled off onto an overlook where the clouds were rising and rolling up the mountains ALL while the sunset was happening! I was so taken aback by the beauty... We were above the clouds!

Rising Clouds!

HOWEVER... All good things must come to an end and just like that, our weekend was over! I spent the next couple of days just working, running errands, cleaning like CRAZY... But seriously, a lot of these things, I don't really get to spend a lot of time on while I'm in school. I don't think I've ever been so grateful to be on break... I'm already dreading the end of it!

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to 널 사랑하지 않아(I Don't Love You) by Urban Zakapa

What Did I Do?

How did I spend the first day of my winter break, you might wonder? I had an incredible amount of fun from the moment I woke up until right now, 12:16 AM. Starting off my morning, I got up at 7:30, stayed in bed for a good thirty minutes and to simply put it, I just felt good. After I got out of bed, I started cleaning up my room, slowly, but surely. I don't know what it is about having a clean work and living space, but I feel like my focus increases immensely after I clean. Like I have told so many people before, my room is an accurate representation of my life's current situation, haha.

After cleaning my room, I took some time out of my day to get up and out of the house. I got dressed and headed straight to the gym, which I loved and didn't really expect to. I haven't been in what seems like ages, but after going, I realized how stiff my entire body had become as a result of the everyday stress I experience. I was a bit too focused on how I would do on my exams and studied like a maniac for them without taking my mental and physical health into consideration...

Post-gym I came back home to relax for a little bit and then went out to dinner with my good friend, Kim! Kim is flying back home for the break this Sunday, so to spend a little extra time with her, we decided on Choi's Oriental Market for some delicious, authentic Korean food. We enjoyed ddeokbokki, spicy rice cakes, along with some fresh cucumber kimchi and napa cabbage kimchi as well. Something really unexpected happened while we were there! We both spoke with the owner and he asked about my ethnic background and country in which I replied, "Hmong and we don't have a country, but many of us live in Laos." He mentioned to me that they have a new employee there who was also from Laos, but he wasn't sure... so he asked his wife. She said the new employee was from Myanmar. But I looked at the name, and it was SURELY a Hmong name! It turns out, the new employee is one of my relatives! It was seriously such a small world, but wow, I was absolutely stunned, haha. The owner treated us to extra fresh cucumber kimchi and some sweet bean ice cream popsicles.

Overall, it's been such a successful day and I can't wait to experience what else this break has in store for me.

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to She's American by The 1975

Fall 2016

Amateur Photography by Chey

So, 6:40 PM on Thursday, December 8th marks the official end of my last fall semester here at SBCC. As I was walking out of my economics class, I felt a sudden rush of joy throughout my body and needless to say, that joy came TOO soon. Finally arriving at my car in the parking structure on West Campus, I try to start it, only to find out my battery isn't working... So, I did what any girl (who doesn't have much car knowledge) would do and called my dad to come check out the scene. I was a bit curious (and paranoid because what if someone tried to steal my battery?!) so I popped up the hood and I knew enough that I wasn't supposed to touch the battery with my bare hands, but I knew something was loose. Finally my dad pulled up and we opened the hood of my car again and turns out, I was right! One of the washers came loose on the terminal and I totally felt proud of myself for knowing that, haha. I was back to being super excited when I got home! I had dinner and was SO happy that I cleaned. I know a lot of people my age hate cleaning, but I find so much joy in living and working in a clean space, haha.

Anyway, to kind of close up , here are ten things that I loved and enjoyed this semester:

1. Being an Ambassador. I know I've discussed this a bunch of times, but when I'm passionate about something, I get really attached and I have to say, being a part of this program has allowed me to improve as an individual, meet so many great people who have become my friends and be more in touch with SBCC.
2. The library. I don't know what to say about this. It's kind of my second home, really.
3. The Bus-Comm building! I worked a ton in there this past semester and got to know the employees and faculty. They're all SO sweet and it's seriously just like a big family. From never-ending sweets and snacks to the latest SBCC news, I always enjoyed working in there.
4. Photography. I'm always in search of a way to be creative and photography has given me the chance to explore new events, places, and meet a lot of individuals (who all has amazing stories, by the way). I've definitely found a deeper love for photography this past semester.
5. Sleep. My sleep schedule has been kind of grandma-ish lately, like going to bed early and waking up early, but man, I really love it. I feel more energized and awake when I'm supposed to feel that way.
6. Skype and FaceTime. With another two of my friends, Brenna and Sam, gone since the
   
   beginning of this semester, these two apps have let me hear their beautiful voices and see their beautiful faces. It's definitely really hard to keep in touch and find a schedule, but we always somehow manage to make it work and we've talked an incredible amount this semester.
7. Seeing family. Family is always a huge priority in my life, but for some reason, this past semester, I felt like I just missed everyone so much. If I could, I'd drive straight out to Fresno to my family and buy a ticket to Colorado to visit my new neph-puppy, Zeus!
8. Performing at SoHo. It's hard to call yourself a musician when you hardly perform. I thought I had lost sight of who I was, but this opportunity with AYWW 2020 has definitely sparked that energy that I needed to continue doing what I love.
9. Coffee. I don't think I'm an avid coffee drinker, but wow, that stuff's good if it's not straight black coffee, haha. I need some cream and sugar in that cup before I can have it! My tastebuds are slowly shifting towards coffee, but I think I'll stick to my tea for a little while longer.
10. MTD. I know a ton of us are commuters, but just to let you know, you already have to pay for a bus pass when you register for the semester! So why not take advantage of it and take the bus! You can avoid finding parking, worrying about traffic and all you have to do is wait 10-15 minutes for your bus to arrive. Especially my fellow commuters from the IV/Camino Real Goleta area, the 15x is straight, to and from school. :)

More amateur shots!

