Find It Quick!

You never wrapped it in ribbons, Never called it a gift. Whether it be on purpose or instinct, Time is what you give, quietly, constantly, like a breath. And, no, not just the hours you spend, But the pauses in between: long drives, easy silences, The space to grow, to find my path once more. You never wore a cape; Though I wouldn’t mind the sight. It would show who you really are: My superhero, my Jiminy Cricket, Working as my conscience and my guide. I don’t normally say “thank you”, For the lectures or the daily “homework”, The subtle lessons about “the future”,  Or even the meals on my plate. But I hope it’s never too late to start. So, thank you, For the endless laughs, surprises, and joy. Thank you, For the love, the time, and care. Thank you, For the strength, compassion, and smarts. And, thank you, For being there. I may not always understand, What you do or why you do them. But to answer your question, “What do you want to do when you’re older?”, I want to be your safety net, Just as you have been mine.

Goodbye, 2024, and hello, 2025! Now, I’ve celebrated the coming of a new year a total of sixteen times, but I truly believe that the past year can be described as a colossal mix of everything good and a little bad here and there. I guess that makes 2024 one of the most… transformative  years yet. Yes, there have been certain milestones that are irreplaceable, like the first time I walked or the first time I read Harry Potter, but 2024 was truly a rollercoaster of a year, and the existence of this  blog is enough to prove that. But enough of the past; today’s about the enigma that is tomorrow. Well, we already know that we can’t control anything in the future, but maybe we can start influencing it just a little; whether it be for your own growth or the benefit of everyone around you. What better time to start thinking about the future than on the first day of a fresh, new year? Welcome to 2025, everyone! I want to start off by wishing everyone that’s reading this a very happy new year! It’s not often that we get excited by what lies in tomorrow, so that tingling feeling we feel once the clock struck 12 last night is pretty rare. Usually, if you’re like me and can’t stand the feeling of new deadlines and projects, that tingling feeling leaves right when you go to bed after the big countdown. But, this time, it’s going to be different; I’m going to make this different. I’m not a stranger to making resolutions. I’ve made plenty in the past, but have I stuck to them? Nope. But I guess it’s my fault for making those resolutions half-heartedly and never giving myself the chance to really focus and work on them. So, I’m going to change things up a bit. Now, before I reveal my resolution for the year, I wanted to bring to light exactly how important resolutions are. Okay, I’ll admit it; I never really took the idea of making resolutions seriously. I mean, how can you possibly follow through with a goal or expectation that you made for yourself before you knew about  the insanely hectic work or stress that you might go through in future. In such a surging and modern world, entire governments can change in an hour if need be; how much time can a single change take to change your life? But that’s exactly what makes resolutions so important. Things can change so much and every day is  a test to see if you’re strong enough to get up in the morning, go to work, socialize, and just live, and everyday you prove to yourself that you have that strength. Despite the turbulence of everything everywhere, you really just have one goal: become a better version of yourself, whether it be through your work ethic, exercise, health awareness, communication, or just plain honesty to yourself and/or others. Truly, that’s all that any of us have to accomplish. That’s where resolutions come in. Now, I know that you have to ask. “Did you get all this from a Hallmark movie?” You know what? I’m proud to say that I didn’t. After all this talk about goals and resolutions, I think it’s time for me to reveal mine. My resolution for 2025 is to always be true to who I am and help as many people as I can every single day.  P.S. I might need to add exercise and eating healthier into that… I need to work on my work ethic as well… I think it’s time I start making a list. Call To Action:  Start making resolutions today! Like Oprah once said, “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right!”

Can you believe it? Christmas is only three days away! Honestly, it still feels like October or November, even if Winter Break started a day or two ago (not that I’m complaining)! The weather’s cold, Christmas music is playing in every elevator, and even the toy sections at Walmart and Target are running short! Of course, this all leads to one holiday: Christmas; when we give as much as we can, and spend time with our loved ones.  If only that were true… Hey! It’s been a minute… Okay, that was an understatement. My last post was on Halloween day, and it’s almost Christmas; it’s been more than “a minute.” But I’m back with a new topic, and in honor of Christmas, I think it’s time I talk about what this holiday’s about: kindness. Before you complain and groan, no, this is not from the influence of a Hallmark movie or anything like that. This is just reality. Like I said before, Christmas is three days away. Three! I mean, Santa hats and elf ears have been officially added to people’s wardrobes (that’s how you know it’s almost time). Even if it’s that time of the year, I can’t help but notice just how distant and occupied people have been (that’s ironic coming from me). But I don’t just mean that in terms of communication. People have a thousand worries and complications every single day, whether it be for work, school, family, friends, you name it. So, we don’t always know what people are going through. Yet, that doesn’t stop us from fighting hard to have our way all the time. Don’t get me wrong, being stubborn and determined are great attributes to have, but it’s important to be empathetic to others nonetheless. Sometimes we forget that part, and trust me, every time we do forget, it almost always doesn’t end well. In such a fast and hard-working world, everyone forgets about kindness and discards it as a “feeble feeling” or a ‘waste of time”. I know, I know. Who would go out of their way to ‘be kind’ to a stranger?  Nope. Wrong question. It’s, “Who should  be kind?”. The answer to that question is you.  You, along with everyone else, has a responsibility to be kind to the people around you, especially right now.  A lot is going on in our world, and sometimes it feels like it’s a little too much. When things get out of hand or just a lot, our first instinct is to hyperfocus and make everything stable again as fast as possible. See, that’s the problem. We get so driven and ‘locked in’ that we forget to do simple things, like ask how someone’s doing or have dinner with a loved one.  Kindness, however, is a tricky word, though. It can mean everything, but also nothing at the same time. A small high-five or smile can make someone’s day just a little bit brighter, but it feels like you did nothing at all to make it happen. That’s the magic of it. Kindness doesn’t need money, an appointment, or qualifications. It just needs one good thought from one person for it to light up an entire city. In a nutshell, kindness matters more than you would think. Just one word or compliment can lift someone up and give them motivation to keep going. It’s weird if you think about it. The one thing that gives fuel to the most intelligent creature on the planet other than food, shelter, and water, can be just one small act of kindness on a random Tuesday. If you don’t believe me, try it for yourself! After all, it isn’t the season of giving for nothing!

