Are You Even Listening To Me?

Ever been in the situation where you're waiting for the "right" time to speak and then when you've just started speaking, someone interrupts you and starts their own bloody conversation. 

Yeah, my life.

It can get tiring repeating everything you've just said because the other person wasn't listening. It doesn't make it seem worth it because they'll probably won't listen again. It can be awkward when you do say everything, and then no one actually replies or ignores you. Doesn't it just make you feel uninteresting?

Either that, someone has to interrupt my conversation, start a new topic and everyone else focuses on that instead. I feel like giving up. It's rude. 

I end up not talking most of the time and just listen. 

Stop Judging My Food.

I grew up with a Chinese background and like any other Asian, we have eaten some weird stuff. Some taste good. Others..NOPE! But I'm a BBC (British Born Chinese), so growing up as a Chinese person in a Western culture - it makes people question what you eat. 

I have been at university for three years now. Finished. And during my time, I have encountered many people looking displeased over my meal. It wouldn't be anything strange either - sometimes a bowl of ramen noodles. 

But so many have judged and said unnecessary comments before I had even started eating my food. BITCH DON'T DISTURB MY ME TIME. All I wanted to do was eat in peace and enjoy my foods. Why was it so hard to ask? Why did people have to open their mouths and think they were being useful by pointing out something moot?

People will judge food on its look and smell, but will never try it. How do they know it's not goddamn tasty? 

"Ermaagherd, like, ew. I knoooow it's nasty. It looks like a bag of worms."

Well then. More for me. 

It's their loss. If they're like this over food, imagine someone else's culture. Are they not going to accept that too? Heck, food is culture. 

They can't keep being close-minded, otherwise they won't experience anything new. OR ANYTHING AT ALL. 

They can't go to a new country and start insulting their food and culture. They'll get more than they bargained in their "chicken burger".  

Some need to have respect for other people and think before they speak. 

Stop ruining my meal. It's my food, not yours. 

Opinions.

I express myself through blogging. Not so much vlogging - I can hardly speak properly so no luck there.

Some find my blogs interesting. Some don't like what I say. Some have asked me to delete blog posts. I say NOPE! 

Never let anyone dictate what you write. Unless you've written something really offensive then yeah, majority vote.

I normally write about my life. It's what I know well so why not write about it. 

It's going to be the cliche, "If you don't like it, don't read it." But it's true though. If you don't like it, goooo awaaaaay. 

Dealing With Negativity.

When I was younger, if someone insulted me or was being very negative towards me - I didn't know how to deal with it. 

No one tells you how to handle bad things that come your way. I think I used to bottle it up and not talk to anyone about it.

The way I handle it now in through blogging. It can be so much to process when you get annoyed or angry or someone is being just plain shitty. I like writing things down. It gives me a clearer picture of everything because it's right there in front of me. 

When it's in your head, it's all over the place. One thing you think about would clash with another and then for some reason remember what they said 7 years ago which wouldn't have anything to do with it. Basically, you become emotional. 

I do let out a cry now and again. Actually, ever since being placed on the Pill - I have become such an emotional wreck. I can cry over someone getting me the wrong McMuffin meal. It's that simple. 

I guess this is my very public diary. Many would say to ignore it completely. I do, do that but I must let it out first, otherwise it'll be built up inside me all the time. It's a nice time to reflect as well. 

PS You ever upset me, you're going on here.

Being A Teenager Was Hard.

When I think of a 'teenager', I think of my sister. She's the typical stereotype: stroppy, anti-social in family gatherings, selfie obsessed, "whatever" - the list can go on.

I was definitely this kind of teen.

Being a teenager - you think your life is over. FOREVER! I HATE YOU! Yeah, that era. 

You are landed with so many expectations - be popular, get good grades, look amazing, have loads of friends, have every social networking platform on game as well as your eyebrows. It's a wonder how they ever sleep at night.

Seriously though, everything needs to be spot on. 

My sister is going through the phase of being "mean" and trying to look older. Jail bait. I really hated that phase because I look back now and realise how stupid I looked.

It feels like bitchy/mean girls run the world from the ages of 12-16. After that, you realise they ain't shit. You are. They don't run your life. You do. Sure they can call you ugly or fat or whatever they think is "cool", they're nasty at the end of the day. 

With trying to look older, who are you trying to impress? When I was younger, I was trying to impress guys. My parents said that I was "mature", but no one has fun being mature. I'm the opposite now. It's hilarious seeing my sister trying to act 18 when in reality, she's only just come out of the womb. 

It also seems like as a teen that looks are E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.

If you are a teenager, then please - stay looking young as long as possible. Time flies and you'll look back realising how much time you wasted trying to be "cool" or putting menial things at the top of your list. 

Another tip I will give is listen to your parents. GOD I KNOW! SUCH A CHORE! But your parents were teens once (duh!) and they will want to give you as much wisdom as possible. They may shout at you but they do it out of love (and also because you're being a right fucking pain in the bum). 

This can be one of the greatest times of your life but can also be the worst. You'll be okay though if you have the right people around. 

Good luck!

The Eyebrow Dilemma.

When I was 11, my eyebrows used to be very bushy.

Good bushy because I could shape them, but having facials for over 10 years, it's affected my eyebrows.

They're an odd shape now and I wish I stopped my beauty therapist from waxing anymore but I trusted her to know what shape fitted me. 

Luckily my eyebrows are black but because I'm Chinese, you can see each individual eyebrow hair. They're not perfectly meshed together. My boyfriend has amazing eyebrows - shape and a good amount.

I never dare to colour them in and wear it out because every time I attempt, they look like a pair of slugs and I've even asked my sister to draw them on like she does with hers and nothing looks good. Trust me, it does not look natural. 

BEFORE

 AFTER

I've been trying to let my eyebrows grow again because I don't want to end up with over plucked eyebrows which is what plenty of girls have done to themselves. Because of this, they end up drawing hideous ones that cover most of their forehead. It makes you question where they got their inspiration from.

In the end, I am no professional and my eyebrows cannot be saved. They curve like a bracket, therefore I will never colour them in. 

Who Likes Confrontations?

Er, not me.

I don't know how some people do it. How do people have the heart and balls to confront somebody, without getting nervous?

I've only done it a couple of times and the times that I have, my blood was boiling. I would have to be angry or very very annoyed. But other than that, I'm quite laid back. 

Sometimes I think that these people do not deserve my time for me to get angry about but at the same time, they need to hear some truths. 

The ones who confront people often (especially face-to-face) are quite scary. I wouldn't know what to say to somebody. I would probably freeze, say a few words that don't make sense and then walk away. Then seconds later, I would have the perfect response but of course it's too late. 

Why brain why.

Confrontation isn't a great way to communicate but some things need to be said. My heart beats too fast for it to be a smooth face-off. 

Timing is everything as well, and also the location. 

Others who like confrontations do it to be intimidating or shit stirring. 

Run, Rex, Run!

Using My Phone In Public.

It's a really bizarre feeling when you're not on your phone and um, everyone else is. 

It's like they're zombies, except they're not after your brains and they constantly bump into you or stand there like a numpty. And I wonder, do I do that??

When I see everyone on their phones out in public, I instantly put my away if it's out. Candy Crush Soda can wait until later.

I feel it can be embarrassing because you're all doing to the same activity. 

When was the last time people actually spoke to each other? I don't think I've look someone in the eye in a long time. Apart from my boyfriend, I stare into his eyes. 

EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. 

Jokes. I'm normally asleep before him. He would stare at me instead when I'm sleeping. 

I go into a cafe, a park, walk through town, be in a classroom - everyone is the same. It's like our phones have us under hypnosis. My mother is a victim. And my father. They cannot be away from their phones. They get the shakes. 

