Tag: writing

web series that have my heart <3

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

A lot of us have a subscription to whichever of the streaming services that exist now and binge as many series as we like. It’s an ingrained part of our contemporary culture and I feel its legacy will last despite its recent shortcomings. While eating breakfast, lunch or dinner, I go to Netflix or Amazon Prime on my TV or laptop and search through their catalogue for an intriguing series to watch. Sometimes they can be a miss, but others really make my entire life.

Baby (2018-2020)

c: Netflix

platform: Netflix
country: Italy
language: Italian

Based on a true case, Baby follows Chiara Altieri (Benedetta Porcaroli) and Ludovica ‘Ludo’ Storti (Alice Pagani), two teenage girls at the affluent school Collodi in Rome who begin to lead double lives in prostitution. The subject matter is serious and initially, I was questioning how the series truly dealt with the topic. It should be a series that was average at best and one I disliked, considering the short length, lack of development in characters and narrative. Side plots follow other characters:

  • Damiano Younes (Riccardo Mandolini) – a newly transferred student, son of a diplomat and becomes involved with Chiara
  • Niccolo Govender Rossi (Lorenzo Zurzolo) – his messy personal life involves Chiara and track coach Monica, Damiano’s step-mother
  • Camilla Govender Rossi (Chabeli Sastre Gonzalez) – Niccolo’s sister and Chiara’s slowly estranging best friend
  • Fabio Fedelli (Brando Pacitto) – Chiara and Camilla’s best friend who deals with his sexuality
  • Brando De Sanctis (Mirko Trovato) – Niccolo’s best friend, school bully at Collodi and has an identity crisis
  • Claudio Fiorenzi/’Fiore’ (Giuseppe Maggio) – A shady businessman and eventually Ludo and Chiara’s pimp

Due to early controversy, the first season was cut from eight to six episodes, a choice which remained for the next two seasons. Perhaps this decision let the series down in terms of there being little development that was convincingly moving the story forward. I want to point out that some aspects of representing the protagonists’ venture into a dangerous world should’ve been more carefully done. But over the course of 3 seasons, I found the series to be mature and morally sound with characters facing consequences for their actions, including legal repercussions. The whole prostitution arc also shows how Chiara and Ludo both become entangled with it and how it affects them individually, leading to realisations of manipulation and addiction. The tone is dark, the cinematography is sleek and the music is a genre I’ve not heard elsewhere.

‘Baby’ proved to be something different and still remains one of the most unique shows I’ve seen. It was a tough watch at times and evoked some stronger emotions by the series’ conclusion.

Control Z (2020-2022)

c: Netflix

platform: Netflix
country: Mexico
language: Spanish

A Mexican teen drama series, ‘Control Z’ follows a group of students at the National College who become victims of a mysterious hacker:

  • Isabela de la Fuente (Zión Moreno) – a popular girl at the school who is outed as transgender
  • Pablo García (Andrés Baida) – Isabela’s boyfriend who is revealed to be having an affair with another (mysterious) female classmate
  • Gerardo ‘Gerry’ Granda (Patricio Gallardo) – a tough and aggressive bully exposed for watching gay pr0n
  • Alejandra ‘Alex’ Salomone (Samantha Acuña) – an openly lesbian student who’s relationship with her biology teacher is exposed
  • Raúl León (Yankel Stevan) – the son of wealthy parents, his father is revealed to be a fraud
  • Natalia Alexander (Macarena García Romero) – once the organiser of a school fundraiser, only to be exposed as keeping the money for herself to buy luxury items

Once their secrets are revealed, several troubles in their relationships ensue. The protagonist Sofía ‘Sofí’ Herrera (Ana Valeria Becerril) is a girl with exceptional observation skills and attempts to discover the hacker’s identity with the help of new student and friend Javier Williams (Michael Ronda). After ‘Baby’ had officially ended and I was searching for similar shows, some people had recommended this one on Reddit. The story and characters had some depth to them and figuring out the hacker’s identity and motivation was intriguing. As the series lasted three seasons, the story remained consistent with a new problem faced by the characters each time, courtesy of the hacker.

There were some loose ends like ‘Baby’ had and some moments which, admittedly, were more weird than anything. But it was still a fun series to follow with a creative premise.

Young Royals (2021-present)

c: Netflix / IMDb

platform: Netflix
country: Sweden
language: Swedish

Another teen/young adult series, ‘Young Royals’ is one I regret putting off watching for no particular reason. The series follows Prince Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding), the youngest son of the Swedish Royal Family, who transfers to Hillerska Academy after a controversy. There, he meets Simon Eriksson (Omar Rudberg), a fellow student and chorister for the school and a rocky but romantic relationship develops. We also meet the supporting characters:

  • August Horn (Malte Gårdinger) – Wille’s 2nd cousin tasked with helping him settle down at the academy
  • Felice Ehrencrona (Nikita Uggla) – a popular girl at Hillerska and childhood friend of Wilhelm
  • Sara Eriksson (Frida Argento) – Simon’s sister who struggles with Asperger’s and ADHD

On a surface level, the series can come across as simple and perhaps even fan-fictionesque. But there’s so much I appreciate about ‘Young Royals’ as it exceeds beyond just another teen/young adult romantic drama.

Firstly, the fact that they allow the actors/characters to keep acne and other blemishes adolescents can have. As someone who suffered from really bad acne as a teenager, it was nice to see the show keep it real. The approach to the idea of royalty, something that is often considered very traditional, dealing with LGBTQIA+ themes is careful and is an interesting commentary, having me on the brink of tears at times. It led to the realisation that this is a topic that is relevant and how much we need to reconsider what is ‘traditional’ and ‘right’. With a third and final season confirmed, I’m hopeful in seeing how Wilhelm and Simon‘s story ends ❤

Heartstopper (2022-present)

c: Netflix

platform: Netflix
country: United Kingdom
language: English

I was familiar with the graphic novels by Alice Oseman, thanks to one of my best friends and some booktubers. Once the series hit Netflix, I made the decision to watch it out of curiosity because there were already such great reviews of the source material. ‘Heartstopper’ might be one of the most wholesome series I’ve ever seen. It follows Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), a recently outed boy who is gay, and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), a popular rugby player and fellow classmate at Truham Grammar School, and the start of a blossoming relationship between them. The series is heart-warming in examining what it means to be comfortable with your sexuality and the platonic love found in friendships as well. ‘Heartstopper’ had instances which had me tearing up too, from the sad to the tender and endearing. The supporting characters are all loveable in their own right:

  • Tao Xu (William Gao) – One of Charlie’s best friends, a cinephile (like me!)
  • Elle Argent (Yasmin Finney) – Charlie and Tao’s friend who transfers to the local girls school, Higgs, after coming out as transgender
  • Isaac Henderson (Tobie Donovan) – Another best friend of Charlie, Tao and Elle who is often quiet and seen reading books
  • Tara Jones (Corinna Brown) – One of Elle’s new friends at Higgs
  • Darcy Olsson (Kizzy Edgell) – Tara’s girlfriend who also befriends Elle at Higgs

When I saw the news that this series has also been renewed (not just for a second season but a third too!), I was so so happy :’)

Invincible (2021-present)

c: Amazon Prime

platform: Amazon Prime
country: United States
language: English

For anyone who knows me personally, or read one of my previous blog entries, you will know how much I LOVE ‘Invincible’. I’m very much into superhero media and have been since I was a little girl. But recently, it appears that there are too many misses than hits in the genre from my observations. I haven’t seen many adult animated series and have not seen any animated superhero shows in a long time. A true breath of fresh air, ‘Invincible’ really proved to be something phenomenal.

The series follows Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), a teenager who’s father is the greatest superhero on Earth, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), and begins to develop powers of his own. While under his father’s tutelage, he encounters various other heroes as enemies wreak havoc on the planet and Mark’s values and relationships are put to the test.

The credit must go to the original comics first and foremost, though. A subversive, grounded, gritty take on superheroes while paying homage to its classic origins, the show has been an adventure so far. The talented ensemble voice cast is fantastic and the score composed by John Paesano is epic. I’m eagerly awaiting the second season, since I have been dealing with some type of withdrawal since season one ended. If new reports are correct, however, it will arrive sometime in 2023!

The Boys (2019-present)

c: Amazon Prime

platform: Amazon Prime
country: United States
language: English

Another subversive, dark, gritty addition to the new wave of superhero shows, ‘The Boys’ also plays with superhero tropes and hypothetical scenarios with the real world to show how…well, (using a word echoed in the series) ‘diabolical’ it would be. Superheroes are public figures, known as ‘Supes’ and work for Vought International, a corporation which promotes them. Hughie Campbell Jr. (Jack Quaid) is recruited into The Boys, a vigilante group working against Supes, by William ‘Billy’ Butcher (Karl Urban) after his girlfriend is killed by the Supe A-Train (Jessie T. Usher). Other members of The Boys include the group’s organiser Marvin/’Mother’s Milk’ (Laz Alonso), arms trafficker Frenchie (Tomer Capon) and Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara), a mute woman who was subject to experimentation and possesses powers of her own. Butcher, in particular, has a personal vendetta against Homelander (Anthony Starr), the most famous and powerful superhero of them all. Homelander, A-Train, along with Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligot), The Deep (Chase Crawford), Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell), Translucent (Alex Hassell) and newest member Starlight (Erin Moriarty) form The Seven, the primary superhero group from Vought and a reference to DC’s Justice League.

There is so much nuance to the characters and the world they inhibit, making us rethink if we really need superheroes. They could be part of a greedy corporation. There are repercussions of damage caused to towns/cities and even people’s psyche during heroic pursuits. The dangers of people with immense power shifting to the wrong side of the moral compass is terrifying. But as a sucker for vigilante characters, The Boys as the group to challenge the status quo of this world is exhilarating. Homelander has become one of my favourite villains and Anthony Starr deserves an Emmy. I do feel the third season was *slightly* underwhelming in a few areas. But nonetheless, I’ve enjoyed the humour, violence, themes and character arcs and I’m curious to see season four.

To Be Continued..?

These are the few web series which are currently among my favourites. I can only hope that those still ongoing will continue to remain top-tier in quality and therefore, remain in my heart. I’m glad that these platforms have made the wise decisions to renew them as I’m certainly not done enjoying these shows just yet. Perhaps there will be more to add to the list in the future and I will be sure to write an updated list if feelings change or any new series catch my attention 🙂

why i stopped bullet journaling

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

A bullet journal is a planning system created by Ryder Carroll as an alternative system to the usual planner. His video on how to bullet journal was uploaded to YouTube in 2015 and the phenomenon grew exponentially. I’m sure most of us have heard the term to some degree.

Carroll’s first video on the bullet journal system / channel: Ryder Carroll
The bullet journal video which gained popularity and led to the rise in bullet journaling / channel: Bullet Journal

Social media sites such as Instagram and Tumblr saw a rise in what is dubbed the “study community” or colloquially “studyblr/studygram”, portmanteaus of ‘study’ + ‘tumblr’/’instagram’. This new space that I found became a new home and had a large presence of bullet journals. The bullet journal in particular quickly became the common and preferred format of planning for students and naturally, I decided to pick up this system.

Bullet journal spreads usually feature the following:

  • Monthly title page
  • Calendar
  • Goal list
  • Weekly spreads with space to add tasks
  • Yearly/monthly/future logs

Other optional additions are playlists, stickers, washi tape and photos to name a few.

I bought a Leuchtturm 1917 dotted journal, some Tombow dual brush pens and washi tape and went on with it. The practice became on and off until eventually, I officially gave up in 2019. The sentimental part of me feels sad to have let go of it. But the rational part of me is so relieved.

the pressure of perfectionism

The problem was the overwhelming task bullet journaling became. The system is supposed to be a solution to our disorganisation and in Carroll’s videos, the simplicity of the system is obvious. However, the blank canvas of Carroll’s style leads to opportunities in designing the appearance of your bullet journal, leading the way to the “aesthetics” problem. On Tumblr, I noticed that the bullet journal spreads posted by various users were often artistic. Stickers, washi tape and brush pen calligraphy made these pages visually stunning. While these are wonderful to look at and appreciate, subconsciously, we build the notion of what is to be expected from keeping a bullet journal.

When I began bullet journaling, I had already forayed into the studyblr community and felt much more confident in organising my academic life, something which I previously struggled with. But then came the unspoken rule of being aesthetic. Aesthetics have become incredibly popular and are arguably a core part of everyone’s identities in the contemporary world. I myself love the concept of aesthetics and apply it as part of my own identity. But it proved to be an intensely stressful exercise for a lot of us in the study community. In 2017, I was ready to post my own spread. A muted weekly spread in pastel colours with minimalist pictures made its way to becoming liked by over 2,000 users. It was a delightful feeling seeing how many people liked how aesthetic it is. What I didn’t realise is that was precisely the superficial mindset that would lead to my quitting.

https://arcistoria.tumblr.com/post/161847805660/my-favourite-bujo-spread-so-far
the bullet journal spread that received over 2k notes / tumblr

Bullet journaling became a chore and I would create spreads for the new month and become dissatisfied with its appearance. There was too much effort for my slow and easily exhausted brain. They weren’t ‘aesthetic’ enough and wouldn’t receive social media likes.

defeating the purpose

https://arcistoria.tumblr.com/post/176731340325/beige-is-becoming-one-of-my-favourite-colours
another spread which got some attention / tumblr

Leading on from the aesthetic dilemma, the time spent on constructing a double-paged spread results in being side-tracked from a bullet journal’s purpose. From my own experience, I can recall spending an awful amount of time figuring out what type of weekly format to use, which colours I wanted, what materials would look the nicest and finding pictures to print and glue onto the pages. Writing down the tasks would be the last thing I considered.

In hopes of becoming more productive, bullet journals became a popular solution for students and those who work. When the attention deviates from the process of organising your life, the system is made redundant.

Of course, there are people who succeed with their productivity and be creative visually using a bullet journal. AmandaRachLee, a popular creator online who’s known for her bullet journal videos on YouTube, is one that comes to mind. Her monthly upload schedule always features setting up her spreads for the new month. As an artist, her talent is evident in the various themes she incorporates. But her consistency in utilising the system to her benefit is also clear. Bullet journal users such as Amanda have found a method which works for them. However, that doesn’t mean this system is universal. Some may be quick to adopt it, others like myself will go through that annoying cycle instead.

money & waste

Photo by SHVETS production on Pexels.com

Bullet journaling also turned out to be an enemy to my bank account. Especially since I struggled with the extra materials in an attempt to be artistic, these products led to a series of issues.

One of the earliest stationery shops I came across from the studyblr community is KawaiiPenShop. Some top creators would use their stationery products and would also offer a 10% discount if customers used their affiliate code. There was also an introduction to Muji and their products, a popular Japanese brand. The stationery in question would range from pastel-coloured washi tape (a type of tape made from rice paper), brush pens, stickers and gel pens. Additionally, the notebooks and journals were among a few noted brands. Moleskine and Leuchtturm were the top names in notebook brands while some who continued to use planners, owned a MosseryCo planner. The appeal of the latter was the personalisation of having your name on the front cover.

During the initial phase of bullet journaling, I bought the washi tape and stickers from KawaiiPenShop and a pack of Tombow dual brush pens and a Leuchtturm 1917 dotted journal from Amazon. While I cannot remember the grand total from the top of my head, it all cost a tad bit too much. As well as the price points being just beyond reach, I realised that I could not afford to continue spending money buying a new batch of stationery once the previous was either completed/used up.

The other glaring problem I’ve come to realise is the amount of waste being produced. In more recent times, I’ve become more eco-conscious as the environment and climate of our planet is on the ropes and we all need to do much better to save it. The journals I owned have several empty pages towards the end due to creative blocks. Some existing pages do not feature any tasks or remain unfinished. If I was unsatisfied with a spread, I would attempt to redo the ‘mistakes’, ruining the quality of the paper in the process or fully tearing the pages out and discarding them.

Waste does appear to be an issue across the study community. Whether it is leaving journals unfinished or buying far too many to find proper use for all of them, I can say that I almost shudder recalling the wasteful person I was when I tried bullet journaling.

so what now?

Since I abandoned bullet journaling, I did not move to a new system per se. It took a little bit of time to find something which worked for me. I was gifted a yearly planner on my 21st birthday which I managed to use well. Afterwards, I felt that planners would raise the waste issue again so I didn’t continue with this format.

Eventually, I began using Notion. This app kept appearing amongst students and other creators on YouTube and the design and structure was definitely appealing. So, after much contemplation, Notion quickly became a top database for my life overall. Google Calendar also proved to be helpful in planning out tasks across the week. Both apps being digital and providing freedom to customise solved many of the issues I had with bullet journaling: there is no waste, the apps are free to use and easily customisable if I wish to edit my style.

Those who have been successfully using a bullet journal, fair play to you. For myself, I have left for (what I believe are) greener pastures. The important thing, overall, is to figure out what type of system to adopt and utilise because it works for YOU. Don’t settle for a system because it is the popular and trendy thing to do.

The End of An Era @ SOAS: A Story From A New Graduate

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

So, three grueling years at SOAS University of London have come to an end. It’s bittersweet at times, but nostalgia is already setting in as I recall my time at this university, an institution wedged between the legacies of well-known prestigious names. As I write this, I’m feeling both ecstatic and exhausted. I’m ecstatic because I graduated with a good degree classification. But I’m exhausted from three years of studying and dealing with mental health issues.

Perhaps the title appears to be extravagant, but after submitting my final exam, I couldn’t help but feel emotional that three years of my undergraduate degree were finally over. I suppose this post is a recollection of all the ups and downs of university life, and how coming to SOAS both changed me and made me realize how terrible the world truly is.