If there’s one holiday that gives people the creeps and shivers, it’s Halloween (duh)! I mean, what’s not to like? You have an excuse to pull random pranks on friends and family, you get to dress up, and not to mention you get to stay up all night devouring the buckets full of candy you get from trick-or-treating! Things couldn’t get better than that! But, of course, the Universe likes to prove me wrong (but in a good way this time)! Halloween isn’t the only thing celebrated on the 31st of October… Drum roll, please….  DIWALI! Greetings! Or should I say… Ghostly greetings to all you mere mortals! Okay, that may be a bit long, but it works! This Halloween is a special one. It isn’t just all about ghosts and vampires. It’s also about the triumph of good over evil (aka Diwali)! For those that don’t know, Diwali is the festival of lights. It’s practically celebrated all over the world by everyone, really! Today’s November 3rd, and Tik-Toks about “the most wonderful time of the year” are going viral already. But, I think there’s still a little room for one last spooky, yet righteous story! ... Once upon a time, there was a notorious demon named Narakasur. He towered over the surface with hundreds of fang-like teeth, horns that could pierce the sky, hollow white eyes, and a deep, guttural, bone-chilling roar. He was ruthless, terrorizing every village and town on its path. The people were so scared of the demon that once the sun went down, everyone in the villages would blow out their candles, making every hut and palace pitch dark, so Narakasur would think that there was no one inside.  One day, Narakasur prayed to Lord Brahma, the god of creation, to grant him a boon. Pleased with his determination, Lord Brahma asked the demon what he wanted from him. “Chose carefully, Narakasur. I will grant you whatever you dare to ask me.”  Like any other powerful demon, Narakasur replied, “I want to surpass death. So, I wish for the only person to have the ability to kill me to be my mother, Bhudevi, the goddess of the Earth, herself!” “You have your wish.”  Little did the demon know, Lord Brahma had seen many demons like Narakasur before, so his wish wasn’t as original as Narakasur believed it to be… With the confidence that the boon gave him, Narakasur decided it was time to make his name known not only on the Earth but also to the celestial realm. Indra, the god of the heavens, and his other demigods scattered and fled, terrified at Narakasur’s wrath. He took nearly 16,000 women from the palaces and held them as prisoners. Just when he was leaving the heavens, he spotted glowing gold earrings that Aditi, the mother goddess, was wearing and took them, ripping them from her ears. Sobbing and terrified, Aditi went to Lord Krishna and explained Narakasur’s terrorizing of the heavens. Immediately Lord Krishna vowed to stop the terror and end Narakasur’s life. While preparing for battle, Lord Krishna asked his wife, Satyabama, to accompany him in the fight. When Narakasur saw Lord Krishna and Devi Satyabama arrive before him, he let out a loud, petrifying laugh. “I can’t be defeated by anyone other than my own mother, the goddess of the Earth! Why, you have no chance at all! Mura, slay them both!” Mura, the demon army’s commander, charged his army toward Lord Krishna and Satyabama. Effortlessly, the two defeated Mura and his army. Furious, Narakasur let out a guttural battle cry and led more demons on horses and elephants out for battle. Garuda, a mighty eagle, and Krishna’s friend, swooped in and aided in the battle. Arrow after arrow, clang after clang, and yell after yell, the war commenced. Soon, Narakasur was the only demon alive on the battlefield. As a last resort, Narakasur hurled a powerful, venomous trident towards Krishna, piercing his chest with an agonizing cry. Grief-stricken, Satyabama couldn’t believe her eyes. Lord Krishna, the almighty, was struck! Satyabama, instead of mourning the Lord’s fall, prepped her last arrow, pulled on the string of her bow, aimed, and…. Shot at Narakasur’s heart. The demon fell with a searing cry. Satyabama turned to her fallen Lord, but Krishna slowly arose with a mischievous smile! He wasn’t truly hurt; he was just playing a part! Because Lord Krishna pretended to have fallen, Satyabama pierced Narakasur’s heart, killing him. In truth, Satyabama was a reincarnation of the Earth goddess, so she was the warrior who released the world from the demon’s terror! Finally, the imprisoned women were all freed and sent home, and Goddess Aditi’s earrings were returned. … As of 2024, the 31st of October marked the day when Lord Krishna and Devi Satyabama emerged victorious and returned from the battle. To celebrate, we light candles and fireworks to show the triumph of good over evil and the importance of light, hence the name “Festival of Lights”. You know, this story is fit for both Diwali and Halloween. But I think the true moral of the story is to never grant wishes to sketchy people… You can’t prove me wrong!

