Happy Independence Day

I’m a mildly patriotic person. I say mildly because I sometimes have the tendency to love English more than my mother tongue. But when it comes to Maldives, I love most things about it. I love the history, the sandy beaches, the traditions (especially the eid celebrations) the cuisine, and the traditional dresses.

This year, is my favorite independence day so far. Two years back, I remember being in the independence day dance and it was going so well, until I lost all my belongings. BUMMER! Today was different. Since MNU were celebrating a “Minivan Haveeru”, some of my uni-mates and I were on the organizing team and we had fun blowing balloons, putting up streamers and stuff. By the afternoon, I remembered I had plans with G to go to the museum, which was by far the best thing that happened. I love museums, and this one trip was extra fun because G has something funny to say about every single thing there. We bumped into few familiar faces and the whole experience was lovely.

G, Sorry I had to come early, you know.

Anyhow, after that I was supposed to go host the MNU event with some other friends and it was fun. I love hosting stuff, *cough*hfm*cough* but I wanted to enjoy the time cheering and not hosting, so after one event, I let the other girl do all the talking, and she seemed to enjoy it, and she was pretty good, so I guess it’s a win win. FMC won in some stuff, but the best part was that we all were together and had fun.

Then G and his mates along with M and A went to have pizza and boy we had fun. These guys are amazing! We made Harry Potter references and everyone got it, which is something I love about this bunch of people.

Special shout out to Mh, who is so much fun-ner when you meet him for real. This was only the 3rd time we met, but it seems like I know you forever.  I wish that sometimes I were in your class. It sounds like my kinda thing. Kudos to making the saddest the brightest =P

Meanwhile, I hope you readers had a great day too.

Photo by Nattu on Flickr. Click the pic to go the site.

Doin’ My Thing

Life has been pretty hectic lately. Apart from the gazillion assignments and battles with self, there’s the elections, the constant pressure to meet people’s expectations, the confusion and the drama.

It never seems to end. We are now following the Ramadan timetable, which itself is a very complicated one. People constantly keep asking me why I am like this, like that. Why can’t I be this/that. ARGH!

And don’t even get me started on my class. The 15 of us, whom I like to call “the originals” are also becoming so far apart, I don’t even know them anymore. A and I seem to be the only people who doesn't know what is going around. No one seems to tell us anything. It’s rather peculiar because we used to be so close. But of course people move on. Maybe I am the only one who seems to be unable to carry on.

Then there’s the other 30 classmates, most of whose name I still don’t know. –__- They seem to exist in perfect harmony.

Here I am, confused as always. Scared. I remember the start of the semester, I had such high hopes for myself. But right now it all seems so blurry. I can’t seem to see straight.Everything is a mess. I don’t like when things are a mess. I tell myself to follow my heart, but I am not sure what my heart says. I’m not sure if it even says anything.

Maybe everything is very simple and I being my usual self is complicating it in my mind.

Anyhow, enjoy the good old days before it passes away!

Inspirational Women: Princess Diana

Ever since I remember, I always adored her. I was living back in Mom’s island when I was around 5 years f age and I had a copy of the newspaper from the day she died, along with the kind of supplements Haveeru used to do back then. I still have the 1992 (the year I was born ) Calendar featuring her, and whenever I go back to my old room, I’d spend hours just looking at the lovely pictures, re reading the newspaper and the supplement.

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It was rather peculiar. Everyone my age was obsessing over the Disney princesses. And there I was. I never knew her, but every time I looked at the calendar, even to this day, I feel sad, for the world lost a generous and kindhearted woman.

She is an example of a graceful person, who loved people genuinely. I remember, wanting to be like her when I grew up. I wanted to be strong like her, and I wanted to be sophisticated. Classy.

After the recent royal marriage, there has been lots of buzz going around how Kate is a lot like her. But even Kate doesn’t have that charm, that kind face. I never really cared for the royal family except Diana.

Oh, How I Love Busy Days.

