Challenge 49: Special Mother

206. What makes your mom or dad special?

Everybody knows the simple rule of honoring their parents as they are the ones that brought you into this world. However, how do you know why they are special? Over the years, I realized how special my mother is because of the amount of kindness and compassion she shows towards others.

If there is any one person that always thinks of the other person before themselves, it is my mother. She should get an award for that! The extent she goes to help others can get very annoying sometimes. Her health is not a hundred percent and she is very prone to getting ill, yet she doesn’t think about herself and helps others on the streets that have various illnesses. It is not only people that my mother helps, but stray dogs and cats as well! Around five years ago, she saw this dog with a huge sore on its leg with gangrene. She took it the Kathmandu Animal Center, KAT, where treatment was immediately undertaken. The dog had its leg amputated and my mother brought it straight back home, treated her with care and nourished her. Seti, the dog, spent her last few years with us and in those few years became a part of our family.

Just last night, I was reminded of my mother’s kindness. It was getting late and we had to get back to our hotel. The only way to get back was on a rickshaw, but there were none to be found. As we leisurely walked back home we saw an empty rickshaw and the man who was meant to ride it was limping beside it. Before I knew it my mother was beside that man, comforting him and listening to his dilemma. He had been beaten by the police and now could barely walk, let alone ride the rickshaw to earn his living. My mother, being who she is, put some money in his pocket for him to get medical assistance and was even willing to ride the rickshaw as he sat at the back. Tears filled her eyes as the man didn’t bat an eye towards the money as he cried in agony.

My mother is special because she is who she is. Her kindness can be compared to no other and her smile makes everyone’s day.

Challenge 48: Favorite Time of day

237. Describe your favorite time of the day.

My favorite time of the day changes from time to time, depending on when I sleep. It is the short period when I’m in between the real world and my dream world. In that time, I think over what I’ve done throughout the day and also what I plan on doing in the following days. After I have completed all my plans, I think about the far future where I see me accomplishing all my dreams and everything goes exactly the way I want. Thinking stuff like this is one of the few ways I put myself to sleep.

This is the time when I feel privileged to have a bed to sleep in and realize how fortunate I am to be me. As I lay snug in my bed, with my head sinking into a soft pillow, I let all my muscles relax and feel comfortable under the warm quilt. As a cool breeze enters through the open window, I take a deep breath that acts like a catalyst as it gets rid of all my worries, clears my mind and allows sleep to come to me faster.

The rustling of the leaves fits in perfectly with the picture of the night sky as the lamp outside my window giving out light, which makes its way into my room through the gap between the two curtains. I can still see the faint light through my sleeping mask that covers my eyes. This is the time when no one will come to disturb me, unless you’re my best friend who will wake me up whenever she wants, whether she’s bored, wants something etc. This is the time when I appreciate the silence around me and serenity of the still night as I drift off to sleep.

Challenge 47: Wishes

229. Three wishes

“Bippity boppity boo.” By saying those three words and singing the whole chant to perform magic is something I would long to have. Even if it just meant fulfilling three wishes. A utopia is said to be unable to achieve, yet if my three wishes come true, the world will indeed be close to perfect.

-World Peace

Lately, the world seems to be getting worse and worse in terms of security and stability. With world peace no individual will have to suffer because of their race, gender, religion or any other form of discrimination. The super powers will not flex their muscles by showing off their nuclear weapons and no one will have to feel insecure about when the next nuclear bomb will set off.

-Health and Happiness for all sentient beings

If people have health and happiness what more do you need? These things are the wish of every living being whether they may know it or not. Rich or poor, everyone’s utmost desires are health and happiness.

-Free Tibet

Being under the Chinese regime for approximately 50 years is more than enough. A free Tibet means a free Asia. Tibet, the roof of the world, has always been a buffer zone between India and China, until the Chinese invasion in 1959. As you may or may not know, China is diverting the course of nature – the rivers – towards mainland China to quench the thirst of its billion citizens; the impact of which is going to be horrendous for those countries to the south of Tibet. Tibet is also becoming China’s ‘dumping ground’ for all its nuclear waste. The oppression face by the Tibetans in Tibet is also something that will automatically stop once Tibet is autonomous. A free Tibet will make the world a safer place. A free Tibet = freedom of choice, speech and action.

Challenge 46: Dream

242. Describe a recurring dream.

I’m cycling far, far into the darkness from a monster with metal legs, twice the size of me. This dream, a nightmare, haunted my sleep almost every other night of my childhood. I despised going to sleep, just because I thought I would see that monster again. I knew this monster, she was a big built second grader with short hair clipped to the sides, wore high boots with metal supports as she had trouble walking, and would scream at anyone in the younger grades if she didn’t get what she wanted. I was in first grade then and was dead scared of her.