Silence can mean peace to some, confusion to others, and maybe even guilt to a few. To me, there is no greater power than silence; of course, it can do great harm and good. Perhaps, that’s why it has a bad reputation in the English dictionary.  In such a turbulent world, there’s hardly anything that’s just… quiet anymore, and before you say anything, a library isn’t as quiet as the nursery rhymes make it seem. Even inanimate objects have voices of their own now! But I guess the loudest thing of all is a human. There’s just so much to put a name to, and, oh, so much to get done!  “We only have one life,” they say. When something doesn’t go as planned, we do whatever it takes just to recover from it. That stress makes us forget that there are times when the best thing to do is…. nothing; let your silence fight instead of your actions. Hi! Welcome back! I’ve had a loud and hectic week. You know, I’m surprised I woke up at all today instead of staying in bed binge-watching a show. I’ve been jumping from one problem to the next the entire week, trying to get things in as much order as possible. So, being the fifteen-year-old baby I am, I started thinking about the one thing I never have or do: silence. Being silent or not having enough silence in my life never impacted me, until I started thinking about exactly what it does…. Silence is much more powerful than we think. It can give the perfect response when words fail, can give value to someone or something, and it can even make you see things that most others wouldn’t care about or notice, whether it be about others or yourself. Of course, power is subjective. It can morph into something tangible enough to harm or become something close to a life source. Silence is precisely that. Think of it this way: if you try to speak a hundred words a minute and pour your thoughts into the world every second to show your worth, there might not be anyone who actually listens after a certain time. Yet, don’t speak, and people will start to ask willingly . It’s weird to think about since it’s the last thing we would consider doing. So, I decided to test it. For a whole day, I tried not to say a single word, text, or call unless I was asked a question or it was important. I’m one of those people who are the biggest introverts around strangers but become an extrovert around my friends and family. So I thought it would be difficult to stay quiet for a while. Looking back, it wasn’t hard at all. It was interesting to see how different my friends are and how little I notice about them. I’ve heard that you can tell the personality of someone just by looking at their behavior and body language, and I’ve never accepted that (never judge a book by its cover)! But considering that I know my friends, I was surprised to find out exactly how much I don’t know about them! One of them bites their lip when they are angry or want to say something they know they shouldn’t, one tends to end a conversation without making a single contribution, and another’s ears turn red when someone asks a question. It wowed me that I didn’t notice these things at all in the many years I’ve known them. But that’s not the only thing that surprised me. The times that I did speak, entire conversations just stopped to hear what I had to say. Even my teachers in classes where I usually answer many questions started to ask for my input personally. When I gave the simplest, most common answer, it felt like I was getting more attention than usual. I guess the silence in between really gave value to my thoughts; whereas when I regularly speak out, people listen and then move on. That day, I started to see things differently. The things we assume are the most unreliable and simple, like quiet and silence, turn out to be the most difficult and eye-opening. My mom used to tell me that no one would listen or give you a chance if you didn’t give them  a reason to even consider. I didn’t exactly know what that meant. I mean I always thought that it meant to fight for the things that I believe and deserve. But now that I think of it, maybe it means to save your talents and let the silence and space between every word you say show people exactly how much each thought of yours is worth… Let your silence be your most feared weapon… “In Silence there is eloquence. Stop weaving and see how the pattern improves.”  Rumi

Everyone sets goals for themselves; it can be as small as getting your work done early or as big as becoming valedictorian. Either way, those goals are there for a reason and a purpose. Yet, sometimes we need to catch up on what those goals require. There’s a difference between aiming for something and striving to make it happen. When we say we’re aiming toward something, we don’t always strive toward them. The question is: is it enough to just aim? ... Welcome back! Today’s topic is all about excuses. This isn’t a particularly difficult topic, but you would be surprised by how many people need this, including myself. In such an advancing world, people have millions of things they want or need to accomplish. Every day, new improvements and innovations are just waiting to be discovered. Behind every innovation, a team of hundreds of people worked to lift it off the ground.   