Diary of Yam Girl

daily thoughts, ramblings, and adventures of a purple-haired girl

[yam-diary]

California was absolutely gorgeous 💖💖💖

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dec. 19, 2018

some good ol’ taiyaki nyc ❤️ their Christmas special was so cute 🎄

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nov. 28, 2018 - colorful days ahead

Thanksgiving break back at home was much needed and so calming. I’m so glad I went back home; it was great for my soul and helped me find my roots again. It made me appreciate my family and friends back home all the more and helped ground me a bit more. Being in the city for this long really had a stressful impact on me, but I think that’s something that will change for the better over time. 

I got some good Black Friday deals and can’t wait to get my Christmas shopping all done! I’m so excited for December. Layers, hot cocoa, more Christmas music, and gift-giving here I come!! We’ve been starting to play Christmas music at the store I work at ever since the end of October, but it’s especially nice to hear it when December actually rolls around, haha. And the weather might get even more freezing, but that just means it’s time to bundle up and be cozy :) 

Also bought my plane ticket to California today~ excited to visit the west coast for the first time with my friend and experience spring weather in the winter!! Life is good :-)

[yam-diary]

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11/23 soup dumplings

[neckkiss]

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nov. 20, 2018 - progress takes time

It’s obvious, but all progress takes time. Little steps are still progress towards your goal and you shouldn’t underestimate its impact on your life! Something I heard today and numerous times before is that it can be comforting to know that someone else is going through something. It can be comforting to know that you’re not the only one going through hardships in your life and you don’t have to be afraid to share your feelings. Though it may take a longer time to readjust yourself to life changes, know that healing takes time. Before you know it, you’ll shed your cocoon and become a brand new butterfly!! 

I’ve recently loved going to my part-time job! We’ve gotten a lot of new hires lately because of the holiday season, and I’ve made so many great new friends. The vibe of the whole store is so positive and supportive; it really is a nice way for me to escape my thoughts. I tend to dwell on emotions when I’m alone (a great way to procrastinate, lol) and just keeping myself occupied with something I like doing is comforting. 

In my psychopathology class on Monday, something my professor said that really moved me was him inviting us to his Thanksgiving dinner. That probably sounds weird when I just say it right off the bat like that LOL, but he was extremely genuine and just wanted to make sure we all had someone to share Thanksgiving with. I swear, I almost started tearing up because he’s such a sweet man and definitely my favorite teacher I’ve had thus far. I found out that I’m more of a type A personality too, based on a quiz we took in class. I only lean a little bit towards type A, which just means I have more competitive and impatient tendencies. Haha, just a little tidbit i learned that I thought was cool! 

I’m also finally going home tomorrow and I could not be happier. I might have gotten to hang out with a lot of friends recently, which, don’t get me wrong, was great and a ton of fun (I played mafia for the first time today which was a blast), but in the end family is the most important thing. I’m feeling so sentimental just thinking about seeing my room again. I can’t wait to see my precious dog, my high school friends, and just spend some quality time with my family. 

[yam-diary]

nov. 18, 2018 - fa la la la la

I’ve been really starting to feel the holiday spirit lately and I am LIVING for it!! I just watched “The Princess Switch” today and I’m watching “The Holiday Calendar” as we speak. Cheesy Christmas movies are my favorite, hehe. 

I’ve been having fun times at school, work, and with friends lately. I’m content! Having a good support system is so important; don’t underestimate the advice and comfort of a loved one! 

There’s so many books that I want to read; I hope I can find time during Thanksgiving break to watch and read things I want! Something I have been reading is “Red Azalea” by Anchee Min. It’s a required reading for my Chinese Literature class but it’s really interesting so far! It takes place during the collapse of the Maoist regime and follows a schoolgirl named Min as she is sent to work at the Red Fire Farm and is praised for her commitment to communism. 

I also really want to read “Becoming” by Michelle Obama too! Hopefully I can crack that open in a couple of days. Some shows I’ve been watching are “Banana Fish” and “Kim’s Convenience” on Netflix. “Banana Fish” is an intense anime so far; it follows Lynx, a teenage gang leader in NYC and takes its name from J.D. Salinger’s short story “A Perfect Day for Bananfish”. The latter is an amusing, quirky show that follows the Kim family. It’s a super silly and light-hearted show I watch when I want a good laugh :). 

[yam-diary]

nov. 17, 2018 - turkey day is approaching!

The first snow of this season was on November 15! It was insanely cold but it was beautiful. I walked out of campus to head to work and the streets were completely covered! The work day was actually so fun, though. I found out one of my coworkers lives in the exact same building as I do and we ended up uber-ing home together. But before that, we almost got blown away by the insane wind and the streets were so icy so we were slipping and sliding everywhere, LOL.

A series I recently finished is A-Teen! It’s so cute and a very heart-warming show. I felt nostalgic watching some of the episodes and the ending was great. It’s another series about high school life, this one taking place in South Korea, and it follows a group of friends who experience the ups and downs of this emotional time in their lives~ 

I’m so excited to go back home on Wednesday for Thanksgiving! I’m feeling a lot better emotionally recently and I think going home will really top it all off. I’ve been wanting to see my high school friends back home and I’m so excited! We made plans to see the new Fantastic Beasts movie so that’s fun :). 

Wishing you all a happy and fruitful day! 