Wishing you all of the best and the greatest this holiday break and season! Enjoy your five weeks of vacation...

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Like You by Tatiana Manaois

Family Photos

Fall 2016 -- SBCC Ambassadors

This weekend has been incredibly busy... and I love it.

On Friday, the SBCC Ambassadors and the International Office gathered for a luncheon at Casa Blanca down on State Street. Friday morning, I got up, studied for about two hours, drove downtown and met with everybody at the restaurant! It was my first time eating there and I absolutely loved the food. All of the us were probably seriously hungry because as soon as we were seated, we dug into the chips and salsa! I know I wasn't the only one who and skipped breakfast because we were going to have an early lunch, haha.

All of us were talking about what schools we had applied to, our plans for winter break, and our stress levels for finals. There was so much positive energy in one room at the same time that honestly, I even forgot that we had a bunch of exams next week. Talking about positive energy, I was awarded the SPARK! Award which my fellow Ambassadors voted me for. I was so surprised when my name was called (I didn't even hear my name because of applause from my friend Cris who also got the same award!). I always pictured myself as kind of quiet in the program, but it was such a self-esteem booster to know that so many of my peers see me as this ray of sunshine and kind of kick start their day. Afterwards, our waitress came around and took our orders and I wanted some yummy chicken enchiladas! It was extremely delicious. Afterwards, my friends, Isabella, Claire, Kim and Brianne walked up State and decided to grab some McConnell's and dashed to SBCC to attend the Ambassador meeting!

This Ambassador meeting was the last of this semester, last meeting for some of the Fall 2016 Ambassadors, and the first for the Spring 2017 Ambassadors. It was so cool to meet the new students who were interested in the program! They all seemed truly happy to be there and it just puts a smile on my face when I meet individuals who all are excited about what's to come. I can promise that this will be a program you will never forget!

I swear I heard to be silly...

After the meeting, the majority of Fall 2016 Ambassadors met at the Winslow-Maxwell Overlook, where I set up my camera on a tripod and we took our long-awaited Ambassador group picture! After about a whole year of not updating our Facebook page, we finally have a new profile picture. I woke up this morning, around 9:30 AM (went to bed at 2 A.M. because I was excited to edit photos), edited for about 2 and a half hours, sent out pictures... and then I did some more studying for the rest of today.

Good luck, do great things, be great!


See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays by *NSYNC

I'm So Emotional

So, it's December, everyone!

I just remember waking up this morning, turning off my alarm only to stare at my phone re-reading the word "December". I had so many mixed emotions run through my mind—and that may be due to the pressure of finals week—which was so weird for a Thursday morning. As a lot of my fellow transfer peers' know, the deadline to apply for CSUs and UCs were last night at 11:59 P.M. and I think so many of us are burnt out from the semester that we feel so much relief when we see the date December 1st. I couldn't make out my feelings though.

I kind of caught myself off guard because just one week ago, I was exclaiming how excited I was to leave Santa Barbara and finally start on my journey of independence (rent, bills, buying your own groceries... doesn't that sound like such a jazzy time). But as I read my e-mails congratulating me on applying to the various schools, my heart sank a little. I KNOW it's going to sound cheesy and cringe-y, but without realizing it, I have already started my journey and the fact is I was so ungrateful that I didn't even take the time to embrace and enjoy my life as much as I should have. Let's take a flashback to this blog: Dealing With Separation. At this point, I was so lonely and felt like I wasn't going to be anybody in college. I was determined that I was going to sit in class, keep to myself, do work, go home and be by myself. That was no way to look at life.

If you asked me last year what kind of student I aspired to be, I would have simply answered, "One that can transfer ASAP." But me NOW? I'd pour out all kinds of cheesy jargon and feelings about how much I love my school and how much Vaquero pride I have. So I woke up feeling guilty in addition to relief; sad because my third semester here would end next Thursday, anxious because of finals, supported because the friends I've made here will send me encouraging text messages at the dead of night, and happy because my journey will take a new turn soon. I just really love SBCC, haha.

Oooookay, let's pause here before I enter the twilight zone of feelings, but I think I'm just really worked up for the holidays and the fact that we'll have five weeks of break.

 See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Simple Life by Casey Abrams

No Cameras

Good morning (?)

As I'm writing this at the break of midnight, I just wanted to apologize for being MIA. It's been a really difficult week and I don't think I have ever been this refreshed after a break (although, it wouldn't have hurt to have it a little bit longer, haha). So.. how did I spend the past five days?

