Christmas Cookies and other stuff (:

Tips for a Great Christmas

So if any of you know me, you know that I LOVE Christmas.  It's cold and everyone is happy and there a gifts and you put on weight from all the cookies and it's just great.  

However, I have had a few Christmas breaks that were even better, and after much thought and consideration (not really, I'm making this up on the spot...), I have determined why.

1. Cookies - whenever you eat way too much of anything, you start to get tired of it, even with cookies... JUST KIDDING.  You can never eat too many cookies (:

2. Giving, not getting - I know, give not get... the normal advice from your elders.  And even though everyone loves to get gifts, including me, there is a small spark of excitement whenever you find the perfect gift for your friends.  You can get gifts anywhere–walmart, target, or my personal favorite, amazon.  

3. Trying something new - The best Christmas I ever had was when I went to New Zealand.  It was really exciting because I got to experience new food, new sights, and new activities.  It was amazing, and my family made it even better.  

4. Hot Chocolate - Obviously, food is very important, but hot chocolate, well it's really hard to beat.  I highly recommend cuddling up in a blanket with a good book and cup of cocoa over your break. 

5. Snow - So while this is not scientifically possible in some places, snow simply makes Christmas better.  Everyone dreams of having a white Christmas, probably because it is always depicted in favorite holiday books and movies.

6. Food - Everyone has favorite holiday treats, including me (cranberry sauce is the bomb.com).  Even if you can't get all of the traditional holiday foods, a few of them make the break even better.


Enjoy your break and Merry Christmas!

Christmas is Coming!

I don't know about everyone else, but I can't wait for Christmas.  There's snow (at least where I live), cookies, a Christmas Trees, Santa is coming, and of course, everyone is giving gifts.

For a lot of people though, the weeks leading up to Christmas are stressful.  There are gifts to give, presents to wrap, and houses to decorate.   Getting presents for all of your family is difficult, and the goal of this blog is to give some great ideas for family and friends that vary in price range.

Amazon saved my life this holiday season, and all of these ideas can be found on amazon.

Idea 1: Rubik's Cube

Although these were created in the 1980's or whatever, they're becoming more popular again.  Most of my friends can solve them,  and my friend Devon just ordered about eighteen different types.

You can order a Sheng Shuo Rubik's cube on amazon for under $7.

Idea 2: Hoodies

If you live in a cold place like I do, hoodies are your life!  Hoodies make great gifts because there are a bunch of designs out there and are affordable for some of your better friends and family.  They also work for both genders. Did I mention that they are comfortable and warm?

You can get this hoodie, along with many others on amazon.  This hoodie is $25.  

Idea 3: Jewelry 

Yes, this may apply mainly to females, however unique jewelry means a lot to a lot of people.  Instead of getting the normal "best friends" split apart necklace, you can find some really interesting designs of jewelry online that would make anyone feel special. 

You can find great jewelry similar to this online at amazon.  You are sure to find one that fits the person you are shopping for! 

Idea 4: Coffee Cups

Coffee mugs are definitely on my Christmas list mostly because I'm currently living off coffee.  

Just kidding, however coffee mugs are practical and you can find many styles and designs that fit a person!

This adorable cookie monster coffee mug not only holds you famous warm drink, but cookies fit his mouth!  You can find this and many other cute mugs on amazon.  

Idea 5) Movie Gift Basket

Who doesn't love candy, popcorn, and movies?  A really great gift for a movie buff friend this Christmas is a popcorn bucket filled with their favorite candy and movies or a cinema gift card.  While these are super easy to make, you can also find them online.  

Yummy (:  I love food!  This gift basket can be found on amazon.

Idea 6) Fuzzy Blankets 

Affordable and warm, blankets are a great idea.  They come in many different colors, patterns, and designs, and you are sure to find one that suits your friends. 

This too is found on amazon, and even though there are millions out there, these are simple, bright, and incredibly soft! (Trust me, I have one)

Have a great holiday season and I hoped I helped to relieve some of the holiday stress this winter (or summer, if you live in the southern hemisphere).  

Happy Holidays!!!

Achieving the Impossible - Finding Time for Everyone

Last week I went to the most magical place on Earth.  No, not Disneyland... a plane.  I was on this magical plane for 15 hours on my way to Hong Kong. Yes, that's China, not Japan.

