May 13, 2014
Hello to whoever still reads this. I barely post anymore now that I'm back in Boston. However, can you blame me? Australia is way more interesting.
Anyway, I have officially finished my junior year...or my first semester as a senior depending on how you look at it. This year, I feel like I am enjoying BU more. I think I've also gotten to a point where I realize I am closer to friends here than friends at home, with the exception of Jason, though that's not surprising. I had not seen some of my SHA friends for a year because we all go abroad at different times. Finally, our group was all together this semester! Unfortunately, it is also the last time, because some of them are going abroad (again) and I am graduating a semester early. I almost regret it now. Almost, because I am still happy I will be done with classes after another semester. However, that also means I have to find a grown up job. I'm not nervous about working, just about actually finding a job. Hopefully, it will be one I enjoy. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
This summer I will stay here in Boston. Part of me is really excited because I do like my office and my job right now. Several of my friends are also staying, which is nice. The other part of me wishes I could go home. I don't even know when or how often I will be visiting. When I finally have two weeks off at the end of the summer, most people, including my sister, will be going to school. Well, nothing much I can do. I needed a job and this is a great opportunity.
On Saturday, I will be attending Larissa (and all the other seniors in SHA)'s graduation ceremony. I'm actually not working Commencement this year. It is really hard to believe how quick time has gone. It's even more crazy to realize the people from Townsend who were a year above me are also done with college. My own sister is going off to college! Not to mention, this fall's high school freshmen are born in 2000. Can we just pause time for a second? This is all happening too quickly!
I don't really know how to end this post, but I don't have more to write. So, as always, thanks for reading!
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Monday, March 3, 2014
I am highly sensitive
March 3, 2014
Recently, I read an article from the Huffington Post, 16 Habits of Highly Sensitive People. I am shocked at how much of a revelation this has given me to the point where I actually want to respond to the different points. There were always instances in my life where I could not understand why I reacted certain ways or why other people did not react similarly to myself. I now understand. If the statistic that just one in five people think this way, it seems like I have a minority way of thinking. However, I am actually kind of proud of being a highly sensitive person. Do read the original article if you are interested. I am just going to take the main sentence of each point and give my own input.
Recently, I read an article from the Huffington Post, 16 Habits of Highly Sensitive People. I am shocked at how much of a revelation this has given me to the point where I actually want to respond to the different points. There were always instances in my life where I could not understand why I reacted certain ways or why other people did not react similarly to myself. I now understand. If the statistic that just one in five people think this way, it seems like I have a minority way of thinking. However, I am actually kind of proud of being a highly sensitive person. Do read the original article if you are interested. I am just going to take the main sentence of each point and give my own input.
1. They feel more deeply. Not much to comment on this, but I think it's true. I internalize a lot.
2. They're more emotionally reactive. I always wondered why Jason could not feel the empathy/sympathy I feel for others when I read or hear their story. Many times, I feel like I react almost as if the event or situation were happening to myself.
3. They're probably used to hearing, "Don't take things so personally" and "Why are you so sensitive?" Ahem, Jason :P But yes, I hear this quite often, and all I have to respond is, "That's just how I am!," which I guess is actually pretty true.
4. They prefer to exercise solo. I prefer to workout alone, but I do actually like group or team sports. The article did mention that there are highly sensitive people whose parents encouraged and supported their children from a young age, which makes this possible.
5. It takes longer for them to make decisions. If you know me, you know that I take forever to make a decision. I try to weigh all the pros and cons before finally making a choice. This even goes for simple things like what I want to order for dinner. However, exactly like the article mentions, if I've been successful at making a decision the first time, I will quickly make it again and again, i.e. picking a dish at a restaurant I frequent often.
6. And on that note, they are more upset if they make a "bad" or "wrong" decision. Yes. I get very annoyed at myself if I made the ultimate decision or at another person if I made the decision based on their recommendation.
7. They're extremely detail-oriented. I definitely notice things other people do not. Most of the time I don't bother pointing them out because no one would notice the change besides me, even if I find it significant.
8. Not all highly sensitive people are introverts. Well, I am an introvert, so nothing to add here.
9. They work well in team environments. I am glad I would make a good team member. I really would be that person to bring up pros and cons to choosing certain paths, but I do not necessarily like to be the one who picks the direction. The exception would be if I am really sure of a particular option.
10. They're more prone to anxiety or depression (but only if they've had a lot of past negative experiences). I wouldn't say I am an anxious or depressed person. I have bouts of what I feel is a very mild form of depression, but overall I am sound without significant past negative experiences.
11. That annoying sound is probably significantly more annoying to a highly sensitive person. I don't know how annoying some sounds are to other people, but they can drive me to the point where I want to scream. I remember when I was little, I got frustrated with my sister's analog clock ticking away in the middle of the night to the point where I got up, found the clock, and brought it to a completely different room. It does not help that I can actually hear really well, so I hear everything!
12. Violent movies are the worst. Wolf of Wall Street. I was not a fan...at all. That movie made me so angry that I wanted to leave the theater, but I was with Jason and his family, so that would have been rude and awkward.
