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Hi lovelies! 💕 If you know anything about me, you know that I'm a massive bookworm 📚 I grew up with a love of reading and it's one of my favorite pastimes 😌 Reading has definitely gotten more into the mainstream in recent years with BookTok gaining in popularity. Now 2024 is the perfect time to get into reading if you've been thinking about getting back into reading or becoming a ✨ reader ✨ If you don't know where to begin, no worries--I've created a list of my book recommendations to get you out of that reading slump 😊
Friendly reminder that BookTok can sometimes be toxic in the sense that it encourages you to compete with other readers to see who can read the most books as well as buy as many books as you can in haul after haul. Reading is a very personal experience and everyone's experience/interests are different! As you can see on my TBR I'm nowhere close to reading 100+ books this year but that's okay. What matters the most is that you're enjoying what you're reading, even if it's not in an "aesthetic" way. Sofi's picks: A quick book to get back into reading: How not to Drown in A Glass of Water by Angie Cruz A book about love: Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson A book about music: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid A book about being young and in your 20's: Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney Poetry: Heritage Aesthetics by Pablo Neruda A book about books: The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin Horror/Thriller: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia Historical Fiction: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Romance: Happy Place by Emily Henry Mystery: If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio Like Mean Girls, but make it horror: Bunny by Mona Awad A book about women in STEM: Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi If you know me, you will know that I absolutely LOVE going to concerts. My first concert was at the age of 11 when One Direction performed at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for their Where We Are tour! I was lucky enough to win tickets from my local sheriff's department. As of March of 2024, I have attended roughly 30 shows ranging in genres! Some of the artists that I have seen are Harry Styles (x4), Bad Bunny (x2), Taylor Swift, New Hope Club, 5SOS, Banda MS, and Gracie Abrams to name a few!
To be surrounded by people shouting the lyrics to your favorite songs live is such an indescribable feeling! <3 Growing up, my parents did not have the financial means to cover miscellaneous activities. To some it may seem excessive, but being able to take myself to see my favorite artists live heals the little girl in me. It’s given me the space to unleash all the stress and emotions in a healthy manner. Now, I have the privilege to do the same with my youngest sister and have taken her to her very first concert ever! It’s given me the space to unleash all the stress and emotions in a healthy manner. The best part of it all is I have met some of my closest friends through our shared love for the same artist! I want to use this blogpost to manifest some positive energy entering my Spring Quarter as a Junior. I’m super excited to see what news opportunities open up for me, and I’m excited to begin practicing for the lsat! I hope this upcoming quarter is very good to me & to those reading this✨✨
The first few weeks of this course have been more than what I had expected in terms of the variety in the type of black horror that we have already covered. Before taking this class, the only black horror I had experienced was Jordan Peele’s films Get Out and Us. For this reason, when I found out about this course which was titled “The Sunken Place,” I knew I had to take this class before I graduated. When I first saw the film Get Out, the Sunken Place is something I thought a lot about. I wondered what it would feel like to fall into this place. Missy’s echoing voice saying “Sink into the ground,” would run through my head when I would think about the Sunken place.
This interest drove me to write a paper in my film course my third year, where I only slightly learned more about the Sunken Place and began to feel more intrigued about the rest of the film and its many layers. The more I watched Get Out, the more racial themes I discovered. For this reason, last week’s lectures have been one of the most interesting because I was able to learn more about them, as well as more of them. One of these themes being the convening of black bodies. I previously only saw the surface level of the Coagula procedure, I only saw this as a form of slavery. Especially due to the fact that Chris is auctioned after the party scene. While the procedure remains a symbol of slavery for me, Professor Due has taught me about the true deeper meaning behind the procedure being that they believed black people were only useful for their physical capabilities and the rest of their existence did not matter to them, so much that they could be gotten rid of by being sent to the Sunken Place. Something that Professor Due mentioned in class that stuck to me was this idea that American culture battles between its “need for black bodies'' and its “ desire to control them.” I believe that Peele effectively demonstrates this theme without explicitly stating it which is one of the many reasons that I enjoy watching the film. It is sort of if you know, you know. And I think you will only know if you have experienced this or know about the experience of being a minority in society that has historically discriminated and belittled you. Hey everyone!! I created an infographic about the five ways I release stress as a first-year college student navigating UCLA. The quarter system was a huge adjustment for me. Due dates and exams came by so quickly, which was stressful. I would become overwhelmed and overstimulated with all the studying and assignments I would have to complete but having ways to release stress really helped my mental health. There are many other ways to destress, but these are the main ways I released stress.
Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions, if you want to be friends, or if you just need someone to talk to!! Thank you for reading!! Love, Trinity :) Art Piece: This collage shows the growth of everything that surrounds me, including growing my familia with my big and triplets, the growth of my plants, and growing ability to get more out there and make more connections!
One of the last things you think about when being away from home is how much you’ll miss the food from home. Although UCLA has the #1 dining halls, nothing beats my grandma’s Mole and Mexican Rice or my sister's Carne Con Papas. These two women have been a huge source of inspiration for my love of cooking. As a third year student, living in the university apartments, I have to cook for myself. The fondest memories I have of my grandma is when she asks, “¿Que Voy Hacer de Comer?” to see what we’re craving and plan her week of meals. Balancing school, work, and clubs is daunting sometimes, but I have found something soothing about cooking. Maybe it’s the connection I feel to my grandma and sister, knowing that in our culture food goes beyond just sustenance. I’ll admit that learning how to cook is a learning process and there’s definitely times I have to order food instead, but I’m excited to keep learning and keep making yummy food.
Hi everyone! If you’ve recently been in a reading slump or are interested in getting into reading I highly recommend you read “Normal People” by Sally Rooney. If you’re not into reading but need a new show to watch, you can find Normal People on Hulu. It’s my favorite show and one of my favorite books. It explores how two people can help shape one another. There isn’t a specific plot, it’s a story of two people, Connell Waldron and Marianne Sheridan, learning how to navigate their relationships while struggling with communication, mental health, social class, and college transition. Some people I’ve recommended this to found it to be a slow start but loved it in the end. I think it's a beautifully written book, really relatable, especially for people who struggle with being vulnerable, relationships, or finding their way in the world. One of my favorite quotes from the book is, “Marianne, he said, I’m not a religious person but I do sometimes think God made you for me.” If you do end up reading/watching it I’m more than happy to talk about it. I could talk about Connell and Marianne’s relationship for HOURS. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! <3
Hiii hermanxs! So this summer ima be studying abroad but tbh im so scared yall i know its gonna be a really great experience but I started looking at flights and first of all theyre expensive AF, second of all its gonna be like a 20 hour journey to get there smh. Idk I feel like all that time in and out of airports is gonna be sooo hard fr like i can only read/watch movies for so long before I get impatient. Idk even thinking about it now stresses me so much, but okay I know yall are probably wondering where Im going so let me tell you: Bolivia! I'm going to be doing a global health internship there where I'll get to do clinical rotations as well as take a few classes so I'm really excited as a pre-med hermana. But idk y'all I'm also so scared I've never traveled alone before or been so far from my family for such a long time so I'm really scared. Also, I'm a gym girly so I'm wondering if ima be able to stay on my grind while im out there ?? I really hope sooo but yea just wanted to vent real quick, maybe when I'm back I'll hop on the podcast to give a rundown of my experience. Wish me luck baes <33
So, during week 8 I finally decided to sit down and watch “One Day” on Netflix– a tv show that I had seen countless people talking about on Tiktok, plus my own roommate who kept talking about how much of an emotional roller coaster it was. On that Wednesday evening, I found myself having a bit of free time so I put it on my iPad and let it play.
***Some spoilers ahead*** Essentially the show follows 2 people in their 20-year friendship and despite going months and even years without speaking to each other, they were always held together by an invisible string. Never in my life has a show left such an impact on the way I go about life. It was a real eye-opener to the fact that you should never wait to tell someone you love them– whether that be a friend, a family member, a lover, etc. and that there can come a day when you lose them in the blink of an eye. “One Day” focused more so on the lover aspect as the main characters, Dexter and Emma, went through life as two souls intertwined, yet living almost completely separate lives from each other. Despite the times Dexter treated Emma unkindly, they remained connected. Eventually their time came and they were happy. Emma was not just another girl to him. He was beyond happy to finally have her, until a tragic accident changed everything. This just goes to show that we pay the same price to experience love and pain at the same degree. I won’t say much more in case some people do want to watch it, but that was the most soul-destroying show I’ve ever seen. But it was beautiful, and I learned that time is the most precious and vulnerable thing we have. So, I encourage everyone to value each and every day with the people you love, because one day, you may not have them in your life anymore. <3 Art is a form of expression that I sometimes forget I can use as a tool to relax. I thought it would be fun to title this drawing, “Photosynthesis”, after reminiscing about my quarter where I took Life Science 7a, one of my worst quarters so far at UCLA. That was a very tough quarter because of school and personal issues all piling up against me. This drawing allowed me to take a deep breath and recognize that although this quarter is hard, I have done this before, and there is no doubt I can overcome it again.
