COVID-19 Graduation Reflection
September 24, 2020
It is now September 2020 and it seems like the COVID-19 pandemic started just yesterday. It has all passed by in a flash. The pandemic has given me many blessings but also many things to reflect upon.
When I graduated college in May of 2020, I had no idea what to expect. I had no idea what I would do post-grad; I was afraid of the unknown. I am someone who plans every little thing, and this was the worst-case scenario for me. Even though I was scared, the COVID-19 pandemic has taught me many lessons.
1) Taking a break from school, social media and life is OKAY
2) Our community bond is EVERYTHING
3) Be compassionate to other people; you may not know what they're going through
Once I graduated, I realized I was being super selfish. Why was MY class the one to not walk the stage at graduation? Why did I have to miss out on all of the fun graduation activities? Why did this pandemic have to come NOW once everything was beginning to fall into place? I just wanted a few more days with my friends by my side.
However, I soon realized that not planning the future may have been a blessing for me. After spending two months at home, I was finally able to move into my new apartment in Baltimore. I was getting ready to be a grad student full time.
In Baltimore, I was going on more walks and going to campus often. I got a job as a preschool teacher at one of my local churches. I was able to find God again in such a dark time in my life. I also met someone who has made me incredibly happy. We bonded a lot during this pandemic and our relationship is now going strong. It was truly such a blessing to have him in my life during such a confusing and scary time in our lives. He has become someone who I have now been able to call my person.
Overall, even though COVID-19 may have been unexpected for a lot of us, it has truly given me time to reflect on the blessings in my life. It has helped me build my relationships with new people and with God, to make them even stronger.
HUGE shoutout to Borden Media for the amazing photos!
https://bordenmedia.wixsite.com/bordenmedia
Spain Reflection
May 25, 2020
As COVID-19 is still in full effect, I am taking this time to reflect on the good things I was so blessed to have done in my life before the pandemic struck.
A week before the country went onto lockdown, I had the opportunity to travel to Spain for spring break with two of my closest friends. The fact that I was still able to go on the trip was a blessing since the virus was just starting to spike in Europe.
This was the first international experience I had that Loyola was not a part of. In my past travel experiences, they were either a part of my time studying abroad or on study tours. This trip, my friends and I completely planned together. Since this was my first trip abroad without having my college involved, it was my most relaxing trip to date because we got to create our own schedules.
And with a lot of shopping, eating and exploring later...Spain became one of my favorite places.
I grew a lot personally from this trip. Since it was a more laid back and relaxed trip, I had the opportunity to reflect on my blessings more. Being in Spain and traveling abroad during COVID-19 made me think: How am I living? How do I want to live? I began to realize that every day was a blessing in disguise. Especially since it was the week before the United States went onto lockdown, you never know when opportunities such as traveling could be taken away from you in an instant. During this pandemic, I began journaling again and really reflecting on the little blessings in my life. I wanted to better myself.
Is there somewhere you can strike a balance to make a difference in your life? Of course, there is. The room for improvement always has walls that grow higher and wider every day. How you see yourself and how you act must harmonize. If they do not, this creates cognitive dissonance, which leads to doubts, fears, inaction, and worst of all, the wrong actions.
My goal during this pandemic was to create a list of my standards and actually live by them. Just like with me traveling to Spain, you never know when those opportunities could be taken away. Live each day as a blessing.
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. -Psalm 107:2
March 2020 Update
March 15, 2020
I am lost for words with what is happening around us.
2020 was supposed to be our year...a year of traveling, a year of graduating, a year of growth.
However, in the time span of 1 week, that all changed for me.
When I heard the news of the Loyola Maryland campus evacuation, my mind was full of uncertainty. The uncertainty that I would see my friends again. The uncertainty that I would even graduate with my class. My mind has been in shambles and I am struggling to process what is happening around me.
Loyola did not give me the option to stay on campus. I had to drive back to Connecticut last Friday. I tried to stay on campus as long as possible but the school did not give us the option to stay on campus. Going home for me is a toxic and negative environment. I try to go home as less as possible. However, I am now in Connecticut until after Easter (if the evacuation does not get extended). As I have been at home, I am trying to take time to reflect on the situation, because there's nothing left to do but to stay positive.
I wanted a year of traveling.
Even though my year of traveling was cut short due to the Coronavirus. However, I am thankful for the time I had traveling so far. I had the opportunity to go to Vietnam and Spain with my best friends. We had the mindset to make the most of our senior year and I am glad we got to spend time together before departing campus. To Olivia and Leah, I am thankful to have you two in my life. You have both brought me so much joy into my life when I was internally struggling. You have made my senior year at Loyola the best school year of my life and I can never repay you for that. I am glad we had the opportunity to go on at least two trips together before our senior year was cut short.
I wanted a year of graduating.
During the months of March and April, Loyola hosts many events for our senior class. As the weather gets warmer, the campus becomes more alive with students anxious to spend time outside and take in all the beauty Loyola has to offer. These were the memories I was looking forward to ever since freshman year. These two months were stolen from us. I am looking forward to moving to Baltimore in May. I am praying that Loyola makes up to the senior class what the world has taken from us this year. This is truly troubling times but we must ensure we stay positive with the odds we have been given.
I wanted a year of growth.
As I was looking around my room today, I was drawn to my orchid. Seeing my orchid grow despite all of the craziness outside is the gentlest reminder that growth will happen despite the disruption. This has reminded me to keep my head up (and drink water and get sunlight) and I'll be growing through these troubled times too. We all have to remember that conversations will not be canceled. Relationships will not be canceled. Love will not be canceled. Songs will not be canceled. Reading will not be canceled. Self-care will not be canceled. Hope will not be canceled. I am going to take this time to grow internally.