Coming To The School of Oriental and African Studies

Entrance to SOAS, the Main Building and the Brunei Gallery visible

How I discovered and came to SOAS in the first place is a story I’ve told a few people. In 2017, there was a UCAS exhibition in Bath, Somerset and our college took a trip to go visit as an aid to our impending applications. At the time, I had no idea what degree I wanted to pursue, let alone which university I wanted to attend. As a young adolescent, I had strong desires to live and study in New York City. But, clearly, my younger self didn’t realize how lofty and unrealistic those goals were for someone who barely made it through high school. l chose journalism because I wanted to write.

I told the university representatives that I wanted to study journalism as soon as we arrived and there were plenty of stalls to look around in an enormous hall. I noticed a SOAS stall and was immediately drawn in by the board with the yellow and red colours and a Maya Angelou art work. Unfortunately, I did not have time to speak with the reps, but I did obtain a prospectus, which I still have today.

On the coach ride back to our sixth form, I read through the SOAS University of London prospectus and was astonished. Genuinely astonished. The refreshing variety of courses, the university being located in the heart of London and the appreciation of diversity and non-Western languages and cultures was something I had never seen before in any other institution. Flicking through the pages detailing each department and course, I found History of Art. Despite initially settling on journalism, my interest in this field was piqued and I eventually settled on this degree. I also found it would still be useful if I wanted to become a journalist, instead of going down the conventional route of completing a journalism degree.

In October 2017, after I had applied for most universities (including Leeds, UCL, York and Manchester), my Dad and I travelled to London for SOAS’ Open Day. It was a new experience having to manoeuvre through Central London roads and having to pay a high amount for parking. But alas, we turned up to the campus and had a tour as well as go to the welcome talk in the Brunei Gallery. I also met one of my lecturers for the first time. I left for home that day feeling a surge in excitement to become a part of this community because that’s the vibe I experienced visiting the school in person.

By summer of 2018, I was anxiously awaiting results and booked a room at Dinwiddy House in Central London, one of the student accommodations available for SOAS students. In hindsight, having to book a place to stay before I received my results sounds rather stupid. Nonetheless, I ended up seeing my results while on a ferry to the Isles of Scilly with the UCAS page informing that I had my place at SOAS and Leeds confirmed! Of course, I decided to settle on SOAS as I literally worked towards attending this university. My actual grades were sent to me by one of my best friends who collected them on my behalf. Thus, I began a new journey and the anticipation was off the charts.

Three Years at SOAS

Entrance to the Main Building, the title of the school visible

SOAS as an institution proved to be one-of-a-kind in that they value changing the world with implementation of discourses surrounding various socio-political issues and having the courage to challenge the school itself in their wrongdoings. It’s admirable and comes from a place of concern with no room for passivity. There were strikes, sit-outs, campaigns, petitions, protests and any other active measures to call for these changes. Prior to attending SOAS, I was admittedly an unfortunate apathetic individual who tried to learn more but was both misinformed and eventually thought of politics as a bore.

Although my degree did not constitute political discussions besides religious discourse for the Islamic art modules, I’ve come to hear more perspectives and gained knowledge in a multitude of areas. The beauty of this is that the ways in which the world works and the shifting ideas are now understood. This wouldn’t have been possible if I had continued to remain in the stronghold familiar people have imposed on me throughout the years. Freedom at university made way for my mind to enter an intellectual map and the discoveries have been necessary. To listen is a crucial action which has become a part of my daily cognitive adventures. Being at SOAS has also taught me to fight and take activism seriously and although I’m still growing in this sector, I’m very glad that I’m changing to be better as a human being.

Regarding the social life at SOAS, I was blessed to have met a number of amazing people who’ve become such lights in my life. The day I moved into Dinwiddy House, I met some lovely girls who I spoke to in person for the first time and during freshers’ week I had the opportunity to meet fellow course mates and we all spent time together attending events. My wonderful flatmates across first and second years were a joy to live with and I’m glad we became a little family for the short time we had and I love that we’re still in contact and friends <3. Despite COVID-19 ending our residency together in second year, I’ll always cherish the homely vibes we all shared. My course mates have also been an absolute pleasure to study with. The chill vibes during lectures and tutorials to the hectic last-minute revision sessions during exam season at uni or on Skype. It was an honour to graduate beside some of you and I’m wishing those of you who are spending much needed extra time to finish work all the best!