I am hardly a busy person. In fact, I procrastinate a lot which means in the first few weeks I am all free, but this semester I’m trying to prioritize more so that I can have more quality work done, as quality is something I can’t afford to forgo!

So yesterday, all classes were cancelled, but I got a call to help a friend and it was actually fun. I learnt lots of interesting things and we had fun. Then, a cousin and I went to see the Ahmadhiyya game and half through it, I had to go another meeting, where we discussed some exciting games. I love hanging out with my cousins. They are so fun. Whenever we hangout something fun always happens, like this time my cousin N was wearing her jacket the wrong way so we had to go to a store’s fitting room and get her changed. We laughed all about it until we were running out of air!

Also my friend Mh and I are playing a very exciting treasure hunt game that involves learning new things, riddles, poetry, books and a library. I am afraid that’s all I can tell, but this is fantastic. I haven’t had this fun since my Ahmadhiyya days.

Today, I had a class and we talked about lots of plans that involves celebrities, music bands and a certain singer/songwriter and I have another lecture to attend as well as a meeting with my cousin’s teachers at Ahmadhiyya.

You can tell how much I love Ahmadhiyya. Apart from Ifthithaah, it was my favorite school that I attended.

I hope everyone’s enjoying these days.

When I doubt…

Just a few quotes that I find very inspiring to help me sort out a few personal things. I hope it helps you too.

• Don’t keep late hours
• Today is a new day
• Remember, happiness is a way of travel, not a destination. – Roy Goodman
• Unless it is mad passionate extraordinary love it is a waste of time. There are too many mediocre things in life. Love should not be one of them.
• To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong. – Joseph Chilton Pearce
• The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.
• Rudeness is the weak person’s imitation of strength. – Eric Hoffer
• Because when you stop and look around this life is pretty amazing.
• Don’t be the girl that needs a man. Be the girl a man needs.
• Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.
• A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does the genius or the madman. It’s only you and I with our big brains and our tiny hearts, who doubt and overthink and hesitate. – Steven Pressfield
• Don’t be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try.
• Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one remembers to turn on the light. – Albus Dumbledore
• It’s our choices that show who we are truly, far more than our abilities. – Albus Dumbledore
• No one can make you feel inferior without your consent – Eleanor Roosevelt
• Life is too short to stress yourself with people who don’t even deserve to be an issue in your life.
• Keep your heels, head and standards high.

I hope you’re having a great Monday.

Tribute to Harry Potter Series

I remember the first time I read Harry Potter, borrowed from a friend. The first thing I loved about the book was not the magic, Hogwarts, nor the excitement of discovering a new world. I was more interested in the character’s personalities. For instance, I was obsessed about Hermione throughout the series. She stuck me as a role model because I could relate to her. She taught me valuable lessons and she has been part of my growing up, a happy part.

I am no hardcore fan, but I love the series. I can quote a few lines and stuff but more than anything I am always inspired by the complexity of the character’s and JK Rowling’s writing. I am glad to be part of the Harry Potter generation.

Some of my favorite characters apart from Hermione are Ron (of course!), Luna, Neville, Draco, Voldemort and Bellatrix. I love Ron mostly because he is the main humor source in the book series, and because of Rupert Grint. *swoon* Luna stuck me as someone like me and I loved how odd she was. She reminded me of, me! Neville was always one of my favorites because he is true to himself, and he stands up for things and mostly because things always happen to him, and he gets past his insecurities. I love how his character develops throughout the series.The main reason I love Draco is Tom Felton. Yes. I adore Tom. Also who doesn’t love a bad boy? Voldemort was one of those evil characters that you just love to hate, but for me he was an example of how anyone can want something to the extent they can harm themselves for it. He is one of the greatest characters, he has poise and he is dramatic. He reminds me of one of my favorite Shakespeare characters, Othello. He was a great leader but what he believed made him do things he regretted. Voldemort was quite like that. Bella is more of a complex character to me. She does everything in the name of family. She has this twisted logic to try to protect her family. She is someone who does everything, even the most horrible things because of her loyalty. I appreciate loyalty no matter what form it is.

