Author: Antara K.
It’s currently 11:14 PST and I’m wondering how I ended up here in the first place. I had thoroughly charted out my schedule for the day in my trusty constellation planner. I had color coded my tasks in pink, blue, green, and purple gel pen. My itinerary included, among other lofty goals, getting an hour walk in before work/play, submitting this blog post by 7, and sleeping at 10:30 for a restful 8 hours. You might guess that things went a little south.
Figure I: an aggressive note-to-self
In SSP, a number of things I thought I had a good handle on (organization, sleep, caffeine consumption) have mysteriously vanished into thin air, leaving me floundering. The word “productivity” seems so distant that it evokes powerful nostalgia. I find myself thinking back to the good old days, namely Week 1, when the world seemed so much simpler. I remember spending half an hour after the Learning Block to copy my notes onto new paper. I was so naive…
All jokes aside, SSP has been a powerful teacher. I’ve had to scrap my notions of what it means to really understand a concept (skimming notes 30 minutes before the LB is not one way to get there) and what collaboration looks like (my experiences with group work prior to SSP weren’t pleasant)! I’ve discovered that stress can be positive and that virtual backgrounds provide unmatched opportunities for creative liberty.
And as a people person, I’m continually falling in love with the amazing community here. I’m always surprised by how creative SSPers are when it comes to having fun, from executing the greatest pranks of all time to creating hilarious parody musicals to having meaningful late-night chats (shout out to Sophia!)
Figure II: Sophia and I bully Matt (no context provided)
So as the fourth week is nearing a close, I just want to genuinely thank every special person who’s made me feel like I belong at SSP. I love y’all so much.
Hey there! I’m Antara, a rising senior in Middle College at West Valley Community College. I love ceramics hand-building, making earrings, curling up in a warm corner with a book, acrylic painting, and tending to my eight lovely houseplants. I work as a barista in a boba tea café and enjoy trying new drink combos! I’m notorious for overwatering succulents and abandoning ambitious knitting projects.