May we all lean into the good stuff that remains.
For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. -Micah 7:8
What to Wear in South East Asia
January 26, 2020
It's been 2 weeks since I landed back in Baltimore from my trip to Vietnam. It still feels like a dream!
I wanted to write a blog post on fashion while traveling to South East Asia since my outfits were such a big part of my experience there. Below, I have listed a few tips for fashion while traveling in South East Asia!
1) Dress to Explore
During my experience in Vietnam, climbing and hiking were two essential parts of my trip. Even though fashion is a huge part of my life, I had to keep in mind that every outfit I brought had to be practical for exploring. Thus, I wore a lot of flowy pants and good walking shoes. Even though it was hot, sandals were a BIG NO NO. Overall, make sure you're dressed to get the most out of your trip.
2) Dress Cool
As I stated above, I wore a lot of flowy pants. That's because South East Asia is HOT! Even though you may look cute with your hair down and makeup prepped at the beginning of the day, by noon your hair will be up and makeup off! Just make sure your outfits reflect how hot it is.
3) Dress Conservatively
One thing I was super excited to experience during my time in South East Asia was the Buddhist temples. However, most temples require you to have your shoulders and knees covered. Even though some days were planned to go into temples, other days we just found cool ones on our hikes. It would be most respectful to dress conservatively while going into these temples. With this being said, the heat is still a major factor. I wore a lot of long skirts and light flowy tops to ensure I was always covered while staying cool.
4) Bring a Backpack
Nothing screams explorer more than having a backpack to carry everything in. I loved my Fjällräven Kånken bag. My roommate and I both got them for this trip for Christmas and they hold so much! We both got the regular sized bag; mine was in Peach Pink and hers was in Super Grey. However, my other friend just brought her regular school backpack and it held just as much stuff!
My Vietnam Experience
January 13, 2020
10 days was not enough time to do the beautiful country of Vietnam, the justice it deserves. But with many planes, people, rivers, and noodles later...I am finally back in the United States to start my last semester of college!
I did a lot of city-hopping over 10 days, but here are just a few of my favorite experiences. A full video of all my excursions is attached in a link below!
Mekong Delta River, South Vietnam
On our first day in the country, we went to the Mekong Delta River. We had the opportunity to go on sampan rides along the canal to get to a restaurant that was further down the river.
At the restaurant, we listened to traditional Vietnamese music and ate local fruits (my favorite was definitely dragon fruit!) This was a great way to get introduced to the country and the culture right off the bat.
However, even though we were on the water, the area was scorching! So, of course, I got a fan to help cool off. Throughout my trip, I ended up buying 5 fans because they were so beautiful!
Finally, one of my favorite parts of the day was drinking coconut water out of a real Vietnamese coconut! It was definitely better coming from the country of origin itself!
Ho Chi Minh City, South Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh city was more beautiful than I expected, which made it one of my favorite places.
We also went to the Cu Chi Tunnels that day. These tunnels were used by the Viet Cong to carry out military operations during the Vietnam War. These tunnels expended through most of the southern part of the country. We had the opportunity to go inside tunnels too (which if you are claustrophobic, I would not recommend you do.)
As a history geek, it was an excellent way for me to experience the time period in a way that was only described in books.
After our morning at the tunnels, we went back to the city for a walking tour. During the visit, we saw the infamous Town Hall and Post Office.
Ha Long Bay, North Vietnam
One of the most popular places to travel in Vietnam is Ha Long Bay, which is considered to be a UNESCO World Heritage site. Most of the karsts in the bay are made from limestone and contain many caves.
We took a 4-hour junk boat tour around the area where we had the opportunity to kayak and have lunch. Even though I was getting over a stomach bug, I got the last two days of the trip (Unfortunate right...) I still had a great time looking at God's beautiful creations. I would definitely say you haven't really been to Vietnam if you didn't go to Ha Long Bay.
Marble Mountain and the My Son Temple Ruins, Central Vietnam
My beyond favorite day of the trip was when we visited Marble Mountain and the My Son Temple ruins. I had no idea what to expect when our guide said we were going to a Buddhist temple on the top of a mountain, but it completely blew me away.
The mountain itself is actually a cluster of 5 separate mountains that represented 5 elements: water, fire, wood, metal, and earth. The mountain had many caves and temples to explore. My favorite part was the beautiful views overlooking the city of Da Nang.
That evening, our guide took us to the My Son Temple ruins. The Hindu temples were created by the Cham of Vietnam people in the 14th century. I was blown away by the jungle surrounding the temple sites and the amount of war destruction that still remains today.
After running around the country for 10 days, I had a lot of time to reflect on my experiences. Before this trip, I would have never thought I would have had the opportunity to go to Vietnam. I am so thankful to Loyola University Maryland for giving me yet another experience to study abroad (third time's a charm!) Now that I am in my last semester of college, I keep thinking about all of the experiences and friendships I have been apart of since I joined the Loyola family.
Experiences and traveling and taking risks to shape us all into better people all around. To be a good person, you have to meet good people and surround yourself with people who you aspire to be like. It's okay to let go and focus on yourself. Go out and see beautiful places and meet people different from you. One thing is for sure, you won't return home the person you were before.
"The world is a vast place, but the soul is infinite."
If you want to view the video I created of my Vietnam experience, check out the link below!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu6tUjPQZ_M
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