This dream of mine started off in the school playground where I was playing with a group of friends in the sandpit under the warm sun. After building a sandcastle, I walked over the bicycle stand and rode around the school campus. It was at that moment after taking a round that everything around me disappeared, my friends, the school building, and the sound of laughter. After a few minutes of riding on, I heard a faint stomping sound and saw something like a black hole in front of me. A chill ran down my spine as the stomps grew louder and louder and my curiosity made me turn around. It was that girl in second grade, running after me to get the bicycle I was riding. She ran towards me, screaming and shouting in a language foreign to me, but I could make out that everything she said was in a negative context. Her face was in rage and I could literally see the steam coming out of her ears and fire burning in her eyes. I pressed hard on the brakes but the cycle did not stop. I had two choices, fall and get hurt being left with nothing in the middle of nowhere or ride on into the darkness and escape the monster’s wrath. Obviously I chose the second one. I did not like the thought of getting hurt at all, no matter how small the cut maybe, I was not going to consider that option. So, there I was, a first grader, riding in to the darkness filled with fear and anxiety, as a second grade monster chased me.

I haven’t had this dream for quite some time now, and thinking about it today, it doesn’t sound scary at all. This is exactly what I thought the last time I dreamt it, and that was in grade ten. Yet, every time I am actually dreaming it, I am filled with terror.

Challenge 45: Money

220. How money matters in your life

Without money I will not have access to health care, education, the finer things in life, and last but not the least, I wouldn’t be able to help the under privileged and accomplish projects that I enjoy. Is just one of the many things that make me happy.

Have you seen people standing in never-ending lines at hospitals just because they cannot afford to pay for the treatment? One of the renowned hospitals in Delhi won’t even start treatment on a person bleeding to death unless the family has placed a deposit and the doctor is assured that he will get his money. Fortunately, I haven’t been in such a situation thanks to my parents and the hard work they have put in, in their jobs. My parents send me to a school whose fees seem to be increasing at a very high rate, and I don’t really see what the money is being used for. Without money, I wouldn’t be able to get the education I am receiving at the moment and my future would have changed completely.

In my current financial state, I am able to help the poor and needy. Sponsoring the education of two girls in Nepal is something that I would not even think about if I had a poor financial status. Thinking of my own survival would be my primary goal.  Lastly, I am somebody that really likes to shop. The main factor needed to carry out this activity is money. Without money I would not be able to purchase anything for me or for others.

I am very fortunate to be born in a family where money is not an issue because of the hard work my grandparents put in, whom in turn taught my parents. Even though there is plenty of money to go around in the family, we have been taught use it wisely and not to spend it carelessly.

Challenge 44: 10 rules

233. Ten simple rules for dating me

1. Respect

Respect: yourself, the decisions you make, me, and the decisions I make. Be a person that I can respect as it takes more to respect the person than to love him.

2. Smile and be positive

Nothing lasts forever, but while it does don’t think about the negative bits. When you’re positive, you’ll probably always have a smile on. A smile can change my day completely. Knowing that you’re happy will probably make me happy as well.

3. Be considerate

You should think about others before you say or do something. They have feelings too. This tells me a lot about your personality.

4. Tell me

Talk to me. Tell me when you’re upset or if I have done something to upset you. I’d rather have you come and tell me directly, not having your friend tell me what I have done wrong. Also tell me when you’re happy so I can celebrate with you.

5. Have a sense of humor

Make me laugh and laugh with me. Life would be too serious without a little laughter every now and again.

6. Be there for me

Don’t leave your friends completely for me, because I won’t do that. Just know when I need you and be there for me then.

7. Be understanding and comforting

When I’m upset I complain a lot. Be the shoulder I cry on, and comfort me in times of distress.

8. Don’t smoke or drink.

I despise the smell of both alcohol and cigarettes, they will affect you your health as well as mine, and anyone else around you.

9. Trust me

Trust, the foundation of any relationship; without trust it goes nowhere. When I tell you something, believe me. I (should) have no reason to lie to you.

10. I am who I am, and you are who you are.

I’m going to like you for the person you are, the choices you make and your personality. You should likewise like me for who I am because I’m not going to change. 

Challenge 43: Power

217. What you would do with power

MUAHAHAHAHA! Now I can finally carry out my master plan … WORLD DOMINATION!

I would make everyone that has been mean to me and has truly despised me for no reason slog under the blazing sun, carrying bricks of gold to make statues of me. I would just take what I wanted in any store I entered and have a house in each and every single country. With power I would have everyone looking up to me as a leader that they fear and must follow every command. Every word I say would send shivers down their spine and everything they did would be to please me.

