Forever the Student

Product Review: Merrell Barefoot

2011-11-23T20:45:00.001-08:00

I really like the concept of barefoot or minimal running after reading Born to Run.
I think that it really teaches the body how to run and helps to keep you in the right position.
Beforehand, I would like to say that running minimally or barefoot is really beneficial, but only really if you can correct the way you run or if you run correctly (there is a correct way which I may cover later on).

The Merrell Barefoot is a great shoe in my opinion. I have been running in these and have had no problems.
T
he box is quite wide. Although I have narrow feet, this has not posed a big issue. Of course it would have felt better if it were kind of wrapped around my foot, but the wide box allows for a good splay of the toes, which is good for balance.

Mesh material is used which is good for my sweaty feet, but perhaps not very good for winter-time. I would check for a water-proof option to get as well if you are a year-round trail runner whose feet have fully grown (I don't see the point of someone so young to buy two pairs of shoes every year or two or 15 years or something).

The back is WONDERFUL. In barefoot running, of course there is no support except for your own body. Similarly, this back has little support. There is also an elastic to secure the shoe to the foot. This is wonderful, as I have gotten blisters from other minimal shoes that had too hard a backing.

The bottoms are shaped as a foot would be shaped. I find this even better for aligning me when I run. I think that this would be good if your feet fit to the mold that you are expected to have.

I like how, as with all barefoot or minimal shoes, there is no arch support. It is essential that there is no arch support. If you have this in your running shoe I seriously suggest to research more into the meachanics of the foot and its working, and how the arch can collapse because of that arch protection (see Born to Run).

The toe end also goes up a bit. I'm not sure what this does, but I like it.

The soles are made from Vibram. As you can see they have a toe grip area and the sole molds to the bottom of the foot. I think that I wide range of foot motion is allowed on this sole. it also seems pretty hardy so I'm looking forward to using this for a few years.

There is a very thin sole, 7mm if I am not mistaken. Perfect to feel the ground with and to keep balance on those trails.

Because of the mesh and thin sole, this shoes is SO LIGHT. Well not the lightest, but it is puh-retty darn light. I need this and this is a good transition to track. I remember trying to do speed in a Nike (not all I guess, but this certain one) and it was terrible. I felt like I couldn't even lift my leg and I fell behind the group. How can I go jogging with a shoe like that? I'm sure I would pass out along the way or something.

Running to the Start Line

2011-11-19T00:09:00.001-08:00

Running has grown into a passion for me, and I would say that it is a passion that only keeps growing day after day.

I started running a few months back, maybe in June or something, who knows. This is only a lap at a time though, totally not knowing if I can do a certain distance that day or not. After reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, I kept going back for more. Even if the run before that wasn't necessarily the best, even if I didn't feel in top form that day, I went back. I went back to prove something, to work towards something.

In September, I started doing cross country for the first time. Now that I am writing this, I see that it is funny how I started cross country after moving across many different countries! Mehaha! We started at 1 mile, just seeing if we could do it or not. Even that was a struggle for me, I wasn't used to running that distance (okay, even jogging that distance). Not many were dressed out as we didn't expect to run on the first day. 'Too bad suckaaas!' the coaches probably thought. We had to run. Thank goodness I wasn't that girl in the miniskirt and boots.

After that, we increased our mileage. Running every single day, Monday to Friday. It was fun to run with all the other people, even if I didn't really know many of them yet. Running was like this antidote for any issue that came up during the school day. Once I slipped on those shoes, the worries slipped away.

Our first race rolled around. 5km. MY GOODNESS. I had never even run 3km and they were expecting me to race it! It was a hilly course, with the warm-up basically keeping me out of breath for the entirety of the actual race.

During the race, there were tons of hills. There were people cheering and looking one. It felt a bit awkward since I was out of breath. I felt like I couldn't do it, the miles seemed to be taking forever. I followed on teammate in front of me. Every step of the way, looking at her shoes cycling on the pavement. I kept pace with her, always looking at her feet. I needed to just get through this!