13. They cry more easily. This is true. I do tear pretty easily, though ever since high school and college, it has been more from frustration or watching sad movies than anything else. When I was little, I would cry, or at least feel tears for frustration, embarrassment, or confrontation, especially when an adult was involved. It would not be on purpose and I would try my best to not cry, but it would happen. Over the years, I have gotten much better at controlling my emotions.
14. They have above-average manners. I'd like to think I have above-average manners. I try to be respectful and polite to everyone I come in contact with. I have noticed I say "thank you" A LOT, which I guess is a good thing. And, as the article mentioned, I do try to keep out of other people's way (i.e. keeping my grocery cart out of the middle of an aisle).
15. The effects of criticism are especially amplified in highly sensitive people. Refer to #13.
16. Cubicles = good. Open-office plans = bad. I actually do not necessarily think cubicles are good, but I like them better than open-office plans. My ideal workspace would be where I sit with my back against a wall or corner, so I have the ability to look out over everything. It is surprisingly not too distracting.
Anyway, I am really surprised if anyone (besides maybe Jason) actually read this whole thing. It's more of a reflection for myself than anything. However, if you did read it, I guess you now know more about me. Feel free to start a conversation about any of these points and how they relate to you. As always, thanks for reading!
Anyway, I am really surprised if anyone (besides maybe Jason) actually read this whole thing. It's more of a reflection for myself than anything. However, if you did read it, I guess you now know more about me. Feel free to start a conversation about any of these points and how they relate to you. As always, thanks for reading!
Friday, January 31, 2014
Quite a different semester
January 31, 2014
Hello all! I'm at work right now, but I really don't have anything to do so shh! I typically do homework, but I figured I'd write a post. I really don't even know if people still read this blog, because, let's face it, I have far fewer and less exciting adventures in Boston than in Sydney--especially in the brutal cold weather we've been having.
Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, I am now working in the Events & Conferences department of BU as the Summer Conference Housing Intern. I'm finally starting to figure out how to prepare a contract. I wonder what I will be doing in the summer. At that point, all the contracts should have been completed and I will be awaiting the groups to come. I'm excited, but I also hope I have more to do than I currently do right now. However, I do have to say, the schedule this job allows me is much less hectic than when I worked in catering. I work 16 hours/week but they are all during normal work hours. I used to work 15-20 hours a week or more within three days (typically on the weekend, but in the evenings too) and it would be taxing on my body. I don't mind the crazy hours of hospitality, but I think for the time being this is healthier for me (I also do brief workouts a few days a week!) and more conducive to my doing well this semester. Once I've graduated and no longer have classes, I expect to be working some long days in the industry.
As for classes, I am currently taking Strategic Marketing, Accounting, Revenue Management, Deaf Literature and Folklore, and American Sign Language 3. I feel like I have significantly more work to do this semester than last Spring based on the classes I'm taking. I do have to say that ASL 3 probably takes the most brain power, followed by Accounting and then Deaf Lit. I am pretty surprised to see how far I have come in ASL. It is still difficult to understand when people are signing quickly (particularly spelling names), but it is slowly becoming easier to comprehend. In Deaf Lit, we talk a lot about stories and structure (of both hearing and non-hearing authors/artists). It's an interesting class, but rather long (3 hours!) for a literature class. One of our assigned books, The Storytelling Animal, is quite good! I would recommend that you read it, especially if you enjoy fictional books/TV shows. It is non-fiction, but it is told like a story and will seriously make you think about why you like your shows and stories.
Last night, my friend Kerry invited me and our other SHA friends over to her place for dinner. She made delicious pasta and foccacia bread--yum! Sam also brought some salmon, cod, and quinoa salad from her seafood cooking class. Everything was so delicious. It was a nice evening spent with them, Kathryn, and Poon. All of us haven't been in Boston together since Fall 2012 I believe. They were one of the first groups of friends I made in SHA and we still get along really well (and laugh at each other in the process), so it's nice when we are able to have these get-togethers.
That's about all for now. If you still read this, let me know! :)
Hello all! I'm at work right now, but I really don't have anything to do so shh! I typically do homework, but I figured I'd write a post. I really don't even know if people still read this blog, because, let's face it, I have far fewer and less exciting adventures in Boston than in Sydney--especially in the brutal cold weather we've been having.
Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, I am now working in the Events & Conferences department of BU as the Summer Conference Housing Intern. I'm finally starting to figure out how to prepare a contract. I wonder what I will be doing in the summer. At that point, all the contracts should have been completed and I will be awaiting the groups to come. I'm excited, but I also hope I have more to do than I currently do right now. However, I do have to say, the schedule this job allows me is much less hectic than when I worked in catering. I work 16 hours/week but they are all during normal work hours. I used to work 15-20 hours a week or more within three days (typically on the weekend, but in the evenings too) and it would be taxing on my body. I don't mind the crazy hours of hospitality, but I think for the time being this is healthier for me (I also do brief workouts a few days a week!) and more conducive to my doing well this semester. Once I've graduated and no longer have classes, I expect to be working some long days in the industry.