Just kidding. That’s not at all what I would do, even if 0.1% of me might want that. Taking over the world doesn’t always have to be in a negative context, but rather a positive one. I truly believe in what Uncle Ben from Spiderman, said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” With this power, I would be responsible with everything that happened all around the world, and I would make sure that it would be for the best. All the criminals would face harsh consequences, very harsh ones. These consequences would then be all over the media so people would be aware of the consequences they would have to deal with for every crime. This would then decrease the crime rate. I would make sure that all everyone living a middle or high-class lifestyle would constantly keep donating to the poor and unfortunate people of the world. The poor getting what they need and crime rates decreasing are my main goals to accomplish for the greater good with the power I have.

With power, I would also like to make many dreams come true and answer the prayers of many Tibetans by making China give Tibet its autonomy. I would let all Tibetans return to their homeland if they wish and make sure that they have a comfortable life there. 

Challenge 42: Dialogue

247. Write an imaginary dialogue between you and a roommate late at night when the lights are out and neither of you can sleep.

Roommate (R): I’m so hungry.

Me: Eat something, you haven’t brushed yet.

R: Hmmm … what should I eat? Noodles?

Me: How will you cook it?

R: Your boiler :p

Me: Haha, should have guessed. Go ahead, you can use it.

5 minutes later, room filled with the smell of noodles

R: This tastes really good right now. Do you want some?

Me: I already brushed … L

R: It’s okay, just eat. Then you can brush again later when I go and brush.

Me: Sigh. Should I really eat?

R: Yup! Stop asking, I know you want to eat. Just eat.

Me: Okay, okay. J <takes a bite> I can’t believe this.

R: It’s good right?

Me: Yup, pretty good.

<Silence>

Me: Hey, can I use your earphones. I can’t find mine, and I can’t go to sleep, so I think I’ll watch Vampire Diaries.

R: Here you go.

Me: Thanks.

<She keeps eating while I watch Vampire Diaries>

R: You know, that friend of mine still hasn’t said a thing to me yet. I really thought we would’ve spoken by now, but I guess not. What do you think about it?

<Silence>

Me: Were you talking to me?

R: (annoyed) Who else would I be talking to, a ghost?

Me: HAHAHAHH. I’m kind of in the middle of watching something and I have no clue what you’re talking about, so I didn’t think it was me. :p

R: Are you okay?

Me: Yup, can you repeat whatever you were saying again?

R: So, that friend of mine and I are still not talking?

Me: … Oh, that again. Why don’t you just talk first and get it over with?

R: Because, I was the one who spoke first earlier when this happened. I’m not going to be the first person again.

Me: <sigh> You might just lose a really good friend like that. Both of you are too stubborn.

R: I’m not stubborn, he is!

Me: You’re proving my point.

R: Sigh. Anyway, you seem busy watching. I should just let you watch it and not disturb you.

Me: Oh, that’s nice. Thanks.

R: You wanted me to shut up didn’t you?

Me: Haha. Kind of. But you should sleep anyway, because you slept late last night too.

R: True. So, guess I’ll be sleeping then. Goodnight, wan an.

Me: Wan an.

Challenge 41: Super power

218. What super power you would choose

Have you ever wanted to be, look, talk, act like someone else? I have. With this power I have, I am able to be anyone that I choose to be. The super power I have is the same power the mutant Mystique, from the X-Men movies, has. I can transform into whoever I want for whatever purpose for as long as I want, as long as I turn back into my original form (which is me at the moment, not a blue mutant) from time to time.

I would use this power in times of trouble, when someone is going to make the wrong choice. I would transform into them and make the right decision for them, or what I think would be best for the greater good of humanity. I would also use this power to play pranks on my friends every now and again; transforming into a teacher and scolding them for something absurd, or transforming into a super cute guy and asking one of them out (nah, just kidding about that; that would be way too mean). With this power, I would be able to do anything I wish as I can transform into the richest man in the world, to the poorest beggar on the streets. Transforming into someone who lives a more difficult life than me, would allow me to see how other’s live their life. For instance, if I did transform into a rag picker, I would learn to appreciate all that I have and would realize how fortunate I am. This may even lead to me transforming into someone very wealthy to organize a fund raiser for these unfortunate people. By transforming numerous times into numerous different people, I would be exposed to many different working styles and life styles. This would allow me to know what I want to be and how I want to live my life.

Although it might be tempting to transform into a person living a luxurious, easy, life; I would rather choose to be me for most of the time. Every now and again, as I face obstacles and wish to be like someone else, I will do so, and realize that they face obstacles of their own as well. Being me would be my priority, but if a little change is needed, that would be okay too. 

Challenge 40: Not Listening

246. What I think about when I'm not listening.

What I think about when I’m not listening,

Well, it’s obviously not what you’re saying.