One more hill before the finish line. I am so incredibly tired. My muscles were acheing. I stopped running to walk for a bit. The crowd got louder and cheered me on. A bit embarrassed and annoyed, but also a bit encouraged, I started running again. I kept following the girl in front of me. I ran across the grassy finish. Yes, THE FINISH! I could see it, right where it began!

I finished around 29:30. I finsihed exhausted. I finished proud and with a sense of community.

I've been running for about 2 1/2 months now. I now run the 5km at 23:30. I never won a medal or a trophy. I think I won something greater. I won friends, tenacity, persistence, acceptance, determination, and a way of life.

Not to mention some pretty awesome abs.

Keep on Truckin'

2011-11-19T00:02:00.001-08:00

Okay, so after my little rant there, I had a little hot shower. I feel so much better now. I think I really need to work on perspective or at least thinking about things in a more organized way. I think the problem is that I look at everything all at once too in depth. Recipe for disaster much?

Now that it is obvious that I have many problems to address, tomorrow I need to sit down and specify these problems. Then, I need to brainstorm and be creative on how to fix this problems.

I really need to get some friends. Seriously, like what are people even doing? I don't know whether Facebook would help the issue or make it more stressful.

Another Day Another Issue

2011-11-18T23:02:00.001-08:00

Shallow breath. Pounding forehead. The heart. Suddenly, it feels as though it is a mossy stone sinking to the bottom of a murky, algae infused lake. Slowly, slowly, slowly. Air bubble rise- the stone, it keeps falling, falling.

I feel this way when I think in depth to my my situation with university. What has been happening these past few years? Moving across oceans, emotional turmoil, loneliness. As others basked in the warm glow of friendship with the winds of success and accomplishment caressing the face and tousling the hair, I was in a cave. A dark cave with water leaking onto me. Slowly turning me into detritus like it would with a stone.

Perhaps they may feel that the culture enriched my life and that my experiences were so amazing. I had better hope so. I know how much it meant to me and my improvement. How can they know that though? How can that compare with everyone doing all of their stuff.

I feel cheated. I feel angry. I sometimes loathe my parents for leaving me in this emotional turmoil. How can they leave all the planning to me? How could they have not planned for me? Did they think that it would all happen my magic? How could they do this to me? How could they do this to me? HOW COULD THEY DO THIS TO ME?

It seems as if there is no hope. I feel utterly alone. I feel as though I have no support. I am not something that you can just have and be with for a fun time. I need planning, structure, proper parenting. I don't even want to think about how much I have missed out on because of them. I can't do it.

I don't think I've ever been angry with anyone as much as my parents. How could I? No one else had the power to break me and steal my good traits from me. No one else had the opportunity to ruin my future.
Parents, before you have a child, perhaps you should think about whether you are willing to provide for this child. Perhaps you should think about whether you are able to plan for this child. perhaps you should plan even before you have it. I am so sick and tired of you hippy dippy go with the flow parents with no plan for their children who need it.

Student Success

2011-11-17T22:19:00.001-08:00

It surprises me all the time how some students are able to accomplish so much. You would think that I would be used to this, since the fantastically all-rounded and gifted student seems to be popping up around every corner. That is just it, though. They keep popping up.

I know that this is the kind of model that students have nowadays, but it still seems so shocking when they do appear. According to my current workload, some of these students seem to be super human!
I wonder now if this is actually the norm, or is it the frequency of student accomplishment reports that have increased. Do these students plan everything by themselves? It seems as though they take 5 AP classes, do a sport, volunteer, and have some sort of extra-curricular activity.

Are all of these things necessary to be competitive in the battle for university admissions and eventually the world. Here, I come to the crux of my point. Because there are so many students that do this currently, has this raised the bar or opened a wider platform?

In the task of accepting and rejecting students, the all-rounder successful student is definitly a strong candidate for acceptance. However, they are no longer those hidden gems that admissions are delighted to find. How could they be, with every few people having this?
With this raised bar, the applicants have become quite uniform, perhaps leading admissions officers to look at different aspects. Aspects that indicate a strong individual.

