It's been a long time since I've written and it's been one heck of a rollercoaster ride ever since.
The last few weeks have been super busy, with fashion shows, extra rehearsals, dance shows, job interviews, midterms, extra lessons, concerts, fundraising for my mission trip, social gatherings, and everything else in between. Though everything was quite enjoyable, it's nice to be able to live life a little on the calmer side this week now that all my shows are over for the year.
A few weeks ago was the first time I was ever involved in a fashion show ever in my life, and I must say, it was a very cool experience. Although I'll never understand why the models don't smile when they're strutting their stuff on stage, it was definitely very fascinating to see the behind-the-scenes of their rehearsal process. I wasn't a model in the show but a dancer, as they had dance pieces in between the catwalks to give the models time to change. The group of girls I danced with were all elite, advanced dancers who have had many years of ballet training. Some even come from full-time, prestigious, dance boarding schools. It was nice to be able to dance with people who were not only at my level, but even way beyond me, and to be able to learn from others in a competitive yet friendly environment. It was so encouraging to see everyone wanting to do their best, while wanting to be a part of a team at the same time. We even had "dancer dinners" together, which were super cute.
I owe a huge part of my year to QDC (Queen's Dance Club), for making my first year at Queen's so enjoyable and memorable. I've definitely met a lot of talented dancers through all my classes, and the teachers and staff are just second to none. Everyone is so supportive of one another through everything from quick changes backstage to planning class thank you gifts for our teachers to planning surprise socials and birthday parties, it just really feels like family; a home away from home. I've applied to be on staff with QDC next year as a ballet teacher, so fingers crossed that I'll get hired and be able to join their amazing team!
I've applied for quite a few jobs on campus next year, but it's always easy to get carried away with how much I commit myself too. My accountability partner from P2C, a second year commerce student who's on exchange at Queen's from France, reminded me that overcommitting is a sin. I definitely won't take on all my job positions in the unlikely event that I land all my jobs, but at the same time, I do need to start making some money to lift some of the burden my parents have for having to continually pay my school bills. It's a tough decision for sure.
I feel like in the midst of my busy month, I've left God off to the side a bit. Spending time with Him hasn't really been priority, and I know that needs to change. Skimming through my devos just doesn't cut it, as I'm not really reflecting on what I'm reading, but simply just acknowledging it. My attendance at P2C has been faltering these past few weeks too, and though I know that my relationship with God isn't measured by how many fellowship events I attend, I can't help but feel disconnected from my fellowship lately. We have our fellowship's annual semi-formal tonight, so hopefully that will help bridge some gaps, if temporarily, at least.
3.30.2014
1.25.2014
01.25.14.
I normally don't blog about single events, but this one was just too good not to.
You see, normally on Friday nights, my youth group (P2C) would have a social event. In the past weeks, we've done some pretty great things, like making pizza together, having board games night, going skating. etc. But last night, we did something that was much cooler than all three of those things combined- we went to play laser tag!
It was a great way to get off campus with a large group of friends while being able to kick back and relax at the same time. I wasn't particularly stressed out this week, but it was nice to have a bit of fun nonetheless.
I took some pictures while I was out last night, so here they are!
Picture #1: The picture below is of the scores of all the players who were in the game last night. I know the font is tiny and the photo quality isn't great, but I was on the green team for this particular round, and my name (in the game) was Stealth. I placed 10th overall out of 22 players. I'd say that was a pretty good accomplishment!
Picture #2: This is a picture of my personal scoresheet from the first round I played. In this round, I was on the red team. My team beat the blue team (yay!) and I placed 8th out of 19 players. Being in the top 10 is always good!
Picture #3: This is my personalized scoresheet from the second round of the game. There were more players in this round, so they split us up into three teams. I was on the green team (same round as picture 1), and placed 10th out of 22 players. Hurray for making the top 10 once again! :)
Picture #4: This is definitely my favourite picture from the night, which is why I made it so big. These were all the friends I went to laser tag with! A lot of them I met for the first time last night, because people were allowed to invite their friends, and so there were a lot of girls who live on the floor above me whom I don't know very well.