The numerous societies were daunting but during freshers’ week in first year, I signed up to many believing this day to be the start of my life coming together. Alas, I did not attend a single society meeting in first year for reasons I’m not sure but most likely due to mental health. Second year saw me signing up to more societies but in the end, I attended one meeting for debate society. This year in particular saw a lot of my mental health issues become worse to the point where my days were spent inside my room in Dinwiddy and I barely attended lectures and even go outside to just chill and explore London. Plenty of times have I wished I could travel back in time and redo those months. Regardless, the times I did spend with friends and enjoy London, I’ll always look back on fondly. Third year being online did not hinder my social experience with people at SOAS. I’ve had the absolute privilege of knowing a group of people who I’ve spent many nights playing games, talking with on Zoom and chatting away on Whatsapp. Other societies have been fantastic in hosting online events and they’ve been so much fun! Thank you all for making my last year amazing despite the circumstances.

History of Art has been a very fascinating and enriching degree. As someone who wasn’t familiar with this academic discipline prior to starting university, I was relieved of course that many others weren’t either and we took on three years learning new ideas, approaches, theories and various regional arts and architecture. I’ve had the enjoyment of analysing the arts of East Asia, Islamic art and architecture and cultural theory. I’m still keen on studying further in my personal time and now as I embark on building my career in journalism, I feel more culturally and artistically aware to write about this field.

Post Graduation Thoughts

by the SOAS letters on the day of celebrations! :’)

On the day of our department’s end of year celebrations, I was feeling rather overwhelmed with emotions. As I saw course mates, lecturers and other department staff and looking at the campus buildings, it felt surreal that three years had passed by. I’ll always be grateful that I had the opportunity to come along to the heart of London and study at SOAS. I’ll always be grateful to have been amongst such a beautiful community that has inspired and shaped me going into the big, wide world in the present time. If there ever arises another opportunity to come to SOAS, if not for a masters degree, I would take that in a heartbeat.

Thank you SOAS, may you continue to inspire and also continue to change as a result of the generation of warriors who are fighting for a better world.

Peace ❤

What I Wish I Knew Before Starting College

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

So it’s getting close to the last few months of my college years and my, it’s been a journey. I loved college for its freedom, relaxed environment and social aspects (I mean, who doesn’t?) But there are some things that I just wish I knew before I actually began college and perhaps it would’ve been just a little easier.

1. The teachers can be useless

Honestly, the teachers in college are usually nice and understanding. Unfortunately, they can be a bit unhelpful at times. From my experience, teachers took ages to respond to emails, never spoke to me in lessons to check on my work or they’re just bad in general. If I had known this before I enrolled, I would’ve ensured that I literally got all my work completed from the get-go so the only thing I had to worry about was asking for improvements. But thanks to this issue, myself and other friends/classmates were left on our own to do everything.

2. You’re probably not gonna have many friends

Unless you’re good at socialising, then you’re fine.

3. Your subjects are not going to be easy

I think it’s common knowledge by now that A-Levels are definitely not easy. You may be taking 3/4 subjects but the workload is massive. If I had prepared for this and developed a habit of studying and getting organised, I would have been much less stressed.

4. Never take Media Studies

The subject is probably fine in other colleges, but in mine? IT IS A COMPLETE AND UTTER NIGHTMARE. Not only is our teacher not good, she makes the subject way too hard when it’s actually not. Our temporary teacher, while she was away on maternity leave, was an infinite times better, knew how to teach, was funny and friendly and helped us achieve A grades with ease. If he was the main teacher I would have still taken it. But if I had known beforehand that I would get a bad teacher, I wouldn’t have and would’ve chosen another subject.

5. Concessions are available

Well, I managed to just about sign up for concessions this year, but if I had known from the beginning that it was an option, I may have applied in the first year and thus, do my exams with ease. Concessions are basically options you can take for the exams: using a laptop, additional time, being in a separate room etc.

6. You can be an A* student at GCSE but don’t expect much at A-Level

I kinda fared well despite this, mainly because I wasn’t actually an A* student so it was a process of moving up the line. But the amount of work I had to put in to achieve A grades was massive. I should have looked through the specs for my courses so I knew how it all worked.

7. The library is actually comfortable for studying

Our library isn’t huge, but it’s not too bad either. When it’s sunny, the sunbeams come through the ceiling window and it’s just a nice atmosphere to get cosy and studying. I wish I went to the library more often so I could’ve done this.

I can’t think of anything else that I wish I knew, to be honest. College has been interesting so far but if all of this was common knowledge before I officially enrolled I would’ve been a lot more cautious. If you’re still yet to go to college, please consider everything carefully and seriously. If you’re in your first year, you can still make up for everything in your second year at least. Don’t be like me :””) I don’t want to see the next generation of students struggle.

