Perspectives

It's funny how things relate to each other.

For example, this week I found related themes in Anthropology, yoga, and college life. In anthro today, we discussed what Anthropology actually is and how it is used and applied in society. Look at the picture below:

Looking at it without prompting, the picture appears to me to be a young girl. However, if you shift your focus on the picture and point your eyes at the girl's chin, an old woman suddenly appears on the screen. What does this have to do with the study of humans? Obviously, there are multiple sides to every story, every culture, every person.

It's Ramsey free week at UGA, so my friends and I decided to go to yoga. While holding the infamous "downward dog" position, I noticed that everything and everyone was upside down. Okay, duh. But then I felt we were on the Earth and it was round.. it's hard to explain, and I must sound crazy, but the experience and the realization that everything is actually tilted 24/7 was really cool.

Finally, this year, I am living on the opposite side of campus from where I lived freshman year. It's a completely different atmosphere and much more isolated and peaceful than dorm life. Living this way is like experiencing a whole other college, and it's weird but good at the same time.

Changing perspectives once in a while helps us see more of the world and understand life a little better. It reminds us that there's always multiple sides to one issue, making life complicated and crazy yet beautiful and interesting at the same time. Really, we shouldn't let bad news (thank you media) get us down because there is so much to live for--you just have to refocus the picture and look around.

Recovery

Hi everyone. Needless to say, I haven't updated in the longest time. This hectic summer is finally winding down. I feel relieved yet ambivalent. My cousin left yesterday for Shanghai; he's probably visiting the World Expo for a day before heading home with his dad. Getting along with him has been a struggle, mostly because I was nearing the end of Orgo 1 and he was bored out of his mind from staying at home all day, every day. Obviously, therein lies the problem. Orgo 1 ended with me burning out. It's hard to believe, but I've been taking classes non-stop (except ~2 weeks in between semesters) since last August. Just thinking about that exhausts me. I'm not sure why I did that; I'm not THAT nerdy... but maybe I am since I did it. Anyway, I really need to just take this week and try to recover some brain cells/sanity.

I was supposed to spend this week at D.C., but the flight was delayed 5 hours, and in the end my dad and I just decided to cancel it. It's a long, obnoxious story, but the result is that I will not go to D.C. this week. Instead, I'll stay in Georgia, prepare for the next semester, and do absolutely nothing--something I did all last year but absolutely need for sanity's sake this summer. I can't complain about this summer. It truly has been amazing. I went to England, met new people, studied Orgo in the city, taught kids music, spent a month with Junki, took care/tried to deal with my cousin, and got to live at home. What more can I ask for?

Sometimes, I just want to do so much all at once: just jump on everything and get it all done. Maybe it's my dad's genes showing up... or a remnant of that competitive, anal retentive high-school version of me resurfacing. Either way, I always have a need to feel useful, to contribute to something bigger. That's why I am so excited about starting Medlife at UGA with Kelsey. It is such an amazing opportunity to contribute and build something that I care about. But there is a balance. If I throw myself in too hard, I will burn out. Yet, I cannot just go through the motions. In the next week, I plan on finding a balance--one between my busy, ambitious self and the lazy, procrastinating counterpart. It probably won't happen. I may end up drugged and in bed as a result of wisdom teeth removal, but I'll give it a shot.