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Movie Journal | The Burden Of The Protected Child

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Directed by Sofia Coppola I just finished The Virgin Suicides two nights ago, and it left me in a melancholic state. I am haunted by the hazy atmosphere of the movie, the dreamlike portrayal, and the isolation of the Lisbon girls, as well as the way the boys next door narrate and recall the girls and their tragic ending. The boys’ narration reminds us that memory can be both tender and cruel—heartwarming like a warm summer afternoon, yet piercing like a cold winter evening. They describe the girls in a way that makes them appear mysterious, almost mythical, and I found myself perceiving them as angels suspended in time. Lux Lisbon’s eyes, as seen through the boys’ memories, embody this paradox. Their gaze freezes the sisters into symbols of beauty and longing rather than full human beings. The girls were denied the chance to live ordinary lives, and in the boys’ recollections, they are denied the chance to be understood deeply. They remain forever enigmatic, trapped in the amber of no...
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Turtles All The Way Down

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I just finished watching Turtles All the Way Down , the movie adaptation of John Green’s novel. The story follows Aza Holmes, a teenager living with OCD, whose intrusive thoughts often spiral into endless loops. At its heart, the film isn’t just about solving a mystery, it’s about Aza’s struggle to navigate friendship, love, and identity while living with a mind that constantly questions reality. As a psychology graduate, I found it fascinating how John Green captured the lived experience of OCD. Clinically, OCD is defined by two main features: (1) Obsessions - unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that cause distress. These includes fears of contamination, doubts, or seeking reassurance. Then we have, (2) Compulsions - repetitive behaviors or mental rituals performed to reduce anxiety, such as checking, cleaning, counting, or seeking reassurance.  People with OCD often recognize that their thoughts and behaviors are excessive, yet feel powerless to stop them. Research s...
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Why Are We Obliged to Forgive?

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Why is forgiveness treated like a moral duty, something we owe to those who have wronged us? Why does society place such heavy pressure on us to let go, to move on, to release the pain — even when the wound is still fresh, even when the apology never came? Forgiveness is often painted as the “right ” thing to do, the noble path. We’re told it’s the key to peace, to healing, to freedom. And maybe, sometimes, it is. But what if forgiveness feels impossible? What if it feels unfair? What if it feels like another burden placed on the shoulders of the one who was already hurt? There’s a quiet cruelty in the way society romanticizes forgiveness. It can make us feel guilty for holding on to anger, for protecting ourselves, for saying "no, I’m not ready" . It can silence the complexity of our emotions, reducing them to a simple binary: forgive, or remain bitter . But life isn’t that simple. Healing isn’t that linear. Forgiveness isn’t a switch we can flip just because others expect ...
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Coastal Diaries | The Beauty in the Mundane

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Two weeks after I officially moved in to my coastal apartment, I felt bored. Bored in a sense that my life is hauntingly quiet and peaceful. I  have always prayed for this life. I begged God to give me peace and when peace came --- I didn't know how to react. I am grateful for it and I thank God for giving me peace, actually. I've resolved to find the beauty in the mundane. Yesterday, Pat and I agreed to go for a walk to the spot he recommended the day I moved in. But the plan changed and we decided to take a dip in the sea near my apartment. We talked, looked for shells (I am now collecting shells and is planning to illustrate it) , and watched the sun set. The waves were forgiving enough to console us in our woes and disappointments for this year. I’ve also started my 2026 curriculum. I curated what media to consume, what books to read, and who to be friends with. I don't have the energy and time for unnecessary silent competitions between my friends and I certainly don...
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Coastal Diaries | When The Sea Gives Back

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I’ve been out shell collecting almost every morning since moving near the sea. There’s something meditative about it: walking along the shoreline, listening to the waves, letting my eyes catch the small glimmers of shape and color scattered in the sand. One morning, I found a tiny shell that felt too cute to leave behind. I placed it inside my case, together with the shells I’ve collected over the past few days, thinking it was just another addition to my collection. Later that day, I discovered I wasn’t the only one who thought the shell was worth keeping—a hermit crab had been living inside it. I let the shell go after telling Pat about it, not expecting anything. It felt like the right thing to do: to return a home to its rightful owner—the crab, and nature itself. But when I came back from dinner, I found the crab had returned, leaving the shell behind for me. As if the sea had instructed it to share a little joy and beauty to me.  Hermit crabs don’t make their own shells; they...
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Growing anyway

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Lately, I’ve been noticing how some people seem to treat my growth and creativity like a competition — and it has been an exhausting feeling. I don’t wake up trying to outdo anyone. I just want to enjoy what I love, keep learning, and grow at my own pace. But instead of support, I sometimes hear dismissive comments or notice people mirroring what I do, almost as if something needs to be proven. It shows up in small, subtle ways. I share something that helps me reflect or process life, and soon it becomes a shared interest. I casually mention wanting something, and before long, someone else already has it. Even parts of my blog have been copied elsewhere. Of course, anyone is free to explore the same things — but sometimes the energy behind it feels less like inspiration and more like comparison. At first, it bothered me. It felt like my every move was being watched, copied, or quietly dismissed. But the more I sat with that feeling, the more I understood something important: their reac...
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Habits I’m Unlearning as I Transition to My Late Twenties

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Is turning 27 considered part of the late twenties club? If so, then I suppose it’s time to welcome myself with the fact that I am indeed maturing and growing wiser. Over the past decade, I’ve collected both good and bad habits—some worth keeping, others worth unlearning as I prepare for my thirties. And because habits take time to reshape, I want to start early, so that the future version of me can live with more ease and intention. 1. Perfectionism Perfectionism is a double-edged sword, and I’ve been bleeding from it for years. It pushes me to excel, but it also drains me when nothing ever feels “good enough.” I remember being 13, idealistic and obsessive about every detail. Back then, it felt like discipline; now, I see how it robs me of joy and spontaneity. I’m learning that progress matters more than perfection, and that “done” is often better than “flawless.” 2. Procrastination Procrastination has been my silent companion—sometimes disguised as “ waiting for the right moment.” ...
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