"Are you a dreamer or a fool?" This question during our English class last week really made me think, who am I, really? Am I still the same kid that loved making forts out of books and pillows? Or am I the same kid who wanted to be the doctor? Growing up, I was a dreamer. I always dreamed of having a great life someday;  living inside a house with a slide instead of stairs, having a Golden Retriever as a pet and probably a really nice car. Growing up also made me a fool and also a fool out of me. When I was still in elementary, I usually fooled myself that my limit is only up to my limit. I did not try to push, I rarely tried to get involved, and I became careless. Even though I still am a fool today, I have learned that being a fool is a part of being a dreamer. You can't be a dreamer without trying to fool yourself that you can be, even though you know that there's a possibility that you may not achieve that dream. In this way, you're fooling yourself. In my opinion and from experience, you can't be one without the other; you can't be the dreamer without being a fool and you can't be the fool without being a dreamer. It just kind of works that way.

 I've somehow balanced being a dreamer and a fool because even though I can get foolish and make mistakes, I get to learn from those mistakes and keep on continuing and correcting my dreams. It's all part of growing up and whoever said growing up doesn't suck was probably more of a dreamer. Growing up does suck, but it also has its upsides. You get to be taller, you get to understand things in a different perspective, and you get to do whatever you want to do (as long as your mom approves of it).

05:50

This is my dad and I months after I was born. My dad has always been one of the biggest inspirations that I have for almost everything. Growing up, I've always been told that I look like my dad and I would get mad about that. But now that I have grown up to a much more mature age, I'm actually proud to say that I'm the girl-version of my dad. From my curly hair to my thick eyebrows and my stubby fingers, I am (almost) the replica of my dad. 

Ever since I was small, I barely knew my dad. Yes, he would come home after months of working on a boat but we wouldn't bond much. I was never a daddy's girl. I was actually closer to my mom because she's always been there and the fact that she's a girl too. But now, at the age of 15, I realize that my dad is a hero. He may not be a hero for you, but for me he is. I'm proud of my dad even though he's not perfect. He tries his best to do everything just so my brothers and I could have a great life. He doesn't want to see us suffering the way he did when he was young and he loves us very much. I admire the length of my dad's patience and I try to be like him in terms of dealing with people. In short, my dad's my role model, as cheesy as it may sound but it's true and nothing can ever change that.

03:32

It has become a hobby of mine to collect beach bracelets. I don't know how I came to collect more than 10 of these for the past year but I have. I like the simplicity yet how creative and unique they look. I prefer these over the expensive bracelets that are made of silver or gold. I prefer hand-made rather than machine-made. Along with these bracelets, I also collect beach necklaces. 

Ever since I was a little kid, I liked the sea. I'm not a huge fan of beaches but they do get to me. I like relaxing with my family at a beach, taking photographs along the shoreline or just sleep. I'm very grateful that I was born with a family of people who like to travel. Yes, I like to travel but I hate packing. I hate packing, unpacking and the excess luggage. If I could, I just want to go to a place for a day or two so I won't have to carry such heavy bags. I like airplane rides the most because being up in air calms me, I don't know why. 

These beach bracelets remind me of the beach, mostly. Along with the memories that I have with some of them. 

03:21

Being yourself is important nowadays because at this age up until who knows when, us teenagers are having an identity crisis. Who are you, really? Are you an artist, a ballerina or perhaps an introvert? Stick to whoever you want to be, stick to your own decision and don't let other people label you. As a part of society, you shouldn't label other people, too. The only label that you should give them are their names. No one is actually a hundred and ten percent confident on who they are or on what they look like. Let me tell you this, it's okay. It was never wrong for you to doubt yourself because we're still in that phase where we're discovering things about ourselves and our society.

Regarding the picture above with the quote, "Be the type of person you want to meet.", it is quite simple, actually. It also conveys the message that you should be who you are and you should be proud of it. Because in the end, those who matter do not mind and those who mind do not matter.

03:10

There is a very thin line between freedom and restriction. A thin line which we can all impose on ourselves. An example of freedom is the use of the internet. Yes, we are free to do anything we want but there is the restriction that even on the internet, we should be courteous and polite. A big factor of this is our school's name and reputation. Since we represent our school, we should act accordingly. This doesn't mean that we should never let ourselves have some freedom but of course, when there is freedom, there is also responsibility. If you lack either one of the two, you're going to have a bad time. Yes, you may be free but are you responsible?

01:28

"isn’t it ironic

how we kill

flowers

because we

think that

they are

beautiful

but we

kill ourselves

because we

think that we

are not"

As teenagers, we tend to have these thoughts that make us doubt ourselves, our existence and basically anything and everything. I, too have encountered this. Let me tell you this, it gets better. I know it's ironic because I, too tend to get too deep in my thoughts that I eventually have a hard time to escape out of them. I encounter problems, I'm pretty sure we all do. The thing that pains me the most is when someone I know is fighting with depression and it's like they're in knee-deep water but they don't know it. You keep telling them to "stand up" but they don't want to. Accepting who you are, being positive and moving on are the keys to a better life. If you need someone to talk to, don't be shy. You aren't the only human being in this world who has experienced that. We all have cracks or flaws but these cracks are the places that allow the light to shine inside of us. Don't be scared to let the light flow.

01:14

My hands were made for good, not for evil. They were made to play the piano; to play the notes to make beautiful music that would echo hauntingly in the air, not for beating people up and coloring their skin making it blue and purple. These hands were made to punch dough to make them softer for chewy cookies and not for making people your personal punching bags. These hands were made to wrap gifts and not for wrapping around people's necks and choking them to death. These hands were made to write beautiful things, and not a suicide note. Your hands were made for good, not for evil. 

00:58