Blog Posts

Procrastination

8/24/2021

Have you ever been asked not to procrastinate? I do, and so many people have from time to time. While it is effortless to be said than done, it is sometimes helpful for people to hear it now and then. Of course, we all tend to have many essential obligations we NEED to work on, but we end up pushing it towards the very last minute because we simply could become lazy and makeup excuses that we’re “too busy.” Not only can we make up excuses, but we could easily lie, saying that we are busy, but in reality, we have enough time to do it.

   One of my first experiences of procrastination is when I struggled in getting my assignments in on time with having a “busy life.” In my senior year of high school, I lived a very independent life and focused on many other responsibilities. While running cross country, building up a strong prayer life, taking care of a house, and having a social life made it “easy” to forget about my schoolwork. There have been times I have completely forgotten about an assignment and end up working on it the day it’s due or not even doing it at all. It was in September of my senior year, so it was pretty early to get my head together. Still, it is something that needs to be avoided. Also, because it’s not good for your mental health to procrastinate. I’ve learned that if you continue to wait to the very last minute, that will only stress yourself out more and have you go nuts trying to get it done. Not only that, but if you decide to get the assignment done a lot sooner, you will have the product done better because you have a lot more time to work on the finishing touches.

   Procrastination doesn’t just rely on schoolwork; it connects to everything you do in life. For example, running. Most people who are not runners may not know about this but over the summer, we try to build up our mileage so we can start the preseason with a substantial base for the rest of the season. As a distance runner, having good summer training does help your body for the long run and gives you time to prepare for workouts in the upcoming season. If I were to not run over the summer, I will probably not get the results I want in the long run. That goes with any sport; if you don’t physically prepare yourself beforehand, you will struggle to perform well when you want to.

   Not only could procrastination be a struggle with sports and academics, but it can also affect your spiritual life as well. As a practicing Catholic, I tend to spend a reasonable amount of time in prayer each day. While it can be a struggle at times, it is something very meaningful in my life and the lives of others around me. However, there have been times where I procrastinated in my prayer life as well. It is straightforward to get out of bed in the morning and go about your day without having time to pray. But that is something I have gotten out of. What I normally do, I pick up my journal and start writing as soon as I get up. I write down who I am praying for, then I start praying the Rosary, and afterward, I read the daily readings and the gospel for that particular day. Of course, I don’t always do that, but I tend to make it a part of my life now because it is such a powerful moment to spend time with the Lord and The Blessed Mother. Of course, I know not everyone who is reading this isn’t Catholic but simply put it, if you spend time just a moment to relax and meditate, it’ll make your day run so much smoother. While it is easy to say, “I don’t have time,” find the time because having that moment of peace is so important.

   In today’s world, it is elementary to push off things last minute. While we are so manipulated into doing things we want, sometimes we can easily forget our priorities. It is more of a struggle for future generations to hold off things last minute, mainly because technology is advancing over time. Of course, that is a good thing, but as items become more accessible, the lazier people can be. It is so easy to spend the whole day just watching youtube videos and forget about the things you need to get done, but that is something we need to overcome to teach future generations good habits in the near future. Procrastination will always be here one way or another, but at the same time, we shouldn’t make it a habit and learn how to control it as much as we possibly can.

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Dealing with Writer's Block

8/10/2021

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When people say that writing is not easy, they aren't kidding. Writing takes time and effort, which can be difficult with a busy schedule. I’ve been struggling to find topics to write about (especially recently), mainly because I get stuck on taking a topic that I am interested in and turning it into a well-worded full-length blog very quickly. For example, when I wrote the blog on “Beginning of Adulthood,” I had an idea of what I wanted to write and struggled to “drag” the topic even further. That is when I started to branch out with my personal experiences to help people know that everyone isn’t perfect and how growing up can be difficult at times but also be very exciting at the same time. I decided to write this blog in the first place, to share my intentions to inspire others, especially the younger generations ahead.

One thing that I always try to do is think about the main idea first and contemplate it for a while before writing anything down. While writing, it is easier than you would think to forget the main reason you are writing in the first place. It is almost effortless to get off topic and unintentionally change the subject. If I find myself off on a tangent, I usually like to glance at the blog’s title for each paragraph so that I can get back on track. Of course, although completely losing track of the main point is undesirable, it is fine to speak about relatable topics that are very similar to the main idea. For example, if I were to write about a topic on “Self-Control,” we can easily change the main topic around and explain how the mind thinks when a person is learning self-control in a certain area of their life. While explaining that thought, it’ll further the main topic while still using different ideas and ways to approach it.