Starting with Wednesday, I had finished up my bio class in the morning, went home, packed and left to Fresno at 11 AM. My brothers and I drove up north to spend time with our cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles because our parents weren't in town; they were flying out to the Dominican Republic to celebrate my other aunt's birthday! It was an adults getaway so I was forbidden to go, but... no

(Practically) Lil' Sis and Chey

worries, there will be a day. Once we arrived to Fresno, we hung out around my grandparents' house for a while and the drove over to my aunt and uncle's house to have an early Thanksgiving dinner. There was a ton of food for my crazy big family! Too bad I didn't have the camera with me (my mom took it with her to DR) and my phone was out of storage (typical) so I HAVE NO EVIDENCE! We served ham, turkey, tri-tip, Hmong sausage, mashed potatoes, gravy, ambrosia salad, green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, pumpkin spice whipped cream, regular whipped cream, and water. Now if reading that doesn't already make you full, I don't know what will. We gave our appreciation speeches, prayed and enjoyed a nice Thanksgiving meal. Afterwards, we just caught up with one another, spoke politics, got lectured about school, laughed at each others' jokes and watched boxing matches together.

Thursday was kind of a blur, actually. I remember making mashed potatoes and then going Black Friday shopping with my cousin Asa and my Aunt M. Black Friday was a 4/10 this year. I think Cyber Monday is more promising, frankly!

Friday was more shopping, but at places like Hobby Lobby, Home Goods, Ulta, Michaels, Kirkland's and more. My Aunt M got a ton of Christmas decorations for her home! Asa and I ended up sleeping over at my aunt's house and resting for the remainder of the night.

Saturday was a stay-at-home, enjoy the rain kind of day. We woke up to the sun shining, but as soon as Asa and I got back from the grocery store, rain was pouring down and we decided to help my aunt clean her house and put her Christmas tree up. We spent all day in the house, but it was so nice to just sit and talk about life and its worries. My other cousin, Carrie, ordered Domino's and we watched Cinderella that night..... until a power outage happened and we lit two candles and shined five flashlights. Surprisingly, the kids weren't very scared (and I won't admit it, but I was!)

Now finally, I am home, ready to hit the hay. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving/Fall Break!

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Catching On by Elephante feat. Nevve

Sincerely, a POC

From a young age, I had to grow up quickly. Starting as early as the fresh age of five, I was a small kindergartner, one of the most petite in my grade. I pushed around this girl in the racecar around the blacktop and when it went over a bump, the car toppled over, she got a scrape. Instantly, the feeling of guilt consumed my body because I knew what I had done, but after saying sorry and expecting the usual, "it's okay", I got a hateful glare and a, "Ching chong ching".

In second grade, my mom, myself and my cousins spent a day at the Pismo Outdoor Mall and I had gotten my first "big girl" buy: a brand new, bright white sweater from PacSun. It was awesome. Clearly, I had to wear it to school the next day and that I did. During lunch, I was sitting down with my friend at the tetherball courts. A fifth grade boy approaches me and my friend and starts playing with the tetherball, but carefully glancing at the both of us. Minutes later, he stomps into the muddy grass and his shoes are slathered in dirt. Seconds later, the feet that wear those shoes were impounded into my back, spoiling my brand new sweater. Pain ringing down my back, I sit there, stunned. My friend runs to tell the noon-aid. While she's gone, the same boy shouts racist remarks at me, unhooks the tetherball from the chain and swings it at me. I'm seven.

Then, I'm nine. In fourth grade. I'm in a combination class: fourth and fifth. Cool, right? Not cool. I meet a fifth grade girl, she's super intelligent; no doubt she'd go on to achieve great things later on in life. During an innocent game of jailbreak (basically dodgeball, but with a volleyball net), she persuades her team to target me. They fail to strike me with the ball. I catch it. They laugh and say, "Wow, she thinks she's tough." I wasn't and I felt like the inside of me was going to collapse, but I, at the age of nine, knew I had to stand up for myself or nobody would. They yelled at me in that same "ching chong" gibberish I had heard at the age of five. I threw the ball in anger, injured the girl, got into trouble. She did not face any consequences despite my cries, telling the teacher what she had said to me.

Today, I'm nineteen. Yesterday, Donald Trump was elected as the 45th President of the United States of America. Today, schools across the state have protested half of the nation's decision. Tomorrow, the marginalized communities will fear what the future has in store. I am part of the marginalized community.

When I was five, I learned that people will judge you for your physical differences. At age seven, I learned that as hard as you try to fit in with the majority, you won't be able to. When I was nine, I learned that violence gets you nowhere and sometimes, your voice won't be heard. What's done is done and from this point forward, I encourage my generation, future generations, and my communities to fight hard for what they believe in with class, dignity and poise. I encourage you to educate yourself, your children, your friends. Tears might stream down my cheeks as I type these words and terror might run through my body, but the fire has been ignited and I'm sure many others have been as well.

