the taco bell

My life has been a never ending, gigantic loophole recently: wake up, snooze every alarm, actually wake up, get ready, get on the bus, take a nap, got to school, take a ton of tests, get on the bus, take another nap, come home, get ready for dance, go to dance, get injured, come home again, pass out on the couch, eat, do homework, eventually go to sleep, and repeat it all again day after day. Between all of these same repeated days, I feel completely drained, tired, and exhausted, and wish that I could just be five again: running around and doing absolutely nothing without a care in the world. It feels like I'm doing stuff to just pass the time, but don't know if I'm really getting anywhere. In our AP Lang class we were assigned to read the piece, "The Death of the Moth" by Virginia Woolf. Reading this piece gave me  a new perspective to think about in life. The author describes the moth as "small" and "little," but what stands out the most is ...

  At Troy High School language is very diverse, whether it's the type of language someone is speaking, the tone of their voice, or how they end up conveying the message. For instance, I wouldn't walk up to my teacher on a Monday morning and say, "Yo bro, how was your weekend." If I did, it would create a weird and awkward atmosphere. I wouldn't also make daily comments like "chick chick boi" towards authoritative figures, but with my friends its completely fine. It's like the students are being watched, since they switch up their language depending on who they're around. With teachers, counselors, and other important figures language becomes more careful and respectful. On the other hand, places like the cafeteria and bathroom end up revealing a different side of people than most would expect. Those are the places where slang and inside jokes tend to slip out the most, even some "potty language." Although, there are many sides to how la...

 Oh my god, how do you spell your last name,” people would ask me whenever they saw or heard it (it was mostly my teachers or substitutes). It wasn’t my first name that they couldn’t say but the fascination of how many letters are in my last name. For the record, my last name is “Kalyanasundaram,” which is 15 letters. I guess I’m not too surprised cause I have lived with it my whole life, but I think it makes sense for other people to be shocked, especially with all the short names like Jacks and Nicks in the United States. I remember a specific moment in 5th grade. It was around February and our teacher wanted to get us all valentine gifts. So, my teacher made all of us check the spelling of our last names. As he spotlighted everyone’s names on the smart board one by one one last name caught everyone’s eyes for it barely fitting on the board (yep it was my last name). At that time I felt stupid and weird for not fitting in with the rest of my class, but the more I lived with it an...

Every evening, as the sun starts to drop, members of the arivax tribe gather inside a large room lined with reflective glass. Before entering the sacred floor, they prepare their offerings. Skin colored cloth are wrapped tightly around fragile joints. Hair is slicked back into tight knots, as if the flyaways could disrupt the flow. Footwear depends on the spirits they are summoning that day. One wrong choice could throw off the entire ceremony. At the front of the room, the timekeeper evenly places hydration totems while the rest of the tribe lowers themselves to the ground in a quiet circle. They then lengthen their limbs and reach for their toes as they hold each position just long enough for them to feel the gentle burn of preparation. Soon, the tribe starts rearranging their limbs in precise angles and repeat gestures over and over again till it’s engrained into the mind. Often, the timekeeper will approach an individual and whisper sacred corrections.  When the official ceremo...

     Having to have lived in an Asian household, I’ve learnt that many things are more different than people actually think they are. It teaches you many norms that are not normal here in America. For example, like taking your shoes off before going into your house, having no shoes in your room, living with your entire family, etc. Like how each culture has its own expectations and roles I had one of my own. Me and my family moved to the US when I was 2 years old. After my brother was born, I knew I would take care of him, but I did not become the older sister. I actually became the “third parent” since my parents were always so busy and were out a lot. Which is why I was always expected to be the perfect girl. The one that my brother could look up to, ask questions, do whatever I do, follow my lead, and be the best version of him. I absolutely adore my brother so I didn’t really care but I realized how it shaped me and the things around me. This role that my parents...

(PICTURE COMING SOON! CAN”T UPLOAD CAUSE OF ISSUES :))      “The Best We Could Do” is not just a title to a book written by This Bui, it’s also a phrase that can mean various things. In the book Bui writes about her childhood and her Vietnamese immigrant parents. When I first heard what the book is about it reminded me of my own life. Of how my parents had moved to America for better opportunities and give their children a better life. Not only that but the phrase could also reveal depeer things. For instance, Ma and Bo moved to America for similar reasons to my parents, but also because they wanted to leave behind all the trauma stuck with them. From the death of their  children, abuse, war, etc I couldn’t imagine them staying in Vietnam anymore. Not only that but although Ma and Bo cross the border, Bui illustrates how that trauma never goes away. This can be revealed in the way they parent and argue in America. That’s why the title is so heart wrenching because Ma...