[yam-diary]

nov. 14, 2018 - positivity is key

Today, my school had a bunch of events going on for Thanksgiving all over campus! My roommate and I attended two of them and stuffed ourselves silly while we learned about different “Thanksgivings” in different countries and celebrated with fellow students :). It was a blast, really. I got to fulfill this craving I’ve had for pumpkin pie ever since October (with 3 slices of delicious pie, HAHA). 

I’m really starting to feel a lot better than I had been for the previous week. I really believe everything happens for a reason. So even if something upsetting has happened, I believe it makes you stronger and will somehow help you grow as a person even if it may not seem like it. I’ve really tried to focus on my own education, bettering myself, and just focus on myself for awhile. As cheesy as it sounds, if you can’t love yourself, can you truly love someone else? In my opinion, self-love should always be a priority.

Something else that’s really important is to not beat yourself up over something that’s not in your control. Don’t blame yourself for things that aren’t your fault and even if it is, know that it’s going to be OK and that no problem is too big to tackle. You deserve so much more than you think you do; honestly though, everyone is perfect in their own way and there’s only one of you in this world. You’re one of a kind and beautiful!! 

[yam-diary]

nov. 12, 2018 - chilly, cold, to freezing

It’s only been 3 days since I last wrote a day entry on here, but it feels like a week has gone by! Haha, there’s definitely been a lot of thoughts and feelings going on in my mind recently.

I got to see a lot of old friends recently so that makes me happy! It honestly is just very refreshing to catch up with faraway friends. It helps to keep me grounded in some way and I always enjoy seeing pals <3. This lil’ brunch I had is one I had with one of my highschool friends~ we went to Spoon Table & Bar around midtown and it was superb!! We got the Cinnamon & Orange Zest Waffle and the Breakfast Skillet. Both were mind-blowing. Service was great. 10/10! I absolutely LOVE eating out ( who doesn’t??) though I really try to limit how many times I go out. It saves me money and I just found it a lot easier to be healthy when I eat out of my own fridge. 

I took a test in my psychopathology class today and I think it went well! This is definitely one of my favorite classes this semester; the professor is very inspiring and I’m fascinated by the subject. My professor is so optimistic and I love being around that kind of energy; I like to think that the best thing you can do in a dim situation is to try to think positively. 

Something I read while studying for my test was that one of the differences between people with depressive mood disorders and more optimistic thinkers is that when they’re faced with stressful life events, more optimistic thinkers will distract themselves, whether it be seeing friends or focusing on a hobby. Another option is ruminating but the difference with more optimistic thinkers is that they will reflect instead of brood. I definitely agree with this; I think it’s so important to just focus on anything else in your life that is of importance to you. Don’t let yourself drown in your own sadness! 

There are definitely inevitable moments where one can feel down, but the important part is how you handle and direct that feeling. Like I’ve said before, I like to believe that everything happens for a reason. It can help you grow, help you learn, and help toughen you up maybe. In the end, it’s important to life yourself up, because things will get better and you deserve better! <3 

[yam-diary]

Sephora Haul~ 

1. HUDA BEAUTY Amethyst Eyeshadow Palette

2. Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

3. It Cosmetics Bye Bye Breakout Concealer

[yam-diary]

One of my favorite pieces displayed at Christie’s! 

La Rue Saint-Lazare

Camille Pissarro

[yam-diary]

nov. 9, 2018 - a rainy Friday

It started pouring like crazy halfway through the day today! I was just at my internship the whole day, so luckily I escaped the rain for most of the time. I love rainy days, but only when I’m inside, under a blanket, and listening to the calming raindrops from the comfort of a cozy bed, hehe. 

Despite the rain, one of my friends was in town and I finally got to see her after months! We only talked for about 30 minutes because I could only take a break during my internship, but it was so, so nice to catch up with her :). She’s one of my close high school friends, so it was very comforting to talk to her and know that she’s doing okay. I’m really so grateful for having such amiable friends around <3.

After my internship, my coworker and I took a short trip to H&M and Target to shop for home goods since she recently moved into a new place! We talked about her dream room aesthetic so we’ll be browsing around for the next few weeks to find the perfect pieces.

I got some reading done for homework and a test I have on Monday after coming home but i’m pretty tired so I’m going to hit the hay pretty soon~ Something I’ve been watching recently is the "PERSONA5 the Animation” on Crunchyroll! I played this game during the summer and fell in love with the whole storyline and the game itself! It’s so exciting to see it all as show! 

[yam-diary]

nov. 8, 2018 - the importance of quality

Something I’ve recently realized is that the quality of how you spend your time and the environment/people that you surround yourself with is honestly so important. I’ve been feeling a little down lately but just surrounding myself with the right people and spending my time wisely/productively lifts my mood and I’m sure I’ll be out of this slump soon. 

One of the things I love doing is going on campus to study or get work done instead of staying cooped up at my dorm. It really motivates me to be more productive just because of the more open space and positive environment. I’ve found a few comfy study spots at my school and I’m excited just thinking about them! 

Also, talking to good friends is always such a stress reliever and makes my soul feel so relaxed. I really appreciate having such good people around in my life. Even going to work, I’m so happy talking to most of my coworkers and it automatically brightens my mood. It’s always fun meeting new people and building on old friendships; that’s one of the best feelings in the world for me! 

I’ve also been reading/listening to these two books lately, and they’re both super interesting! I like to read a physical book in my spare time and listen to an audiobook when I’m walking somewhere or doing a light chore or something. I’m currently reading “Strange Weather in Tokyo” by Hiromi Kawakami and listening to “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt. I’ve currently only made a small dent in either one, but you can bet I’ll be reading and listening more in the next few days! 

Have a good night!