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Good News by Ocean Park Standoff

I Never Knew

PC: Maya H.

This past weekend was WILD.

My friend, Maya, was going to be coming home for the weekend and we're both loving photography lately (her more than me) and she's been trying to hunt for a good spot to build up her photo bank so she can edit them and upload them to her photography Instagram profile. Well, she had asked me if I'd be in town on Thursday and she had mentioned to me that she wanted to hit up a spot in Gaviota! Apparently there's a hot spring in Gaviota which is majorly crazy because in my whole 19 years of living in the 805 valley, I have never heard of this place.

Celebrating the Sunday Sunrise

Maya slept over at my house on Saturday night and we were supposed to be studying for tests and quizzes, but we got hooked on this travel vlogger named Andrew Kearns and then we talked a lot and by the time we knew it, we should have already been asleep. Knocking out at around 11 PM, I ended up waking at 4:30 in the morning and got on my phone, replied to text messages, did the whole shabang and Maya woke up at 4:35. We got ready as quickly as we could... Figured we should eat something, so I made the famous Bob D's (Sam's Dad) toast with pesto and egg for Maya and I to enjoy before we left. I couldn't find my keys so I took the spare... Forgot my camera of all things, called my brother to get the door because I didn't have the house key, ran upstairs and ended up leaving my house 15 minutes later than we had planned: 5:30 AM.

Adventures w/ Maya

So, we were north-bound and took the exit towards the trailhead and "hiked" for a little over half a mile. We stopped for a lot of pictures, haha. Then, we climbed up a major hill (sidenote: I'm SO sore. I don't know how I'll be able to climb the stairs at school at this point) and got some really gorgeous photo ops there. At about 7:00, we decided it was actually time to find the hot springs.

We walked back down, took a weird, small, hidden turn and hiked up for about a quarter mile and saw the little pool. Let me just say, it did not smell pretty... at all. It probably smelled like egg for the whole two hours that we stayed there. But, there was gorgeous scenery and we had amazing photos to shoot! I was actually really impressed with how everything turned out. This weekend had to have been one of the best weekends of the school year, by far.

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Queen Elizabeth by Cheat Codes

Interweaving

EOPS Club

As most of you already know, there is always something going around on campus or something related to SBCC! Just this past week, there has been the Good Neighbor Festival, a movie showing of The Nightmare Before Christmas, Día de los Muertos celebration, Putting Inequity to Rest speakers, and Transfer Day! I swear, the activities never stop.

After talking about all of these events, you know it, I went to at least one! Attending as a photographer for the event, I joined the EOPS Club for their fun-filled afternoon of celebrating Día de los Muertos. Many people might think of Día de los Muertos as a "Mexican Halloween", but please do not get Halloween and this day mixed up! It's actually an incredibly sentimental time of the year celebrated by families of Mexican descent. Originating from Mexico, the holiday is celebrated from October 31st (which is why it is confused with Halloween so often) until November 2nd. The significance behind this holiday is to dedicate a portion of the year to remember your loved ones who have passed away as well as your ancestors. So in a nutshell, Día de los Muertos is not Halloween! 

On Tuesday, November 1st, I took the bus an hour earlier than I usually do to be able to attend the Día de los Muertos celebration being held by the EOPS Club outside of the Luria Library. When I arrived at around 11:00 AM, they were just about finished setting up tents and tables. I put my stuff down behind the EOPS Club's table and starting shooting! It was one of the most fun shoots I have ever worked on because one, it was a lively and cooperative crowd and two, there were tons of colors everywhere! After they set up, blessings were given by members of the Chumash Community. Outside, there were activities all around where so many students stopped by to check out what was going on. At the event, the SBCC Cosmetology Academy was kind enough to offer free face paintings of various calaveritas (sugar or candy skulls) designs. People were also eligible to join in on arts and crafts! On the topic of art, Eduardo Serrato from Guanajuato Uriangato, México was able to create BEAUTIFUL street art using colored shavings. You can check out the finished piece here. But overall, I got some amazing shots, met really cool individuals and just had a really enjoyable time. Keep your eyes and ears open for the next event! I'm sure it won't be long until you hear about a really exciting one.

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Mess is Mine by Vance Joy

Simplicity at its Finest

It's still not clicking for me that it's already Week 11. This semester is just passing by too quickly and the fun has only started—and no, I'm not talking about midterms, homework and projects!

En route to Fresno

Fall brings with it the holidays and that means celebration! This past weekend, I went to Fresno to visit my family. We arrived to my aunt and uncle's house on Friday night at 7:30 and had dinner, chatted and went to bed. But, on Saturday, we attended ClovisFest in the morning, hoping to see Hot Air Balloons take off. But... we were late, by an hour. We got to the festival at 8:00 in the morning, only to find out that the balloons lifted off at 7:00 in the morning! It was a total bummer, but the entire festival was really enjoyable. There was an entire block of vendors, booths, and food trucks for visitors to check out. Our family wasn't too hungry, so we walked the block and looked at all of the different products people were selling. I was so hyped because downtown Clovis was SO fall. Leaves on trees were red and orange, fallen leaves laid on the rain-soaked concrete and people were dressed up in boots and coats!

