Rain, Rain

These past couple of weeks have just been full of rain, so much that Santa Barbara areas have been flooding, including SBCC and my front yard! I know it's not a very popular opinion, but I absolutely love the rain. I could continue my everyday schedule in the rain perfectly fine, but the rain also provides a very laid back and relaxed atmosphere, so when I'm home, I can focus on whatever I need to do, calmly!

Fun fact: My car's name is Teresa

So what I did today was focus on finishing all of my homework, did some studying (yes, already), lots a lots of laundry, homework, and cleaned my entire room! The Ambassadors were supposed to have a retreat today at SBCC, but I believe the school or the lots or both were flooded and all events carried at school were cancelled. Obviously, my schedule was cleared so I prepared for a stay-at-home-all-day day! I was so productive, I have to admit, haha. I almost forgot to mention that I just finished all of my supplemental applications for college so that's really exciting! I can't BELIEVE that in 15 weeks, I'll be done with SBCC. It's so weird. So weird... Anyway, lots of plans in store for this semester! I'm hoping to land myself another part time job in order to save up for college when I transfer. It's going to be very very interesting... My friend, Brenna, and I met up on Thursday and hung out for a while and she told me that while in the shower, she had this random thought of needing to build up her credit score. She's a freshman in college. When I was a freshman in college, I was thinking of the same thing too! This whole adulting thing is so unbelievable and I never thought I would mature so quickly, but it happened and without me knowing. I know this semester is going to be a toughie, but I will pull through!

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Changing by John Mayer

Show Me What Democracy Looks Like

"Love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love." - Lin Manuel Miranda

With this week being one of the most unbelievable changes in history, it was only right for me to take part in it as well. Today, Saturday, I planned on attending the Women's March in LA, but that required me getting up at 4:30 AM and setting an alarm... I set my alarm, but ended up waking at 5:48 AM, disappointed and disheartened because I costed myself the opportunity of a lifetime. I had to arrive at SBCC by 6 AM, latest, and there was no way I would be able to do what I needed to do and still be on time.

I'm usually not one to get so disappointed over things like this, but this event was going to be an unforgettable one that I wasn't a part of. After sitting straight up in bed, eyes wide open, I stopped staring at my phone and swept it underneath my pillow to try and forget that I wouldn't be attending the Women's March in LA today. Two hours of tossing and turning in bed and I finally was able to go back to sleep. Woke up again at 10 AM, still feeling sad, but decided I should get up out of bed and still remain proactive.

THEN... I remembered Santa Barbara was hosting a Women's March, downtown, in De La Guerra Plaza! I quickly showered, got ready, packed a couple of snacks, water and my camera and jumped into my car at 11:30 AM. On my way there, I played my "I'm in LOVE" playlist and cheered myself up. As I pulled into the parking lot, I just had to keep driving and driving and driving to eventually get to the rooftop, which was a really good sign! It meant we had actually gathered a ton of people. And we did.

I walked over to De La Guerra Plaza, gathered with the crowd, took snapshots and once it was time to begin marching, I turned around to see an elderly woman in tears. She said to me, "This is the America I dreamed of seeing. This is the community I love." We hugged, she placed both of her hands on my cheeks and said, "You are BEAUTIFUL. You are POWERFUL." It was such an incredible moment. Chills ran throughout my body. People of all ages, colors, genders—SO DIFFERENT... all together, fighting for change.

Of course we were met with ignorance, eye-rolling, and doubt. But we kept marching on. A day that changed my life: January 21, 2017.

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to pink skies by LANY

Grand Finale

As the final week continues, winter break comes to a close. After four weeks of fun, relaxation and making memories, it finally hit me that the spring semester will be beginning in exactly one week! As much as I appreciate the lovely moments that I created in 2016, I just have to admit that 2017 is starting off strong.

First of all, one of my favorite artists, Ed Sheeran, made his comeback after a year long hiatus and both of the songs that he released on Friday were simply amazing. I can’t wait for the entire album to come out! The songs have been added onto my playlist, played over and over, sung to more than plenty of times and I’m just obsessed.

Although the end of winter break is near, it kind of forced me to really plan and set times for my friends and I to meet up. Now that we all live in different cities, states and countries, we get to see each other maybe once to three times a year which is so little in comparison to seeing each other in high school every day. In the past week and a half, I’ve seen my friends Maya, April, Brenna, and Sam… AND I’ll still be seeing Sam and Brenna this upcoming Wednesday for a new photography/modeling project! That’s also another thing is that I’m getting way more in touch with my creative outlet and just letting my mind loose to brainstorm all kinds of things I didn’t ever take the time to think about.

Expanding on the creative outlet thing, it’s wave week—essentially orientation for incoming international students; they get to register for classes, take placement tests, meet new friends—and I’m on a new committee in the Ambassadors program! This semester, I’ll be in a committee who focuses solely on creating, directing and producing videos for SBCC’s international office and the Ambassador program. (P.S. Fellow blogger, Elisa, is the leader for this committee!) Throughout today, I took a mixture of photos and videos that will soon be strung together to create exciting and new content. I’ve never really put together a documentary-style video! I’m just used to setting up a tripod, my light, and singing!

I guess just because 2017 is starting off well, my expectations should still remain low so I don’t get let down easy, haha. I’m excited to see what else will be happening this year.

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Castle on the Hill by Ed Sheeran

New Year, New Me?

@ the Griffith Observatory ft. Cousin w/ a trendy SF cap

Happy 2017, everybody!

LA

I could not express how happy and refreshed I am now that 2016 has come to a close. RIP 2016, you were okay. I set up a lot of goals throughout the year last year that I was able to fulfill and instead of having a new year's resolution, those small goals eventually helped make a better me.

So, new year, new me? I hope so. I could use some improvement and motivation to carry me on through this new year. Some things I wish to improve on are my social media skills! I have totally been lacking the necessity to check my social media outlets and uploading videos and songs on YouTube, but there's been a recent kick of self encouragement that's helped me engage in more activity online. Of course, I should refrain from being so attached and dependent on my phone, but I also think I should take advantage of social media and reach out to everyone I have been wanted to talk to and hang out with. Definitely something I want to improve on is just communication. Really and only; I tend to miss amazing opportunities just because I don't feel like replying to people trying to get a hold of me.

Taking advantage of SB winters & enjoying the Bluff cliffs.

Another thing that I've really already started on is improving my photography. I've always said that I have enjoyed it through and through, but have no work to show for it. SO, I have started a photography Instagram account to engage with other photographers and I'm trying to round up my friends to go out and shoot/model with me and it's actually been working out. It's always super awkward introducing them to something I am so passionate about, but they're always so satisfied with the end result that it doesn't even matter what they think in the moment, haha.

This break, I have been up and down California! From Santa Barbara to San Diego to Fresno to San Francisco to Los Angeles to Santa Ana and FINALLY back to Santa Barbara, I can say I am pretty worn out. Although, I don't mind the traveling too much. I had the chance to see and meet a ton of my family members and caught up with so many of my friends that I missed and it's just been a overall JOY these past three weeks. I would also like to point out that school's back in session in 13 days.

I'm really going to try to post quality pictures up on here that are my work and only my work! Hopefully this will keep me motivated through the New Year. :)

See you next post,

Chey

Currently listening to Miss You by Gabrielle Aplin