Then I went to Italy -- first trip ever on my own! -- where I learned that (1) I'm not as seasoned a traveler as I thought, (2) iPhone apps can combat tax evasion, and (3) I miss my family so much when I'm not with them.
And that's why, after meeting Derek Jeter at Yankees BP and a 2-week Chubenfeld return to China which I'll blog about soon, I'm home for the summer. This probably confirms all speculative diagnoses of Stockholm Syndrome -- what sane person would choose to live in New Haven with her parents all summer, right? ...Me.
Next step for me will be a hunt for fun and rewarding work to do before school starts up again. Expect posts on China travels, ways to kill time, ways to save time, summer goings-on, and whatever else you can conjure up for me in the comments. In the meantime, here's something I did for a cool new site called 6israndom.com. If you've been following this blog, you've already encountered most of the emotions I describe in the post...but definitely check out the rest of the site! It's a great concept: a new prompt, like "my first crush" or "when I got my college acceptance letter," appears every day, and anyone can post an anonymous response. Enjoy, and more to come!
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| he signed a ball for us, too. pants may have been peed |
Hey Hey. You mentioned that you sometimes re-fresh to look for comments . Happened to look on your blog again today ( I look for new posts about once a week!) and I'm pleasantly surprised you posted. You sound like your summer is off to a great start. Good luck on finding summer work!
ReplyDeleteBest, Aurora
can't wait for more wonderful blog posts from you this summer,sophia!
ReplyDeleteCool essay. Glad you're back. Can't wait to hear about Italy. My brother is there now learning Italian for fun. Who does that? Just the really amazing people.
ReplyDeleteNice! Any plans to go to the Philippines anytime soon? I know your culturally Chinoy parents and grandparents have ties there!
ReplyDelete*you're
DeleteSorry. Grammar fail.
Um, "you are culturally Chinoy parents..." doesn't make sense in this concept. Sorry. It's "your", which means her parents.
DeleteHi so good to see you finally post something again. Just finish reading battle hymn of tiger mother. My lecturer mentioned about your mom in international law class... When I googled, stumbled upon your blog. Really fun to read your blog esp posts about Harvard. Love battle hymn book a lot.
ReplyDeleteYou delivered speech to 8000 people in Mandarin?? Wow. Hope you"ll share that experience. Love your Chinese rap video.
Thanks for returning to the blog! Sounds like your travels were fun. :)
ReplyDeleteHeyy Sophia i love reading your blog! Does you sister have one too?
ReplyDeletei don't think she has a blog but she has a tumblr, http://luluchuarubenfeld.tumblr.com/
DeleteYay you're back!!!I've been checking the blog pretty much everyday and I was starting to think you were dead or something...Thank God for Twitter!
ReplyDeleteI've been following your blog ever since you launched it and I must say,I am obsessed with it I really hope you keep writing!
Nice website. Did you secretly do this all yourself and just said 'something I'm working on' to imply credit for other people! ;)
ReplyDeleteYay, a new post! I'm so happy to see this; I love reading your writing! What were you in Italy for?
ReplyDeleteHmmm, summer post ideas . . . how about one where you talk about what makes you happy? Activities, hobbies, etc. That would be neat.
I'd also love to hear your thoughts about playing the piano. Do you still play?
That is great to hear you are having fun. I would love to travel to Italy to learn Italian. Have any tips for traveling by yourself? What tips would you advise about going to Italy?
ReplyDeleteStockholm Syndrome, ha!
ReplyDeleteSo good to hear from you again, Sophia! Sounds like your life is pretty amazing. Meanwhile, I'm stuck at home working 24/7 in my uni break, saving up for god knows what.
And good to know that holidays are on at the same time on the other side of the world!
Heey Sophia! Good to have you back, I missed your posts! Your blogging ideas sound great; and I add a request for another favorite books post!
ReplyDeleteHi Great Pics..Thanks for sharing your experiences. I live Italy and want to come there for enjoying my holidays.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Thank you for coming back! It's so great to hear from you again! :D I'm so happy for you- your summer plans sound amazing!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe Derek Jeter would have peed his pants on meeting you.
ReplyDeleteYea Yea Yea!!! SO glad your blogging again!
ReplyDeleteHeyy good to hear from you again! That 6israndom looks like a really cool project, good luck with it. hope to hear about your travels soon!
ReplyDeleteHey Sophia! Glad to see you back. To echo other comments: what were you doing in Italy? Also, I saw the pictures of your China trip on your mom's facebook, and ohmygoodness you're gorgeous. I mean, I've seen plenty of pictures of you on your blog, but you were shockingly beautiful in the China pictures. Stop that. You pretty world traveler, you. I just can't handle it. :)
ReplyDeleteAs for summer... maybe find a place to volunteer? (I couldn't really tell from the post if you were planning on getting a job or just looking for fun ways to fill your time.) I'm sure you're already planning to read a ton, but maybe you could try a genre you don't usually pick up, like poetry or biographies. My uncle really likes nonfiction accounts of military missions, which seems like something you'd enjoy.
