1. Lions 2024

Tim O'Brien's book,  The Things They Carried , weaves personal narratives of war, love, loss, and everything in between, exploring how sharing these stories can profoundly influence our memories. Much like the characters in O'Brien's book, we too carry our own stories, each one shaping our understanding of the past and shaping our future. I wanted to discuss the power of personal narratives and their lasting impact on memory. Research suggests that recounting personal experiences can not only solidify memories but also alter them over time. It's as if each time we recall a memory, we're rewriting the story, adding new details, and reshaping the narrative to fit our current beliefs and perspectives. As someone who loves storytelling and cherishes the memories I've collected over the years, this idea both fascinates and concerns me. It's incredible to think that our memories are so malleable, and are capable of evolving and adapting to new circumstances. B

Time's Tapestry      Time is such a funny concept to think about. When you don’t think about it, you rarely notice its presence; however, if you take the time to sit down and reflect on what you were doing this time of last year, you’ll realize how much has actually changed in your life, how far you've come, or even how some things have remained surprisingly constant.      It feels like it was just yesterday when my friends and I were celebrating Christmas at Enchant San Jose in December, when we were riding the ferris wheel at Alameda County Fair in July, or when we were celebrating the last day of sophomore year in June. Without realizing it, junior year is coming to a close, and soon, the entirety of high school will be over.      When I don't pay attention and just allow time to pass, it always sneaks by unnoticed . However, when I take the time to really sit down and think about it, it is utterly unbelievable to realize that over five whole months, or 20 weeks, have pa

In many of his writings, American author Tim O’ Brien reflected on the topic of storytelling and how it relates to memory . He claimed that the memories of one day replace memories from the previous day, and the specifics of the past fade away. Only the most abnormal, most extreme situations that we tell stories about will earn a rank within our long-term memories. I remember when my car broke down. That deep-blue Acura SUV, older than I was at the time, had shaped my childhood. In that car, I visited Lake Tahoe for the very first time (and discovered my favorite vacation spot). In that car, I explored San Francisco, driving on the majestic Golden Gate Bridge and through SF’s bustling downtown. In that car, I picked up my dog Miko for the first time and took him home. When I was only around ten years old, that car went on its very last drive. My family and I were driving to Livermore, and on the way, we came to a stop at a red light. The light turned green, and I heard the engine pick

  I am sure that many of us, almost all of us, had a friend group from elementary school or from a young age that was thought to be inseparable no matter what. From the beginning of starting school, I quickly became friends with some people and thought that these friendships would last for a long time. For example, I had a good friend since kindergarten, and we had switched the same schools coincidentally. Then, in fourth grade, both of us became friends with three other students and had formed a friend group. Everything was great and we had all remained friends up until 6th grade when one of our friends left Fremont. During 7th grade is when our group started to fall apart further. One of my friends left Fremont half-way into 7th grade, and I even started to stop hanging out with them and started finding new friends. Then, the pandemic hit, and I lost almost all contact with my old friend group.  After in-person school resumed in 9th grade, I started to notice my old friends again

          Scrolling through Google Photos to find pictures for my latest APENG assignment collage, I stopped as I looked at the next 50-75 photos. Slowly scrolling, as I looked over the photos, I felt a soft smile form on my face.            December 26, 2023, to January 5, 2024 - the best winter break ever - spent in the most serene place ever - Italy.            Almost instantly, I was transported back to that time. The scent of my 10 mL bottle (which was gifted to me - well actually my mom - since I’m too broke to buy it myself) of Versace Bright Crystal perfume, which I used every day of my vacation in Italy, filled the air. I couldn’t help but feel as if I had stepped off that Lufthansa flight from San Francisco International Airport onto the refreshing soil of Milan once again.              Suddenly, all of those memories came rushing back to me - the beige Trench Coat which completed my outfit almost every single day; the Italo high-speed train, which looked as though it was str

The two weeks of AP testing have descended upon us, with many people studying hard in an attempt to score 5s. I’m also trying to study for my exams and I’ve realized how hard it is for me to find a good study strategy. I have four APs I need to study for, and, although that definitely isn’t as many as some other students, it’s still a lot for me to handle. I had the idea to hit two birds with one stone by writing this blog about ways to better memorize the concepts we will be tested on while learning better studying techniques for myself as well. I did some research and found strategies that I had heard of before and ones that were wholly new to me. I already knew that spaced-out studying was much better than cramming to move information from our short-term memory to our long-term memory. However, that’s easier said than done. It is often so hard for me to focus on completing an assignment that, by bedtime, I found that I completed literally nothing, leading to the inevitable cramming