As for classes, I am currently taking Strategic Marketing, Accounting, Revenue Management, Deaf Literature and Folklore, and American Sign Language 3. I feel like I have significantly more work to do this semester than last Spring based on the classes I'm taking. I do have to say that ASL 3 probably takes the most brain power, followed by Accounting and then Deaf Lit. I am pretty surprised to see how far I have come in ASL. It is still difficult to understand when people are signing quickly (particularly spelling names), but it is slowly becoming easier to comprehend. In Deaf Lit, we talk a lot about stories and structure (of both hearing and non-hearing authors/artists). It's an interesting class, but rather long (3 hours!) for a literature class. One of our assigned books, The Storytelling Animal, is quite good! I would recommend that you read it, especially if you enjoy fictional books/TV shows. It is non-fiction, but it is told like a story and will seriously make you think about why you like your shows and stories.
Last night, my friend Kerry invited me and our other SHA friends over to her place for dinner. She made delicious pasta and foccacia bread--yum! Sam also brought some salmon, cod, and quinoa salad from her seafood cooking class. Everything was so delicious. It was a nice evening spent with them, Kathryn, and Poon. All of us haven't been in Boston together since Fall 2012 I believe. They were one of the first groups of friends I made in SHA and we still get along really well (and laugh at each other in the process), so it's nice when we are able to have these get-togethers.
That's about all for now. If you still read this, let me know! :)
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
New year, new semester, new job.
January 14, 2014
Hello all! Hope everyone had a lovely holiday. It's been a while since I've written here. I know I was supposed to summarize my experience at InterContinental Sydney. To be honest, I just got lazy because it was winter break. Now, I'm back at school for my second to last semester of undergrad and it is kind of frightening and kind of exciting at the same time.
Working at InterCon Sydney was a great experience. I met so many people from different parts of the world. The hotel itself had a great atmosphere with the staff and I am glad I was able to experience it. Everyone was so welcoming and willing to talk to me. My internship was split between Engineering and the Executive Office, which is odd, but it allowed me to see different sides of this hotel's operation. Being with Engineering, I also got to see several rooms, including the Australia Suite, and stand on the roof of the building. It was a really nice experience and I hope future BU Sydney students enjoy themselves there too.
Now I am back in Boston. This semester I'm living in Student Village II, or Stuvi2 as it is referred to here in BU. It's such a nice apartment and quite spacious for two people. It also happened to be Larissa's room from last semester--what are the odds of that? I got sick of dining hall food last year. It is actually pretty good, but I'd rather buy and cook my own food like I did while I was in Sydney. My apartment-mate seems really nice too. I haven't gotten a chance to talk to her, but she is friends with the girl who lived here with Larissa--even smaller odds, but somehow it happened! I think we'll get along just fine.
This year I have also started a new job. I'm the new Summer Conference Housing Intern for Boston University Events and Conferences. I'm actually quite excited about this, even though it means I'll have to stay in Boston for the summer. I think I burned myself out while working in catering last year; I just can't do it anymore. Luckily, I was able to secure this opportunity where I will be working with clients to figure out their housing and meals for summer events, in addition to overseeing events. Everyone in the department seems really nice and I am looking forward to seeing what I will learn from them.
Well, that's about all for now. Classes start tomorrow, eek! Hope all goes well this semester. Again, thanks for reading!
Hello all! Hope everyone had a lovely holiday. It's been a while since I've written here. I know I was supposed to summarize my experience at InterContinental Sydney. To be honest, I just got lazy because it was winter break. Now, I'm back at school for my second to last semester of undergrad and it is kind of frightening and kind of exciting at the same time.
Working at InterCon Sydney was a great experience. I met so many people from different parts of the world. The hotel itself had a great atmosphere with the staff and I am glad I was able to experience it. Everyone was so welcoming and willing to talk to me. My internship was split between Engineering and the Executive Office, which is odd, but it allowed me to see different sides of this hotel's operation. Being with Engineering, I also got to see several rooms, including the Australia Suite, and stand on the roof of the building. It was a really nice experience and I hope future BU Sydney students enjoy themselves there too.
Now I am back in Boston. This semester I'm living in Student Village II, or Stuvi2 as it is referred to here in BU. It's such a nice apartment and quite spacious for two people. It also happened to be Larissa's room from last semester--what are the odds of that? I got sick of dining hall food last year. It is actually pretty good, but I'd rather buy and cook my own food like I did while I was in Sydney. My apartment-mate seems really nice too. I haven't gotten a chance to talk to her, but she is friends with the girl who lived here with Larissa--even smaller odds, but somehow it happened! I think we'll get along just fine.
This year I have also started a new job. I'm the new Summer Conference Housing Intern for Boston University Events and Conferences. I'm actually quite excited about this, even though it means I'll have to stay in Boston for the summer. I think I burned myself out while working in catering last year; I just can't do it anymore. Luckily, I was able to secure this opportunity where I will be working with clients to figure out their housing and meals for summer events, in addition to overseeing events. Everyone in the department seems really nice and I am looking forward to seeing what I will learn from them.
Well, that's about all for now. Classes start tomorrow, eek! Hope all goes well this semester. Again, thanks for reading!
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