What we've been doing recently when we have dinner out is put our phones in the middle of the table. Good idea tbh. Only because my mother likes to go on her phone, we tell her to get off it because it's rude and she replies with, 'Why, what are we going to talk about?' and carries on talking to her friends online. You'd think she was a teenager. We don't know what to say to that response, just can't believe she says it. 

WE FAMILY! WE TALK ABOUT ANYTHING!

*sigh* Ah well. 

YouTube Comments Are Mean.

I am an avid watcher on YouTube. 

I've been on YouTube since 2007 and the comment section recently is shocking. The YouTube community is meant to be full of support and love but it really isn't the case anymore.

Young YouTubers such as Zoella and PointlessBlogTV - they get hate. They let people over the Internet have an insight into their private lives and what do they do in return? Judgement.

With Zoella, she left the Internet for a few days because it was getting too much. She released a book then admitted that she had a ghost writer and then people started bashing her. I can understand why these haters can be so overwhelming and just bad for YouTube.

With YouTubers who are parents like AprilJustinTV, itsJudyTime, Bubzvlogs - also bloggers and yet, people over the Internet were telling them how to raise their child. Even though the users were not parents and they were also very young. They were quick to judge other people, even though they have no knowledge in the area. It's also not their kid. 

They're all unnecessary comments. People have the mightiest ego in front of the computer but if they ever were to meet these YouTubers, I bet they wouldn't even say anything. 

I've started making videos and I don't know how I'm going to feel when I get my first hate. Hopefully I won't. But my videos aren't going anywhere so that's okay. 

But seriously, when you write a nasty comment - who is it going to help? You? Oh well then good for you. These YouTubers willingly put their lives out on the Internet and then get told off for living the way they do. 

So many Internet users are so ungrateful. They hate what they are watching and yet they are too nosey to stop. Oh, and they've also got to write a comment just in case the YouTube doesn't know how much they hate the video.

Seriously? You must know every YouTuber reads their comments. 

One good thing about these comments is that I can use them for my dissertation. An insight into the commentary. The good and the bad. 

You Like Me But You Don't?

Humans are a funny creation. The body is built with function organs and a mind of our own to control, with an ability to produce opinions and therefore, emotions are created. Sometimes, these emotions clash with whats morally right and wrong, what's good and evil and most of all, common sense.  

To be honest, people are strange. Whatever we do, people will either hate us or really love us.

But why is it when we are so nice to another human people and then we do one little thing wrong and suddenly we're the bad guys? Did you forget about all the nice things we've done for you? We are the nice people. It's not in our nature to be nasty.

Whereas for people who are bitches from the beginning and then they do ONE nice thing [something menial] and suddenly you love the pants out of them and all is forgiven. 

I don't understand. 

Common sense comes into play - you know they're bad people but for some reason, they're being excused? And then when a good, hearted person does something wrong accidentally or you took it the wrong way - you hate them. EH?

I don't want to know how your mind works. You sound dumb. You don't know who's good in your life. 

Leave ma life. Go away. 

Plans For After University?

I DON'T KNOW!

I don't really believe how quickly it has come around. When I was a first year, I thought, 'Mate, we've got ages yet." WRONG!

I'm going to be graduating this year and I get asked this every single time by a different person.

So, what are your plans for after your degree?

Gulp. *run away*

In all honesty, I don't know. Internships? Jobs? Work abroad? So many choices. My approach is usually see what happens or what comes my way but I know it will not work that way. 

I've been applying but it's still scary. 

My worry is that my degree won't be useful or I won't be in an area that I studied for. It does happen so I'm prepared for it. 

I do wish I was more organised and had something planned out. We're all so concentrated with essays and making the most out of university that we forget about the life after. Or we're in denial. Could be all of it.

Can I just take a nap instead? Plez. 

University Friends vs Friends Back At Home

It's a difficult situation to be in because one half of your friends are working full-time and the other half is trying to get a degree. And some don't even want to mix with each other because they're in different areas of their lives.

I'm the degree part but doesn't mean I'm not friends with people who work. I don't want to isolate people because at the end of the day, we all have the same goal - have a job and earn money.

The difficulty I mentioned is balance. 

