The Finish Line

Wow. Time has really flown by. I can't believe I'm going to be a senior next year. Looking back I can definitely say that junior year was by far the best year of my high school life so far. I enjoyed all of my classes ...except one or two that I absolutely despised. Being a part of AP Lang this year has been incredible. I felt comfortable working with everyone in the class. In some ways, AP Lang sort of felt like a little family to me. Towards the end of my sophomore year and beginning of my junior year I was terrified of this class. It was mostly because I've never taken an AP class before. I'm glad that AP Lang was my very first AP class experience. If I took another AP class instead of AP Lang then I think I wouldn't have survived as well in this class. This class has taught me the creative and sometimes cynical ways rhetoric can be manipulated to convey someone's point. Sometimes it doesn't even have to involve rhetoric at all!  I still catch myself pointing different advertising techniques whenever I watch T.V. Warning: This can be VERY annoying to your siblings/friends. My skepticism has also grown because of this class.(As if that was possible, considering how skeptic I already am about everything.) I don't even know if I can trust school textbooks at all. The endless useless facts that are being shoved down our throats can easily be all lies. (thanks AP Lang!) The things I've learned in room 76 will forever be engraved in my mind no matter how much I resist. I'm really going to miss room 76, with its cozy sub zero temperature room, lovable clutter of miscellaneous items, and of course the lively discussions/reenactments that I was able to partake in.
I hope AP Lit can match or even better exceed my expectations of an English class now that I'm an official AP Langsta grad.

Cold weather? Not so far away from home? 1 hour drive to the beach? CSU Monterey Bay is definitely one of my choices for college. CSUMB is located on the site of a former army base called Fort Ord. The residence hall rooms are much bigger than normal dorm rooms because they're remodeled officers' quarters. Also, despite of the university's name it's actually located in Seaside,CA. I've only been to the Seaside area once or twice in my life but when I was there the weather was absolutely perfect...at least in my opinion. It was dark,cloudy, and most of all cold. Hot weather makes me shudder. I can't stand it. CSUMB doesn't offer a lot of majors compared to San Jose State or San Francisco State but it does have the major I'm leaning towards, Biology with concentration in Pre Medical Studies. Of course, I'm not entirely sure if that's the path I really want to take but who does...right?

                                                                                                  

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." -St. Augustine
                                
Paris,New York, Rome, London! There's such an abundance of places that one could immerse oneself into. Since I wasn't born here in the U.S., I have had the privilege of experiencing a whole different culture for quite some time. I find it always amusing whenever I tell someone that part of my life. Their usual response is, " Wow, really?! That's so cool!" It's like they've never met a foreign born person before. I mean, this country was built immigrants from all over the world. This brings me to my main topic. 

Studying Abroad. 
                                                 
Studying abroad has always been a goal of mine ever since my parents started giving me the very frightening "future plans talk." My ideal destination would be none other than the great country of England. I've looked into studying abroad programs in my college choices and so far it seems very doable. As far as financial issues, the usual costs of tuition/housing/etc. are about the same. Of course it highly depends on what country you're planning to go to. Unfortunately, I have picked the more expensive country to study abroad. The mighty British pound still rules over the American dollar. (1.00 British Pound = 1.52 U.S. Dollars)
Why must I have such expensive tastes?? You can choose the length of your stay at your host country. It ranges from summer programs, semester programs, and year long programs. I plan on doing at least 1 full semester abroad. I've talked to a friend of mine who did a year abroad in Norwich,England and she said that in order to fully experience the English lifestyle you'll need to spend at least a year over there. I completely agree with her but we'll just see what happens. Our friends over the pond might seem very similar to us since we speak the same language and are considered part of the "western world" but I think I'll be less surprised about what makes us the same rather than what sets us apart. 

"No city invites the heart to come to life as San Francisco does. Arrival in San Francisco is an experience in living." ~William Saroyan

                                                                         
Ever since my family immigrated to the United States from the Philippines when I was 8, my favorite go to place was and still is to this day San Francisco. I love the whole vibe of this city. You'll never be bored because there's always something to do.  Every time I visit this city I'm greeted with a warm smile and welcome. These are some of the reasons why San Francisco State University is one of my choices for college. (Go Gators!!) 

San Francisco State has 124 possible undergraduate degrees. They have a wonderful medical sciences program which also has a few more degrees that other universities near San Jose don't offer.   If you're planning to live on campus, the yearly expenses to attend this school is about $24,000. Multiply that by 4 years and you're looking at $96,000 worth of a college education. (Hooray for being in some serious debt!) Even though it will cost a lot more for me to go to San Francisco State rather than San Jose State, I'm willing to take the risks. For the past few years I feel as tough I haven't lived my life to its fullest. Going away for college would give me the perfect opportunity to really figure out what I want in life. It's a chance for me to learn what it's like in the "real world". The world full of job searches, heartbreaks, and for an introvert like myself, the sometimes very scary human interaction.  Adventure awaits. What am I waiting for?