musings of a college student

This picture puts a smile on my face every time I look at it haha. It was around this past Christmas during winter break when I went back to Washington. I unfortunately got a parking ticket in Seattle and had to pay it off at the Seattle Municipal Court….without my parents finding out of course XD

Afterwards, I went up to Shoreline where my cousin Diane lives and hung out with her and her family for the evening. We ended up playing GoStop and enjoying some 갈비탕 (probably one of my favorite Korean dishes). Since it was the holidays, Diane and I took these ridiculous pictures and started posting them on  people’s facebook as Christmas cards.

I’m glad we get to spend time together like this and got so much closer this year (: She’s like the older sister I never had who constantly has to worry about  me getting into whatever crazy situations I get into.  I’m glad our relationship progressed from scratching/hair-pulling to what it is now. Love ya cuz ❤

So four days into the challenge, and I already failed. I’m gonna cheat a little.

I realized that this is the only picture I have that I’m in with my parents… And it’s actually in a picture frame, so I had to re-take the picture with my camera…fail. I guess I’m not much of a photo guy in that even if I do take pictures, I don’t really do much about it. I see people with a bunch of photos of a lot of their friends or family members hung up in their rooms, but this is my only one. And I wouldn’t have even thought of it until my mom shipped it to me cause I forgot to take one after winter break :3

Parents….wow. If I think about it, being an only child, I received a lot of love from my parents. Not saying that children from big families don’t, but I got to spend a LOT of one-on-one time with one of them and definitely remember a fair share of memories of “just us three.” I guess before college, especially during my senior year, I was so excited to get out. So excited to leave my parents and all their nagging to go far away into a place more or less outside of their jurisdiction. But it’s been tough without them sometimes because they understand (for the most part) that I’m an adult now and that I should be making more decisions on my own. So they kinda let me be…Exactly what I wanted, but you never know what’s gonna happen around the corner, right?

But they’re always a call away. Seriously. Honestly, I sometimes ignore their phone calls because I’m sleeping or I’m really busy or I just don’t want to hear their nagging. And really, it’s all up to my choice. They’re not here physically to enforce contact. But whenever I have a question or I seek their opinion on something, they’re more than ready to talk to me. I guess it’s a parents’ love that I don’t understand…

I seriously love my parents more than anything or anyone. I’ve spent 18 years of my life living under one roof with them. I guess sometimes I do not see how much of a blessing it was to have this continuity. And of course, we had our share of problems. A lot actually. But through and through, we’ve stuck it out and made it this far. Nowadays, I’ve been told by so many others and can tell from my own interactions with them that my parents are really trying to give me more credit and more respect for my own thoughts, especially since I had such a hard time with my dad about this.

My dad never gave in for anyone, no matter what the argument was about, even if he was the one clearly in the wrong. This angered me so much because there was simply no justice sometimes. But even with that, I can tell he’s changed so much. He’s actually gotten quite emotional and kinda gets upset if I don’t call him everyday. At first I saw it as a burden, but now I can see that this is a type of father-son relationship that not everyone gets to enjoy. I should make use of it more and develop it.

My mom has always impressed me with her faith and always keeps me in her prayers. And she makes note of this continuously, almost to the point of where it’s like she’s telling me that I can’t screw up cause her and so many others are praying for me haha.. But seriously, my mother has one of the gentlest hearts I know. She tells me she only became tough and sharp-tongued after raising me (:

Out of sight, out of mind doesn’t quite work with them – and they make it point to prove that saying wrong. I love my parents so much.

So this was me around six or seven. I think I can still remember parts of this day. The little girl pictured next to me is Esther Yim, a good family friend. We literally knew each other for our whole lives, even graduating from the same high school together. On this day many, many summers ago, our families went to the zoo. I’m guessing it was the Point Defiance Zoo, which is the only zoo within reasonable driving distance from my childhood home.

It would be impossible to return to a time like this, when nothing really mattered. I barely started school, so there was no pressure for academic performance. My mother fed me. My father played with me. I was very loved by my family. I had toys. I had friends. Can there ever be a more idyllic time than this?

Maybe the only explanation I have for having to live a “grown-up” life is that as we become more mature and begin to understand things at a deeper level, we can attain a higher level of happiness. Previously, we would take for granted something and only accept it for its face value. Maybe now we can understand the giver’s intent, fulfill the gift’s meaning, and attend to the sentimental value.

But is this all worth it? Losing the child-like innocence and being thrown into a crazy world? Maybe it’s not. But it’s what we get, so why not make the most of it?

Name: Jason Hyun Kim (김현진)
Age: 18
Height: 5’9″
DOB: 07/22/1992
Blood Type: B
Hometown: Tacoma, WA/University Place, WA
Current Location: Atlanta, GA
Schools: Harbor Elementary, Sunset Primary, Drum Intermediate, Curtis Jr. High, Curtis Sr. High, Tacoma Community College, Emory University
Occupation: Student/Work Study Office Slave Assistant

Picture:

the fun begins.

1. I’m a Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology major. ooo~ahhh~ <– (I find it funny when people react like this. Please don’t react like this.)

2. I’m actually an introvert. Most of me happens on the inside (:

3. I pierced my ears.

4. I didn’t tell my parents I pierced my ears. I love them, but please don’t tell them I pierced my ears.

5. I’m Korean, and I take immense pride in it. But I don’t let that keep me from seeing the pride in other cultures too.

6. I don’t like wearing shoes very much. I like to liberate my feet.

7. I love people! People and interpersonal relations are so interesting. I could watch people for hours. (creepy)

8. I have big plans. Big dreams. But a lot more goes into planning than into action.

9. Music is my passion. Seriously one of the only things that can make me genuinely happy. Unfortunately, I don’t have time for it anymore…

10. I think “eclectic” is a good word to describe me. There are many inconsistencies about my character.

11. Sometimes I don’t care about my own well-being as much as I should.

12. Objectivity in neutrality seems to almost always be the best option.

13. When I’m not thinking about my future, I’m busy dwelling on the past.

14. I tend to over-medicate myself. Need drugs? I got plenty!

15. I appreciate the little things in life cause they keep me going. Lunch with a friend, a random cheerful text message, whatever. I appreciate it all (: