Asians at my school are among the best at making me feel excluded because of my race. No, not all Asians do this and not even all Asians at my school, but the ones that do make me feel horrible and unwelcome.

Powerful and enlightening

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2011/2/17/harvard-many-feel-out/

Cara Marie Terlep. You are an asset to the world and a beautiful friend. Thank you for everything you do, I am so lucky to have you in my life.



(P.S. -- Anyone else miss the days that we used to take class pictures because we grew into funky awkward forced but totally great little families bonding over our mutual suffering in Martilla or APEC?) I know I do

I really want to not be here for the sake of having something besides 'here' to talk about. I want to go to Hodads with James, listen to music and hang out at the beach.

"I woke up and the first thing I said was 'ahhh womats!'"
"And I've been having recurring dreams about crocodiles"
"I had a dream that I shrunk and was living in half of a chimney and half of a semi-truck and I had to run away from normal-sized people"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Injustice is not culture.

I just scrolled through my facebook for a year's worth of posts. I lost a lot of myself when I came to college. This quarter is better than last, and next quarter will be even better. I'm learning important lessons in class and in life, but I don't think I'm meant to stay here, it's too stifling. I feel comfortable and complacent and I know I am meant to be neither. This isn't about ragging on where I am now, it's about appreciating the good wherever I am and seeing possibility in my future.

Dear (what seems like) everyone at my school,

STOP making rape/murder jokes. They're NOT funny.

Today was one of those days that life is just incredible. Looking back at how great the past few weeks, though they had their fair share of frustrations, I realize how great my life is. All the frustration is really just a product of my own negative attitude. In this first month of 2011 and of spring quarter I've learned a TON about life, friendship, myself, modern Israeli history, economics, the global food supply, healthcare disparities, and the world itself. I've been to two concerts, a poetry reading, a lecture on democracy in Iran, went to Monterey for the first time, spent time volunteering, met great new people, donated blood, and watched some incredible documentaries. In the next month I'm going to work on a Habitat for Humanity build, go to a few parties, attend a teach-in regarding Egypt and its implications on the Arab world, go to art gallery openings, help at a garden party, see a talent show, raise money for our Relay for Life team, see Chem, go to the Chinese New Years parade in San Francisco, go to a dance, and hopefully finish it off with some solid midterms and a kayaking/backpacking trip. I am so fucking lucky.

To the people who read emails that I very clearly sign "Katie" and go on to address me as "Kathleen" -- take the time to read the email and remember my name instead of glancing at the name that comes up automatically. I am courteous enough to do this for you, please pay me that same courtesy.