Writing into the Week

Writing into the Week #1:

August 16, 2021: What's one weird belief you used to have when you were a kid?

One weird belief I had as a kid was that my stuffed animals were sentient. I would try my hardest to play with all of my toys so none of them felt outcasted. I remember when I would keep some of the toys in my basement, I would make a point to apologize for leaving them down there alone in the dark. Part of me knows that I didn’t fully believe this, but I would treat them like this anyway for good measure. It’s similar to how many people aren’t fully superstitious, but you still will not voluntarily walk under a ladder (I know we’re all thinking of the Michael Scott quote). For some reason though, I only felt this way towards my plushees, rather than my dolls. I think it relates to how humans often feel protective over animals because they are so innocent. This was probably my strangest behavior as a child overall.

Writing into the Week #2:

August 23, 2021: What's one weird underrated quality you find attractive in a person? Why?

A quality that is often overlooked and definitely underappreciated in a person is their ability to respectfully disagree and banter. I love this about a person because the most interesting conversations arise and it’s not fun to constantly agree with someone. Obviously, I prefer to surround myself with decently like-minded folks, especially when it comes to certain topics, but otherwise, I enjoy being able to have “controversial” discussions. Controversial to me being why I think so and so’s album is the greatest in the world, while they think it is the worst, to questioning why pineapple on pizza is a thing. It also comes down to those deeper, philosophical questions that are always fun to dissect. An example that always comes to mind is the question of “If no one is around to hear the tree fall, did it really fall?” I personally HATE this question because I think the answer is so obvious, but my boyfriend and I get in light-hearted, yet “heated” discussions about it. To me, it is essential to hear out these varying perspectives and be open to changing your mind as well. This makes a person much more attractive than if they were static and constantly conforming to the views of those around them.

Writing into the Week #3:

August 30, 2021: If you could be born in another era in history, which would you choose? Why?

If I were to be born in another period of history, I think I would want to be born in the late 70s/early 80s, so I could be a young adult in the 90s. The reason I say the 90s is because this decade was the closest to where we are now in terms of social/civil rights, but this was also prior to the advent of social media, etc. The 90s also brought about some of my favorite music and clothing styles. I try my hardest to model my wardrobe to the likes of iconic 90s characters, such as Cher Horowitz in Clueless, Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City, or Fran Fine from The Nanny. The fashion from this era is some of the most timeless, in my opinion. I find myself experiencing 90s nostalgia even though I wasn’t born until 2001. Basically, I think my soul belongs there. I also would have liked to grow up in the 80s; I think it would be fun to look back on my childhood during the era of neon and synth beats.

Writing into the Week #4:

September 8, 2021: When I am angry, I tend to…

Being angry is probably my least favorite emotion, but also the one I feel least frequently. Whenever I do get angry, I cry. It feels like there is a fire in my body and head that causes such a pressure. And whenever I do start crying, it makes me even angrier, because I feel silly for crying. Basically, I turn into a big baby.

Something that makes me feel better though, is a nice, hot shower and then getting into bed, taking deep breaths all the way. This helps me calm down and screws my head back on straight. When I am angry, my thoughts get all jumbled and I can’t even find the words to express how I feel. Again, the WORST feeling. Having a pet also helps in these situations because you can’t be angry when cuddling with an animal; you just can’t. It’s as if I can feel myself relax in real time the second my cat rubs against me.

Writing into the Week #5:

September 13, 2021: If your life were a video game, which level would be the most difficult to get through? Why?

If my life were a video game, this past year would undoubtedly be the hardest part to conquer. I have been through a lot emotionally this year, encountering obstacles I hadn’t faced yet in my life. Both internal and external forces have brought me down, but I try my hardest to stay focused on the positives. However, I do think it’s healthy to ponder the negatives in life as well; no one’s life is 100% happiness and rainbows. “You can’t know happiness without sadness,” as the saying goes. The villain of this level is a big blob of those existential questions we all have: what am I doing with my life? How do I process death? How do I not get consumed by my thoughts and experiences? This is an antagonist I’m still trying to defeat, but I will get there. I just haven’t beaten this level yet.

Writing into the Week #6:

September 20, 2021: What is one phrase you wish you could ban from everyone's vocabulary? Why?

I absolutely hate the phrase “devil’s advocate.” I understand the need for hearing two sides of a debate, but I feel that this one always comes up in debates surrounding serious matters such as human rights. For me, there should be no “devil’s advocate” in those situations, as that is just plain hateful and wrong. I’ve personally never heard this phrase come from someone who is pioneering for justice, but rather someone who seeks to prevent this goal from happening. In our high school debates, there would always be privileged individuals who felt compelled to play this role and ignite anger among the class. Again, it’s not necessarily the phrase itself that is bad, but the context in which it is used is typically one where it does not belong.

Writing into the Week #7:

September 27, 2021: If you could become Earth's official tour guide to aliens, where would you take them? Why?

If aliens were to come to Earth, I would want to take them to a lot of places! I would probably hit all of the Seven Wonders of the World, as these are classic tourist spots throughout the globe. These are also located in diverse regions that would show the aliens the different types of landscapes and climates. Not only would this depict the range of physical factors, but it would also show the cultures and histories behind these monuments. This is probably the best way to sum up the human race, if you can’t make it everywhere in the world.

Writing into the Week #8:

October 4, 2021: What’s something about your life now that you would miss when you’re 80? Why?

I am going to miss my stamina when I am 80. By this I mean the way I can stay out late at night with my friends, exercise a decent amount, schoolwork, etc. While even I find trouble at this age to complete these things at times, I know I will look back and think that I had no right to complain because I was still able to do it. I hope that when I am 80 I am able to do some of these things to a certain degree, but I know it will not be the same as it was now as I am in my 20s. Maybe I will save this to look back on as an 80 year old and “I told you so” myself.

Writing into the Week #9:

October 11, 2021: Describe a new Olympic sport in which you would definitely medal.

I am not an athletic person. That is one thing to know about me. However, if there were an Olympic sport dedicated to impulse spending/shopping, I would take home the gold, no sweat at all. Is this a good trait of mine? Probably not, unless this was actually turned into a competition. My strength in impulse shopping is that I don't really do it out of impulse at all; I could easily spend hours at a store deciding between only 2 items. The impulse comes to play once it is an actual transaction and I am willing to spend money that I do not have. I would fool my competitors when browsing the clothes because they would think I'm falling behind or second guessing myself, but in reality I have a calculated strategy that would dominate them all. The balance of patience and impulse.

Writing into the Week #10:

October 18, 2021: Imagine your daily routine had been turned into a reality show. Which parts would be most talked about? Why?

My life is relatively uneventful, considering I don't really have any drama with my friends or other factors that would normally constitute a reality show. The main aspect that might draw in viewers is probably my relationship with my boyfriend. We have been dating for over 7 years and rarely get in arguments, but it would be interesting to see whose "side" the audience would take when witnessing our fights. However, we still probably wouldn't gain that much traction, given our stability. So, in that case, the focal points that would attract viewers would probably surround my friends' lives more than my own. My boyfriend and I would just be the consistent background characters that comfort people.

Writing into the Week #11:

October 27, 2021: What's one sign that you would probably stay friends with someone for life? How do you know?

A trait that I truly appreciate in a friend is someone who is understanding, in every sense of the word. Throughout my life, I've had friends come and go who lacked this characteristic. If they were to need some time to themselves for self care, I would understand, but if the roles were reversed, I would be the villain. Not to say I am the perfect friend, either, but I try to put myself in the other person's shoes as much as I can. In contrast, the friends I've had for the longest have all possessed this trait; this is why our relationship has been so healthy. We're all human, and we all need to be regarded as such, even when it sucks at times.

Writing into the Week #12:

November 3, 2021: Imagine we all had to start over on Mars and you were responsible for choosing who gets to part of Humanity 2.0. How would you decide on who to accept?

I have a hard time answering the question, just because it raises so many other questions. At face value, I want to say "bad people," but what exactly does that mean? Murderers? Violent offenders? Donald Trump? I don't know how exactly I would assess a "good" from "bad" person, so I guess I can't fully answer the question. However, if there's one trait to base my population on, I would say people who enjoy BTS (including the group themselves), even at the most basic level. These people would all become my best friends.

Writing into the Week #13:

November 8, 2021: Describe a moment that made you feel like a real grown-up.

I can't recall a specific moment, but when I realized $100 was not actually that much money made me feel like a real grown-up. When I was a kid, getting 10 bucks from a parent seemed like I had won the lottery. When you become an adult and have to buy your own groceries, for instance, you then get struck with reality that one trip can cost you up to $70. While it is still a blessing to receive this amount of cash, let alone any dollar amount, no one can survive off $100 alone. I certainly miss the days where I got by off my piggy bank.

Writing into the Week #14:

November 15, 2021: If you didn't have to sleep every night, what would you do with all the extra time?

I think about this question a lot. If I didn't have to sleep every night, I would certainly get a lot more homework done. Although, I would also accomplish a lot more procrastinating in that time. I think I would get around to all the movies and shows I've been meaning to watch, all the books I've been meaning to read. I would be able to cook myself decent meals for dinner and exercise effectively. If none of us had to sleep, then we could work for longer hours, make more money, and I could use that money to travel. I could also do more on vacations because I wouldn't be limited to the 12-hour day! Boy, this sure would be nice wouldn't it?

Writing into the Week #13:

November 8, 2021: Describe a moment that made you feel like a real grown-up.