I mean, in my case, I don’t remember the last time I just went to school with nothing to prepare for or turn in (that’s a little sad, now that I think about it)! But the thing is, everyone’s so busy. We’ve got things to do, and places to be. But nothing will ever happen if we just sit there and say, “I will…” Now, I know that we’ve all set goals and deadlines that we just couldn’t reach, and that isn’t something to be disappointed about. It’s happened to everyone! But what’s not acceptable is if you did nothing in preparation for those goals. Think of it this way: If we want to shoot an arrow to hit the bulls-eye, it doesn’t do anything to just declare you will aim  for it; the only way people will believe you is if you put the work in to make it happen. This shouldn’t be new or original for people to hear. It’s just the way of things! I mean, even Elon Musk didn’t discover a way to make people’s goals come true with the click of a button! That’s because there is no other way. Just like Walt Disney said, “Get a good idea and stay with it. Dog it, and work at it until it’s done right.” Right about now is where the excuses begin. I know I know, sometimes things come up and roadblocks come in. But there’s a limit to every excuse. I’m not nearly arrogant enough to say that I’ve never made up excuses before (even if I’m terrible at them), yet I know when it’s truly my fault. Yesterday, I had a violin lesson, and I was tasked to play an excerpt from a sonata that I was supposed to have practiced, yet I didn’t know a single note. During the whole week, I was just so stumped with homework and extracurriculars, that I barely had any shut-eye! There was no way I would’ve risked the little sleep I got for just practicing violin. Before my class, I took some advice from a friend, and she told me to not give my teacher excuses because they won’t do anything. No sob stories and elaborate recollections; just, “I’m sorry, but I didn’t get to practice this week.” It’s my fault I didn’t practice, and it was my responsibility to make time for it even when there wasn’t any. I was skeptical about going along with what my friend suggested, but I followed through regardless. Integrity does go a long way. Yes, it isn’t fun at the time, but it’s an act of character, and it shows respect for yourself and your superiors. It’s funny how easy it is to give random excuses that might not even be true, yet it’s so hard to say one, true, sentence. Excuses won’t compensate for your mistakes, and they won’t turn back time. So what’s the point in wasting any now after all is said and done? Coming back, there will always be roadblocks and difficulties when you set your mind on something. But that shouldn’t stop you from working as hard as you can to reach that goal. Strive toward something, don’t just aim.  You only have so much time; you can either use it all up with just plain, lifeless deadlines and excuses, or you can try to make those goals a tangible reality. What will you choose? What Do You Think? Like I said before, everyone has set goals for themselves, made excuses, and even lied a few times. It’s not worth it to even try to deny it! But, let’s take a trip down Memory Lane and revisit some of those times! Did you have goals that feel unrealistic now but seemed doable in the past? What were the best and the worst excuses that you’ve made in the past to get out of a situation? Did you ever lie to your parents or your teacher about something? Why? Did you ever end up telling the truth to them?

When you have to write about something new every week without fail, it can get a little hard to come up with new topics. Yes, it’s exciting and fun at first, but things start to feel a little repetitive and bland later on. Right now, I have absolutely no idea what to write about. Nothing. Nada. No inspiration. No creativity. Wait… Nope. Uh- Nope. STOP. I got it. If I feel no inspiration, then that’s still a feeling, right? So, if it’s a tangible emotion, I can write about it… Eureka! ... Welcome back! Okay, I’m not going to sugarcoat it but… I don’t know what to write about (that may have been a bit obvious already). In the past, I’ve written about folk stories, school events, personal feelings, positive topics, negative topics, and so on. So far, I’ve checked all my boxes. But, there is one thing I haven’t written about, and it’s ironic because this happens way too often: lack of inspiration. We’ve all dealt with it at one point, whether it be for an art project, a presentation, a speech, an essay, a science fair project, or- Okay, that’s getting a little too specific. The point is it’s natural for people to just… not have ideas. I mean, if people got inspiration every time they needed it, then there’s no specialty or importance to inspiration itself.  It’s incredible how much time and effort it takes to think of a single topic, not to mention actually executing it. Quite literally, it can take years to get a good idea! It’s aggravating, exhausting, and almost torturous. Honestly, it might even be the most tiring part of… everything. I know it is for me. But, in the end, the results never ever  fail to meet expectations!  Think of it this way: inspiration and creativity are like compasses that guide you to your destination. They give you determination and motivation to follow through with your plans. Could you still make it without one? Maybe, or maybe not.  The thing is, lack of inspiration isn’t permanent. The French painter, Henri Matisse, once said, “Don’t wait for inspiration. It comes while working.” In other words, inspiration isn’t a certificate or approval you can frame; it’s a calling, a purpose you develop along your journey. Sometimes, it’s hard to identify that purpose, but it’s there; just a little hidden. A good example of that would be… this blog entry, actually. I started just writing my thoughts down as they came. Now, towards the end, I found my compass, which is the feeling of not having one in the first place! Huh. It’s funny. Usually, my writing reflects the motivation, inspiration, and/or creativity I’ve felt during the week. This one’s different; it doesn’t reflect past inspiration, it’s a documentation of me finding  my inspiration…  Cyclical, ironic, unpredictable; it’s perfect! … I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: “There is nothing worse than not allowing yourself to try.” I think I proved that point once again this week. I’m glad I tried to push myself today; otherwise, I think I would’ve missed this altogether.  Now, I guess the question is: What’s tomorrow’s inspiration? …  "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." – Maya Angelou What Do You Think? This might be one of my favorite entries so far. But, not going to lie, I need a brain break. Soo… Here are three riddles to lighten things up a bit! How can you drop a raw egg from a height onto a concrete floor without cracking it? ˙ʞɔɐɹɔ oʇ pɹɐɥ ʎɹǝʌ ǝɹɐ sɹoolɟ ǝʇǝɹɔuoɔ I sometimes run, but I can’t walk. What am I? ˙ǝsou ɐ Poor people have it. Rich people need it. If you eat it you die. What is it? ˙ƃuᴉɥʇou