Leaves+Boots+Bricks = Prime Fall Photo Op

After ClovisFest, we headed back over the my aunt & uncle's house to clean up a bit and then drove to my grandparent's house. It was the first time going back there since my cousin, Tyler, left to Marine bootcamp. Not only was the house more empty than it's ever felt, but the whole atmosphere seemed to have shifted. Nonetheless, my aunt and cousins from Visalia and London came over and made it a full house! Later that evening, we got the kids ready to attend Zoo Boo at the Fresno Zoo. They dressed up as a duck, a ghost and a bunny. Like last year, I attended with my baby cousins and took them around to different booths handing out candy and fun stuff throughout the zoo. We did lots of walking, had burgers for dinner and walked around some more. Finally, we ended the night at my aunt & uncle's place with a reflection discussion with our family members and enjoyed candy!

Sunday, today, I woke up to the sound of pouring rain and it took me a minute to realize what was happening. I was so excited, but obviously waking up at 7AM after staying up all night didn't allow me to express that... For breakfast, we enjoyed biscuits and gravy (made by yours truly with help of my mom and cousin) and then just cleaned up and packed up our car. I had the grand opportunity of driving the full four hours back home, but I was lucky enough to be able to drive in such wonderful weather. The rain wasn't terribly strong, but the sky was so beautiful and the clouds were gorgeous and I don't think I've ever appreciated nature as much as I have on the drive to and from Fresno this past weekend.

Now, I'm home safe and sound! Ready to take on my week. :)

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Rewind by Wingtip (feat. Sophie Strauss)

My POV: Making Art

Bloggers Cameron, Elisa, Matt & I

For those of you who don't know, I was a guest performer for 2020: A Year Without War's event, "Make Art, Not War" and I, alongside other guest performers (including Cameron!!!), had the chance to perform at this venue! It was a super laid back vibe and we spent a lot of time socializing with one another. My parents (thanks Ma & Pa for always supporting me) also came to watch me, but showed up at 7:30 right before I went onstage.

Chey & Mama and Papa Yang

After I was introduced onto the stage, I was extremely nervous because I had had a sore throat all week and I was about to perform for about twenty minutes. I got settled in on stage, stood behind the mic and its stand, and started singing Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley (but Haley Reinhart's rendition). It was definitely a laid back song to start out with. Feeling a little more confident, I sang God Bless the Broken Road, Selah's rendition. That song had a bit more runs and a wider range to it. At this point, the nerves had really settled, thanks to my wonderful, wonderful audience. My throat was hurting, but I didn't even pay attention to the pain because I was having such a good time on stage. Then, I kicked the mood up a little bit with Bright by Echosmith. Then, I threw it back a little with a good 'ole Disney Movie track from The Hannah Montana movie, haha. I sang The Climb by Miley Cyrus to give a little bit of inspiration for the night. Returned to a little more modern sound and sang a soulful Almost is Never Enough by Nathan Sykes and Ariana Grande. To end the night with a little more old soul and classic, I poured my heart out with At Last by Etta James. At Last takes me back so far and I am so glad I chose to perform it again Wednesday night. As the lights were hitting me and the audience clapped, I gave my thanks to both the audience and 2020 and exited the stage.

View from SOhO Patio

As I was walking back to my table, I was stopped by so many friends and NEW friends, complimenting my performance and expressing their surprise when they found out I sing. It was honestly the most surreal night I've experienced in a long time... Speaking of friends, we had 4/5 bloggers at the event on Wednesday night and we shared a ton of laughs and took a ton of pictures. I love my team! ;) I also met this sweet, sweet girl named Mey who reminded me why the arts are so important and how quickly they can bring new friends together. So many hugs, smiles and conversation was exchanged to bring an exciting night. My parents, who were SO out of their element, still had a really great time and to see their smiles when I was walking back made me that much more proud that night.

Elisa, Cameron, Elliot & I

Going into this, I really thought I was just going to be background noise to enjoy a dinner to. I chose songs that I thought would be a slight head-turner, but not enough to really distract people from a conversation. I was so surprised when people were actually listening, whooing, and dancing. It was such a fun night. Thank you so much, 2020, for providing me with my first 20 minute set and Mimmi for suggesting & inviting me to be a part of such a wonderful event.

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to home by gnash feat. Johnny Yukon

Wearing Old Shoes

Normally, a person wouldn't want to put on a pair of old shoes and walk around in them, but I'm not normal.

Recently, my friend Mimmi contacted me and asked if I was going to be available on the 26th of October and I was! She told me that she had a friend who is a part of 2020: A Year Without War who needs more performers for the event that they would be hosting that evening. I was so surprised that Mimmi had even thought of me because I wouldn't have even thought of me!