Balancing the time to see each other when we're home. Balancing out topics during conversations - everyone won't be sharing the same experience's and may get jealous or bored. This is one problem one of my friend's had, and I just felt angry. Well, not angry. Annoyed mainly because the situation that occurred was rude. 

I stopped being friends with one girl (Girl1) for various reasons but me and this girl are mutual friends with another girl that I'm good friends with, and regularly meet for coffee when I'm back from Southampton. (Sorry for the very long sentence)

Anyway, my friend started her degree at a college for the first two years and then completed her last year at a university. I was happy for her what ever she did but quite happy that she went to university because I think she has always wanted the "university experience". 

She went to university and would come back for holidays. When I met up with her, she said that she had met up with Girl1 and Girl2. Each time they had met up, they never asked about her about how university was. They didn't go you see, so I don't know whether they felt no common ground if they asked or that they felt other things. No idea. It's out of politeness to ask because that was her life at the time and I'm sure they were a little bit curious. 

When I met up with her, I would ask her so many questions about how university was going, who were flatmates were, what the course was like and everything. But maybe because I know about the subject more than the other girls because I went. 

I guess it seemed like the best of both worlds but it wasn't.

Apparently they would usually talk about themselves, how much money they were making and how many boys they had kissed. I can see that. When I was still friends with one of them back then, she kept saying how much money she was making, how many discounts she was given and the amount of clothes she bought, only for her to give it to charity straight after. I got bored of the conversations. Only because it was bragging and I thought with all of that money, she'd start saving it for a house or something for the future, but she just kept spending it. It's not my place to tell something how to live or advise how they should spend their money. They're old enough to know.  

One thing that bugged me was that whenever my friend would again meet up with these girls, they would (I guess) talk about work and then turn to my friend and say, "Oh, you 'university people' wouldn't understand." THE FUCK?

Huh? Am I not getting something here? Do you think we are a different kinds of species or something? Do you think we are thick? Why you trying to alienate us?

We 'university people' will be part of your group one day, it's just delayed because well, of a degree and debt. 

We are not above you if you are thinking that. We also don't think you're below us either because you have not experienced the university life. Heck, I don't even know how to do tax or even got the hang of bill money so that's going to come as a surprise for me.

Back to the point, I could tell my friend was annoyed at the fact that they kept separating full-time workers to people who went on to higher education. It's not nice. My friend is only one person and these two girls kept saying shit. I would feel pretty miffed and isolated. Two girls against one. I felt annoyed for her because of the way they were treating her as something different. Is that what friendship is? How can friendship be like this over education? 

My friend is now working full-time so hopefully their stupid talk has stopped.

Anyway, with my university friends [people I've met here and friends from home who have gone to university], I guess it was inevitable that we would get on. We're all going through the same experience and so we could natter about everything that we encountered so far. 

I feel for the people who never went. If I didn't go and had plenty of friends who went and came back with all these new stories and experiences, I would feel left out and feel that we have nothing in common. 

But good friendship won't let that get in the way. Everyone will be going through experiences at different parts of their lives. Whether you're traveling, working abroad, having a family, doing a PhD or taking care of 30 cats - as long as you are open in sharing experiences and listening. 

If you don't have the ability to listen to your friends or ask how they are then mate, you're rude.

PS I still like some of my friends back at home. I just feel sad when they leave out people who went to university and vice versa. It's not fair and not nice. 

What Defines Us Is How Well We Rise After Falling

I follow a YouTube channel called JK News, a news style channel where they express their opinions over articles sent by subscribers and I consider myself a fan. I have watched all of their videos and agree with what they have to say.

In the new video, however, "Bully Asks Girl He Once Tormented On Date But Gets Rejected", I felt really disappointed. In this story, it was about a female university student who was bullied for three years by this boy back in Year 8. Now 22, she got asked out by the boy over Facebook. It said her first instinct was to say "no" but due to what he did to her, she decided to accept the date and stand him up and leave him a picture of her 13-year-old self and a note saying if he remembered her and what he did affected her. Basically scolding him and making him feel bad.