So maybe the plane ride wasn't so magical, but Hong Kong was.  I used to live there, and I know all of the best places to go, however TIME travel has some of my favorite things to do there.  Although I haven't ever done a helicopter tour there, I have gone to the Peak (with one of the most beautiful views of a city on Earth) and on the Star Ferry (which I almost got a heat stroke on the first summer I lived there, but love it none the less).

On my visit back, I was able to do a lot of these things again.  Although it was amazing to be back, I found it difficult to find time for everyone.

To be honest, my dad is gone a lot, and I hadn't seen him for a few months which is why I went back.  It was so amazing to see him again and spend time with him.  However, I also had a lot of difficulty seeing everyone I wanted to, mainly for three reasons.

Reason Number 1:  

Because I hadn't seen my dad for a long time too, I wanted to spend time with him.  He also had to work so I made sure that I could see him enough.

Whether it was going out to dinner or taking the MTR (subway) around the city, hanging out with my dad was awesome.   Even though I did spend a lot of time with him, it wasn't enough.  But it's okay because he's coming back to the United States to work, so I'll get to him every weekend!


Reason Number 2:

If I'm completely honest, I have to say this: I wasn't even close to being popular back in Hong Kong, but I did have a lot of friends.  I really wanted to see them all, but since they had school Monday through Thursday, I really only had Friday and Saturday to see everyone.

Although I did get to see my closest friends, or most of them, I didn't get to see all of them simply because I didn't have enough time.   I had to pick and choose, and I'm not going to lie, it was difficult.  It's not that I wanted to see anyone more than other people, and I tried my best to see everyone or hang out with people as a group.   Even though it wasn't all my fault (see Reason Number 3), I was really disappointed I didn't see everyone.


Reason Number 3: 

So as I said in Reason Number 1, I had a lot of friends in Hong Kong.  However when I went back to visit I faced disappointment when I wanted to hang out with some of the people I thought were my closest friends.  There were several people that I messaged and emailed asking if they wanted to hang out.  It was really upsetting when I didn't get responses, however it taught me a valuable lesson about who my friends really were there, so I guess it did have a silver lining!


Overall, I had a REALLY great time in Hong Kong.  I know that I probably won't get a chance to go back for a long time, and even though thinking about that is hard, I'm thankful for the chance for me to go back.

Sumi and I were really close and she is currently at boarding school... I literally started crying when she told me that she would be in Hong Kong over Thanksgiving too!

My crazy, amazing dad and I... gotta love picture phone quality, am I right?

Some of my closest guy friends from HK, Douglas and Calum, and I. We probably walked ten miles the night we hung out but it was so amazing to see them! We're all nerds ;)

Kiki, one of my closest friends from HK and I. We both ate way too much food that day...

Louisa and I (:  She's in one of my other blog posts because she is literally my best friend.  She pushed me over (on accident, of course) when she saw me (I might have surprised her).  

Thea and I... Thea and I got a lot closer last year and she always makes me laugh!  We both love food too, which helps build relationships (:

Sherry and I were in several classes together last year and she is one of the most talented people I've ever met.  It was great to see her–especially because she ALWAYS makes me smile!

Some of the cutest kids I know!  They used to live in my old apartment building and I always spent time with them.  They're like siblings to me and I had so much fun running around with them!

The view from a tower I found while exploring Hong Kong Park.  It was a 360˚ view and was ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.  

When You Have 15 things to do in 3 Hours... Keep Calm

You know those weeks when you have an activity three of the five days after school and don't get home until six o'clock and then you have shower and eat and chat with your family and by the time you sit down at your desk it's already seven.  That's when you hope you only have a few things due tomorrow but you look at your planner and there are fifteen things for you to do.  Your heart sinks and you take five minutes out of your homework time to go and get some coffee because you know you're going to have to "开夜车" (kai ye che) as they say in Chinese, a.k.a. stay up late studying.

Well, I had one of those weeks.   But instead of complaining, I'm going to give advice for what I do when I have those weeks.


#1:  Keep Calm and Number your assignments.

I originally got this idea from one of my friends back in Hong Kong.  She's probably the smartest, most motivated person I have ever met.  We were talking after netball (a very European sport that most people in the United States haven't heard of) and she told me that when she gets home, she sets out a very precise schedule containing what homework she will do in specific time slots.

I decided to give it a twist and do something similar.  Whenever I get home, I number what I'm going to do and set a goal for how much I will get done.

Even though, I admit, this seems like something only super organized people would do, it's not, trust me. I'm definitely not the most organized person in the world (just check my locker) and this really helps me stay on task.