Possibly, it is just within my sphere of thinking that these standards have become the norm. Perhaps, overall, there are only a few that reach this level. However, if I were an admissions officer, I would be used to seeing those applications. What would make my day would be to find someone with a spark. With some sort of feature that marks undeniable success for the future. Someone different.

There are so many ways to look at this. Of course I am not saying or even thinking that students should not try to excel in all areas of life. I also think that these activities are good indicators of where the student is headed and what they can cope with. However, finding those gems is the highlight of anybody's day.

Missed Opportunities

2011-11-15T17:20:00.001-08:00

UGH!

I am very, very, VERY annoyed right now. Apparently, there is a Mock Trial club at my school. Apparently, this has been going on for a while. Apparently, this was announced on the announcements. Apparently, it is too late for me to join now as they just had their first competition.

I AM VERY ANNOYED AND ANGRY.

This is like the ONE thing I want to do. What am I supposed to do now for and outside of school thing? The in school ones are good because you make school friends and it does not cost as much money and is convenient. And now I have missed my opportunity.

It is NOVEMBER and I still don't have enough outside of school activities! UGH. Why are schools always to unorganized?! Get the message out and start earlier!! Now I don't know if there is a debate club or not. I have to wait a year apparently to be in the club. Ugh. If only the Model United Nations weren't so crummy at our school, I would be in it right now. But it is. So now I don't know what to do.

New Discoveries

2011-11-12T21:58:00.001-08:00

Today, I realised that I have been pretty productive this weekend. Or at least I have plans of being pretty productive pretty soon.

I know that getting involved is very important, not just for the community service hours, but for the experience. I think that I just need to find one that I enjoy helping. I was thinking of doing beach cleanups and other volunteer activities to help nature. I never really did that kind of thing, so I'm very excited to get started. I think that I will really have lots of fun doing this.

Oh, in other unrelated news, today I took this exam to see whether you are better at SAT or ACT and so now I'm waiting for the results I suppose. It made me realize how much I actually need to practice on my essay skills. I used one of the Harry Potter stories as evidence/example. Is that bad?

Onwards with my actual reasons for posting. Well, I also realized that I really enjoy running and want to get more involved. I like running in groups though, so I think I need to cultivate a way to be okay with running by myself. There are tons of runs I want to participate in now.

SPARTAN RACE. I super-de-duper want to do that race. It's next week though, so I think it is too late to sign up. One needs a team I think. This is where the social part of my life really sucks. I need friends who want to do this with me so that I can do it! Everything is more fun with other people too. There is always net year though, so (cross your fingers with me!) by that time I hope to be able to be in a situation where I can put together the team.

Perhaps I need to get a Facebook? It feels a bit weird, though. Starting out, I will have, like, 50 friends while everybody else has, like, 500. So that would be a bit awkward. I also don't really want to friend people who(m?) I don't really talk to, but just know them. I know that's how other people can get so many. I'm not really that kind of person, though. Maybe I should be that kind of person? Well, in any case, I think I should try to build up my foundation of friends before getting a Facebook.

Ok, well do you think I should:

1. Get a Facebook to make friends and friend people

or

2. Make friends and then get a Facebook ?

Do you think that making friends is easier with a Facebook account? I feel like it might put my lackluster social life on display, and I don't want to deal with that kind of comparative stress. I think that might be a sign that it is time to boost my social life a bit, though. I definitely need to be a more proactive person. I need to put myself out there so I can experience things, be myself, and have FUN!

I hope that everybody out there figures out a way to deal with their problems and finds out what paths to take in life that beings the most joy! Maybe we will cross paths at the Spartan Races next year and we won't even know it!

Another Quick Thought

2011-11-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

I was just working on my homework when I thought of something that I've possibly tossed around in my mind before, but my conscious didn't get the ball passed to it yet.

I am very curious as to whether other children my age or in my grade are having the same thoughts and revelations as I am. What experiences would lead a person to think in a similar way as another. I suppose that the same events or problems would not have to occur since everyone is different. Hence, they may not need to go through so much to realize something.