People have many things to worry about every day, especially if you’re a student. “Did I turn in my assignment?” “Is there a quiz today?” “Do we have practice today?” “Oh no! I didn’t turn in my math assignment!” Our minds are constantly on the run, never getting a chance to stop and rest. Yet we keep going; racing to get things done the best we can. Once in a while, though, we get desperate to the point where we ignore all values and rules and do the one thing every teacher warns against: Cheating or copying. We’ve all had those thoughts before, and you can’t say anything against it (if you do, you’re not human)! But here’s the thing; the whole point of having challenging assignments and quizzes is to prepare you for the next step. Yes, it sounds like something your science teacher would say to you on the first day of school, but it is true. There’s no denying it!  The only thing that’s worse than Googling answers is copying off of other people. It’s like having someone piggyback you over a mountain; you don’t do anything, while the other works two times harder. If you ask me, there is nothing worse you can do to yourself, and to the people around you than becoming nothing more than a simple burden to carry. Hi! Today is all about piggybacks! No, not the piggybacks your parents give you after a long walk. I’m talking about the ones some students unwillingly give others every day, and it doesn’t benefit either one of them. It’s not a surprise to anyone that there are people out there who just don’t work. They would rather sit on their couch and binge-watch a TV show while other kids struggle to stay awake all night studying. I’m not one to judge study routines, but there is a huge difference between taking small breaks now and then and completely ignoring every assignment, test, and quiz just because of the confidence that you can copy off someone else. Let me give you a scenario: Lucy, a girl who takes pride in her time management skills and good grades, studies for her first chemistry test. She asks her friends and siblings questions, watches videos, and talks to her teacher for confirmation every day. Even after all that, she still doesn’t understand the subject completely. On the test day, she walks inside and tells herself one thing: “It’s going to be fine as long as you just do your best.”  During the test, she sees that Nathan, the kid sitting next to her, quietly whispers the questions on his test into his Apple watch. Lucy knows the kid because he always asks for the answers to every assignment. Lucy, being the shy kid she is, gave her answers to him all the time. But she thought that he would study the answers and the notes before the test, not cheat! Yet, she decided to ignore it. Afterward, Lucy leaves the class with a solid ninety on her test. She feels ecstatic that she did so well, even if she didn’t comprehend the entire unit thoroughly. Later in the day, she overhears Nathan bragging that he got a ninety-four on his test, one of the highest grades in the class. … This shouldn’t be a new story to most people. We all know that cheating is real, and copying is the easiest form of it. But, honestly, if you were in Lucy’s shoes, how would you feel? After studying so hard, and doing everything that could possibly help, you still get a lower score than the person who doesn’t know anything and relied on your  work the entire unit. That has got to hurt. Truly, it may not be a big deal to the person cheating, though. I mean, the only thing that matters to them is passing, right? Whatever they do to get there doesn’t matter. I’ll say one thing: people can do whatever they want, but if they keep going in this direction, it’s bound to kick them in the butt at one point. Not only is it infuriating for the person doing the work, but it is also incredibly aggravating to the people around you who study and care. Now, I’ve heard all the excuses; baseball practice, stress, confusion, lack of sleep, and the list goes on. My question is that if you have such busy events and stress in your life, then what’s the point of being in the class? There’s a saying: “Sometimes the right path, isn’t always the easy one”. Maybe it’s time we reiterate this. Yes, school is hard, and the tests are sometimes the hardest part. But if you value yourself enough to do the exercises given to prepare yourself, I assure you, it will be worth it. I mean, if every cheater, puts the energy they use to cheat into studying instead, there would be no reason whatsoever to look piggyback over another.  “Meh. I don’t find the appeal. I would rather keep my sanity than waste away over a couple of math problems.” Sure! Keep the laziness you call sanity. One day, you will get to a point where no one’s willing to help you with an assignment. No one’s going to give you the answers to those math problems, and no one will tell you specifically to study. What will you do then? Who are you going to piggyback on? You see, the only way to achieve something is to work. It’s the only way! If you don’t like that reality, then maybe you’re focusing on the wrong side of it. Today might be tedious and stressful, but if you do your work correctly, then tomorrow you will be able to get a full night’s rest. Honestly, if the reward is a peaceful sleep, there’s no telling how long I would work in a day! What Do You Think? Like I said before, we’ve all had those impulsive thoughts to do something that we know we’ll immediately regret. Or, we’ve seen people follow through with those thoughts in real-time. What do you think is the answer to these questions?  What is or was your hardest subject in school? Do you know why? Have you ever thought of cheating or copying? What was your reasoning? Today, if you knew that someone cheated, what would you do? Why?