The funny thing is I never like Harry, or Danielle. I am not sure why, maybe because he had everything, or because he was always the one. As for Snape, I never really cared for Snape until the Order of Phoenix. It was my dislike for James that made me like him. I never really cared for Dumbledore either, so him dying made no difference except the loss of a good character, and so I had no real reason to dislike Snape, except for him being a bully. But the last book, when Snape dies it was a moment of sadness. I cried all while reading The Prince’s Tale. I have heard of unrequited love, but his was a new level of it. My favorite romantic hero has been Ned from Nancy Drew (I know, a bit pathetic, but ND series were the love of my life), and in teen years it was a tie between Aditya (Jab We Met) and Demetrius (Midsummer Night’s Tale), but now it’s Snape.

Well, it’s a sad moment for one of the best works of recent times has come to and end, but the series will always live in our heart as long as those loyal to Harry and his friends remain. After all inside every one of us, there’s a little child waiting for her acceptance letter.

To Harry, Hermione and Ron. To everyone who has been with the series till the very end. To the end of an era that will be remembered.

Castle

I was first introduced to Castle, the TV series by Mush, a classmate but at first I thought it was a horror series and didn’t watch until one day I was bored and decided that even if it was horror, I should see it.

After watching for two minutes I thought I’d hate it, but continued and one episode later, I was addicted. Most people who know me will know that apart from high school drama’s my favorite genre is crime. I grew up reading Nancy Drew and bit of Agatha Christy mystery novels. Castle had both things I loved. Crime and Writing. WINNER!

After re-watching three seasons of it twice, I still want to watch it again, it’s that good. Well, for me at least.

The characters are kinda relatable to me. Alexis for instance is the kind of person I thought I’d be when I grew up. I am not that perfect but she’s still the most relatable character! Kate is the kinds of personality I’d like to be when I am older. She’s independent, smart and funny, not to mention ambitious and determined. Castle however is my favorite character. I love how Nathan Fillion smiles. I watch it for his smile alone. He’s an amazing dad, a romantic person, and a kid at heart.

If you aren’t already watching this (WHY AREN’T YOU WATCHING THIS?) I highly recommend you should. It thought me what obstruction of justice was! and a lot more, which I have forgotten! u_u

Ethics and Morality

I may not be the best person to talk about this, but this semester, we have been extremely careful about ethics while doing everything. Especially in the coursework procedure but what happened today made me realize how much we Maldivians lack in discipline (myself included).

Yesterday we had to make slides without any pictures because we couldn’t contact anyone from Wataniya to get permission to use their logo. A semester ago, we would never have even thought about permissions. I am proud to say that we have come a long way from those days. But today, a lecturer from FE, lets name her Ms. X for now (a higher secondary personnel from the ministry I suppose) along with two more lecturers came to give us survey forms to fill about financial plans and money matters. One of the lecturers introduced herself and asked us politely that they would appreciate if we took time to fill the form. I was rather happy because we’ve just learnt about ethics in Marketing Research class the week before. Then she and the other lecturer left, and Ms. X gave us the survey forms. We were halfway through the first page when she started meddling with the form filling process. She came to some students and asked them that they should truthfully write, and went as far as pointing out someone’s income figure saying it was too low. She started asking about course fee and that we should write it honestly, and if not she can check it from the registry or something like that.

While I was filling, Z my classmate was next to me, and he wrote something in his parents occupation, and Ms. X came and asked him what it was. By then, I was so angry and sad that this is the kind of teachers in MNU. After I filled it and gave it back to her, she read my form! It was supposed to be private but she read my atoll, and asked who’s form it was. She then pointed to me and told me my A in RAA looked like an O, and that it looks like Roo, not Raa. She went all the way to ask me if I write my exam papers that horribly and told me that I probably get low marks because I have poor handwriting.