Directly to the left of me is my friend (from P2C) Michaella, the one who organized the event. She's a very aggressive player when it comes to laser tag, but I had a lot of fun trying to shoot her back every time she got me! Second from the left in the back row is my good friend Rebecca, also from P2C. We share a lot of special moments together, and we'll be sharing many more as we both head to Peru for a missions trip this May! I'm so excited to see what God has in store for us and His ministry! :)
I think that's a long enough post for tonight. I had so much fun with all of my friends last night, and I hope you had fun reading about my adventure too!
Toodles!~
You see, normally on Friday nights, my youth group (P2C) would have a social event. In the past weeks, we've done some pretty great things, like making pizza together, having board games night, going skating. etc. But last night, we did something that was much cooler than all three of those things combined- we went to play laser tag!
It was a great way to get off campus with a large group of friends while being able to kick back and relax at the same time. I wasn't particularly stressed out this week, but it was nice to have a bit of fun nonetheless.
I took some pictures while I was out last night, so here they are!
Picture #1: The picture below is of the scores of all the players who were in the game last night. I know the font is tiny and the photo quality isn't great, but I was on the green team for this particular round, and my name (in the game) was Stealth. I placed 10th overall out of 22 players. I'd say that was a pretty good accomplishment!
Picture #2: This is a picture of my personal scoresheet from the first round I played. In this round, I was on the red team. My team beat the blue team (yay!) and I placed 8th out of 19 players. Being in the top 10 is always good!
Picture #3: This is my personalized scoresheet from the second round of the game. There were more players in this round, so they split us up into three teams. I was on the green team (same round as picture 1), and placed 10th out of 22 players. Hurray for making the top 10 once again! :)
Picture #4: This is definitely my favourite picture from the night, which is why I made it so big. These were all the friends I went to laser tag with! A lot of them I met for the first time last night, because people were allowed to invite their friends, and so there were a lot of girls who live on the floor above me whom I don't know very well.
Directly to the left of me is my friend (from P2C) Michaella, the one who organized the event. She's a very aggressive player when it comes to laser tag, but I had a lot of fun trying to shoot her back every time she got me! Second from the left in the back row is my good friend Rebecca, also from P2C. We share a lot of special moments together, and we'll be sharing many more as we both head to Peru for a missions trip this May! I'm so excited to see what God has in store for us and His ministry! :)
I think that's a long enough post for tonight. I had so much fun with all of my friends last night, and I hope you had fun reading about my adventure too!
Toodles!~
1.12.2014
01.12.14.
It's a very exciting week.
Actually, that's an understatement.
More like, it's been the best week I've had in a long long time.
It was very fulfilling, and God-filled too.
1) I asked for rest and that's what I got. I slept well the entire school week, and went to class feeling energized pretty much every day. I went to all my classes, didn't fall asleep in any of them, and learnt something out of each one.
2) A missionary from Peru came to visit P2C this week. Having Thursday and Friday afternoons off, I got to go on a prayer walk and to go evangelizing with this missionary. We developed a really good friendship, learnt a lot from each other, and were able to see the needs of the campus. God laid on both of us a heart for the different faculties and their struggles in relation to making God known, and we prayed a lot. It was such an amazing experience to share with a missionary, despite having language barriers (she speaks Spanish). It's stunning how much non-verbal communication means. I also got to improve my Spanish at the same time!
3) On the missionary's final night, we had dinner at my P2C counsellor's house, so that we could share a Peruvian dinner together and pray for the needs of that country. The missionary told us of the brokenness of the university students in Peru, and how they were looking for satisfaction and fulfillment in all the wrong places (academics, graduating, boyfriends, etc.) She told us about a missions trip that was happening in Peru this coming May (like 4 months from now) and how as a P2C group, all of us were invited and eligible to go. The needs of Peru really touched me, and it was then, at dinner, that I decided I wanted to go on this missions trip in May. Of course, there was still an application process to go through, as well as getting permission from my parents and such.
4) Friday night was P2C's social night since our actual fellowship time got moved to Sunday nights now, so in light of that and the fact that it was the missionary's last night in Kingston, we took everyone skating! It was such a cool experience to see many of the international students in our group step foot on the ice for the first time. Seeing their faces light up as they began to understand how the sport worked was joyful, and everyone just had an all-around wonderful time!
5) On Saturday night, I called up my parents, telling them about my desire to go on the missions trip to Peru. THEY ACTUALLY LET ME GO! I was so shocked. I was pretty sure they were going to say no, but in reality, they were actually quite supportive and encouraging. They warned me of the many things I would encounter that would be foreign to me, and how the experience may be harder than what I'm expecting. They told me to start on the application process, and I'm so ready to get on that as soon as I can!
6) God blessed me with a pet fish. I've been wanting to get a fish since I moved into residence last September (2013), but my parents were saying how it would be very time-consuming to take care of, and having to go through the hassle of going into town to get a tank, supplies, and then go back after a few weeks of the tank being cycled to get a fish was just too much. But I didn't give up and I didn't lose hope. I kept praying, wanting a pet, a companion. Eventually, after God taught me a full semester's lesson of patience, he blessed me with a fish! There was a girl selling her pet beta fish on "Free and For Sale", a FB group within Queen's university, because she wouldn't be able to care for her fish this coming summer. I took up the offer, and now have a very happy and healthy beta fish sitting on my desk beside me as I write this post! He definitely keeps me very occupied, but he's a happy little guy and I'm just filled with so much joy when I wake up to see him swimming around every morning!
And that's my amazing week! It's really been amazing seeing how much God can do in a person's life in just one week, and I can't wait to see what the upcoming weeks this semester will bring!
Actually, that's an understatement.
More like, it's been the best week I've had in a long long time.
It was very fulfilling, and God-filled too.
1) I asked for rest and that's what I got. I slept well the entire school week, and went to class feeling energized pretty much every day. I went to all my classes, didn't fall asleep in any of them, and learnt something out of each one.
2) A missionary from Peru came to visit P2C this week. Having Thursday and Friday afternoons off, I got to go on a prayer walk and to go evangelizing with this missionary. We developed a really good friendship, learnt a lot from each other, and were able to see the needs of the campus. God laid on both of us a heart for the different faculties and their struggles in relation to making God known, and we prayed a lot. It was such an amazing experience to share with a missionary, despite having language barriers (she speaks Spanish). It's stunning how much non-verbal communication means. I also got to improve my Spanish at the same time!
3) On the missionary's final night, we had dinner at my P2C counsellor's house, so that we could share a Peruvian dinner together and pray for the needs of that country. The missionary told us of the brokenness of the university students in Peru, and how they were looking for satisfaction and fulfillment in all the wrong places (academics, graduating, boyfriends, etc.) She told us about a missions trip that was happening in Peru this coming May (like 4 months from now) and how as a P2C group, all of us were invited and eligible to go. The needs of Peru really touched me, and it was then, at dinner, that I decided I wanted to go on this missions trip in May. Of course, there was still an application process to go through, as well as getting permission from my parents and such.
4) Friday night was P2C's social night since our actual fellowship time got moved to Sunday nights now, so in light of that and the fact that it was the missionary's last night in Kingston, we took everyone skating! It was such a cool experience to see many of the international students in our group step foot on the ice for the first time. Seeing their faces light up as they began to understand how the sport worked was joyful, and everyone just had an all-around wonderful time!
5) On Saturday night, I called up my parents, telling them about my desire to go on the missions trip to Peru. THEY ACTUALLY LET ME GO! I was so shocked. I was pretty sure they were going to say no, but in reality, they were actually quite supportive and encouraging. They warned me of the many things I would encounter that would be foreign to me, and how the experience may be harder than what I'm expecting. They told me to start on the application process, and I'm so ready to get on that as soon as I can!
6) God blessed me with a pet fish. I've been wanting to get a fish since I moved into residence last September (2013), but my parents were saying how it would be very time-consuming to take care of, and having to go through the hassle of going into town to get a tank, supplies, and then go back after a few weeks of the tank being cycled to get a fish was just too much. But I didn't give up and I didn't lose hope. I kept praying, wanting a pet, a companion. Eventually, after God taught me a full semester's lesson of patience, he blessed me with a fish! There was a girl selling her pet beta fish on "Free and For Sale", a FB group within Queen's university, because she wouldn't be able to care for her fish this coming summer. I took up the offer, and now have a very happy and healthy beta fish sitting on my desk beside me as I write this post! He definitely keeps me very occupied, but he's a happy little guy and I'm just filled with so much joy when I wake up to see him swimming around every morning!