JK News response? One member kept calling her a "loser", "unevolved" and "immature" and that everyone gets picked on. Yes, it's true, everybody gets picked on during their life but this girl was bullied for THREE years. That's some serious picking. Why were they justifying his actions? Yes, he was in school when he did it but bullies never consider how the victims feel. It lead to the girl developing an eating disorder because he kept calling her fat. 

I had to check the comment section underneath and of course, there was a hoard of people expressing their disgust at what that one member said. It was mainly by the people who have been bullied before and it was really insightful in what they had to say. Bullying can affect people in so many ways and it depends on how they handle it. 

I thought JK News would be more open minded than this since they probably got bullied too when they were younger and yet, they're making bullying seem like a side issue and making the girl seem like she was in the wrong. They were even laughing about it. I don't understand. They said that she shouldn't hold a grudge for that long and plan that "revenge" and "to get over it". The part I agree on is the revenge and grudge bit, but I wouldn't call it revenge. That boy, between the ages of 13-16, made her feel like utter shit. He would've been old enough to know what he was doing by 16. 

That note she wrote to him was a way of validating herself. Her self worth was probably quite low and now that he wanted to date her, she is now worthy of his "kinder" side. It was all about looks for him. What a shitbag. Kids can be absolutely horrible if another child is "fat" or "ugly" but what children don't know is that looks fade and some take longer to become a beauty and it seems like she has blossomed into a swan. Also, I don't think she planned to set revenge on this guy for 10 years, it seems like seeing him brought up bad memories and she just wanted closure and an apology. 

However, children that young don't understand what they're doing. They don't think about the consequences. It was also possible that he was in a group of friends when he did bully her, so he would have that pack mentality. Still, the parents should teach them not to bully too. I do agree that people can change over the years and become a better person, but it doesn't stop the victim from feeling bitter from what they had experienced. 

"To get over it", like I said, many would handle it in a different way, but getting over it isn't simple. Many suffer from psychological trauma from it, causing a lot of issues later on in life. 

This story hit me because a similar experience happened to me. It felt quite real. I was racially bullied when I was primary school, along with being called ugly many times. Of course, I felt pretty low and thought there was something wrong with me. I still remember the people who did it today. Seriously, no matter how old you are, you will always remember the people who made part of your life shit. So if i was in that girl's shoes, I would have turned him down flat. Too much effort on planning to stand him up. 

However, I actually applaud the girl for standing up to him. He does not deserve her time. 

Here is the video. It is the first story.

Dear Ex-Best Friend...

I will have to try and get my memory working because I cannot remember who my best friends were back then. It's been a long time since having a best friend and a lot of people have left my life so remembering is difficult, but here are some of the reasons that may have happened.

1) We drifted apart
So common when one of us either go to a different college, university, a new circle of friends or we can't be bothered anymore. With me going to university and you guys behind and getting a full-time job, it was inevitable.

2) You are a bitch
There is a reason why I cut you out of my life. I don't need this crap in my life. All negativity and it's very much high school mentality. I'm not getting any younger and I don't want to be dealing with it. 

3) I was a bitch
I'm no saint either. I will happily admit that. Reasons for being a bitch? I guess I was young and naive, and if everybody around you is having a bitch-fest, you'll be persuaded to join in. But I've learnt my lesson since school. If anything now, for the people who know me really well, I'm a funny bitch. BETCH. 

4) The boyfriend or girlfriend
It was probably your first time having a serious partner, and so you spent all of your time with them. I don't blame you. I was in that situation before too. It's a new experience and you'd want to soak it up as much as possible, but that means leaving your friends behind too. I guess this can be part of 'drifting apart'. It's also not great being the third wheel either. 

5) More than friends
Having feelings for your best friend is a tricky one. I think there has been plenty of times where I have had feelings for my male best friend but he didn't feel the same, or he liked me but I didn't. And then of course, you have to distance yourself for things not to get weird, but things do get weird because you're not talking. AAAH! Complicated.