Finding Your Passion

Ashika George1 Comment

It took me years before I finally realised what I love doing and what I’m good at. As a child, I firmly knew that I loved arts and crafts. I used to spend a lot of time trying to be creative and while my Mum encouraged it, school ultimately won over my time.

Once I was into primary school this flame inside me, of drawing/painting/being creative, was decreasing into nonexistence. My parents were more concerned about looking at top scores and grades on a piece of paper rather than my passion and interests, which truly made me happy instead of maths or science.

Secondary school was the worst. I was thrust into a hectic schedule of studying and GCSE’s invaded majority of my time. While choosing my GCSE options, I was determined to choose photography and music. However, my parents convinced me to not take photography because it wasn’t worth a GCSE to take pictures. Music was ruled out because it wasn’t “academic” enough. To say I was incredibly frustrated is an understatement. I ended up doing subjects I didn’t even enjoy. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like if I had followed my heart instead of my parents. It didn’t help that my grandfather told me that medicine was the best path for me, despite the fact that I absolutely detest science.

Then came college. This current part of my life so far has been a significant improvement. My parents are now more accepting towards my career aspirations after they saw the hell I experienced during GCSE. I took subjects that I was genuinely interested in for once, although I still regret not taking photography once again.

Perhaps the problem underlies in the fact that my culture is rather restrictive when it comes to an individual’s passion. I’m sure you’re aware of the typical Indian stereotype of every student being forced to take either medicine or engineering. Believe me, I’ve been to India several times and pretty much everyone I’ve met is either studying to become a doctor/nurse, engineer or accountant. I can’t help but feel sorry for them. Good for them if they truly love these career paths but surely, there are many Indian youths who would rather study something else. My oldest cousin was originally studying accounting or something related to economics/business. But he simply didn’t want to go down that route and our family realised that it wasn’t working for him. Now he’s studying hotel management and is seemingly a lot happier. Unfortunately, India has still yet to move forward in this area. Anything that does not fit the traditional standards is usually seen as a hobby rather than a potential career choice, such as art. Being raised in Britain is certainly a blessing as it has opened doors for me that would not have happened had I remained in India.

My struggle in finding my passion wasn’t just about my future career, but also in discovering what I’m good at. Some of the biggest things in my life which I am upset about is not being able to develop my art skills. Since I was continuously forced to study, I never had much time to practice drawing or painting. Thus, my artistic skills are still very basic compared to my friends who are now almost at a professional level. Now that I have slightly more freedom, I’ve been returning to my beloved world of creativity and will keep working to hone my skills.

My advice to you is to go ahead and follow your dreams. Don’t let anyone judge your aspirations and keep practising so you’ll become good at what you love doing. If you’re still young then I cannot stress enough how you should do so, because later in life you will look back at that former glory and regret not following your heart just like I have. Explore different things, find what you’re good at and what you love and it can be anything. Then stick to it because it will be the key thing that will define YOU.

Being Comfortable With Myself – Appearances + “Body Positivity”

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

Honestly, adolescence is an enormous wake-up call to reality.

I’ll use my experience as an example.

Growth and transition to adulthood are not just the change in physical appearance, our minds shift drastically. Those eyes that only cared about looking at butterflies in the garden became fixated on the cellulite hanging off my torso. Then came acne and a series of episodes where I became self-conscious about my appearance. Of course, I can’t leave out my mole, which is on a terrible part of my face. I used to be called “pencil-legs” by family and friends and even used to be the tallest in my entire primary school. Then I built up fat in the most unsightly places, due to my careless eating, and didn’t grow any further than 5″3.

You get the point, I hated the fact that my body changed for the worse. I have myself to blame and the raging hormones. So what happened next?

I started using social media when I was 13 so you can guess the nightmare that followed. Beautifully shaped girls with perfectly symmetrical facial structures, no blemishes, nice flowing hair, gorgeous lashes and tall, slender frames constructed most of my friends and my Instagram feed. My self-esteem plummeted so hard that I even developed jealousy over guys and their perfect muscled figures with sharp jawlines. Even when I put on makeup, I still didn’t look as good as my friends, who became the equivalent of supermodels once they started dolling up in secondary school. My pudginess was used as a token for others to say “you’re beautiful just the way you are” or “you don’t need to change that, just be you”. But something didn’t feel quite right in that aspect.

Needless to say, I hated my face. I hated how I couldn’t be as perfect as them. I hated how no matter hard I tried, I still looked horrible. I hated the fact no boy would ever come up to me and want to be my boyfriend (cringy but you know).