And that's my amazing week! It's really been amazing seeing how much God can do in a person's life in just one week, and I can't wait to see what the upcoming weeks this semester will bring!
1.06.2014
01.06.14.
End of first semester and beginning of a New Year.
Still letting that sink it. Wow.
I think overall, first semester's been a good one. I did well in all my courses, tests, assignments, and exams, and I'm really glad that only have I learnt a lot over the past term, but I also managed to come out of it with an average that is surprisingly even higher than the one I pulled off in high school. Yes I have somewhat easy courses and a lot of what is being taught this year is review for me, but at the same time, I still had to work for it. I also got quite involved with extracirricular activities (dance, fellowship, church, etc.) and I really do owe it to God for all these opportunities He's given me, because it these things definitely helped to keep me sane in times of stress and emotional overflows. Being a part of P2C has been such a blessing, and getting mentored by such a caring upper year really helped me spiritually. All of the outreach activities we did also opened me up to what students are capable of doing on campus, and how God really wants the students at Queen's to know Him.
When asked what the biggest lesson I've learnt at Queen's over the past semester is, I confidently respond: "The biggest lesson I've learnt is to love and appreciate my parents more." Thanks to a good friend and fellow sister in Christ, I've really been shown how much the little and big things your parents have been doing for you your entire life really matter, and how we can little things to show our thanks. Things like sending a letter or postcard home, taking them out for dinner, just generally being nice when they call; it all adds up.
Over the break, I got the chance to go to P2C+, a conference that was held in Toronto. It was such an eye-opening experience as we were taught how to reach out to others with the Good News through social media, cravings, our own testimony, and more. It was also nice to get my priorities straight going into second semester, and to figure out what I should be finding my identity in. It was a good reminder that aside from going to Queen's for school and academics and a career, the main reason we're at Queen's is to fulfill Jesus' ministry and to be a witness to those on campus. You can get your education anywhere, but the fact that God placed you at Queen's has to mean something, and perhaps He wants you to do something amazing on campus. Whether it'd be something big and extraordinary, or something small that could mean the world to one person, it doesn't matter. You just have to find His purpose for you on campus. And of course, the same goes for all my friends at other schools too. God has placed you there for a purpose and reason. Never forget that.
I'm so thankful to all the upper years on campus that were so helpful as I was searching for all the textbooks I needed for my Music History course this term. The material is very expensive if bought new, and the 5 textbooks/anthologies/CDs I need would have come to a total of over $300 if bought new, but thanks to upper years selling at cheaper prices, and some even willing to lend the books to me for the entire semester, I am now spending far less on books for this course. This is really a God-answered prayer seeing as I really didn't have the finances necessary to purchase all those books at regular price going into second semester.
And that wraps up my reflection for now. Looking forward to another great semester at Queen's! :)
Still letting that sink it. Wow.
I think overall, first semester's been a good one. I did well in all my courses, tests, assignments, and exams, and I'm really glad that only have I learnt a lot over the past term, but I also managed to come out of it with an average that is surprisingly even higher than the one I pulled off in high school. Yes I have somewhat easy courses and a lot of what is being taught this year is review for me, but at the same time, I still had to work for it. I also got quite involved with extracirricular activities (dance, fellowship, church, etc.) and I really do owe it to God for all these opportunities He's given me, because it these things definitely helped to keep me sane in times of stress and emotional overflows. Being a part of P2C has been such a blessing, and getting mentored by such a caring upper year really helped me spiritually. All of the outreach activities we did also opened me up to what students are capable of doing on campus, and how God really wants the students at Queen's to know Him.