6) You had a new best friend
That moment of feeling abandoned for another friend is a pretty shit feeling. Everyone who had a best friend has experienced the "Who is this bitch taking my bestest friend in the whole world away from me?" But then you realise your best friend doesn't see you as her most closest anymore and it's a really sad moment in time. You get left out and you don't know what to do, but you move on with new friends. I felt down when that happened, only because of all those years spent together was thrown away. 

7) We let each other down
When something has happened or we're at a different stage in life, we weren't there for each other. A sad confession I'd like to make is that when I don't want to be your friend anymore, I don't actually fully tell you - I ignore you or say politey why we shouldn't be friends until you get the point. It is the shittiest way to do it, which is why naturally drifting apart makes things easier. I don't like confrontations and I think ending a friendship can be as hard as ending a romantic relationship. 

However, if it is about someone who has turned nasty, I feel they don't deserve my explanation. They should know within themselves why the friendship has ended, unless they think they're a saint. Then they're delusional. 

I think my list can go on and on. And you know the saying "Boyfriends Come And Go But Friends Are Forever"? Not true. One can easily go as much as the other. 

You know what is definitely forever? Family. 

Dear Ex No.2...

In the last letter I wrote, I did it for my first boyfriend. You were my second boyfriend, but not my second love. 

I don't know how I'm going to feel about writing this one. I feel as though you might have been the rebound. I still loved my first love for at least four months on after him and I broke up, and then you came along and made me feel warm again inside. I was so heartbroken and I needed mending. It was wrong to use you to heal my heart, but at the same time, it worked. However, time being with myself would have worked better.

I tried so hard to fall in love with you but in the end, my heart had always belonged to someone else. You were a good boyfriend - loving, caring and always sweet to my family but you had your own baggage too. You had issues that I couldn't handle as your girlfriend and it made me realise that I wasn't ready to be in another relationship.

Your autism didn't bother me though. Let's get that straight. I treated you like anybody else and you didn't even act like you had the condition. What bothered me was your insecurity and jealousy. It pushed me away. 

Keeping you as just a friend would have been the best option. For both of us. To be honest, we were in it for the sex.

There was also speculation saying I cheated on you with my current partner now. I didn't. We broke up and I met the new one the next day. I don't condone cheating.

You became difficult after we broke up, even though we said we would stay friends, but I should've known that it wasn't going to work. I left some of my belongings at your house before university because you got upset that I was going to take it away, with the prospect of us potentially breaking up so, I left it there. Big mistake. You wouldn't give it back. I asked for it back politely and arranged for my mother to pick it up for me since I was in Southampton and wouldn't be home for three months, but you didn't want my mother near your house at all. You said that I either sent money for packaging or came to collect it myself and then, it's the thing afterwards you said which made my shiver "but we both know which one you're going to choose". I was shocked and it struck a bit of fear in me because you were becoming quite scary.

 

After that, had no choice but to contact your father. Your father is a good man and one of the loveliest people I have met. Luckily, he convinced you to hand over my bag but that meant coming to my house. 

I remember phoning my mother up afterwards to see if you handed over my things and what happened. She said when the doorbell rang, she opened the door to you and felt frightened as soon as she saw you. Your body language was stiff and rigid. Your eyes bloodshot and aimed at my mother. She said it looked like you were going to kill her. I remember her saying that she stood right in the doorway to block you, in case you tried to come in. I didn't mean to put my mother in that position where she was scared. It should've been me dealing with you but she wanted to protect me. 



To be honest looking back, it wasn't all smooth sailing trying to part from you. You wanted to mutually break up at New Years which was your version of "a new start"  but none of it made sense. If I wanted to be happy then, why wait another 3 months? And why at New Years? Breaking up when I said and did would still be classed as a fresh start and you knew Christmas/New Years was a sensitive time then due to the previous boyfriend breaking up with me around that time. 

