I Just Wanna Be A Girl!

Today, one of my professors told me that in college, you can't plan things out and go accordingly. (This is for hanging out and going out.) So, my friends and I had our whole evening open until a couple of hours ago. We realized we had to go to Walmart for groceries, to a bible study at 4 pm, and pizza night at 6 pm. We were planning on doing nothing all evening and relaxing, but soon, plans fell into place.  So, I think planning is good. It tells you what needs to be done and when it has to be done. It also helps you when someone asks you what you are doing. You can look at your plan and tell them what you will be doing and when you are available. It helps you prepare and make sure everything is ready for an event.  However, a lack of plans is also rejuvenating. You can do what your heart desires, and you don't have any commitments to get things done (during that time). It lets you relax and pursue your hobbies.  So, what is better, having plans or not?

In my poetry class today, we talked about Robert Frost, looking at a lot of his poems. So, we've all heard 'The Road Not Taken' and 'Fire and Ice.' Right? I'm assuming yes.  So... today, I learned that what we were taught in school was just the basics. I thought Robert Frost's poetry was easy to read, understand, and analyze. Little did I know how much more there was. Today, I read poems like 'Mending Wall,' 'After Apple Picking,' 'Birches,' and others. Now, I thought these would be easy as well. At first glance, I understood them. However, as my professor taught them to us, there were so many nuances that I missed. There were so many personal connections to the author and so many symbols and connections between poems. There were also religious undertones, despite Frost being an agnostic.  I realized that even the easiest poems have a lot to think about. For example, even 'The Road Not Taken' is unclear in the ending, accordin...

As part of my Introduction to Literary Theory class, I had to read Sidney's 'Defence of Poesy.' Now, this post isn't about that work, but about what I think of poetry.  I think poetry is emotion. It is a way that someone can let loose and let themselves feel. It's a way to explain what can't be explained in prose and a way of showing how beautiful things can be, even if they are bad.  Poetry is not something that influences anyone, but it is something that can make readers think. It is not a way of influencing readers, but of provoking thought. Writing poetry is cathartic in the sense that it allows poets to express their thoughts, which might not be acceptable in other contexts.  To me, poetry is a way of telling people that I am hurt or that I want to share something, without having to do it directly. When I'm sad and can't write prose, poetry is easier because it does not need to be grammatical. I can use words the way I want, and it would be consider...

SAGA is what students call the cafeteria here. There was once a catering company named SAGA. No one knows what it actually stood for. However, the food was so bad that the students back then came up with a new meaning for the acronym. "The Soviet Attempt to Gag Americans."  I believe it is rightly named, not just Americans, but gag anyone. I shouldn't be complaining about food, but I can't help it right now. The food is often undercooked. The vegetables are raw, and it's not just the tomatoes and onions, it's mushrooms as well. Then, it's bland. There is no pepper or spice in the food, and the pepper on the tables do not serve.  Next, the food is sometimes mislabelled. A couple days ago, there was a board that said 'Naan bread, Punjabi tofu curry, Chicken tikka masala, and Cucumber raita.' I knew it wouldn't taste like actual Indian food, but I thought it would be close. But... it was tacos, corn, nachos, and baked beans. Nothing close to what ...

Today, I'm starting a part time job at the writing center. So, what is a writing center you might ask.  It's a place where students can come in to get their writing polished. We answer their questions and check to see if their writing meets the demands of their assignment. If not, we teach them how to fix it. Now, we don't rewrite it for them, but rather, we show them how to fix their writing. This way, we teach the writer, not the writing.  I'm super excited about this. I get to assist people to do something I love. I love writing and do it willingly. However, I know that writing, especially in English for international students, is hard. I'm looking forward to helping people love something I love, or at least making it easier for them.  Wish me luck!  (I know my posts are getting smaller as they go on, but there is a lot more homework here than I am used to and I'm trying to adapt to that.)

Cooking is an art and I am becoming an artist.  I never used to cook much back home, but now, it has become a skill necessary to survive in this new country. My friends and I are yet to adjust to the food here. We feel like it's greasy and bland. We can manage to eat it for a few days in a row, but eventually, it becomes hard to digest. Now that's where cooking comes in.  Today, the menu was paneer butter masala and chapathi for lunch and tamarind rice for dinner. I was pretty pleased with the results. When I tasted the food, I felt closer to home. It made me feel warm inside. Even though I haven't cooked before, I managed to make something that resembled what I was used to. I was also really happy that I could give that feeling of home food to my friends.