Another easy way to deal with writer’s block is to use personal and meaningful examples. I feel using examples helps promote the topic even further and is easy to passionately write about since they are first-hand experiences and can come more naturally than other topics. That will give the readers your experiences to grasp their attention. More specifically, this will show that you, as the author, can be relatable to the readers and that sometimes you both face similar experiences in life. When I wrote my “How COVID-19 Changed my Life” blog, I remember that I used my personal experiences to get the reader’s attention while showing that mostly everyone shares similar struggles during this pandemic. Using examples does show how unique your personality is and can help branch out the topic even further.

Another method I work on is not doing it all at once. While writing, your brain struggles to maintain its focus, and sometimes you can get off track on what you are trying to achieve. This goes along with almost everything in life, for example, running. Even though I do like running long distances, sometimes, I tend to slow down after keeping a fast pace, and your muscles tire out when running all those miles. After achieving the accomplishment of those miles I often need a nice break to recoup and re-energize. Similarly, when your brain tries to do something all at once, like write an entire blog post in one sitting, it starts to slow down and you can overwhelm your brain. Sometimes you need to take breaks to get anything done the way you want it to.

Surely, writing can be a lot of fun and of course, you will run into writer’s block one way or another, such as any common obstacle in life. While having a busy schedule with work, having a social life, and working on the forms I need for school, writing can also become overwhelming. Sometimes you have to pull through and know that not everything will be easy, but with a little bit of effort, it will become simple as long as you keep it consistent. I know I may be sounding like a hypocrite for saying that considering I have not posted in a while, but that is something I need to work on too.

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Developing Good Habits

6/15/2021

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We all try to develop good habits nowadays, and sometimes it may not be easy, especially for young adults. Being a young adult, you’re discovering your interests and figuring out what your future would be. When a person goes through these stages, they can quickly fall into bad habits, making them unmotivated and have less energy towards the goals they want to achieve. These past two years, I’ve witnessed many practices of mine that led me to develop bad habits but also have brought me to good ones as well. Here are five different habits that I’ve learned in my life that helped through my early adulthood so far.

Wake up early.

This is something I still struggle with to this day, but I’ve been training myself to wake up early as often as I can. I find this a huge benefit because waking up early does help you become more motivated throughout the day and can create more time to get things done. It can also help you develop a good morning routine and have you prepare yourself to get through the day a lot easier. I struggle to do this, but I try to find something to do in the morning, so I will be energized to get tasks done. What I usually like to do is to go to Daily Mass and go for my run before I start anything else. Sometimes, I have work in the morning, and that helps me get my day started. Doing any task where you have to get up and go somewhere does help you stay organized and help get things done quicker and easier.

Read More Books

I also sometimes struggle to find time to read but mainly because I get distracted easily from my phone. In a past blog, I have spoken about how toxic social media is, and how easy it is to spend hours on your phone than reading a book for a few minutes. Sometimes, I try to place my phone in another room, which motivates me to either read, pray or just sleep. I also recently bought a box with a timer, where I can place my phone in that box, and I won’t be able to use my phone until the timer runs out. Lately, I haven’t been using it, but during the school year, I have. Mainly because I found it really easy to be lazy in college and it might feel like your phone is the only way to get through the day. But in reality, it really isn’t. Just scrolling through your phone all day does make you feel unmotivated and you’re not really getting anything done. Reading books does make you motivated and inspires you to do more and feel more educated. Of course, it is fine to be on your phone once in a while, but having that as your only way to “kill time” shouldn’t become a habit.

Have Time in Meditation and Prayer

This one might be the hardest out of the five. Mainly because prayer can be challenging if you’re not used to it. I grew up not praying as often, so having to switch from hardly praying to have more time in prayer can be difficult. Also, knowing the true reason for prayer can be difficult to know when you’re in the moment. If I were to describe prayer, I would say it is a time to develop a relationship or conversation with God. Also having the ability to spend time with Him and counting the blessings you have in your life and others around you. Having a strong prayer life with God is a great step knowing that you can do anything, as long as you do everything for the glory of God and keeping Him as your number one priority. What I love to do is to attend daily Mass in the morning and serving on the Altar (If you want to learn more about the Catholic Faith, check out the blog on “Why I’m Catholic”).

Time Management

It is very easy to be disorganized, especially when you’re juggling multiple things at once. While it can be easy to think you can just remember everything and not have to write it down, the truth is, that would just make you more stressed and overwhelmed. For example, when you have multiple assignments all at once, it is easy to just look at each class individually and try to see if you could just remember to do it. But in reality, you cannot remember everything, and you might end up forgetting or close to forgetting something you need to get done. In my senior year of high school, I remember I struggled to write what I needed to do, and my time management wasn’t that impressive. There was a time I struggled to balance my responsibilities and my schoolwork where I sometimes missed either the assignment or forgot to do something I needed to do at home. Of course, those things can occur once in a while, but they shouldn’t be happening often. Later on, I realized how important it is to make sure everything I need to do each day is written down so I keep everything organized and feel less stressed.