Artificial intelligence is everywhere; toasters, refrigerators, cars, phones, eyeglasses, you name it. In the past few years, the knowledge that AI can possess dwarfs the intellectual capability of its human creators! You can’t tell me that’s not incredible. I mean, there are still so many problems in the world just left without an answer. If AI surpassed the intellectual range of humans, and “the sky is the limit” for us, then what’s the limit for artificial intelligence? ... Hello! Welcome back to another blog entry! I’m really excited about this one. If you’ve read my previous blogs, you would know that, because I’m a STEM student, I’m going to have to enter my school’s annual science fair. In a nutshell, the last time I entered, it was a very… unpredictable experience for me. But this time, I’ve been thinking about venturing into the waters of artificial intelligence or neural networking.  I’ve been doing my research, and what I’ve found changed my entire perspective on things. What I once thought was just a super fancy search engine, actually has so much potential that it could solve Einstein’s unified field theory! Before you ask, no; I’m not going to try to solve the unified field theory with AI (I wouldn’t be here if I was, anyway). My point is that the databases that many people use to scramble together last-minute papers and essays can solve, or at least explore, never-been-conceived theories that we all have just… left out to dry.  I know what you’re thinking: “ If a young, teenage girl can figure this out, I’m sure someone else has thought of this before.”   You’re not wrong! Many people have thought of using AI to solve global issues, especially in healthcare. Currently, studies are being conducted on how AI can benefit the world in healthcare and if it has the potential to do things that take humans years to figure out, like making vaccines and finding the cure to cancer. A few years ago, a young girl named Kavya Kopparapu programmed an AI model to predict diagnoses across a large range with one hundred percent accuracy.  One. Hundred. Percent. That’s not the only shocking part. What blew my mind was that she started this project as a science fair entry! She’s now an innovator with a Harvard degree. Want to learn more about her and her cause? Check her page: But, technically AI can be used in any field, not just healthcare. Yes, if it’s beneficial in the healthcare industry, then it can get a lot more recognition and credibility because it’s working to save lives. But, if you think about it, AI could be used in anything. Think of AI as a little baby; the more you train and improve it, the better results it will show you. The only difference is, if you do everything right, your AI model will end up at least three times smarter than you (I guess you would know when your model is ready or not pretty easily then). The data you use could be about animals, space, the ocean, the weather, and of course, humans. But your AI model would have a similar build to other models like them; they just have different data. If you think about things that way, then there’s almost nothing you couldn’t solve with AI. I’m still new to the whole thing, but after a few articles and videos, this is what I got. So, to answer my question from the introduction, AI doesn’t have a specific limit; if the limit for us is the sky, then the limit for AI is probably the sun! What Do You Think? Machine learning and artificial intelligence have so much more to it than just solving problems. So, let’s explore a few possibilities right now! If you had a chance to pick one place of research to know all about, what would it be? What’s a problem that you wish would’ve never occurred? If there’s one thing you would try to attempt using AI, what would it be?