Fall quarter has been very challenging for me both academically and entering the new position as PR, but I have loved every second of it. Every time I go into the HaU space i feel that my academic stress goes away. Here's some memories of the fall quarter that I will never forget. I have met incredibly people and worked alongside 13 amazing individuals this quarter! I can't wait to see what my last two quarters as undergrad at UCLA has or me <3
“College will be the fastest 4 years of your life”. That’s as true as it gets. My college journey began in 2020 over zoom in the midst of the pandemic. As a first-generation college student, navigating this journey was full of highs and lows due to it all being so new to me. It seems like just yesterday I was a little 17 year old who did not know what she wanted to do with her life. Above I included a picture of me the summer before beginning college to present day me.
Now,I am almost at the midpoint of my SENIOR year here at UCLA studying what I love most, Psychology and Education. It sounds scary saying it out loud but at last it’s my turn. It is intimidating thinking about post-grad life, but what I’m most excited about is finally being able to enter the education field! The plan now is to take 2 gap years before starting a Master’s program, as well as getting my teaching credentials in hopes of teaching K-3. It brings me immense joy to think that I will soon be working with children and offering them the resources that I did not have in my schools/life growing up. Preparing for the real world is a bit intimidating but during these last couple of years, UCLA gifted me with an amazing circle of friendships <3 My biggest advice to those just beginning higher education: having a strong support system will make the journey a little less bumpy!! I admit, this post will be a little, (or a lot), biased, but bear with me, stick it out to the end and take some time to reflect. Chickens. What’s the first thing that pops up in your mind? Chicken nuggets? Mc Chickens? Eggs? It’s valid that these thoughts pop up into your mind, but take some time to think about the actual bird, especially in today's money-driven world. Yes, chickens are birds, some even glide in the air and can reach your face (ask me how I know hahaha). In commercial businesses, chickens often stay in tiny, dark, cramped cages inside huge factories and stay there for the rest of their egg-laying lives. Egg factories are not the appropriate environment for these lively and emotional creatures. We, as consumers, encourage these inhumane practices by paying for eggs from companies that mass produce eggs and once the chicken is no longer profitable, are sent to a butcher shop, to be delivered to our local deli shop. These birds go their whole lives without knowing the outside world, without feeling the luscious, fresh grass under their feet, wind ruffling their feathers, and no joyful exclamations are heard after laying eggs. I’ve owned chickens my entire 19 years of life and throughout this time, I’ve learnt so much from these small, but feisty creatures. They recognize their humans and run to us, as well as feel joy when I bring them kitchen scraps or find bugs for them to eat. These cotton-like balls of joy bound and leap to my lap to be pet, just like any traditional household animal. They show annoyance when I take too long in the morning to feed them, squawking their little hearts out; are mournful and isolated when they lose a sister; show fear and run away when I stand above them and comfortably sit next to me when I crouch down to their level. Their little eyes close and they purr to show their happiness and contentment as I pet their soft, fluffy feathers. And finally, when their lives are coming to an end, they lay down in a spot they’re comfortable in and close their eyes, crossing the rainbow bridge after receiving the best life I could’ve provided them. Do you believe these sensitive raptor-like beloved birds should be subjected to these cramped, dirty cages, when they could be running around, eating bugs, sunbathing and taking dirt baths? I urge you to consider doing research on egg brands and reflecting on what you, the consumer, should support, with your hard-earned money. I do want to include a disclaimer and be transparent; I am on government assistance for food and so have the power and financial stability to support a company that has the quality of lives of chickens in mind. Because the market is run by huge corporations, sometimes being the smaller business can be costly as you’re constantly trying to compete, therefore raising the prices too. If you are at capacity and would like to make a change in chickens’ lives, we as a small number, can, and will make an impact in the egg market and ultimately innocent lives can be improved.
Chicken Tax : A link to my chickens sunbathing ;) https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/d8im0bras1opjsqi07cna/chicken-vid.MOV?rlkey=n7subobn267sv80bpdb70b8ni&dl=0 An old Cherokee legend tells of a battle between two wolves. One wolf represents anger, jealousy, self-pity, sorrow, guilt, and resentment. The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, kindness, and truth. It is a battle raging inside us all. Which wolf wins? The one you feed. I read this story recently in a book I actually had to read for class and idk I really felt like it spoke to me, I think it is rly powerful when it comes to how we choose to live our lives and as ur hermana I wanted to remind u all to choose to feed your better wolf <333
a little thank you for the last 2 years so far! wouldn't have wanted them to go any other way. con amor, sofia <3
I love my besties!!! I’ve been reflecting a lot about the transformative power of friendship. Friends have the power to push you to be a better person, to hold you accountable, and to make the bad times seem good. I don’t think there’s quite anything like platonic love, and I’m eternally grateful to be surrounded by people I love so deeply!
As I start Spring Quarter, I want to keep an open mind and an open heart. I remember last spring quarter I really struggled with finding my why and staying motivated. It was hard for me to even get through a day without feeling bad about not being productive. This spring quarter, I want to be kinder to myself and find joy in small things. I want to take action and not let time pass me by. I created this vision board to remind myself that I am strong and embody poder de la mujer every day. Here's to Spring Quarter <33
Starting spring quarter of my junior year has made it really set in how much hermanas has shaped my college experience. Since the first quarter of my freshman year, HaU has given me a space where I felt understood, welcomed, and seen. Now in my eighth quarter of being an hermana, I could not be more grateful for what this amazing organization has given me: the strongest support system, core memories, and forever friends. Although I only have one more year of HaU as an undergrad, I really look forward to all the memories I’ll get to make within this next year! Here is a collage of some of my favorite memories from this quarter!
This post is dedicated to my angels, aka the ancestors which protect me and guide me through this life. If you know me, you know that I am a believer, of many things. I am a spiritual woman, who believe that the more things I believe in, the more love I get to experience in this beautiful crazy life. But the older I get, I realize how truly protected I am by the blood that I came from. Mi tata pancho, my mom’s dad, was a man full of life. One thing about my grandparents is that regardless of how they treated their children, they always made sure that we were full of love. I remember the times I would visit Sinaloa to see my family, including my tata. It always felt so warm and the love was always so pure. Sometimes I wish I could learn everything about them and their lives so that I could understand better. There’s so many questions that I wish I could have asked. But now that they exist within me, and apart of everywhere in the world, I know that when I ask they do always find a way to give me an answer. And if they don’t, it’s for good reason; for me to learn on my own. But no matter where I go or what I do, I know that they are protecting me. I remember the first time I ever saw my angels in the sky for the very first time. I was dealing with very severe anxiety, and often to cope I would go on sunset trips to the beach, usually alone. I was there meditating, when I felt a heavy presence around me; like someone was watching. I turned and I saw a face that scared me, some stranger with tattoos on their face. I immediately felt unsafe, unable to concentrate, and anxious. When suddenly, the strangest thing happened, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, and when I looked up to check the time it was 4:44. For those who don’t know, 4:44 is the symbol of divine protection from your angels. I started to cry and as I looked ay the sky, I literally saw the face of my tata, and faces that looked like me in many different ways, in the clouds in the sky. When I turned around, the strange man was gone. I know it may sound crazy; but for a believer like me, that was all it took. After that, everywhere I went I gave thanks for the protection that I am blessed with. The more that I recognize them and gratify them, the more my angels consistently remind me that they have me. Since then, I know whenever I am lost that I will always find a way; for they guide me through any and every darkness with a guiding light, one wrapped in love and safety.
The quote above is what kept me going this quarter. This quarter was probably the most challenging and there were times where I wanted to give up but I didn’t. Although it wasn’t the easiest I can say it was the best when it came to my friends and HaU familia that stood by my side. I got the opportunity to become a tour guide for little kids, got closer to my coworkers from CCCP, and got closer to the HaU familia. Something very memorable this quarter was getting a familia in HaU, meeting my Big, having a picnic, as well as helping with the scrapbook.
During this academic year I have been reflecting a lot on what I want my present and future to look like! I created a vision board for my future <3
I’ve always been the person to pick up the most random hobbies and this has been the story of my life since I could remember but as quickly as I become interested in them, I ultimately become disinterested…It’s definitely not one of my finer qualities in life. So when I ultimately picked up film photography my senior year of High school I honestly thought it would be the same story repeated all over again. I don’t know if it was the nostalgia that seeing my film picture brought, it being the pandemic and me trying to stay busy, or just that I genuinely thought it was cool but pretty soon I knew that film photography was different. Film was just so much more exciting to me than any other digital photography, the warmth, grain, and just emotion that was captured was unlike anything else and the excitement to share my developed photos was just the best feeling.
Starting definitely wasn’t the issue especially now that disposable cameras and film, in general, is more but here are some tips in tricks if you're interested in starting to take film pictures- and disclaimer I am in no way a professional- I literally just do this for fun to capture mems and post my photos on my Film Instagram (heheheheh). The camera: Though Disposable cameras are a great and accessible option, I think The Lomography simple-use camera is the best option to begin your film journey. It’s basically the same body as a disposable camera, so it’s extremely user-friendly, and price wise it’s about $5-7 more expensive than the average disposable camera. What I love about this camera is that you get used to the basics of a film like loading and choosing your film, learning when to use flash, and just getting comfortable with film in general (also it's more environmentally friendly). Because it’s so similar to a disposable camera it doesn’t feel like too big of an investment- because you would now only need to worry about the cost of getting film and more often than not you get more exposures on a roll of film than a disposable so all in all the price balances out in my opinion. This was personally the camera I got after I decided I wanted to take a film a bit more seriously and could not recommend it more. It was a great way to finally take that jump. Another solid option is the target Heyday 35 mm film camera. It's basically the same as the Lomography simple use camera, just slightly more expensive but more easily accessible because it’s found at most if not all targets. I think either option is great to start off the journey and for it to be your “practice” camera if you’re worried about committing to a point-and-shoot. Now if you’re kind, just ready to throw yourself into film, or don’t really like the two previous options I would highly recommend looking into any film point-and-shoot! The camera I use now to take all my film pictures is the Nikon Zoom Touch 470 Af and I absolutely adore my camera. In some cases, it does end up being cheaper than the Lomography simple use or the Heyday 35mm film camera. To get any point in shooting there are a couple of ways to get one. I personally got mine from eBay for about $35 on eBay and it was practically new. Other great options are Facebook marketplace, craigslist, and local thrift stores and many tend to be super affordable. I recommend looking at the description- if buying online- and looking for it to be tested or for sellers to have a return policy, and to be in mint condition or with minimal damage. Because I was a bit more scared to purchase a camera I waited a while before I purchased my point and shoot but I do wish I would have done it sooner. The pros, in my opinion, are that point and shoots are much more durable, have better quality images, and in many cases easier to load film which makes it less likely to ruin a new roll of film. Overall no complaints and would highly recommend, and this would by far be my favorite option. The film: Now as you go on with your film journey you will definitely have more film preferences and learn what you like and dislike but just to begin or have a place to start these are my recommendations. The Fujifilm Superia X-tra 400 is in my experience the roll of film that will give you the most bang for your buck without diminishing the quality of your film. I personally get mine from CVS and it cost me about $20-27 for the pack of 3 each roll gives you 36 exposures so, all in all, you should get about 108 photos. So if I am on a budget, or need some quick film this has always been my go-to and it has never disappointed me. In my experience, I have noticed that Fujifilm gives you more of a cooler tone picture whereas another brand like Kodak will give your photos more of a warm tone (my personal preference). If you're looking to experiment with a different brand or like me and also prefer warm ones in your picture my recommendation for a more affordable option would be the Kodak Ultramax 400. Now it does vary; some will come with 36 exposures per roll while others only have 24. I have recently purchased some at Target and I got mine for about $24ish for 3 rolls and 24 exposures per roll so you would get around 72 photos. Both are great options and it really just depends more so on your personal preference. Developing: Lastly, where can you develop? Most people know about going to CVS or other stores to drop off film and you have to wait 2-4 weeks to see your prints that's what I did at the beginning but now it’s a bit different. My biggest recommendation would be to support small farm indie labs or small businesses that develop film! Most have super quick turnaround times (like 1-5 business days) and are significantly more affordable and you get digital scans of your film and almost always have the option to get back your negatives. My personal favorite is Harvey Film lab (@harveyfilmlab on ig) they have great quality film scans and a super quick turnaround time. And so this was my quick guide to launching your film journey! I hope this was helpful and if you would like to follow mine make sure to follow my Film Instagram page @gelinas.dispos |
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March 2024
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