Have time for yourself

Sometimes we struggle in finding time to relax and have time off from responsibilities we do on our day to day basis. There should be a time during the day where you can just relax and not worry about anything. We all need that once in a while to heal and reflect on our lives.

Like I have said earlier, developing good habits can be challenging, but it doesn’t mean it can't be done. Instead, it will become something you just do with a little bit of effort and will be the best for you in the long run.

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Fail, Recover, Succeed

5/18/2021

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In life, we all want to succeed in everything we do, but sometimes we may lead to obstacles along the way. Succeeding is not something that just happens without doing anything. It has to take effort and determination to be successful. Growing up, we usually don’t think about the idea of failing or succeeding because that is the stage where we’re discovering our hobbies and talents. When we reach adulthood, we try to do our very best to be successful, and sometimes those opportunities don’t go as planned. Sometimes we have to learn how to fail in order to succeed, which is the harsh reality of it. If we continue to be good at everything, there is no lesson to learn, and sometimes that can be a bad thing. Being good at everything can put a lot of pressure on the person, thinking that they need to be “perfect,” and if one day they mess up, they will not take the outcome as well as a person who isn’t “perfect.”

   Sometimes, before a person begins to be successful, they have to fail at something first. I have learned that it is okay to fail because that’ll influence me to work even harder next time around. One thing, in particular, I would want to point out is my education. As many of you all know from a previous blog, I struggle with a communication impairment disorder and it has affected my education many times in the past. I tend to struggle academically and have received grades that aren’t very that good. But sometimes, it is good to receive poor grades (once in a while) because that has influenced me to work even harder. The same goes for running. When I run in a competition, I don’t always get the results I wanted. Sometimes I can be hard on myself, thinking that I will never achieve the goals I want to accomplish. But with more time, experience, and effort, it’ll be easier to get where I want to be.

   When going through the recovering process, sometimes you can hit points that you may feel you aren’t able to overcome. There could be times where your brain can trick you into thinking that “you’re not enough” or “feeling useless” but those negative thoughts can be taken away if you chose to motivate yourself to achieve the goal you want to achieve. In past experiences, I had to overcome many obstacles where I struggle to get something done, and sometimes, it takes way longer than I anticipated. Sometimes, I have to go through a trial and error phase, where I constantly have to repeat something over and over to get something done. Kind of like how math works. When we solve a math problem, sometimes we don’t always get the right answer right away. Sometimes we constantly have to start the problem over again because we mess up on one step of the equation. Similarly, this is a lot like how life works. There are times you may struggle and it can be frustrating at times to reach the goal. But one thing to consider is to not give up and know the light at the end of the tunnel.

   Finally, the endpoint of succeeding. When someone gets to the end of an accomplishment, they feel excited and relieved that we finally got something done. Whenever I have achieved something, I feel this sense of joy and happiness that I was able to get the job done. For example, when I was applying to colleges, I was extremely stressed and overwhelmed during the process but when I finally made my college decision, I was extremely relieved by the outcome and was glad to get it done. Also, sometimes when it takes a large amount of effort to succeed at something, the more accomplished you feel. If it were to be something small, like finding the right thing to eat for dinner, that is an accomplishment but that isn’t something that takes up as much effort.

   Overall, sometimes we don’t always have to succeed at everything, especially the first time around. But it doesn’t mean that it is impossible to achieve the goal we want to accomplish. The way I look at it, sometimes you need to fail in order to succeed because the lessons you learn from failure can bring out more success in your life in the long run.

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Why I Blog

5/11/2021

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In past years, I always wanted to do something that could benefit others and help inspire people to do great things. I had an idea of making a youtube channel, but I haven’t got around to it. When the new year began, I had this idea of writing a blog but was very hesitant because I felt my writing won’t be good enough. I remember thinking I won’t be able to write content that would interest and inspire others. I also feared revealing too much about myself, where people will judge and see me differently. When I look back at all the blogs I have done, I have written many personal thoughts, which to this day, I still feel nervous talking about it. However, I took a risk and decided to start writing the first blog. Three months ago, I wrote a blog on “Toxic Social Media Culture.” At the time, I did not know what to expect and thought I would only get a few people to read it. The blog ended up doing very well, and a lot more people read it than I expected. My first blog received 100 views, which was very shocking to me and a very nice surprise. I felt that I cannot stop there and should keep on posting more content. I have gotten so many positive direct messages and comments on the blogs I have made (so far) and became very motivated to write more.

However, there had been times I wanted to quit blogging and wasn’t motivated to continue. As many of you know, I am currently a college student at Misericordia University. There were many times during the semester when my schedule kept me from finding the right time to blog. While running track and keeping up with my school work, I was having trouble managing my time writing while handling my other responsibilities. I did not want this blog to be another thing just to get done. I wanted to take the time to put my best effort into writing these blogs and writing them with a purpose. This is one of the reasons I have taken a few weeks off posting, because of school, especially these couple weeks with finals and last-minute assignments.