This school year has been… one of a kind, to say the very least. My classes have been infuriatingly difficult, I’ve slowly been losing sleep day by day, and I always end up forgetting everything remotely related to a unit within a few minutes even after hours of study. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel way too run down than I should, and it’s the fifth week of school. FIFTH!  This is all wrong. All this stress and tense build-up will never go away if you keep adding to your self-expectations. Yes, it’s good to set goals for yourself and work toward them every day as much as you can, but it’s no longer healthy if you don’t allow yourself to really see if this is getting you anywhere. If it isn’t helpful, then what’s the point in doing it? Welcome back! I’ve been itching to write about this for a while. In my previous blog entries, I’ve mentioned stress, procrastination, and tension a lot and how it just gets worse as you get older. But I forgot to mention one of the most important things about growing up: it doesn’t just mean more responsibilities, it also implies composure and acceptance. Now, this isn’t like sitting criss-cross-applesauce on the ground with your hands rested on your knees and saying Om . Having an immense sense of composure and rationality when handling a situation is something that doesn’t just come through yoga; especially if you’re like me and care way too much about everything.  It’s hard to let go when you’ve spent your entire life being on top of things. I mean, imagine if you got all A’s on everything, and suddenly, you get your first B out of nowhere. Getting an eighty on an assignment isn’t bad at all, but when you have a mindset that you have to get an excelling grade on every small assignment, one “bad” grade can gut you. The natural reaction for something like that is to double down and study, study, study. That kind of determination is fine, healthy even,  until it gets a little too much. Over years of trial and error, I came to realize something. If you want to give your best every time, the only way to do that without burning yourself out is by asking for help and breathing . I know it’s so simple, but you would be surprised by how many people just forget to breathe. Think of it this way: if you want to chop down a tree with an ax and you hit it hard every time, the ax will dull quicker, which means that you should take the time to sharpen it more often. If you don’t sharpen your skills and give yourself space to grow, hours of studying and hundreds of attempts at study methods will get yourself nowhere. I guess the hardest part of the whole “staying calm through stressful situations” is actually knowing that you need help. For one thing, asking for help isn’t a bad thing and it certainly isn’t something you should be ashamed of. But actually going up to someone and asking a question isn’t the hard part; it’s accepting that you need help and that you might not be the best in this situation. I mean I can not stress enough how long it took me to actually come to peace with myself that I am not a prodigy at anything and everything. Years and years of expectations and stress clogged up the part of my brain that allows me to be ok with my flaws.  Mind you, no one just woke up one day and had a heart full of confidence. I’m still not there either! But I think that it’s important to know one thing: You. Are. Not. Perfect. You are not a robot.  You are human, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If the people around you disagree, then they haven’t had a chance to tell themselves otherwise (which really needs to be worked on ASAP). People aren’t genetically fit to go about their lives without making a single mistake. It just isn’t possible! So, the point is to accept this fact. Go out there, and have some fun! Make mistakes and learn from them (good mistakes, not bad ones… you know what I mean)! What Do You Think? This was a good entry. What’s ironic is that I was stressing myself out while writing this (some habits die hard). Now that the heavy stuff is out of the way, time to lighten things up! How do you spell “candy” with just two letters? ʎ puɐ ɔ What can you break without touching? ǝsᴉɯoɹd ∀ Paul’s height is six feet, he’s an assistant at a butcher’s shop, and wears size 9 shoes. What does he weigh ʇɐǝW

There are more than seven billion people worldwide, and everyone is different; physically, mentally, emotionally, and so on! What’s incredible is that 99% of our entire genetic makeup is identical. IDENTICAL! Just one percent of our DNA is actually what makes us unique! But here, every one of us has a place, a voice, a SWOT analysis.  “A what ?” Not what… SWOT! Hi there! This week’s blog is about identity. As I said, everyone is different, and before you say anything, doppelgangers aren’t exceptions (clones do not exist)! But how many people actually know who they are? I mean, yes, you have a name for a reason, but is that all you are and all you will be? If you’re a business person or know business terminology, you might be familiar with this. SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis is a technique that many businesses use to evaluate a company’s position to make strategic plans for the future. The trick here is that this analysis doesn’t just have to be used for business purposes. There isn’t a single person with the same life or personality as you or me. Again, everyone is different in their way! Like many businesses, we can use this to evaluate our position and personality too! There’s just one question: how exactly do we do that? … Let’s start with strengths. What are some things that you’re good at? “None” is not an answer. In the time you have spent on this planet, there’s bound to be at least one thing you are good at! Strengths can also be values, beliefs, or characteristics you cherish  (See what I did there?). Maybe it’s skating, drawing, singing, or even milking cows (you never know). If you ask me, a good hard-working nature and a love for music are my strengths. Moving on to weaknesses. This is a little too easy to answer for some people, but weaknesses aren’t just things you despise or don’t do well in; they’re also your limits. I guess for me, one thing I can’t get past is that I can get easily distracted and procrastinate. I mean, it doesn’t take too much at all for me to just stop working and go on my phone. No matter how much I try to rid myself of distractions I always find some way to get myself out of work. In my opinion, I would be much better off without that habit. We’re done with strengths and weaknesses, so opportunities are next. This is a little hard to address. Opportunities can be anything; a job proposal, a leadership role in a club, a dance recital, a concert, etc. One of my biggest opportunities is this blog! This is a chance to exercise my writing skills, and creativity, and get my thoughts out in public.  Last but not least, threats. This isn’t like the if-you-don’t-then-I’ll…  type of threats we see in movies. Threats are things that can endanger your goals and thoughts. For example, a threat for me would be competition. Every time I enter a violin competition or audition, I can guarantee that I am not the only capable person in the room; hundreds of kids come and audition for the same solo, and every one of them could be chosen. To me, knowing your competition is scarier than the audition itself. … So, what have I learned here? I need to surpass my weakness of procrastination and short attention span by focusing on my hard-working nature. I also need to overcome any threats of competition, especially during violin auditions, with my love for music. Most of all, I need to use the opportunity that my blog gives me to the fullest! When all is said and done, you are who you chose to be, and one thing is for sure: there is no one out there who can be you. Your personality is something that no one can or should take away from you, and it’s your job to be aware of that. Knowing these sides of yourself, your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, helps you understand who you are and possibly who you’re becoming. So, now that you know the process, tell me… What’s your SWOT analysis like? What Do You Think? I like this analysis. I mean some of the parts are a little tricky to answer, but the outcome is pretty cool, right? Since I took the SWOT analysis for myself, it’s your turn to take it too! What are some of your strengths? It can be a value or a belief that you go by, a characteristic about yourself, or a skill you excel at. What are your weaknesses? They aren’t just things you’re bad at, but they are also limits that you have.  Do you have any opportunities to grow or improve? Maybe you have a big school project soon, a job proposal, or a leadership role. Can you name any threats you may have to hinder your growth? It can be competition, fear, physical issues, etc. After finding the answer to all these questions, what do you think you can do to reach your fullest potential? HINT: look back at the first paragraph after the break for reference!