So do you know what I figured out? It was because it wasn't on your own terms. The last time you were in a relationship, you broke up with the poor girl and had me lined up as back up - and then we dated. I noticed since you didn't have a back up already in case we broke up, you wanted to wait until New Years which would give you three months to find a new girl. As much as you said you loved me, you couldn't stand the idea of being alone. Yes I went into another relationship straight away but that's because I did it for love. You would've done it purely because you were scared. Nothing was going the way you planned and you thought you could control that aspect in your life. Emotionally, you were unstable. You needed to love yourself before you started loving someone else because those fears and insecurities would pile on the other person and the strength to hold you up any longer would break. 



And that's what kinda happened. We broke. Our relationship broke, and so did our friendship. 



You said I was cold but I saw myself as emotionally okay and independent. I promised myself that I would never revolve my world around a boyfriend again because I lost my focus last time and my main priority was and still is education, but it seems that it never happened with you because I guess I never fell in love. I just loved you a dear amount. 



After everything that happened, I am sorry I caused you a lot of pain for dating so soon. I remember that was one of your biggest fears, that one day someone would make no effort to woo me and I would just be head over heels like that, whereas you had to make the effort to get into my heart. I tried not to fall for someone so quickly because of the pain I knew it would cause you, but the thing is, I fell in love. I couldn't stop how I felt and I realised that you have to be with people for the right reasons. 

Of course I still cared about you after our relationship ended because I first gained you as a friend but it was never going to be the same afterwards. We both should've handled the situation better but we're exs by the end of the day. 

I hope you achieve what you want in life and wish you all the best. Take care.

Love Isobel.

Dear Self...

I don’t know how to start this. You’ve gone through so much already. 

School. College. Love. And now university. Even though you haven’t travelled as much as you have liked or gotten the needed experience already for work, you’ve done a lot more than you think. 

Growing up was a test. You had to deal with racism, as well as people saying you were ugly. But you weren’t ugly on the inside. Remember that. Looks can only go so far. You were just shy and needed coming out of your shell and eventually, the outside matched the inside. If you are patient, time will be good to you. 

You can do anything you want. You have a loving family supporting you, even when they are being critical or telling you to “get over it", they are only doing this so you can better yourself and be tougher. To prove that you can be better. Growing up in an asian family is hard, especially when the expectations of you is either to be a lawyer or a doctor. But that’s because they don’t want you to become poor. Or be working in a takeaway forever. But you didn’t take this route, you took the route to be a writer. To be a good journalist one day. Your skill is in writing. Not science. Not maths. And definitely not law. I think they know that.

Outside of academia, you’ve gone through periods, boys and tantrums. And you have your family to thank for helping you calm down during those episodes, especially your mum and dad. They are your voice of wisdom and common sense when you can’t handle things or being unreasonable. When you went through your first period, your mum was there. When you went through your first heartbreak, your whole family was there for you. Feeding chocolate and giving you a Bridget Jones film to watch. And when you got accepted into university, everybody was there for you. Friends and family. You’ve got so much support without realising. 

I know you’ve lost many friends over the years due to drifting apart or your decision to cut negative people out of your life, so only a few still exist.

So for the ones that are still around, don’t take their company for granted. Call them up to meet, say hello, converse, eat with them! And if that doesn’t work out with old friends, you can always meet new friends. Not the end of the world if you’re "Billy No Mates".

You’re still so young. Only 21. So don’t panic when something doesn’t go right. You’ve got time. But don’t take your time either, otherwise nothing will be done. Always strive for success. And make your family proud. They didn’t work their whole lives for no reason. They’ve done it for their children’s future. To make sure we are safe. 

I know you will always be worrying about you and your surroundings but being worried is okay. You’re not married or a mother so you’ve got nothing to worry about apart from yourself. You are not ready for that responsibility yet, but the time will come. During the mean time, take care of yourself; see the world; get an amazing job. Fulfil your needs so you can be satisfied within yourself. Don’t let the fear get to you. Everything will fall into place. 

Stop doubting yourself. Life is a learning curve. 

Love Me x