#2: Keep Calm and Drink Coffee

Coffee is vital to finishing homework.  The caffeine is great and helps you think that you're awake (after all, coffee is meant for morning...) and it tastes amazing.  It gives you that little boost of excitement when you're stuck in a corner staring at a computer screen for hours on ends.

Here's some advice: instead of doing the normal cream and sugar thing, get some of the Coffee House flavored creamer.  It adds a bit of spice, and instead of spending four dollars on a drink at Starbucks, you get it for a fraction of the price.  And don't forget, it's delicious!

#3: Keep Calm and Stay on Task

I know, I know, you already know this.  You've heard it from every teacher you've ever had, and, if your parents are like mine, you've heard it from them too.

But I'm here to tell you that you have to do it. It's not a choice anymore.  When you have fifteen things to do in three hours, stop checking facebook, stop texting your friends, stop leaving your desk to do random tasks.  Even though these little moments seem like they'll only take a second of your time, they add up.  You have to stop.

There is genuine power behind staying on task.  Not only do you avoid wasting time, but it keeps your thought process going.  What you just did stays in your mind for a few short seconds, and if you get up to do something random, that small amount of information is gone.

According to the multitasking website, your brain starts to crash after trying to juggle three or more tasks.  When you add in socializing to your homework, your brain can't handle it, and it starts to shut down.

#4: Keep Calm and Shut the Phone Off

Following off the previous topic, this is vital.  Shutting your phone off is a huge help.

I'm a teenager, I know what there is on our phones - music, games, texting, facebook, messaging, snapchat, instagram, and, of course, iFunny.

When we're doing homework, especially for one of our least favorite classes, we are looking for a distraction.  Our phone is the perfect one. We can spend hours on our phone, unaware of the time passing even though there is a little clock in the upper right hand corner.

By turning off our phone, we save ourselves hours of distractions, and get done with our homework faster.  Here's a tip: go on your phone once your homework is finished.

#5: Keep Calm and Get Some Sleep

Even though it sometimes seems like you have to stay up late and finish every single thing you have to do, there's definitely some greatness in a good nights sleep.  And yes, maybe you won't get those eight hours that you're dying for, but five or six hours is a whole lot better than three.

Not only does sleep make you feel better, but sleep deprivation can cause serious effects on your body. It can lead to depression, paranoia, and hallucinations.  It can make you feel cloudy, and by getting more sleep, you'll be much more efficient during the day.

Plus, what teenager doesn't like to sleep?

Family Carving

Last night, after deciding that homework could wait for another day, I sat down with my family and carved some sick pumpkins.

After looking online for awesome carving templates, I finally settled for the templates on Zombie Pumpkins because they were free and some of them were at my level of pumpkin carving–crappy.

For those of you who aren't "cool" enough to know what these are, they're Iron Man (the most amazing super hero ever that is played by my favorite actor) and the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo.  Yeah, I know, they're beautiful.

We eventually settled for Iron Man and the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo, because they're awesome and we had the ability to draw it on the pumpkin then cut it out.

I'm really proud of how they came out, judging by the fact that we haven't carved pumpkins in 4 years because they're 50 US dollars in Hong Kong for a small one... yes it is crazy.

The entire night was a really great time, and I loved doing it so much because I had the chance to spend time with my family, who I rarely have the time to talk to, and almost never get to do something fun with.

Yes, maybe I'm a bit behind on my homework now, and yes, maybe my hands got a little messy (okay, a lot), and yes, I may have had pumpkin gut fight with my sister (my hair looked... interesting... after that experience)  but the entire night was so much fun.

How Much is Enough?

If you didn't know already (either because you don't pay attention to detail, have never talked to me, or haven't read any of my blog posts), I used to living in香港 (pronounced "xiang gang", or Hong Kong for those of you who don't speak Chinese).  If you want to know more about what living in 香港 as an expat is like, I highly recommend this blog.

In 香港, I had a really great life.  Although school was hard, I had a lot of opportunities and a lot of freedom.  I hung out with friends for a few hours every week too, and I became close with a lot of people.

Leaving 香港 was one of the hardest things I have ever done.  I had to leave the people I trusted and the place that had become my home.  

Louisa and I on the night of our middle school graduation.  

"Lulu" was my closest friend during my 8th grade year, and the hardest part of leaving 香港 was saying goodbye to her.  She is still my best friend.  

One of the hardest things to find time for now is talking to old friends, like Louisa.  The time change is definitely not on my side either. The only time I really have is on Friday and Saturday nights, because Hong Kong is 14 hours ahead of Utah, where I live now.

