SUMMER PLANS

Hello Nurds,

As some of you know, I am already on summer vacation and have been since before Memorial Day, actually. And as summer solstice approaches, here are some plans I have for the approaching summer.

Again, as some of you know, I will be attending UCLA late September, so I have an extended summer than what I'm used to. That means that I have quite a bit of time to explore and elaborate new projects. I would typically finish school and the end of May and start school some time in the beginning of August, so I'm really chilling. That's not the way the system works in all US high schools and community colleges, but bear with me. So let's get into this!

1) TAKE SUMMER CLASSES

I know. Some of you might be thinking: Joss, you're on summer vacation. Why are you going to take classes? Well, as I have said before, I am talented at stressing myself out. Additionally, there's still SO MUCH to learn and, well, this advances how much money I save and how early I will graduate. Again, I have taken an unconventional means to get to UCLA, and will be starting as a junior right out of high school (due to AP scores/community college classes). Also, there's so much I want to learn that I don't think I'd complete my core degree programs in the four years most of us strive four without sacrificing a few summers. You can check out: HOW I GOT INTO UCLA in a later post, coming this October! 

With that said, I have already started my summer session at the local community college on the 12th and that will last until mid-July, so that's a lot of course load in so little time (not the Mary-Kate and Ashley movie). There, I will be taking Elementary French, Human Sexuality, Elementary Statistics for Behavioral Science, Reporting and Writing, and Spinning.

Okay, lemme break it down: 

a) French | I have always wanted to take French. It sounds sexy, fancy, and sophisticated and well, I plan on minor-ing in French at UCLA and this will be a great head-start for that.

b) Human Sexuality and Elementary Stats | These are just psych electives I wanna retake so they transfer to UCLA. Again, these will help me with my Neuroscience minor. More on why I also chose this as a minor in my last post right here:

c) Reporting and Writing | As y'all know, I love writing and this is a journalism course, so put two and two together and KABOOM, you get lemonade. Wait, that's not how that works :/ In reality, I have always wanted to be the Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen Magazine, but I think I see blogging more in my future, as I write/blog just about the same things: fashion, accessories, social/civil rights, stories, news, reviews, etc. But, in any case, it's still important to know the essentials to reporting/writing for any journalism outlet, including my blog.

d) Spinning | I chose this as a balance to my crazy schedule. A woman needs to keep herself sane and relaxed. Plus, I burn calories and this is a huge excuse to exercise--so win-win!

Additionally, starting mid-August, I'll be taking online classes for UCLA:

e) Drama of Diversity | I'm sure the reason I got into UCLA was because of my emphasis on projecting diversity in film and literature, so it's only fitting that I will be taking this course.

f) Introductory Screenwriting | This ties in with the diversity concept and my love of writing. When people think of diversity, they usually think of just race, gender, or sexuality, but I want to project more than that--mental illnesses, body types, ages, disabilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, religious affiliations, you name it! People are multifaceted and thus should not be seen as clichés. I'm not the only one who'll admit that I hate clichés and stereotypes in movies.

g) Introduction to Art and Technique of Filmmaking | This is just a course I want to take to foster some filmmaking skills and what not.

h) Acting and Performance in Film | Similarly, this is another course I feel will foster my filmmaking skills, with an emphasis on studying the craft of actors and actresses in acclaimed roles in film as well as the cinematography of these films.

2) CONTINUE WRITING

As you all know, I love writing and can't get enough of it, so here are a few more projects I will start and continue in the months to come:

a) Songs | I need to get back in the nook of my writing. I've been writing songs since I was about ten,

b) Novels | I've written entries whether in my novel documents themselves or even in the Memo app on my phone, Google Keep, or atop a random sheet of scratch paper. I've spent a great deal of time organizing my thoughts and planning that I will actually (fingers crossed) begin to publish my first novel of a three-part series this upcoming NANOWRIMO (which, if you don't know, is short for National Novel Writing Month). It's only fitting that the first novel shall be called Daydreamer. Go figure :/

c) Short Stories and Poems | I'm working on a collection of short stories and poems and letters (oh my) that I've written throughout my life--some really bad and others jaw-dropping (but that's just me talking). Then, I'll provide some commentary on my rationale, thought-processes, and inspiration when writing each.

e) Comic Book | I've been working on a comic book series this past year and it's going famously. I'm still doing a story board and organizing and not so much creating the comic book series itself. Planning is probably the most fascinating part of the whole process. I'm giving life to these characters and personalities that will shine light on mental illnesses and a plethora of attributes that make these characters people who you may see every day--diversity.

3) YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Yes, peers, I said it! Home girl will be creating her own Youtube channel!! But hold on! I'm not making it any time soon. I'm just planning things out. With a schedule, so I know what I will be vlogging and dicussing about when and what I will be discussing and blogging. One thing I will be vlogging about is my experience at UCLA as a lot of people seem to be interested in that kind of stuff. I mean, UCLA is the most applied to campus in the US, after all! And this will be an outlet in itself--for personal memories. 

I will also be doing movie/book reviews, because I will be doing a lot of reading now that I have time (and not just for class), as well as fashion, news (political, social, etc.), and academic tutoring/test prep. Since I am passionate about Neuroscience (biopsychology) amongst other things and since I have taken quite a bit of AP /SAT courses, I will do test prep for people who look forward to that. 

With that said, this ALL requires a lot of planning and since I will be attending one of the most prestigious schools probably in the world, I will not have all the time in the world to really focus on my channel and blogging, so planning is essential. Hopefully, it will be worth it and when I do begin to post on Youtube, I will let all you lovelies know!!

4) READING

a) Re-read the Harry Potter series | I read this series throughout elementary school and side note: I read the first novel for three years, because I was too young to read. But now that I'm older, and an adult, I want to read what I probably didn't pick up on and read through a fresh lens and different perspective. I can't wait to be reinvigorated by the majestic writing of J.K. Rowling again!

b) Finish the The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series | I started this beloved series, but I never finished it. The movie adaptations only really covered the first three novels, and I only read the first one-and-a-half, so womp womp womp.

c) Read any other book | I've received a vast number of books these years, usually in the form of a gift (I may or may not have stolen a book or two, but you'll never know . . .) within the past five years that I've hard even touched, reading only the synopses, but never actually opening up the books. That is why I've dedicated this summer to just catching up on that. I'm not going to finish them all, but look out for a book review or two in the upcoming months <3 p="">

5) FINISH MY VICTORIA JUSTICE COLLAGE

Over a year ago, I started a collage of pictures of Victoria Justice, and I never finished it, nor have I touched or colored it in any way and for some reason, it's kinda creepy looking at some mini, one-eyed Victoria Justice portraits, but yeah, I hope I finish it. The only things I have drawn in the past year are designs here and there (when I'd be bored in class), so I haven't sat down and drawn for pleasure in awhile. 

6) LEARNING PIANO AND UKULELE

Weird thing: I write songs with a keyboard and I played xylophone/marimba when I had been in drumline, but I never actually learned how to play the piano, which is weird. So I need to actually sit down at my keyboard and use the accompanying piano book in order to learn that. Yeah, I can play marimba and xylophone, but those require mallets, and instead of playing manually, I'd be striking the instrument. As for the piano, I'll have to play manually, which means that I'll have to play with BOTH hands, and I'm right-handed, so that's probably not going to work. I'll try though *guiltily laughs*

What are you doing this summer? 

Love you, Nurds!!