I find myself doing this a lot,

And they say it’s called day-dreaming.

It’s usually this I do,

You know, when I’m not listening.

I think about why the sky is blue

Or that why you don’t realize that I’m not interested in you.

If I’m not day- dreaming,

And have a serious kind-of look on my face;

I’m thinking about my worries,

Trying to hard find solutions to all my problems.

If I’m not day-dreaming,

And I don’t have the serious look on my face,

I’m thinking of things that has made me happy;

This brings a smile to my face involuntarily.

I like the last one best,

As I don’t feel like I’m wasting my time.

Well, thinking about it now,

All these three are much like a crime.

When someone is talking to me

I should listen with all intent

This is something I would appreciate

If I wanted someone to listen to me.

Challenge 39: Perfect Home

243. Describe the perfect home

As I look out the window, I see the deep blue ocean, and hear the simultaneous waves crashing on the rocks. This is my home, my dream house, the perfect house; a small two-story cottage, on the edge of the beach, with a porch in the front, and a little garden at the back. As you enter from the front door, you see the living room on the left, with huge glass windows giving you the view of the ocean. The black leather sofa’s compliment the pure white walls, which has pictures of my family and friends stuck on them. Walking on straight ahead is my kitchen and the dining area, and in the corner before reaching the kitchen is a bathroom. The kitchen is filled with bright colors and the fragrance of fresh fruits and baked goods are always lingering. The kitchen also has a back door with a dog flap which leads you to the garden. To the right of the front door, is a shoe rack in which anyone that enters must keep their shoes, and change into a pair of house slippers.

Climbing the stairs past the living room, you see the TV lounge. A 42-inch flat screen TV is placed on the wall facing a comfortable brown couch, and a set of bean bags. Five white doors are visible as you stand in the TV room. One of the two on the left is the prayer room, and the other is my room. The prayer room is filled with the smell of – to offer to the gods. A huge cabinet is present in which there are statues coated in gold of the Buddha, and other Buddhist deities such as the Tara and the Manjushree. As you enter my room, you see a water-bed to your right, and just like the living room, has huge glass windows from which you can see the ocean. On your left is a small corridor which leads to my closet and the on right of the corridor is a door which leads you to my bathroom. My closet will have all the clothes arranged neatly according to color and size. In my room you will also find my dog’s bed, whose colors are the same as my bed. The other three doors on the first floor belong to the guest room, a bathroom, or the study. The study has a large desk in the corner of the room, with a large flat-screen computer (like those you see in the Apple stores :D). It has shelves filled with books, autobiographies, mysteries, comics etc. As that is the last room in the house, you have literally completed the tour of my house.

Challenge 38: Pets

250. If animals could talk, what would your pet say about you?

“Animals are human beings, trapped in the body of that particular animal.” Every time I see an insect or dog, or any other animal for that matter, I hear those words of my mother. The woof of a dog, or a meow of a cat, is the animal’s way of expressing themselves, hoping that we, as their owners, will respond to them.

Throughout my childhood I have had a dog by my side, accompanying me in everything I did. Sindu, my dog, was Pomeranian, a small rusty-orange colored dog that would eat when I ate, sleep beside me on my bed as I slept, and lie on the carpet watching the TV screen intently as I watched my daily dose of cartoons. I got Sindu in the beginning of my 2008 winter vacation. Throughout the holiday I took care of him and a special bond formed between us, something that I never had before with any of my other dogs. Sindu was special.

If animals could talk, Sindu would probably say, “I am very lucky to have been given to Tsewang. She seems to know exactly when I am hungry, and constantly reminds the caretaker to give me water and a snack every now and then. I know she loves me very much, and I do reciprocate the feeling back. Tsewang always talks to me about how she is feeling, especially when she is upset about something; we sit under the dark night sky as she rubs my belly and tell me about the argument she had with her father.  The only thing that I wish she wouldn’t do is carry me around from place to place. My stomach gets pressed a bit too much, and when I squirm to break-free, she holds on tighter. But everything she does shows that she cares for me.”

That’s what Sindu would say, in those two months we had together. However, like every good thing comes to an end, so did my vacation. I hated the fact that I had to leave Sindu behind. Who was going to take care of him the way I did? No one understood him like me! I gave him my last hug and the car zoomed out the gate. As I turned around, I saw Sindu for the last time, waiting patiently at the gate for my return that following evening. Obviously, I didn’t return, and days went by like that.

“Where is Tsewang? She has abandoned me!” Is probably what Sindu would say after I left for school. “Why would she do that? Does she not love me anymore, if so might as well go somewhere else, or maybe even go look for her to see if she is okay.”