Even though the only thing I ever want to do is talk to them, I have to carry on with my life here.  If I don't make friends here, I am going to be miserable, because I won't make any new memories, and I won't have any fun over the next four years.

It's literally killing me to not see Louisa and my other friends every day.  With all of the other things going on in my life, it's hard to find time.  The only way I find myself chatting or skyping with 香港 friends is by setting up a time a few days before.  By doing this, both of us are expecting to talk to each other, and I look forward to it.  It guarantees that I will talk to them in the near future.

If you have moved, even if it's just a few towns or a state away, I highly recommend setting up a time before you move to talk to old friends.  If your schedule doesn't allow it one week, let your friends know that, and set up an alternate time.  If you don't set up a time, and choose to talk to friends on a random basis, it's going to be a lot harder to keep up with everyone.

Sometimes, life gets busy, and that's okay.  But it's important to factor in time for people you care about.  Even though leaving 香港 was incredibly hard, I came out of it stronger and with great friends and memories that I will work to keep.

Volleyball vs. Homework

Even though I'm not great at it, volleyball is my favorite sport and I love playing.  I try really hard and do my best.  I go to all of the practices and games (I haven't missed one yet!), and while it is rewarding, it takes up a lot of time.

This week, I had practice Monday and Wednesday, and games Tuesday and Thursday.  Because the practices end at 5:30, it is easy to manage homework.  The stress arises on game days-especially when they are away games.  The games are a ton of fun and great to watch, so I don't want to miss it (check out our 2013 schedule to look for upcoming games).

On Tuesday, our game was in Union, which is about a two and a half hour drive on a school bus from my school.  Although I was able to study for my biology test the next day on the way there, I was not so successful on completing my other homework.

I am aware that this is how high school sports are, and that I signed up for this commitment.  I honestly wouldn't change it for anything.  Next week, when our season comes to a close, it's going to be a very heart breaking experience.  I wish the season would continue on throughout the entire school year, even if it is a lot of work.

Image Credits: Zazzle.com

Although it sometimes feels like it should be "Homework forever, volleyball whenever", it doesn't work out like that.  Not only did I make a commitment that I can't break, but I also want to win, and help my team do that.  

When I have games, it sometimes feels like I'm suffocating in work, that there is too much to do and too little time to do it.  In order to help with this, I make sure I finish homework due Wednesday on Monday if I have a game Tuesday.  Or, if I have a game Thursday, I'll do all of my homework due Friday on Wednesday.   

I know this may seem like a crazy way of balancing homework, but it actually works.  By planning it out ahead of time (which homework I need to do for a certain class on a certain day), I am able to plan the rest of my time around it - how long to spend with family, how long I can chat with old friends from Hong Kong, and how long I need to plan for reading and other assignments that aren't necessarily due in the next few days.

However, this isn't to say that this plan is fool proof.  I end up having a lot of homework on Wednesdays, and I don't get much sleep during the week, it's the best plan I have. 

By using this method, I am able to almost achieve a balance.  Although it does sound too obvious and there are a few cons, it has a lot of great pros and it works for me.   

My Inspiration

Everyone knows that being a teenager is one of the most complicated times in one's life.  We have to find a way to get good grades but still have a life and spend time with our families, among other things like sports, clubs, and travelling.  Somehow, we have to find a balance.

I'm not going to lie.  I've always been an academically driven person with high hopes for my future–a.k.a. going to a really good college.  But I know it's not easy to achieve this–I have to get SAT scores over 2000 and a GPA of 4.0 or higher along with a bunch of service hours and clubs and two sports and so much more. When I think about this, I only think: sleep.  I just want a break.  But I can't if I don't find the balance.

Balance is an important thing for all people–no matter what age.  I usually only hear adults talking about balance between work and life.  But what about teenagers?  We have just as much going on, if not more.  Why isn't there some sort of formula for us to follow?

After looking at three blogs about balance in life (look below for the links!), I see my point is further proven.  They only talk about the work life balance as an adult, and how to achieve it.  I know I can't be the only teen out there who is confused about how to find a balance between work and life.

Over the next year or so, maybe longer if this goes well, I'll be posting about my struggles as a teen in this crazy world.  I'll be posting what is driving me crazy as well as what helps me calm down.   I'll try to give myself advice, and hopefully it can relate to your problems as well.  I'll try to find balance.

"Life is like riding a bicycle.  To keep your balance, you must keep moving."

-Albert Einstein 

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