I'd love to read a post about your whole family doing something together. I know this is your blog, but you talk about how much you love spending time with your family, and I bet an account of you all going to a baseball game together or something like that could be pretty funny. I remember you writing something about going to a Chinese restaurant right when the blog first started, and I thought it was fun to hear about the family dynamics from your perspective after reading your mom's book.
you should consider working/interning at a law firm this summer!! :) it sounds like that's something you never tried in high school either, and you should see if you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteGetting great marks at the SAT, was it all your effort, or did you take coaching classes/private tuitions?
ReplyDeletePlease do tell..
Please give us advice on how to score higher than 2200 on that SATS!
DeleteSophia, do a post on books that have warped and messed you up.
ReplyDeleteCould you also give pointers on writing and taking notes in probably another few 'how to____ like a tiger cub'
Enjoy the sun as much as it shines. It's FREEEZING over here!!!
Is that Lu-lu by your side? She is getting so pretty now, with a steady and mature look. So happy to see happy faces of you sisters.
ReplyDeleteYay, Sophia's back! It's been quite a while. :) I had a question regarding your private high school: how did you make your decision to attend the school? what was your criteria? did you choose it, or did your parents?
ReplyDeleteAnd a travel tips post would be great, too!
Your post made my heart quiver. Would you mind sharing your grades or is that too personal?
ReplyDeleteThat would be great if you could!
DeleteOkay, maybe I was asking for too much, and why should her grades matter. Can you gives a synopse of what you learn this year.
DeleteHey Sophia, it's always nice to read posts by you ... always funny and interesting!
ReplyDeleteI also commented about this on one of the photos your mom uploaded on facebook, but just to make sure you read this:
you twittered about a chinese make up artists comparing you to your sister and saying you look like 12 or smthg ... although that tweet made me love, it's certainly not true - at least as far as I can tell by the pictures you upload. You're really pretty and you look like about 20 (as you are) - although in my opinion (pple always tell me I look older than I am) appearing younger isn't necessarily a bad thing :)
anyway, really looking forward to hear about your trips to Italy and China - especially what the heck you talked to 8000 pple about (wow!)
Best whishes from Freiburg!
Hi Sophia! Great to have you back!
ReplyDeleteAs a fellow college student, I wasn't able to land an internship or job this summer and was wondering if you could do a post on fun/meaningful and most importantly productive ways to spend your summer? This whole walking around in my pjs, eating cereal out of the box lifestyle ain't cutting....
Sophia, thank you so much for updating the blog, I've been dying to see a new post. I read an article on your recent trip to china on a Chinese website, can't wait to actually to hear it from you. Hope you're having a great summer holiday. I look forward to your next post. :)
ReplyDeleteYour blog is awesome!! BUT I was at speech and debate nationals in Indianapolis a few weeks ago and the duo interpretation piece that was the national runner-up was done on Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother (duo interpretation is a two person acting out of any script, play, or novel). While I don't know how much the two girls performing stuck to all the facts in the book, they did an AMAZING job and I encourage you to check it out! While your mom's book gets a lot of heat, it led to a national level duo interp piece and what it has to say is definitely worthy of it so bravo to your mom and the novel!
ReplyDeleteOh sorry here's the link to the duo interp piece: http://new.livestream.com/nflnats/nflnats/videos/1487086
ReplyDeleteHi Sophia, Happy 4th of July !
ReplyDeleteI know this might be a personal question, but when you filled out the application for Harvard ... did you list yourself as Asian, White, or Mixed Ancestry ? Is it important for the selection process ?
I'm wondering if I should leave it blank for my own college application.
hyee.. nyc blog writng.. i used to read out ..
ReplyDelete..keep going.. gud luck
some ideas:
ReplyDelete1. how to balance a good social life, partying, and academics in college
2. how to have fun in the summer and also be productive
3. your best tips for incoming freshman (college)
4. how to be the ultimate tiger cub
5. how to make time for yourself in college
6. how to become best friends with your professors
7. how to be as cool as sophia
Hi Sophia,
ReplyDeleteI'm also asian and about to enter in my senior year. Is there any advice you can give us for applying to colleges and time management? It is really exciting that you got into Harvard!!! My dream is to go there:)
Hi Sophia!
ReplyDeleteHave you taken any History classes at Harvard yet? If so, which ones in particular would you recommend? thx :)
zomg, I would totally support you as Queen of America!! Please liberate the masses!! Go Sophia!!! :D
ReplyDeleteYes, I know democracy works (sometimes), but please become Queen of America anyway!! xP
DeleteAlso, I think it's super cool that you're in ROTC.