It's been so long since I've been on a proper stage that the feeling of performing has become so foreign. When I was in high school, I'd be on stage all the time. Whether it be for a talent show, wedding, or a gathering, I would always be singing in front of people. Now, I'd be lucky if I can get into a competition. It sounds a lot more disappointing that it actually is, I promise. Time has just passed by so quickly that I don't have enough hours in my day to find places to perform and by the time I know it, I'm so wiped out! This semester is slowly, but surely wearing me down more than I expected it to and that's definitely impacted my dedication for singing. I'm actually quite nervous, haha. The largest venue I have ever performed at was the Granada theatre, and it will be my first time performing at SOhO next week.


I didn't realize how much I miss the feeling of performing and the excitement that it brings. Aside from being around such wonderful people, I love the nervousness sitting in my stomach and the first breath that I take once I'm in front of a crowd. Anyway, if you haven't heard of 2020: A Year Without War, they are an SBCC founded organization that strives for change to create a more hopeful and warless world by the year 2020. Elisa is one of the leaders putting on this event as well! The organization is putting on an event called, Make Art, Not War, on Wednesday, October 26th at 6:30pm at SOhO. Get tickets to this event ($10) and see other artists and performers take over the stage! Cameron will also be there, making art with his guitar. :)

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Skylines by Glades

Californian Fall

Getting Lost in the Corn Maze!

In case you didn't know, fall is my absolute FAVORITE season. And it's not because of pumpkin spice lattes or exclusive summer clothing sales. I just love everything that comes with fall. For example, fall fashion is to die for. Although Santa Barbara doesn't get too cold of weather or too hot, there are some mornings where I feel like, "Hey, I could use a scarf today!" Aside from that, I just enjoy the colors, festivities like Halloween and Thanksgiving and basically everything pumpkin... If you're on a roll and want to stalk my blog, these are some really awesome fall-loving posts that I wrote in 2015:

1. You Know What Fall Means
2. Catching Up
3. Wrapping Up November

Clearly, my obsession with fall is not enough.

Unfortunately, my friends Sam and Brenna moved out of town to attend college and I won't be able to have a traditional pumpkin party with my lovely gals, but that won't stop me from making a trip to Trader Joes, purchasing pumpkin flavored goodies and indulging in them.

On the topic of pumpkins, I took my younger twin cousins to the pumpkin patch at Lane Farms! We went around 5:30 pm on Wednesday evening and had a wonderful time. There are corn mazes, tractor rides, plenty of fun foods at the cashier stand and the pumpkin fields were so cute! There were also animals there like goats, a donkey, turkeys, and a hog. I obviously took plenty of pictures. Throughout the corn maze, I made repeated stops just to snap a couple of photos of my cousins and one of them told me I was too slow! In no way am I a photographer, but I really did feel like one that night. Afterwards, they marched around the pumpkin patch some more and then we grabbed dinner at In-N-Out. 

It was such a successful trip!

Now... if the weather could just cooperate, I would definitely feel the full effect of autumn!
See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to The Woods by Hollow Coves

TAG! You're It!

I think one of the things that we dread the most while we're high school students (aside from SATs and AP Tests) are applying for college during our senior year. I know for myself, I had such a difficult time prioritizing my college applications and it was mostly difficult because I had absolutely no idea where I wanted to go. I mainly applied to the schools my friends applied to, random privates in California and a couple of state schools. I basically wasted a lot of money because I thought I knew what I was doing.

SBCC has been a wonderful buffer for me to figure out what I want to do in my life. So many times I have change my mind on what I want my future to look like, but with the help of my counselor, friends and my experiences in various classes, I'd like to say I kind of have it figured out. Anyway, as I'm a second-year SBCC student looking to transfer, before I knew it, it was already time to apply for TAG (Transfer Admission Guarantee)! Applications were open from Sept. 1 to Sept. 30 and luckily, no essay is required, just a couple of questions and fill-in boxes. I decided to TAG to UCSB, but I would really REALLY love to get out of Santa Barbara. As much as I love it here, I just need some change.

Find out more about the Transfer Academy HERE

So... in addition to tagging to UCSB, I'm planning on applying to a couple of other state schools in California. One of the greatest things about SBCC are the counselors, professors and staff who are so passionate about seeing you succeed. I am shooting for a Associate Degree for Transfer, which I didn't really know about until I talked to my counselor, Christy Grant. She has definitely been a helping hand throughout my whole educational experience and as hard as my classes are, she's helped me figure out a solid transfer plan.

SO... My biggest transfer tips are:

1. Keep in touch with your counselor.
2. Build relationships and connections with as many people as you can!
3. PAY ATTENTION TO DEADLINES.

Good luck to all who are looking to transfer Fall of 2017! You're not alone in this struggle. :)

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Love More Worry Less by Bipolar Sunshine

Releasing Dopamine

Sunrise Hike w/ Friend

If you had asked me five years ago to go to the gym, work out, play sports or run, I would have said no. In high school, I had always had it in the back of my mind that I should be staying active, eating healthy and be productive, but I was so lazy. Of course, I enjoyed sports at school when I was “forced” to participate, but once I was home, I was just home. Not until I started my first year of college did I realize how important it is to add at the bare minimum, a thirty minute block of physical activity into your day. 