When asked what the biggest lesson I've learnt at Queen's over the past semester is, I confidently respond: "The biggest lesson I've learnt is to love and appreciate my parents more." Thanks to a good friend and fellow sister in Christ, I've really been shown how much the little and big things your parents have been doing for you your entire life really matter, and how we can little things to show our thanks. Things like sending a letter or postcard home, taking them out for dinner, just generally being nice when they call; it all adds up.
Over the break, I got the chance to go to P2C+, a conference that was held in Toronto. It was such an eye-opening experience as we were taught how to reach out to others with the Good News through social media, cravings, our own testimony, and more. It was also nice to get my priorities straight going into second semester, and to figure out what I should be finding my identity in. It was a good reminder that aside from going to Queen's for school and academics and a career, the main reason we're at Queen's is to fulfill Jesus' ministry and to be a witness to those on campus. You can get your education anywhere, but the fact that God placed you at Queen's has to mean something, and perhaps He wants you to do something amazing on campus. Whether it'd be something big and extraordinary, or something small that could mean the world to one person, it doesn't matter. You just have to find His purpose for you on campus. And of course, the same goes for all my friends at other schools too. God has placed you there for a purpose and reason. Never forget that.
I'm so thankful to all the upper years on campus that were so helpful as I was searching for all the textbooks I needed for my Music History course this term. The material is very expensive if bought new, and the 5 textbooks/anthologies/CDs I need would have come to a total of over $300 if bought new, but thanks to upper years selling at cheaper prices, and some even willing to lend the books to me for the entire semester, I am now spending far less on books for this course. This is really a God-answered prayer seeing as I really didn't have the finances necessary to purchase all those books at regular price going into second semester.
And that wraps up my reflection for now. Looking forward to another great semester at Queen's! :)
11.05.2013
11.05.13.
I decided to include a song (and dance) in my post today. That doesn't happen very often, if at all. But today's post will be a bit of a more encouraging post, in light of all the things that have been going on lately.
The song/dance is called "Reach for the Stars", and it got featured on dance moms by one of the girls doing her acro solo. The dance part isn't important here though. I chose this song because it reflects the purpose of my blog, which is to actually reach for the stars and strive to be the best person you can be. It's a really great song. You should click the video and watch it if you haven't already clicked it by now.
It's sad to see that the stresses and pressures of university are really starting to take its toll on everyone. Most of my friends, myself included, have struggled the past week in some way or another. Some have gotten over their emotions, others have not. Everyone is just in a really tough place because there's so much work piling up. Just because midterms are over now doesn't mean people get a break. Quite the contrary actually. With papers, assignments, essays, reports, and whatever else due at the end of the month in addition to the ever-nearing final exams, time is of the essence, and without good organizational skills, it'll be near impossible to accomplish everything. Take into account extracirriculars, clubs, night classes, church, fellowship, DG, and other commitments, and there's really no time for anything.
It's really a shame because school isn't all about work. Clubs and groups exist for a reason, and so do the gym and the mental health centre. They're all supports there to help you, but an even greater challenge is to find time to get the help you need in the first place.
Anyhow, I'll end with the verse.
"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." -Philippians 4:13 (NIV)
It's such an overused verse but it's one of my favourite ones and it's one of the verses I live by on a day-to-day basis. It just really helps encourage me and get me through the day, and I'm hoping it'll do the same for you too. <3
11.04.2013
11.04.13.
It's about time I blog since I've entered university. Just reached the ends of two months, moving into my third. Things are going moderately well I suppose. Or for the most part anyway.
Conflicts.
A warning I had been given prior to moving in. Be aware of them. And so I am. But how does one actually deal with them when they come?
It's hard, but I think the answer all goes back to finding God and staying rooted in Him. You can talk to as many people as you want and hear as many different advice as you have the time for, but at the end of the day, nobody can tell you what to do. Yes people can pray for you and you can pray too, but God is the only one who can change things for the better.
On the other hand, I'm so so blessed to have such a strong Christian community here at Queen's. A good 75-80% of my floor in residence is Christian or Catholic, so there's so many girls I could go to if I ever needed to talk. And many have proved to me that there are indeed there for me in times of trouble. It's such a loving environment. And of course outside of residence, there's also my friends from other faculties, as well the numerous brothers and sisters I've met through church and fellowship. Although there are times where they are judgmental or hypocritical, I'm sure I've been the same at one point or another, so it's only fair. The good thing is that we're always there for each other at the end of the day.