After a week in school, I got a call from my mother, a call that I wish was a lie. “Sindu isn’t home anymore honey.”  Is exactly what I remember my mother saying. Did he die? Was the first thought that crossed my mind, but remained quiet as my mother went on. “He didn’t eat for days after you left, and would just wait at the gate, hoping for your return. I have a very strong feeling that he went out in search for you.” I was extremely upset about what had happened, yet that bond I had with Sindu, seemed to have just gotten stronger.

I have no idea where Sindu is now; dog napped, in somebody else’s home, or even reincarnated as a human being. Whatever it may be, he will always remain in my memory as my Sindu. A dog can definitely be man’s best friend. 

Challenge 37: Rain

230. What do you do on a rainy day?

The nursery rhyme, “Rain, rain, go away” reflects my thoughts on rain completely. Getting up to streaks of lightning accompanied with the thunder and the pitter-patter on the roof makes everything so much harder. I can barely get myself out of bed, yet I can’t go back to sleep as the noises heard when it’s raining makes it impossible to do so. While I lie in bed, I think about how horrible walking up to school in the rain will be, and carrying an extra set of clothes always makes my bag heavier. These negative thoughts give a bad start to my day. Walking up to school with slippers on make my feet cold throughout the day, despite changing into proper shoes with a pair of socks, I manage to somehow remain cold. On these rainy week days, classrooms seem to send a cold chill down my spine and each class seems to take forever to come to an end. The grey clouds are the least bit comforting, and having that site outsider every window becomes a bore.

On a weekend, my feelings about the rain remain exactly the same. However, if it is a Saturday in particular, I let my thoughts and feelings choose what I do on a rainy day. Lying in bed for 30 more minutes does in fact change my performance throughout the day. With that extra rest time, I feel more energized throughout the day and make my day more productive. The day officially begins at 10 am when I gobble down a bowl of cereal and clean up my room; once everything is neat and tidy, I go wash up. In the clean atmosphere surrounding me, I find it much easier to finish my work, and finally I reward myself with a break time in which I go watch a movie with my friends.

However, in the morning, if I even exceed the 30 minutes of extra sleep, my whole routine changes. The extra rest makes me more lethargic and I end up staying in bed for most of the day, making it unproductive, and a waste of more than 12 hours.

Challenge 36: Advertisements

190. How does advertising influence people's behavior? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

Advertisements are one of the major methods used by companies and other business corporations to lure customers into buying their products and allowing them to make a profit out of the sales. Advertisements do indeed influence the people of today’s materialistic world where more than half the people buy things because they want to. People like you and me are included in this half of the population.

Advertisements are everywhere. The moment you step out into the streets and look around you see bill boards, flyers and other media related inventions that are advertising products. Even as you lay down on a couch to read the local news paper or switch on the TV, advertisements pop up here and there. These constant reminders of the things you want eventually lead you into buying them. Advertisements can be seen as a predator, surrounding their prey left, right, and center.

I guilty to say that I am a prey, held hostage to the predator. I constantly find myself attracted to the bright colored pages of advertisements in magazines of clothing and shoes. During my 2011 summer visit to Beijing, I was looking through my sister’s magazine, and saw a pair of shoes that I wanted the moment I set my eyes on it. The store was a 15 minute bus ride from where I was staying, and I felt the urge of putting on my shoes and going to buy it right away.

I tried looking at other magazines and surfing the net to get my mind off the shoe, but I my mind constantly went back to that glossy, bright page, which advertised that shoe. In the next five minutes, I had worn my shoes and was walking out to door, going for an “unintended walk.” On that walk, I found myself walking right into the store and buying that shoe.  A part of me was extremely satisfied, but another was a bit guilty. I overcame the guilt by thinking about how I would’ve regretted not buying it.

Advertisements call out to us, and wait keenly for the purchase of that object. It enhances consumerism, which may have a positive impact on the economy, but may do harm to individuals. They alter our minds, making us buy things we can do without, and most of the time, things on advertisements look much better than in real. Sadly, we always seem to fall for them, and pursue their existence.  

Challenge 35: Procrastinate

December 6

232. Ten things you do when you procrastinate

1. Think of reasons to stop the guilt I feel of not doing my work when I should.

2. Catch up on my sleep.

3. Watch a few episodes of my favorite TV show (at the moment), Vampire Diaries.

4. Think of a time when I will finish whatever I am supposed to.

5. Complain about how much work I have.

6. Cook an instant noodle and savor every bit of it, hoping that it will last forever, so I don’t have to get back to my work.

7. Go on facebook and write back to friends whom I have lost in-touch with, and when I’m done with        that play tetris until I run out of energy.