With the Ambassadors @ UCSB Adventure Center

The culture of Santa Barbara may have just really settled in on me; however, I have been more active in the past year than I’ve ever been in my entire life… willingly! Luckily for me, the trail down to R Beach and the Ellwood Monarch Butterfly Reserve is literally my backyard so I started out with running on that. Obviously, nothing happens easily and I struggled with how out of shape I was, BUT always reminded myself that I was one day closer to becoming a healthier me!

I ran the trail for about a good 2.5 months and when I turned 18, I signed up for a membership at my local gym! It was great. AC was running, I was running, but it was an entirely new element. Seeing these gymgoers and how intensely they lifted weights or were able to run a mile without breaking a sweat definitely intimidated me and in a way, discouraged me from trying harder. I thought to myself, “I’d never be able to do that.” Inevitably, I got out of the slump and to this day, I am still attending that gym, FitBit and all!

At the gym.

Being healthy is being happy. I’m in a fitness group page with my family members on Facebook and every day, we encourage one another to get up and do something. I have become such a brighter individual because I feel more energized, stronger both mentally and physically. I am far from where I want to be, but now I’m 100x more confident in who I am and what I can do. So take a hike, join a cycling class, go climb rock walls!

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Let’s Dance to Joy Division by The Wombats

The Few. The Proud.

Saying our see-you-laters!

You can never love your family enough.

Today, my cousin, Tyler, has left home to pursue his dream of becoming a future Marine. He'll be driving to Sacramento tonight and staying there at a hotel with the other departing Marines and his Sergeant. For three months, he'll be training harder than he ever has in Marine boot camp and drastically changing, physically and mentally.

Baby Chey & Ty

For me, family has always been my top priority. It's a value that my parents taught me while growing up. With this mindset, I have grown extremely close to my 36 first cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, grandparents and parents. I was lucky enough to have been born into a family where support is always abundant, love is always being shared, and kindness is being shown. Two weeks ago, Tyler's family hosted a good-bye party for him and his mom's sister put a journal together for the aunts, uncles and cousins who attended to write letters to him. With teary eyes, I opened the journal and flipped to the first blank page. There are so many things that can be said, but 18 years of growing up together can't be summed up in a page. Somehow, I scrawled a heartfelt message on there saying something along the lines of "I love you very much, be safe, and persevere in times of unease."

Every day, I am amazed at how true the relationship between my family members are. Despite the wide age range, we manage to come together as a unit and in times like this, we are nothing but supportive and loving for one another. The boys wrote in Tyler's journal expressing how their feelings on a brother leaving and moving on. Our memories that we share are so precious. Our history is something that I will forever cherish. And now, we will be making history. This weekend has been a whirlwind of emotions, but it's those that are best remembered.

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Live Life by Zayde Wølf

Coastal Cleanse

Arrived at the sign in tent!

The Day of Caring took place today! The SBCC Ambassadors took over East Beach and we spent a couple of hours picking up trash, goofing off and laughing at each other.

Again, I am so honored to be a part of this wonderful program. I started out my morning by waking up late, getting lost to a fellow Ambassador's house, and showing up to the breakfast quite late! However, I did get to eat half of a bagel and some really sweet fruit so I wasn't starving during the beach clean up!

Afterwards, two Ambassadors and I carpooled to East Beach in Santa Barbara. Coming from a local, I can be honest and tell you that I truly didn't know the difference between East and West Beach until Me. 
today... Just like I don't really know the difference between East and West Campus, haha. I get them mixed up all the time! Once we got to East Beach, I parked... and paid for an unnecessary parking pass! $8! Eight. Whole. Dollars. When I could have gotten my parking paid for for free after signing in with the Day of Caring volunteers! Guess who's not having dinner tonight?

Productively picking up trash.

I also thought it was a good idea to carry around my heavy DSLR with me while picking up trash. Aside from all of that, we had beautiful weather! Also, for the first half hour or so, there wasn't actually that much trash. We got into groups, split up and walked throughout the entire beach. Finally after about two and a half hours, my group headed back to the sign-in tent and we enjoyed some water and snacks. Overall, it was a really successful turnout and we had so much fun even while picking up trash. If you're thinking about joining the next Day of Caring event, I definitely recommend doing it! You meet so many cool and kind individuals. :)

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Time by The Maine

Striving for Success

Lately, I have been struggling to keep up with my schoolwork, exams, sleep, personal life, volunteer work, professional life and kind of everything, really. But for the past couple of nights I have been contemplating what is it that I'm doing with my life; how am I trying to improve every day?

I haven't disclosed this, but last Friday, I went and interviewed for a Social Media and Marketing Internship with the company, Peace Works Travel. Peace Works is a teacher-founded company which speaks out for various poverty stricken countries, whose duty is to expand a global perspective on culture and diversity and educate students. On September 2nd, my blogging advisor, Melanie, sent out an e-mail from Carrie Hutchinson, the Course Director of Communication, who let us know that Peace Works was looking for a Social Media and Marketing Intern. The application period also ended that same day, FYI. I was also traveling to Fresno (which is four hours away) and spent the entire time writing my cover letter and cleaning up my resume. Finally, that night, I had sent my cover letter to three of my older cousins and had my cousin, Alyssa, read it over as well to correct any grammatical errors. Then, I sent it in with fingers crossed.