I would like to have conversations like this with somebody. However, I am not really sure how to go about this. I find that a lot of the conversations I have are quite superficial. On the other hand, how can one broach these topics when walking down the halls or getting ready to run? Would it be normal? Does it matter? Do the other children want to talk about these things as much as I think I do? How can I find a group of people to talk over these things with. I think I have not had someone who I can really tell everything to ever. I have never ever had one person who I can talk to openly and freely in a complete manner. So of course I have not had the joy of having an interesting conversation in this. Perhaps there is something outside of school?

I am thinking that I really need to pursue this feeling I am having of wanting to open up to the deeper thoughts I have within, and to really encourage their free flow.

Looking Within

2011-11-07T20:22:00.000-08:00

Recently, I have been having a feeling of needing to spend time with myself and to look within. I like those sites that have to do with this kind of thing. However, I do not really know how to look within myself and to cleanse and to do whatever else needs to be done. I'm sure I could find out with research, after all, I have a computer right in front of me now, but there is so much work. So much work and I just can't let that slip to the wayside. I feel like it is possible that writing down what I think would make the process much more efficient since I would not be going around in circles in my mind.

I believe that I have been hurt badly in that past, and that this has greatly altered me and how I view the world. Before I used to think this was bad, but not I have come to see that it is okay. Better than okay, it is good. Despite all this hurt, I have come to a point in time where I feel like I have learned lessons:

1. Everybody follows a different path, just because you do not have a life that you expected or what other people expect does not make it lost time. All things happen for a reason.

2. Everybody goes through struggle. No matter who it is, they deserve respect for coming out of their struggles or being able to deal with them.

Those are just some things I have been thinking about lately. I feel like my inner reflection is not going so well though at times because some of my memories are blocked. I know that they must be there somewhere, but perhaps I have blocked it out. I know that people block out unpleasant experiences, but mine are not as bad as the people's in those cases,,so I don't know why I can't remember things. Maybe I do not want to remember. I don't have time to put myself through that kind of process. Can the process wait though?

I think that I have much thinking to do. I think that there are so many more lessons I can derive from my experiences and that I can apply to daily life. Hopefully I can put these thoughts to words that make sense when stringed together.

3. You must love and respect yourself before being able to truly appreciate others.

4. Everyone is one in the same. Their journey is your journey. Treat them as family.

Procrastination Kills

2011-11-02T23:06:00.000-07:00

Ooooooooh nooooooooo. It is so late right now and I still have so much work and studying to do. This one class seriously took up so many hours. Why did the teacher not give us this earlier so we could do the preparations? If the work is not addigned correctly then don't expect the work to be done correctly, that's all I'm sayin'. I am going to look like a zombie tomorrow, people are going to be like, "Ummm, you are a little late for Halloween." Hopefully I can finish all my homework in the next like 45 minutes and get enough sleep so I don't bomb the tests tomorrow. ARRRGGGHHH!!! And there's not even the coolness of being in university and getting to pull and all nighter with the buds at the library or cool coffee shop or whatever!

Inferiority for Halloween

2011-11-02T20:34:00.000-07:00

School is so stressful sometimes. Not only do I need to worry about school work and go to sleep late everyday because of the homework and studying, but there is the social thing going on. It's nice how there are so many people to talk to, but sometimes I feel so suffocated by it.

This feeling is even worse today. Everyone is talking about what happened over Halloween with all their friends and the partying and whatever. All I can do is just kind of sit there like "Okay, please don't ask me what I did for Halloween" in my mind, because you will be disappointed and possibly shocked.

I think I may be kind of a loner sometimes. I don't really put myself out there and I don't really have that many friends so far. I don't mind for the most part. Well, actually I do mind. It's not really me to just be so quiet, but sometimes I'm too shy to speak up or I don't really know when to interject. I like having friends, but a lot of the time I feel like I am the one reaching out. When will someone reach out to me? There have been people who have done this, and I am thankful for that, but I need more than just the occasional person.