8. Clean up my room and then take a shower, hoping that I will get to work when my surroundings are clean.

9. Go to my friend’s room and talk about … anything actually.

10. Go out for a walk or to the mall. 

Challenge 34: Prison Inmates

181. Should prison inmates be allowed to take college courses? Explain why or why not.

Time is a limited resource. Each day is made up of 24 hours, and each year comprises of 365 days, not including a leap year. Most of those days are spent on studying and learning new things. Receiving a good education is vital in the 21^st century, and those that do not get it at the correct time lose out.

Everybody has the choice of when they want to take a particular college course, if they know they can afford it and will get into college. However, prisoners may not face the same option. They may be restricted from a great opportunity, just because they are stuck in prison. People in jail should definitely be allowed to take college courses as the time they spend in prison will not be of a waste.

Majority of the prisoners do not spend their whole lifetime in prison. They will, some day, be let out and will have to adjust to the outside world, and will have to try and earn a living. Some may even go back to studying, which may be very difficult to get in, in the middle. However, if prisoners are allowed to take college courses, it might be easier for them to get a job and live a normal life. This will help their chances of getting employed.

Education received by prison inmates will probably have a positive impact on their lives. The education they get can help rehabilitate them and give them a chance to interact with people outside prison. They can expand their knowledge outside prison bars and keep will be more up-to-date with how the modern society works.

Challenge 33: BFF :D

205. Describe how you met your best friend

As I stood under the weak sun of early August with my father, I saw this tall, lanky girl, hair braided messily walking down with a Tibetan woman who looked some-what familiar to me. I could tell they were Tibetan, as the woman wore the national dress, chhuba, and they were having a rather dull conversation as they walking down the dorm ramp towards us. The woman greeted my father, and just smiled at me and I reciprocated in a similar manner to both her and the girl behind, who took no interest in my smile and (kind of) just ignored me.

My father and I walked up the ramp to my dorm, Edgehill, and told me that that girl was in my grade. Throughout the walk up, I let my imagination run wild as I thought of her being a mean and obnoxious due to her response to my smile. Her height didn’t really help either, as my head just barely made it above her shoulders.

Once we reached Edgehill, my father made my bed for me as I started taking out my clothes to put into the cupboard. I noticed that that girl had already settled in. The next encounter I had with that girl was in the process of unpacking. It had been an hour or two since our first meeting, and this time she entered the room and just sat on her bed. My father asked her a few questions, but she made little effort in talking back, and “I’m very shy and quiet” was written all over her face. First thing I found that we had in common, feeling awkward to talk to strangers, especially parents.

Later on that evening, as I said goodbye to my father, and tears welled up in my eyes, this girl comforted me and told me that her mother couldn’t come to drop her and that everything was going to be okay. It was a bit weird for someone my own age telling me something like that, nevertheless, it was comforting. We spent the rest of the evening talking about family and friends and played with toys. At night, it was my turn to comfort her as she cried into her pillow.

In those few hours, I knew we would get along. *(Besides, there was no other girl in second grade that lived in dorms, so I had to make do with her.)

*lol. That’s just for “that” girl to read*

Challenge 32: Late night

143. First experiences can be defining. Cite a first experience that you have had and explain its impact on you. (University of Pennsylvania)

Sleeping before 12am has been a regular habit throughout my life. At home, my parents make sure I am asleep by then, and in school I try my best to be in bed by then. However, due to the combination of my procrastination and my work load, I was up way past my bedtime. The fact that we had access to the internet till 12 didn’t help either. I constantly found myself surfing the web to keep me from the monotonous note taking I had to do. Having 20 pages of note and a poster due the next day, I fought sleep until victory was evident. By one in the morning, I was completely awake and had finished half of my notes, and had yet to begin my poster.

I felt no sign of tiredness and was thankful for the cool wind for keeping me wide awake. Now with no distraction in front of me, I worked diligently and finished my last set of notes in half the time it took me to finish the previous one while the internet worked. Once I completed that, I took a five minute break in which I opened a packet of chocolate-chip cookies and savored every bit of it. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I had finished the last cookie.

I sighed to myself as I realized that I still had my poster to complete. As a driving force to keep me working, I thought I would reward myself with a bar of chocolate once I completed the poster. My goal was to finish it in the next hour, and sleep by three. I got a good start to my poster until I realized that I didn’t have all the materials I needed. I frantically looked everywhere for tape, a set of markers and a pair of scissors. By the time I got those, it was past three, and my mission had failed miserably. I finished the rest of my work in a rush and cleaned up the mess and completely forgot about my chocolate. By the time I washed up and got into bed, it was around five and I had a little more than an hour to sleep.