Now, that the semester is over I will have more time to write and put my best effort into this site and other projects I have in mind. My goal with this site is to give motivating content and help people know that everyone can do great things in life, even if we run into obstacles along the way.

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Change

4/20/2021

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Change is something we all go through one way or another. Depending on where we are in life, we can see the word “change” as something drastic or very mild and manageable. Our ages and perspectives on life can also impact how significant a change can be based on external factors. For me, I feel change is something that we shouldn’t take for granted. I went through so many changes throughout my life that affected my well-being and how I see things. Ever since childhood, I had to go through drastic changes where I had no control over the outcome. However, I have learned that change can be a good thing, depending on how you look at it. Sometimes when a change occurs, we don’t think about the long-term effects and the lessons we can learn.

I was born in Lanxi, Zhejiang, China, on February 20th, 2001, where I lived in an orphanage at the Lanxi Welfare Institute by Xiaochen Town’s government on May 16th, 2001. Then, on August 8th, 2002, I was adopted by a single mother who adopted my two older sisters as well. At the time, I was still really young, so I wasn’t aware of what was happening. But when I think about it long-term, knowing where I originally lived and that I was adopted to a heartwarming family makes me feel thankful and appreciative of where I am now. Growing up, I didn’t think about it too often, considering that I was just a kid growing up. However, on December 10th, 2005, the mother who adopted me passed away from cancer when I was four years old. I did not know her for that long, but I knew she was a compassionate woman who loved us dearly. After her passing, my aunt took care of me, my two older sisters, and our cousin (our aunt’s son). My aunt was a charming woman and had given us a wonderful childhood.

   Then, when I was 18, life got complicated, and I experienced a massive change in my life. On June 4th, 2019, my aunt passed away from septic shock at the age of 62. After her passing, life wasn’t easy, and I had to take on many responsibilities at a young age. I had my friends and family helping along the way, I had my older sisters for support, and had my cousin from Georgia who helped me, but I had to live on my own for the most part. I remember I was overwhelmed with the responsibilities and had a lot of trouble keeping up with everything. There were many times where I did not want to ask for help because I did not want people to feel bad for me and didn’t want to be a burden to others. I felt very depressed and put a lot of pressure on myself, thinking I need to act perfectly around people to show how strong I am.

   I was in a terrible state during my senior year, but I was starting to feel better in the middle of the year. That is when I really turned to the Catholic Faith and knew that I had God guiding me through those difficult times. Once I started to feel better, the COVID-19 pandemic began. I know I’ve mentioned this in a past blog, but the overall effect brought my mood down drastically. While spending my last three months in quarantine, the depression had sunk in and it was easy to feel lonely during these difficult times. After three months of quarantine, everything seemed to get better. I wasn’t able to have a “proper” graduation but still had an opportunity to see some of my friends and family during the summer. I was getting back to the old habits I used to do and didn’t need to worry about school until August.

   However, one thing that has been stressing me out was when we were in the process of moving. During the summer after my graduation, my family and I decided to sell our house, and move to an apartment that’s 40 minutes away. Sadly, we were giving up our family home, but at the time, I hadn't had a chance to think about that. My summer got very hectic with working at the grocery store, moving, and hanging out with my friends before going to college. Eventually, I was able to get through it before I left for school, but the main point I am making is knowing I transitioned from living in a house to an apartment. This transition was very stressful during the process, but it is also stressful knowing I don’t live in the same area. The apartment we live in now is about 40 minutes away from our hometown, making it quite inconvenient when I hang out with friends at home. Of course, during the school year, I am mainly living on campus at Misericordia, but at the same time, whenever I am home, it feels very different to getting used to living in the apartment. I do live with my sisters and my cousin (my aunt’s son), which is nice, but at the same time, it still is very different compared to what I am used to, and I am still working my mind around it.

   Another significant change is when I transitioned to college. As you may know, I go to Misericordia University. Considering that I transitioned from New Jersey, moving to Pennsylvania was another drastic change that I am still getting used to. I was so used to living in a community that everyone is always in a rush, and many people would speed along the streets of New Jersey. Moving to Pennsylvania is different, and people are very calm compared to New Jersey. Not only that, just the chance of meeting new people has been something that seemed very different, but at the same time, it’s great having these experiences to meet new people.

   The main point I am trying to make is that I’ve gone through many big changes in my life, which have affected how I look at things. Being as it may, I’ve also realized that even if we go through changes that seem challenging at first, it doesn’t mean they don’t make a good outcome in the long run. Going through changes can make you stronger and teach you how to understand other people’s difficulties based on your own experiences. Change can be scary, but as long as you look at the positive side to it, everything will get better.