During times like this, I feel very lost. I lose a sense of myself. It's not me to be so lackluster quiet, but somehow I seem to keep reverting back to my old ways. I thought I had lost this side, but obviously it is intent upon latching on to me. I don't know how to get rid of this. I feel like persistence is the way, but it sometimes translates to me covering up my emotions and possibly a side of my true self. Is there something wrong with that, though? Over the years, could I have possibly grown into a character that I now think of as my true self, but it is actually not? I think this may be the case, in which the years of sadness and defeat have tempered me to be the quiet person that I sometimes still am. The person that reflects too much and thinks that there is something wrong with me. It is hard not to think that in a high school environment. This is why I know that I need to keep a brave face on, and despite everything, know my true self, although it is not what others have come to know me as or expect from me.

There always comes a time when you think you have failed, but in truth, it is actually just the the rain before the sun. It may be a long rain that pounds on your back, or a drizzle on your face with a chilling wind, but there is always the sun afterwords. Ready to dry your skin and warm your bones.

Bloggin' Madness!

2011-11-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

I have started up blogs before, but I always stopped because I just didn't have anything to write about!

In starting this blog, I really would like to develop my style from a mechanical kind of blah-blah-no-one-is-interested-blah to something way more interesting, like blow-the-placenta-off-your-baby interesting.
College board recommends that students do this for this reason as well as to become more confident and confortable with your personal style I suppose.

The bulk of this blog will probably have to do with school work and my quest to succeeding in life by doing all that stuff that students are now expected to do. I'm talking about getting all As on APs and of course regular classes, putting together an impressive volunteer resume, getting lots of extra-curriculars and excelling in all of them, having to look for universitites (requirements, financial aid, etc.), and trying to beat that guy with the 2300 score on the SAT.

Hopefully people will read this blog so that they can just give me information and advice because that would save me the time of actually going to look up stuff myself. Because you see, as I am writing this right now, I am procrastinating, while at the same time also actively trying to get some advice. I'm talented that way. True story.

HALLOWEEN!

2011-10-31T21:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have to become more creative with my titles, but I did make the whole thing in capital letters with an exclamation point at the end this time. I guess this title can last about a week with different variations.

Back to business. I going to do a little debrief on how Halloween was today although I wanted to explain more about the blog, but that can wait for another time when I want to procrastinate.

People always wear costumes to school, and I think that's great. Especially the guys' ones, which can get pretty funny, what with their body suits and spandex outfits. A lot of girls tend to take a safer route, though, and go for some promiscuous costume. Yeah, I said it! Trying to do my learning business, when suddenly a milkmaid/sailor moon/pirate appears. Seriously??? I don't really even know what it is, but it is definitely not your regular clothes. It's just like that movie Mean Girls with Lindsay Lohan where that one mean girl says that Halloween is the one time of the year girls can wear anything they want without being called a slut. Well yes, alright then, they can do what they want.

Halloween is really not a big production where I live this year, and I kind of miss all the hubbub that used to surround this day. Even the mist is gone this year in the area.

Mostly, today's conquest was getting some Mozart CDs for my studying. It really helps me to focus on my work. Some say that it makes you smarter, but I'm really not too sure about the accuracy of this statement. Today and tomorrow are going to be me, my books, and my tea. Actually it is already quite late right now. Okay then mostly tomorrow. Today it was me, my tea, and some TV. And there weren't even any good Halloween specials! What happened to Halloween Town and Hocus Pocus? Is this too large a demand? Do I have to physically go to the DVD rental shop to get some movie on? Gosh.

Halloween???

2011-10-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

Another year has gone by and Halloween is rolling around again.

I always view Halloween as kind of a marker. As in do I have something to do this Halloween or not? I have not had something to do for Halloween for so many years. Don't feel too bad though, I have moved quite a bit and so far not many people have cemented their plans for Halloween yet.

I find it irrelevent yet interesting how by blog is being birthed around the time of Halloween.

My main purpose of this blog is to better my command on English. Mostly in the writing form, of course. Although English is basically the only language that I speak (fluently), I feel like there is much room for improvement. It may even be that my style has shriveled, probably because my life has been filled increasingly with textbooks and not reading books, ones for pleasure. Hence, I am listening to CollegeBoard's advice, and I am starting a blog. Writing is becoming more and more important, as I'm in my junior year in high school, and I feel like I really need to get my game face on.

So for this Halloween, I guess I will be the stressed out student? Or is this to common?