This was the first time I had slept at such an hour on a school day. That very morning I woke up with a sore neck and back. I had dark circles around my swollen eyes, and a runny nose, thanks to the wind that I was so grateful for. Each class was a nightmare as each second seemed to pass by like hours and I handed in a crappy poster. That night, I learnt the importance of a good night’s rest and how I should learn to prioritize my time wisely.

Challenge 31: Spider

90. Describe a humorous experience you have had.

Getting back at my friends has always been an activity that I enjoy planning and get a laugh out of once it has been carried out. I’m sure they feel the same way about it otherwise they wouldn’t continue doing so. Having a friend that comes lays on my bed, spoiling the puffiness of my blanket – something that bothers me a lot – and distracts me by talking about the latest gossip and about anything and everything is not very convenient when there is a lot of work to be done. However, this friend manages to finish all her work, even though she does it in the very last minute. She doesn’t mean to be a distraction most of the time, but she is.

One night, this friend of mine came to my room during study hall, and like always, managed to stray me away from my work. I kept telling her to stay quiet and finish her work, but her moment of silence never lasts for long. She would hum to herself and find any way to distract me, and laugh at my frustration. By the time it was lights out, I still hadn’t finished my work, and my friend had already washed up and was bundled up, snug in her bed. I was furious, I wanted my sleep too!

Half-dozing off, and in range, I managed to finish all my work. By the time I actually finished, my sleepiness had worn off and I was wide awake. My roommate was in the same state and we found ourselves going through our stuff and finding the mysterious items that stayed hidden in our cupboards. Out of the blue, I noticed a black spider the size of my finger on my pillow beside me. Too frightened to scream, I jumped on my roommate’s bed. In the midst of my state of shock I found my roommate laughing hysterically at me. She had thrown a rubber spider on my pillow without me noticing.

She had pulled off the “old rubber spider” prank and I was going to as well. My friend, who was getting a good night’s sleep, is terrified of spiders, and this toy was exactly what I needed to get back at her for my work delay. My roommate and I went to her room, placed the spider on her pillow in between her tangled hair, and turned on the bed lamp. After a minute of taking deep breaths to stop my laughter, I woke her up to and pretended to ask her a very sincere question. In the very next minute I screamed and told her there was a spider on her head. With fear written all over her face she jumped out of her bed and ran out the door. She was boiling with anger as I sprawled myself across her bed and couldn’t stop laughing. She stormed down the corridor and went into a neighboring room to spend the night.

Once I got myself to stop laughing, I went back to my room. That night I went to sleep with an evil grin on my face that I could not wipe out. I felt a sting of guiltiness, but I knew that would pass. Tomorrow was going to arrive in a few minutes, and it would be a new, fresh day.

Challenge 30: Place

182. If you were awarded an expense-paid trip to any one place in the world, where would you go? Why?

“The blue skies and the green pasture is something you cannot find anywhere. I dearly miss the cool trickling streams and the warm sun caressing me in the fields,” said my grandmother with a nostalgic smile across her face. “Do you know why it’s called Lhasa?” my grandmother asked me after a pause. I shook my head from side-to-side as I waited for her to answer the question. “Lhasa is the land of the gods, ‘Lha’ meaning god and ‘sa’ meaning land. The name is fit for the place as it is the prettiest place I have ever been to throughout my whole life. The weather is perfect throughout the year, not too hot in the summer and not too cold in the winter. What more can you ask for?” This is just some of the few things, out of the hundreds, that I remember my grandmother telling me.

Our home country is no longer in the hands of the Tibetan people. Now being under the Chinese government, it is very hard to get a visa, and the only flight into Lhasa is from Kathmandu, Nepal. Being an Indian passport holder makes it even more difficult. Having heard stories about the mystical land throughout my childhood, I have always longed to go there.

My mother is constantly arranging a trip to Tibet, but some member of the family or the other just doesn’t seem to have the time. This expense-paid trip allows me to travel alone and gives me exposure to different people and cultures in different places. I can go see the place for myself and how much it may have changed from all the stories I have heard. Until then, I have to patiently wait until I get a chance to go to the roof of the world. 

Challenge 29: Animal

173. If you had to describe yourself as an animal, what animal would you select and why?

As I walked past the never ending line of transparent glass in the zoo, I caught a glimpse of a group of red pandas scurrying over the branches. As it was one of the few animals that were actually moving around, I found myself standing there, continuing to watch them play around.

Watching the family of red pandas in their captive home, I realized that I was very much like them.

- These animals are dwarfed by their black and white relatives that share the same name. Similarly I am the smallest member in my family and am taken much advantage of.

-They have a variety of things included in their diet (unlike giant pandas), including bamboo. I like to try out new dishes and experiment on things unlike my brother.

-Red pandas are usually very quiet and shy. Likewise, I am quite shy and quiet around people I do not really know.