It's been a really tough week. Carrying my own load of stress and homework and commitments in addition to the problems and burdens of a few other friends really does take its toll on me after a while. I just feel like I always have to be the one being strong and standing up for others, when really, I'm also breaking down on the inside as well. I guess it's just a matter of importance and how to "profile" yourself out there so that people will feel sympathetic towards you and want to care for you because they feel bad for you. But I don't want to be that person. I don't want to be the whiner who's always in need of care, the one who's always weak, the one who's the problem-child. Torn between wanting attention but wanting to stay strong, I'm stuck with the difficult task of supporting others, even when they don't want the support. It's really tough seeing those around me break down but refusing help. Like what even. How selfish can you get. Meanwhile the person trying to help you is drowning in tears on the inside too but instead chooses to help you because they care so much for you and don't want to burden you even further. I will never understand some people's selfish and inconsiderate logic. Ever.
Anyhow, that's enough ranting for tonight. Goodnight world.
Conflicts.
A warning I had been given prior to moving in. Be aware of them. And so I am. But how does one actually deal with them when they come?
It's hard, but I think the answer all goes back to finding God and staying rooted in Him. You can talk to as many people as you want and hear as many different advice as you have the time for, but at the end of the day, nobody can tell you what to do. Yes people can pray for you and you can pray too, but God is the only one who can change things for the better.
On the other hand, I'm so so blessed to have such a strong Christian community here at Queen's. A good 75-80% of my floor in residence is Christian or Catholic, so there's so many girls I could go to if I ever needed to talk. And many have proved to me that there are indeed there for me in times of trouble. It's such a loving environment. And of course outside of residence, there's also my friends from other faculties, as well the numerous brothers and sisters I've met through church and fellowship. Although there are times where they are judgmental or hypocritical, I'm sure I've been the same at one point or another, so it's only fair. The good thing is that we're always there for each other at the end of the day.
It's been a really tough week. Carrying my own load of stress and homework and commitments in addition to the problems and burdens of a few other friends really does take its toll on me after a while. I just feel like I always have to be the one being strong and standing up for others, when really, I'm also breaking down on the inside as well. I guess it's just a matter of importance and how to "profile" yourself out there so that people will feel sympathetic towards you and want to care for you because they feel bad for you. But I don't want to be that person. I don't want to be the whiner who's always in need of care, the one who's always weak, the one who's the problem-child. Torn between wanting attention but wanting to stay strong, I'm stuck with the difficult task of supporting others, even when they don't want the support. It's really tough seeing those around me break down but refusing help. Like what even. How selfish can you get. Meanwhile the person trying to help you is drowning in tears on the inside too but instead chooses to help you because they care so much for you and don't want to burden you even further. I will never understand some people's selfish and inconsiderate logic. Ever.
Anyhow, that's enough ranting for tonight. Goodnight world.
8.24.2013
08.24.13.
So VBC's officially over. I don't know whether to feel happy or sad. I guess I'm currently a mixture of both.
Happy because I finally get to rest, something which I need a lot of because I got sick from people at VBC. Sad because it's over and I won't get to see most of my kids any time soon because I'll be heading off to university in like a week. Believe it or not though, kids have amazing memory. A lot of the kids I crew led for when they were in like grade 1/2 still remember me, and now they're in grade 6! And of course the JKs that I had last year who are now SKs remember me well too. There's so much joy in going back to camp each year and having tons of kids remember you and say hi to you.
Oh, and VBC was full of "drama" this year. I'll leave it at that, and you can choose to interpret it however you wish.
I spent all of today going out and buying stuff for residence this coming September. Spent so much money, but there's actually so many things that are needed, it's crazy! It was cool to be able to look at all the different bedding designs, but to settle on one was really hard. In the end I did do it though! It was a really tiring yet accomplishment-filled day, that's for sure. I can't believe move-in day is in a week, I don't think I'm entirely ready for it yet!
Still sick, so I think I'm gonna stop writing now and take a rest. It's almost bedtime anyway. Goodnight!
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