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Why I Decided to go to Misericordia University

4/13/2021

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*As a disclaimer, I still consider the other schools on the list as very good, and I am not by any means saying that Misericordia is the number one school for everyone.*

Like a lot of students I’ve always dreamed of going to college all through high school and wanted to know what it would be like. When I was a junior, I was very excited to begin the application process, but little did I know how much work it would be. As you may know, I chose Misericordia University as my college decision, and getting to that decision wasn’t easy. I remember I applied to 13 schools, of which many were in New Jersey, and many were out of state (mostly in Pennsylvania). As I was applying, I had to look at many aspects of the school. I had to figure out where I would feel the most comfortable living, and where I could make the most out of my experience.

Prior to my senior year, I have already gotten two letters for Cross Country/Track from schools, and I was set on picking them as my top choices. They were both out of state and were reasonably close to New Jersey. I was set on only applying to those schools, but I realized I shouldn’t rely on just those two alone. At the time, I figured that would be the best option considering I have a connection with the coaches. But then I realized, going to college is not only about the sport, it’s where I should feel the most at home.

   As I was applying, I looked at many small colleges with a few large ones as well. Many of the schools were Catholic, which I became very interested in because I’ve been to public school all my life and wondered what it will be like to attend a Catholic school. I also figured I will grow in the Faith in being around a catholic environment. During my college visits, I did seem to like the small communities. I felt it’s much more beneficial considering I can easily get to know everyone on campus and all the buildings are very close to each other, so it would be easier to get to class quicker. I remember I wanted to apply to a lot of schools because I felt that I wouldn’t get accepted to many and felt pressured by my classmates to apply to a lot of universities. Then, after I finished with the application process, I ended up being accepted to almost all the schools I applied to. Which was extremely exciting but at the same time, very overwhelming.

   I also reached out to a lot of coaches from most of the schools I applied to. They all seemed very friendly and I had really good connections with them. However, it did feel overwhelming at times because I had a lot of options to choose from. When I was in the process of deciding, I had to look at the college as a whole and not just running. Of course, running is a big part of the decision but that shouldn’t be the only reason. I had to look at the school for its environment, academics, community, programs, financial aid, and location.

   I have visited many schools that were very welcoming and friendly, but one school that really stood out to me was Misericordia University. I remember when I visited the school, I loved that the environment wasn’t that large and all the buildings were very close. That makes it easier to get to class on time so I don’t need to rush as much. I liked the school for its academics too. Next, Misericordia sports programs are very well known, and since I’m majoring in sports management, I found it very convenient for my major. The community is very nice and welcoming. The first day we moved in, many of the upperclassmen were open in getting to know us as well as the staff. Even the professors were open to getting to know us because the class sizes aren’t large compared to bigger universities. I like that the school is known to be a catholic school, where there are so many programs and opportunities to grow in the Faith. There are retreat options on campus, they have mass (both Sunday and weekly), and have programs around the Scranton area I can participate in. Another great thing about the school is that it was very affordable. I was able to receive many scholarships and made it easier to attend the University. The location was very nice too. I am not a big fan of living in busy areas and I liked how the neighborhood is not too crowded. It makes it very easy to drive around and I feel drivers are a lot more calmer compared to New Jersey.

   Overall, I feel I made a good choice with this school. I’ve gotten to meet so many new people and am able to keep busy. It definitely feels like I am right at home and doing the same things as I normally do. Currently, I am in my second semester, where I have been participating in events for Campus Ministry, running Track, and focusing on my academics. I am so glad I was able to make this decision to come to this school because I am learning so much by being here and I am growing academically, spiritually, and physically.

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being "different"

3/30/2021

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Growing up, I’ve always noticed that I am “different.” Ever since I was little, I always struggled with reading, writing, and speaking. I was diagnosed with a communication impairment disorder, where it affects how I communicate and learn languages. I remember thinking at a very young age of being disheartened from not being able to learn like the other kids. I had to take special education classes for both English and Math. Although my Math was very good in general, I struggled in learning how to read word problems. From elementary school to high school, I was in the Individualized Education Program (IEP), which means I had accommodations for my education. I had extra time on assignments, being in a resource room, and being placed separately with the other kids during standardized testing.

In my first couple of years in elementary school, I did not mind being taught differently, but when I began the 3rd grade, it started to bother me. I remember that I was pulled out of class for English and was with a small group of kids in my grade to learn the subject at a pace that would benefit me. At the time, I didn’t like the idea of being taught separately because I disliked being “different.” I did like the community and the teachers, but I always felt that I was too “dumb” to learn like a “normal” kid. However, I was taught in the same class as everyone else in Social Studies and Science, which I enjoyed. But I remember I struggled in those classes the most because I was with a large group of kids. I did not realize it at the time but looking back; I know that maybe the reason I was taught in a smaller community was to help me learn the criteria better. I also took Speech Therapy lessons during the school year to help with my communication and pronunciation.

