Misha loves you. (I think my titles are just getting increasingly weirder.)

Hey, everyone!

It's the end of the last week of February, and I think all of us are looking forward to March for some hopefully warmer weather. But we'll be having a snowstorm this weekend so I think we'll have to wait a little longer before we get some relief.

Last weekend was uncharacteristically warm, and I got the chance to go out on both Saturday and Sunday to enjoy some of the spring-like weather. On Saturday, I headed over to the Upper West Side for a meeting at the Macaulay building. The editors-in-chief of The Macaulay Messenger wanted to have a meeting with all of us section editors to set goals for this semester as well as to open up a forum for suggestions on how to improve the website. (We actually just published our first batch of articles for the semester. Definitely check them out when you have some free time). I got to the UWS early so I decided to just walk around for a bit and soak up some sun. I strolled over to the Metropolitan Opera House where Prince Igor has been playing. This building always takes my breath away. The fountain in front of it is also gorgeous, and a lot of people like to sit around it to eat lunch or just hang out. 

As I walked around the area, everyone seemed to be in a good mood, which made me happy. We've all had a rough few weeks, and I think we all needed that bit of sunshine.

My Filipino Lit professor is giving extra credit to any student who goes to the Interference Archive to check out the "Serve the People: The Asian American Movement in New York" exhibition. The exhibition includes posters, poetry, photographs, and recordings that relate to Asian-American activism in New York. What's special about this exhibition is that most people think that Asian-American activism only occurred on the West Coast, but this exhibition shows that it happened in NYC as well. The Interference Archive is located in Gowanus, Brooklyn, which is actually an area in Brooklyn that I had previously never been in. On Sunday afternoon, my dad and I hopped on the train and visited the archive. The neighborhood is a mix of residential spaces as well as factories and warehouses. It was a Sunday afternoon so it was quiet, and there weren't too many people out on the streets. The Interference Archive is located in a small building towards the end of a block of homes. The exhibit was just in one room, which meant I had the opportunity to go around the room several times and look at everything closely. I loved seeing the focus on women, poetry, music, and health. I never knew all of these things were going on back in the 70's and 80's with Asian-Americans in NY, and it was definitely cool to see. 

On our walk to the train station to go home, we saw some more of Gowanus. We saw a factory, a store that sold sustainable home decor, warehouses, and shipping spaces. But my favorite part of the area was the Gowanus Canal. Both my dad and I commented on how beautiful it looked, which is ironic because I just read that the water is highly polluted. Sigh. 

Sunday night was the closing ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics. My family and I crowded around the TV to watch the beautiful displays of Russian culture and history. My favorite part of the ceremony was when the mascots came out and waved good-bye to the crowd. When the bear, Mishka, shed a single tear, I think everyone cried right along with him. The use of the bear and the tear is reminiscent of the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics, when the mascot, also a bear, shed tears at the closing ceremony. (The 2014 mascot is supposed be the grandson of the 1980 mascot.) Everybody who grew up in the Soviet Union remembers that bear and that moment with fondness. I'm glad that the organizers chose to honor that iconic moment. It was the perfect way to end the Olympics. 

Misha: The adorable 1980 mascot
Photo courtesy of the BBC

I still get teared up when I watch video footage of him flying away at the end of the ceremony. I dare you not to get a little misty-eyed.

The 2014 Mascots
Photo courtesy of Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

I've spent the majority of this post telling you about last weekend because it's one of the rare weekends in a semester that just felt magical. The weather was awesome, I was introduced to new places, and things just felt good. I don't know how great this weekend will be with all of the snow that's coming and all of the studying that I have to do, but I'll get through it. 

I'll be dreaming of flowers, 70-degree weather, and sunshine…

S. 

College Tip of the Week: Date wisely.

I think that many people come into college thinking that they'll have a bunch of awesome experiences dating people and exploring what they want in a romantic relationship. Some may even find their future spouses while in college. People also expect to do a little experimentation and not take themselves too seriously. I think when it comes to your romantic life in college, it's best to have a little conversation with yourself about what exactly you want. You may not know what you want, and that's totally fine. 

Here are some things to think about as you're figuring it out:

1. Be safe. Being in college doesn't give you an excuse to be reckless with your body. I know it looks like everyone else is just carefree and just sleeping around, but don't believe everything you hear. Educate yourself, and protect yourself. Never do anything that doesn't feel right. And please don't let alcohol or other drugs cloud your judgment. 

2. Be yourself. Don't change just to please the other person. Ever. 

3. Love yourself. If you don't love yourself, how can you ever love someone else? And how can you ever expect someone else to love you? Accept all of your flaws and focus on being the best you. 

4. Keep an open mind. Never thought you'd date a blue-eyed exchange student from Denmark? Well, that's the beauty of life. If you always date the same kind of people, you're learning very little about others or yourself. Get out of your comfort zone. That Danish girl may have a lot to teach you.

5. Relationships are a lot of work. You're taking four classes this semester? Well, your relationship will become your fifth class. Relationships are only successful when both people put in the time and effort to make them so. Do you have the time to do that? If you're struggling to balance classes, an internship, and your sanity, then having a relationship may not be the best thing for you during that particular semester. But some people are incredibly good at balancing different aspects of their lives so if that's you, then go for it. 

6. Don't get swept away. Remember that you're only in college. If you find yourself dreaming of your wedding after the second date, pull yourself back to reality. This might be the man/woman of your dreams or maybe not. It's hard to know. Don't get carried away. Just let things progress naturally. 

7. School comes first. You're in college to learn and to get yourself ready for a career. That is your number one priority. Don't let the relationship get in the way of your dreams. So yes, tell your BF/GF "No" when he/she asks if you want to go out, and you know that you have to study. If the person is worth your time, then he/she will understand. 

8. Breaking up is hard to do. Breakups just suck. There's no other way to describe them. Let yourself mope around for awhile, but then come back to real life. You will meet a ton of awesome people, but not everyone is meant to be a part of your life forever. Learn from the relationship, and move on. 

9. Avoid stalking. It's incredibly easy to Internet-stalk people these days. But avoid poring over their Facebook photos, and wondering who the pretty brunette your ex has his arm around. Don't torture yourself. Unfriend the person if you really can't stand seeing the photos. 

10. Have fun! Dating is supposed to be one of the best parts of being young. Nobody's expecting you to get married at 18. (At least, I hope not). So take advantage of your freedom and just enjoy those magical moments. 

(I like how this ended up being 10 tips!)