-These small creatures like to mark their territory; any trespassers are asking for trouble. I hate it when people go through my things or are just occupying my space.

-I would consider myself a morning person, as I don’t find much difficulty in waking up early to get things done. Red pandas too are most active in the early morning hours.

-We (red pandas and I) share our habitat, the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains and in regions of Nepal and China.

-The way we start the day is also something red pandas and I share in common as they wash themselves clean to a fresh start.

-These animals know how to enjoy luxury as it comes as they love massaging themselves. I enjoy every bit of a massage as well; it’s just that somebody else does it on me.

-Rather than facing danger, red pandas try to run away from it. This is something I constantly find myself doing. I hate the feeling of knowing something bad will happen.

Challenge 28: Damon

61. Describe a fictional character. Be sure to point out what you do or do not like about the character and relate these attributes to yourself.

Damon Salvatore is a vampire from the TV show, Vampire Diaries. Holding the stereo-typical image of a vampire (ever since the Twilight saga released) he has strikingly good looks and the charm to melt every girl. His raven black hair contrasts with his bright blue eyes and all this beauty is emphasized when he gives his half-crooked smile. With light literally illuminating from him, Damon gets every girl he wants but one, Elena. The fact that he cannot get her motivates him to try harder, which is something very similar to what I do (not that I do that for guys, but just in general - reverse psychology actually works). However, watching him trying to get her is very annoying, especially because she is in love with his brother, Stephen. I hate seeing how weak he makes himself look in front of Elena and this destroys all the previous images I in mind. In the midst of all this, Damon is still very charismatic as he knows exactly what to say, knows how to have fun, and has a very blunt but enjoyable sense of humor. He is always being practical, though it may sound negative. This is something I find myself doing a lot as well, being negative as it is the truth. As the season’s go on, Damon goes from being the antagonist to a hero-like figure. The third season of the show (which is currently on screen), shows Damon going through all the trouble, taking life-threatening risks to rescue Stephen, who is currently under the compulsion of Klaus, an “original” who is a hybrid, a vampire and a werewolf. The extent he is going to save is his brother is inspiring and in the process shows the importance of a family.    

Challenge 27: Book

48. Name one book you have read in the past year, describe your reason for considering this book significant and what you gained from reading it. (Lewis and Clark College)

I don’t really find myself reading books often. The ones I do are usually recommended by family and friends, and most of the time I have a different opinion on them compared to what they told me. This one book, however, was one that I had to read for my English class. Well, I didn’t have to read it, but I wasn’t going to risk my grade for that ridiculous choice. This book is Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

I thought this classic was going to be horrible just by reading the first two pages as I did not understand the narrator’s mental instability, but all my uncertainties were cleared as I read on and was absorbed into the storyline. Through the novel Kesey depicts modern society and how humans are conforming themselves to fit into society. This harsh truth is depicted by the patients in the asylum and the Combine working on them. I would hate to think that I am being transformed into somebody I am not, but I have to face the fact that everybody else is too and that’s just the way it goes. As times goes on and society progresses with the technological advancements and all the other changes, we have to adapt to it and change from what we were.

By reading this novel I also learnt the meaning of friendship and how big of an impact people can make in our lives. Just because of one person, McMurphy, most of the patients in Nurse Ratched’s ward, grew the courage needed to go against her. The greatest impact McMurphy has is on Bromden, the narrator. Bromden starts off as a patient who is deaf and dumb and does not make use of his physical structure. However, by spending time with McMurphy, Bromden learns to openly speak up and regains the strength he once had. 

Challenge 26: Jogging

186. Jogging has become extremely popular. Explain why you jog or why you don't.

Like every other sport, you enjoy it when it interests you. Every holiday I go to the gym with my father and brother and find myself on the piece of equipment that I enjoy using the most, the treadmill. With music blasting in my ears, my body paces itself to the rhythm of the song.

I have entered the world of my thoughts. While jogging all my worries disappear as I try to reach my goal which I set for the day. Many a times I think about inspirational, happy things (winning a race preferably) and memories that encourage me to keep going. The swish of my hair and the soft, cadenced thumping on the treadmill comforts me as my legs keep moving. Any and all signs of negativity and tiredness are drowned by the booming music. After the first few steps, I feel a tingle in my fingers and a shiver runs down my spine. But all this fades away in time the blood rushes through my body and gets me going.

This time spent in the gym allows me to bond with my father and brother who run on the treadmills beside me. I find running alongside people much more enjoyable than running alone. My brother and I often compete with each other, and this prepares us for the races we have to run in school. By the end of the jog, my body is no longer in a tensed state. Rather, it has relaxed and I am filled with a sense of satisfaction. Jogging is one of the few exercises that I enjoy and keeps me fit.