I felt ashamed, but more than that I felt sad that she had no idea how wrong she was to invade my privacy. Anything I write in the form, is supposed to be private and confidential, specially when it was about financial capabilities. I didn’t argue with her, I just stayed there while she finished telling me how horrible it is, then went to someone else and asked them to fill a sector that they didn’t fill.

I know, I don’t have perfect handwriting and the heart to tell her how wrong it is to force people to fill forms. But it made me realize how all of us are so determined to make sure we get to stay in the top, we have to be all mean and forget about things such as honestly kindness, moral values, etc..

Being a business student, I learn new things about ethics everyday, and this experience will hopefully help me be a better person when I conduct my marketing research for the assignment and applying things in my day to day life.

My Sister’s Keeper

This is one of the most emotional movies I have ever watched. I cry in movies sometimes but this one made me cry a gallon of tears because it was too emotional. At some point I had to stop watching because I couldn’t take it anymore.

I am probably not doing justice to it by not reading the book, but since I don’t have it, it’s the next best thing. I was rather sad after reading the book summary that the movie ending was different than the books. I can’t even imagine how life would be for a cancer patient, or a dyslexic. Everything seems to start very differently but in the end we realize that sometimes we get so lost in trying to keep the ones we love near that we forget what they want, or need.

The characters are very complex and versatile. I’ve been a huge fan f Abigail Breslin since Nim’s Island, but she delivers her best in this movie. But the best performance was by Sofia. She made the movie come to life with her acting. At times you feel sad for her character Kate, then she makes you realize that life is beautiful when you cherish every moment. If you look at life from her glasses, it’s a journey, no matter how short the distance is, what matters is how much you’ve given and how much it meant. Alec Baldwin was as always, great. I think this is Cameron’s best performance I’ve seen too, not that I’ve seen that many movies of her.

I really recommend this movie. It’s the kind of movie you would want to watch with the people you love the most, because it would make you care and cherish what you have and make you realize how much it’s worth.

PS I’ve been watching way too much White Collar and Hellcats these days, and classes are so packed (literally!) along with many trips coming up. I hardly have time to blog, but I;’ll keep you posted. ^^

Knowledge

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As they say, knowledge is power. Being a second year undergrad I feel pressured to know things, things around me. History, Geography, Science are only few of the things. At times I feel ashamed that my General Knowledge level is as low of a 10th grader. Maybe it’s how we have been brought up, but I don’t solely blame on the system.

As people, we need to understand life, the past and generally a bit of everything. I do like to know. In fact I am very much interested in Literature, specially works of Shakespeare, and Jane Austen, History (Specially Roman History) and languages.All through CHSE I read a few works of Shakespeare, and two of Austen’s novels. But that is not enough. We need to be able to talk properly when faces with difficult situations. We need to understand people and why they do what they do.

I sometimes contradict myself because I find these things fascinating yet I never really do anything to learn it. People think that those who get good marks are smart, but the truth is far from that. Me, for instance, I do get good marks, but most of the time I hardly remember what I studied, and there are many smarter and wise people even in my class. I’m just really good at reading things last minute and writing it down in the exam the next day.

Sometimes I feel guilty. I feel that I don’t deserve the marks. In the end, I tell myself that I am just too good at procrastinating and that helps me sleep at night. I am not writing this to get more compliments, or for sympathy. I needed to write it out, because I need a reminder to actually learn, not just for the marks or the grade.

All my life, I’ve been thought and I have been trying for more marks. More academic bling. I participated in every single thing is school because it would look good on my leaving certificate. But the funny thing is, despite all of it, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed participating in things getting to know people, cramming at the last minute, writing exams, and most importantly, I enjoyed my school life.

But at this point in my life, I don’t want to just enjoy it I want to experience learning as a never-ending process. I want to fall in love with books, art and science. I want to look at things and appreciate the beauty in them. I want to be lost. Lost in a world full of knowledge.

Confusion is my middle name.

*sigh*