Like I mentioned before, I had gone in for the interview process on the 9th. It lasted for about 35 minutes, and after I walked out, all I remember was a sense of relief take over my body! I've been interviewed before, but not in a long time and it was extremely nerve-wracking. However, I do believe that confidence is key, so if you ever find yourself walking into an interview room, believe in what you stand for and stand by your answers. And finally today... I heard back from the company, through e-mail, that I have been accepted as their Social Media and Marketing Intern! All I needed to do was reply and accept from my end. I am so thrilled to begin working and building my experience.

Earlier this semester, I had gone around campus e-mailing and talking to countless professors and faculty members if they were hiring any students, but to my dismay, I didn't find an on-campus job as I had planned. BUT, everything happens for a reason. I am so lucky to be working as a student blogger, in the Office of Communications and now an intern for Peace Works. So thank you so much, Carrie and Melanie! I could not have experienced this life-changing event without the help of you two looking out for me.

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Rock Bottom by Hailee Steinfield feat. DNCE

Exams Are Approaching

School has finally got the ball rolling and we'll be starting our fourth week of the semester on Monday. I know a lot of you have already felt the pain of the first quiz or the first short essay, but not a lot of us have endured the pain of an exam yet! For me, I've only taken two quizzes for two different classes; however, I WILL be taking some exams next week and during the fifth week! I have so many tips I want to share with you on how to prepare for an exam. Trust me, for the past eight years, I have tried almost everything you can think of, but I have finally found a formula that works for me!

1. Prepare for one exam at a time. It's definitely difficult to spend a course of five hours on one subject and another five on a different subject. There's no way our brain can process all of this information in one sitting! If you have two tests in one week, study for one subject for two or three hours, take a break and then study for another subject. You are NOT a robot! Give your brain a rest.
2. Get plenty of sleep. I know this is something that is hard for college students to achieve, but if you can, shoot for six hours one night and seven hours the next. You'll feel more awake when you study and that will really let the information sink in.
3. Make a study schedule! So many friends of mine study for twelve hours straight the day before their test and end up not getting the results they want. I promise, if you write down what is due when and dedicate a block of your day to study by yourself or with groups, you'll see a grade you are proud of on your exam.
   
4. Do your homework. I cannot stress this enough! The whole reason why professors give out homework is to provide us, students, with a resource for studying and grabbing the concepts that they teach in lecture. If you do your homework, you'll figure out what you don't know and that way, you'll have to remember it for the test.
5. Flashcards... Especially if you have vocabulary terms on your test! These are the most wonderful things in the world. I learn SO quick with flashcards and the good news is they don't really require much effort!

Those are all the tips I have for now, but I bid you all farewell and good luck on your upcoming exams! It's not going to be easy, but it will be easier if you give yourself time and put in more effort than you would usually.

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Belle from Disney's Animated Classic, Beauty and the Beast

Sign Up!

Come sign up for the Day of Caring!

As you all know, I am now an Ambassador for SBCC! I've really been enjoying myself and this program. It's definitely taught me a lot about the value of teamwork. I've made amazing, kind, sweet friends and if you didn't know already, blogger, Elisa, is also an Ambassador! You can check her blog out here.

Our Promotion Table

Ambassadors are a group that basically work closely with many different kinds of students. We aim to reach out to local, international, etc. students who are feeling a little down because they aren't necessarily fitting in with SBCC. Our main focus is to make those


students feel like they belong in Santa Barbara and to welcome them with open arms so they can make a nice transition! :) We're also in charge of running different kinds of events. One that is coming up is a beach clean-up in which we are collaborating with Day of Caring to put this event together. The purpose of this event is to promote a healthy, safe and clean environment for our community to enjoy! Don't tell me you don't love a clean beach...

So... if you are interested in this, the Ambassadors will be (and have been) stationed outside of the East Campus Cafeteria to take volunteers for this selfless and exciting event. Not only do you get to meet new people and make new friends, but you're also bettering your community and your home.

Me Making Another Mess

I spent about two hours last night creating a poster to advertise for the Day of Caring event. If you stop by to look at my sign and our table, you'll also be able to meet really awesome Ambassadors and converse with all of us! Today, I tabled from 10:30 to 12:30; although, I stayed an hour over my shift. That just proves how much fun it is to promote such a wonderful event! I had such a long, fulfilling day and now... I am ending it in bed! Good night, and remember to sign up for the Day of Caring which takes place on September 17, 2016! More information is posted on our Facebook here. :)

ALSO, BIG WELCOME TO THE NEW BLOGGERS!!
I've already linked Elisa above, but SAY HELLO TO MATT & CAMERON!
I'm so excited to introduce you all to these new three members of the blogging team. I can tell you already that you'll be reading golden material. These guys & lady are wonderful writers! Angela & I are the only returning bloggers this year, but I just can't wait to read all of our different experiences this year!

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to The Simple Things by Michael Carreon