When I started the 6th grade, that is when everything started to pick up. In Math, I was moved to the “normal” classroom and was taught the subject the same as everyone else. However, we took exams in a separate room. I wasn’t a fan of being tested separately because I felt the other students thought negatively towards me and think that I am not smart enough. Also, not just with Math but with my other subjects like Social Studies and Science. In English, I was still placed in a smaller classroom, separated from the majority of the students. This kept going on throughout middle school, but when time went on, I realized how grateful I am for having teachers who do care and know what was best for me. Of course, I did not enjoy it at the time because I was placed in lower-level classes, but I realized that there were reasons why they had to do that. It brought to my attention that if I were placed with classes with everyone else, I would struggle to keep up with the other students and fall behind.

When I started high school, I was placed in “normal” classes and took Mandarin Chinese starting my Freshman year. Mandarin Chinese was the first world language course I took, and I remember I was extremely nervous because I’ve never was taught another language before. I still struggled in knowing English, so Mandarin Chinese was a huge challenge I had to face. I remember the first month of taking the class; I did not struggle too much, considering it was only the basics. But when it came to learning characters and sentence structures, I found the subject very difficult. One day, we had to do a presentation during class to describe our family in Chinese. I had trouble figuring out the sentence structures and knowing what to say about each family member. I kept forgetting the words and felt very pressured on figuring out what to say. Afterward, I wanted to quit and stop taking the class altogether. Then I realized, it was only one day, and I tried to remain positive. So the next day, I went back to class, and moving onward. Towards the end of the year, I remember I had another presentation where I had to describe myself in Chinese, and it went very well. I ended up with a good grade in that class overall and felt very accomplished on my progress. It inspired me to know that even if I have a learning disability, it can’t stop me from achieving great goals. I took Mandarin for the next three years of high school, and I enjoyed it. I learned a lot from the culture, language, and community.

While taking this class, I ended up doing very well in my other classes. In my Math class, I’ve moved up to the accelerated level, and in English, I was doing very well and enjoyed being in a larger classroom. Being in a large community can be very stressful for me when I am learning, but at the same time, I adapted to it and was able to learn as well as everyone else. The same goes for Science and History. High school has challenged me academically, and even though many of the classes I took were difficult, it doesn’t mean I should give up on them.

When I started my first year of college, I did not take as many accommodations as I used to. I had them there, but I hardly used them. Maybe that would’ve been better to continue with those accommodations, but at the same time, it also showed me that I can still do well even though I don’t have them.

Of course, I still struggle a lot with my reading and writing, but it doesn’t mean that I am unable to learn. Like I’ve said in past blogs, life isn’t always going to be easy, and even though we might have plans on the way we want to do it, and the plan doesn’t work out, it doesn’t mean the goal has to change. During elementary school, I disliked the idea of being in having an IEP because I did not want to be treated differently. When I grew older, however, I understood that it helped me in the long run. I realized that being “different” is another way of saying that you’re “unique.” Being “unique” is a much better term because it show’s how great and marvelous a person is. Also, I feel that being “unique” would bring me closer to my true passions because I would have to work even harder to achieve the goal. It doesn’t matter how I get to that goal; all that matters is what I do now to achieve it. That goes with everything in life (Ex. Career, running, etc.), not just with my academics. Currently, I am taking classes that are pretty challenging, but I know I can get through it with the help of God, my classmates, my friends, and my family.

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How COVID-19 Changed my Life

3/23/2021

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More than a year ago, we experienced a global pandemic to the virus known as COVID-19. In the middle of March of 2020, everything was shut down, all in-person institutions moved to an online alternative for schools and most businesses. At the time, I thought everything would go back to “normal” within the next couple of weeks, but unfortunately, that was not the case. When weeks turned into months, that is when we knew that this virus wasn’t going away anytime soon.

Before the pandemic, I was in a rough situation already, I was living on my own, deciding what college to go to, balance work with a social life, do well in school, and try to continue to do the things I enjoy. When the pandemic hit, I was at first very relieved because we had a chance to have more free time at home and not be rushing around to go anywhere. But when the pandemic went on longer than I anticipated, I started to wonder if life will ever be the way it was. While being trapped at home for months, I realized how severe this virus is. We heard on the news of families losing loved ones and people suffering through this pandemic. This is when I started to take the situation seriously and do my part to stop the spread.