If there’s one thing we’re all afraid of, it’s public speaking. It makes us nervous, causes stress, gives us unwanted anxiety, and makes our confidence plummet. I took multiple public speaking classes, and my knees still want to buckle whenever I approach the dias! But, no matter how alone it makes us feel, you shouldn’t show your fear. Why? Once you’re onstage, the audience will start to feel your tension, so they’ll probably set their expectations pretty low (that’s a no-no). Every person emits their emotions enough to affect the people around them. If you feel sad, other people in the room will start to feel your sadness; not just by your body language or facial expression, but by the energy that radiates off you. This kind of acts like a red flag when you go onstage to speak. So, how do we give people the benefit of the doubt? Welcome back! This week’s post requires courage and a few doses of confidence to pull off. Public speaking isn’t easy; especially if you’re an introvert like me (it’s a nightmare). You have to believe in yourself enough to face the direct judgment of an audience in real-time. In my opinion, I would never in a million years want to give someone a reason to judge on purpose, or at least never try to. You see, I’m one of those psychotic perfectionists who lose it whenever they see a tiny thing wrong with their work, and yes; when I say lose it, I mean I lose  it. I try to do my best on every assignment and project, but when it comes to public speaking, I draw the line; even if it’s just an all-about-me speech! I do not like to speak. At all. Never. Nope. I will never do well on an assignment that seems designed for me to fail. Up until high school, I dreaded the mere thought of speaking in front of the class. It was just something I couldn’t do! Every time I would try to answer a question or give a detailed explanation about something, it would always include a stutter, a pause, and sometimes I even forget what I was going to say! No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t say a word correctly without a wave of anxiety washing over me. How can you get past that dead end? There’s bound to be a time when you might need to speak in front of a hundred people. What should you do then?  Well, there’s only one thing you need to know: Do. Not. Care. About. What. Others. Think. Of. You. “Better said than done,” you might say, and you’re right; it isn’t easy. But there’s a big world out there. Not everyone is going to appreciate you or your work, and who cares if they don’t? Your job is to try. That’s it! The moment you realize this, public speaking is going to become your new favorite thing. The whole reason why people are afraid to speak up is because of the little voice in their head that tells them all the assumptions that other people might be making. “Oh, her presentation doesn’t have enough information.” “His shirt is untucked.” “I can barely hear them! Did they practice?” Stop. Their voices and thoughts shouldn’t matter to you. When you speak in front of an audience, you are the master of your topic; no one is going to better you in the topic that you’re presenting on because they don’t know anything about your presentation! Think of them as a blank slate; whatever you tell them is what they walk out of the room with. When you are the master and conductor of a presentation, why not show a little bit of confidence? Trust me, I’m never that person who likes to show off their work with a little too much confidence. But when I’m onstage, speaking, I forget about my character. I become a whole new person with an abundance of sudden confidence. That confidence and courage that lets me take up space in the room, project my voice across the audience and just speak kind of makes me forget that I’m actually presenting. It’s just like when you’re trying to explain something to your friend; you are confident in your response and everything just flows out of your mouth naturally. You don’t care too much about what they may be thinking. It’s just natural. The moment you learn not  to care too much, it’s like a huge weight’s been lifted off your shoulders! It’s… comforting. People are always going to be people, and there’s really nothing that you can do to prevent or avoid it. You are going to have to speak, present, and even teach at one point, but the people listening can’t always be the most supportive.  So, what did we learn?  DO NOT CARE ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK!  So, get up. Stand up straight. Lift your head a little. Stretch, roll your shoulders and neck a few times; loosen yourself up. Put on a wide smile, and….. SPEAK! What Do You Think? No matter the age, we’ve all presented something, or at least spoken in front of a group of people. Usually, you’re eager to forget all about them, but there’s that one presentation that you just can’t forget about. So, since this week’s blog is about speaking and presenting, let’s go back to that one unforgettable speech. Answer these questions! What was that unforgettable speech about? Did you speak alone or with a group? Why was this special? What made it so unique that it’s just… there in your head? If there was one thing that you would’ve told yourself before a big presentation or speech, what would it have been? ANNOUNCEMENT: From now on, I will be posting every Sunday, noon, EST!