During the first three months of quarantine, I mainly stayed home for the majority of the day. Of course, there were times where I have left the house to get fresh air, go to the grocery store, and go for a run. Other than that, I mainly isolated myself because everything else was closed, and wanted to do my part and keep as many people as I could safe. During this time, I tried to maintain my mental health by doing things I enjoy. I focused a lot on my schoolwork, attended Mass online every Sunday, and did a lot of cleaning around the house. I remember there was a time when I was very bored and I took the time to clean up a room that has been messy for years. I also tried to spend more time in prayer, which had been difficult because there was a lot on my mind. I remember I was constantly worrying about, “When will everything get back to normal?”, “Will I be able to see all my friends again?”, “Will I be able to attend Mass (in person) again?”, “Will I be able to have a spring track season before I graduate?” Those questions kept running through my head, and sometimes was all I could think about. I have come to realize how unhealthy that mindset was, but at the time, I was lost in the moment. From that experience, I’ve realized to not always think about what may or may not happen. Thinking of “what if” something will happen or not isn’t going to make it better. I’ve learned we don’t always have control over what we can or cannot do all the time, but we can control our outlook on what is happening. Before the pandemic, we took a lot of what we did and had for granted and did not realize how we should be grateful for everything we’ve had before the pandemic.

Now it has been over a year, and as of right now, things have gotten better. Cases have been going down, and now we have a vaccine ready for the general public. Of course, many restrictions have been lifted and we can participate in in-person events (while wearing masks and social distancing). In order for us to continue doing this, we do need to continue being safe and know that we all need to do our part to slow down the spread as much as possible. It is very crazy to think we have been through this pandemic for so long and there has been so much in our lives that have changed. Many of you know, I have graduated from high school and started my first year of college during the pandemic. This has taught me, even though we are in a pandemic, that doesn’t mean that life won’t continue. When everything was shut down, we thought time stopped and felt like we were still in the month of March 2020. But the truth is, life does not stop and we have to keep moving forward. Even though everything we do is limited, that doesn’t mean we have to stop doing things we enjoy. From what I said earlier, we have online alternatives that can still be as enjoyable as being in-person. Of course, online is not the same but it’s better than being totally isolated. I am so thankful that even though we went through the tough year of 2020, it really taught us to be appreciative of the blessings we have in our lives and we can continue to live happily through any obstacle.

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Why I'm Catholic

3/16/2021

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Ever since I could remember, I always knew God’s existence and His loving relationship with every human being on earth. As a kid, I went to Mass with my family every weekend, got Baptized, received First Communion and Confirmation while taking CCD classes. I mainly went through the motions growing up and didn’t take the Faith seriously until I received Confirmation. After receiving this Sacrament, I knew the Holy Spirit moved me to use the seven gifts I’ve received for the glory of God. During high school, I dedicated myself to do more in the Church. I got very involved with my youth group, became an altar server, and went to Mass daily. In this blog, I will be sharing my beliefs and the Catholic teachings I’ve learned.

*As a disclaimer, I am in no way trying to convince people to convert to Catholicism. I am sharing what I know and believe in, and it is okay to disagree with me. Just know that I have respect towards anyone who may or may not share the same beliefs.*

1. The Eucharist

Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats* my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. John 6:53-56

When we attend mass, we become one with the Body and Blood of Christ and knowing that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. From reading this part of scripture, we can see how Jesus wants us to receive His body and blood. A recent survey has stated that ⅔ of Catholics don’t believe in the true presence. That is a very disappointing observation because that takes away the purpose of why we celebrate the Holy Mass. When we see the part of scripture saying, “For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”. He clearly emphasizes His point that He literally means to eat His flesh and drink His blood. We can also see that in the Gospel of Mathew at the Last Supper,

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Mathew 26:26

Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of research on scripture. From reading the Gospel of John 6, the word “eat” is being used. When we look at the Greek translation of the word “eat,” which is “τρώγω (trógo),” meaning to “munch” or “gnaw,” where you can see that all through the Gospel of John 6. This shows how the word “eat” in this verse is not being used figuratively but is used literally. Of course, many parts of scripture have figurative language.

For example, Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming to his kingdom Mathew 16:28

The word “taste” is used metaphorically because in the Greek translation of “taste” which is “γευομαι (gevomai),” just simply means to “to experience” or “to partake of”. If Jesus wanted us to actually “taste” death, He would use a different word to represent “taste.” That is why we know that Jesus is saying that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood based on the word choice He uses. We also know that when we receive His blood and body, we become one with Jesus and bring us closer to Him in order to partake with his eternal love by being physically united with Christ.

Christ is a loving Father, He also wants us to be with Him with eternal happiness. Not only do we receive the Eucharist at Mass, but we also can witness Jesus at Eucharistic Adoration, where we pray over the Blessed Sacrament. Being able to spend time in contemplation with Jesus through the Eucharist physically shows so much beauty and moves our soul to a higher form of beauty. Of course, we can pray to Him everywhere but having the ability to be in His Church praying over His true presence is incredible. The meaning of the word “Eucharist” is the Greek word for “εὐχαριστία (efcharistía)” which means “Thanksgiving.” That is another great thing I love about Eucharistic Adoration because it provides us a chance to thank God for the blessings we have and having the ability to love and adore Him. Knowing the true presence has built my understanding of how beautiful and marvelous it is to witness Jesus in the Eucharist.

2. Knowing that God is an all-loving God and cares for each and every one of us

Trust in the Lord forever! For the Lord is an eternal Rock. Isaiah 26:4

In recent years, I’ve gone through many hardships at such a young age and what helped me throughout the difficult times is knowing that God is always there for me and He will never leave me. Even though going through hardships was challenging, I need to trust in the Lord and know His plan for my life. Even if I do sinful actions and might feel unworthy to be in His presence, God will never turn me down. I am only human and I made several mistakes in my life but those mistakes have helped me to become a better and stronger person. In the world we live in, sometimes we feel ashamed of our mistakes because we see people on social media living “perfect lives” but the truth is that they may be going through similar struggles as everyone else. Media can really toxic a person’s mind, thinking we need to live a perfect life in order to be happy but that’s simply not the case. God knows that we’re imperfect and even through our brokenness, we need to trust in Him, and He will bring us hope. Even if we are sinful human beings, we always will have an opportunity to be forgiven.

   3. That is why we have the Sacrament of Confession.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:5

Confession is not meant to shame you but to return to the state of Grace and bring us happiness. As a Catholic, I truly believe that we must confess our sins to a priest because Christ uses the Priest as an instrument to use Jesus’ power to forgive the sins of the faithful.

Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained John 20:23

Through His Apostles which corresponds to His Priesthood. The ability to forgive sins as Christ works through them. This is very powerful and improves my understanding that God can forgive our sins through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The purpose why we have the Sacrament of Confession is to help people know that God loves us and forgives us for everything we do. Some people feel ashamed of what they have done and the sins they’ve committed, but the beauty of this Sacrament helps the person to be aware of what they did was wrong but knowing they are seeking God’s will to be a more vital human being. Confession shouldn’t be known as a therapy session; it should seek discipline towards themselves, God, and others.

4. One thing to keep in mind, everything I do is a sacrifice for the glory of God

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God
1 Corinthians 10:31

It is very easy to forget about the Faith in today’s society. For example, when I run, I sometimes just think of myself doing it because I like to run, but I need to know that I am running for God’s glory. I am running to be healthy, and I could have future opportunities to run better and faster because God gave me this gift to have the ability and motivation to do His work in His Church and doing good in the world.

5. Catholicism leads to true happiness (Union with an all-knowing and all-loving God)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit Romans 15:13

Depression is a severe issue for many especially going through a pandemic. When the virus hit the US, many people went through losses from their loved ones, to struggling to keep their mental health and uncertainty about the future. When the virus became a huge issue and Churches shut everything down, I got very depressed, thinking that everything I’ve done in the past did not matter. That was a very toxic mindset but what kept me going is knowing the Faith and knowing God is with me always. For a whole three months, I wasn’t able to attend mass, which was very discouraging. Being able to participate in Mass physically and receiving the Eucharist in person is very special. It brings us the hope and peace we all need. I am so grateful for being close to God because when I lost my aunt, having God’s presence gave me hope to keep moving forward.

6. Knowing God has a plan and following what God wants for my life

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways- oracle of the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 56:8-9

   I’ve recently learned a new term, called “gaslighting”. The meaning of gaslighting is a psychological term where we try to fit into a certain group of people because they are doing activities that you normally won’t feel comfortable. It makes you feel that you need to change your personality to follow what everyone else is doing. This is a toxic mindset because this will lead more into a depression phase where you might not feel you fit in but you try to act a certain anyway because you think it’s the right thing to do. One thing we need to come to realize is that God is the one who is in control and knows what’s best for us. The feeling of not fitting in is most likely God telling you that you shouldn’t change who you are and focus on what’s important in your life. Even if people continuously say that you’re “different”, it brings out the temptation that you need to change your image to “fit in” but that is simply not the case. We think that we have to change ourselves because we might not be acceptable, but the people who influence you to do bad things, are the people who need to change. That is why I love the Catholic Faith because as long as I keep developing my relationship with God even further, I am less influenced by other people.

Everything in life has a purpose and sometimes life is not going to go my way. Going through the experiences had taught me that we do not always have control over what we do, only God knows what will happen and He has a plan for us. There is so much more I want to learn and do, and I am willing to follow on with what’s next in my life. I’m imperfect and there are a lot of mistakes I’ve made but that is okay. All that matters is where I am now. Currently, I still do a lot for the Church both in New Jersey and also in Pennsylvania. I still altar serve back at home and I get involved with campus ministry at my school, where I lector during both daily and Sunday Mass.

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