But that’s no longer the case (for the most part).

Now, I’ve decided that I couldn’t really care less about my face. I’ve improved my makeup techniques so that’s a plus. But most of all, I learnt to really love my looks. This is the way I was created by God and He makes no mistakes. I look at myself in the mirror sometimes and smile, and I have to admit that it’s really cute! 🙂 Seriously, go to your mirror and smile, it really helps.

As for my overweight body? I knew that it would be unhealthy and damaging to my body if I continued that lifestyle of binging junk food, so I now hit the gym and am improving my diet. There is a stark difference between accepting how your face looks and how the rest of your body looks. I realised this quite recently. Having a certain-shaped nose or thin eyebrows isn’t harmful to you in slightest. But being overweight or obese? That is definitely going to cause problems with your health if you don’t act to change it. I didn’t want to destroy my life so I chose the wise choice of working hard to improve my health. Although, my progress is a little slow because I am inevitably lazy sometimes.

I want all of you, girls and boys, to love yourselves. Don’t worry about how your face looks, those who won’t accept the fact that that’s who you are, don’t deserve you. But remember, if you truly and deeply care for your body, you will work hard to make sure it stays healthy. Don’t succumb to the false messages that people provide in this day and age about body positivity. It’s good to accept your appearance as it is, but it is also important that you take care of it as well.

 

10 Ways To Boost Your Happiness :)

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

So I’ve been working really hard recently (college, exams etc.) and I felt that while it’s good to do so, it’s also important to take care of your wellbeing. Our mental health is just as important as getting those grades if not more. So today, I’ll be showing you how to boost your happiness and relax 🙂

1. Watch your favourite TV series

Nothing feels better than cuddling up in a blanket and drinking some hot chocolate, all the while you binge some Netflix. Have some time to yourself in the evenings to catch up on your favourite show. I would recommend watching after you’ve studied, as a reward, if you’re still in school/college/uni but feel free to do it whenever if you’re on holiday!

2. Read a good novel

I cannot stress enough how important reading is. Buy a book, go to the library and sit down in the comfort of your room or the atmosphere of a local coffee shop. Immerse yourself into these beautifully crafted worlds and characters. You won’t regret it, trust me.

3. Eat your favourite foods

Just eat whatever you wish. Satisfy your taste buds and stomach. But don’t gorge yourself, you’ll fall ill!

4. Write in a journal

Transferring your thoughts onto paper is an effective method of releasing any tension within you. Vent out your frustrations, write down your goals. You are likely to feel a lot better.

5. Learn a language

Take it easy and find a language you think is fascinating. Step by step, practice the vocabulary, learn the grammar and if necessary, the character system. Organise all your notes in a beautiful notebook and look over it every day. Learning a foreign language is a useful skill and will render you knowledgeable about other cultures. Don’t stress out though, take your time.

6. Take a warm shower

You’ll feel clean, refreshed and much more alive than before.

7. Make art

You don’t have to be an expert to draw or paint. Just take a piece of paper or get a sketchbook and draw whatever comes to mind. If you’re feeling ambitious, YouTube is your friend to find helpful tutorials to do so!

8. Get a good night’s sleep

Sleep is so important. There’s nothing more or nothing less to it. I sound like a hypocrite right now because I’m struggling with my sleep hygiene. The first step is to set up an early bed time and turn off all your electronic devices. Follow the above, such as taking a warm shower or reading a book instead. Maintaining a good sleep pattern will obviously decrease fatigue but is also beneficial for a good memory and a healthy brain.

9. Share the love

Smile at people, even if they’re strangers. Be helpful to someone. Perform little acts of kindness. You might make someone’s day and you’ll feel good too 🙂

10. Find your passion

Do whatever you’re good at and it can be pretty much anything. Praise yourself while you’re at it, but don’t fuel your ego though. Finding that spark will lead to an adventure like no other!

 

So I hope these will help you in finding happiness. It’s important you do and don’t forget to smile! You’re valued and loved and you have gifts. So keep on being awesome! Positivity is key 🙂

A Tale of Two Cultures: Poetry & Thoughts

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

Being brought up

in two cultures

is a blessing.

The door to opportunity,

ambition and reality

is open.

Take what you like

to add to your

identity.

But nothing should

define you

other than

yourself.

– Ashika

I’m British-Indian. I’m ethnically Indian and migrated to the United Kingdom when I was a clueless 2-year-old with my Dad. Growing up in two cultures was fascinating but challenging, to say the least.

British culture has allowed me to be open, ambitious and encouraged to chase my passions and dreams. It has also taught me tolerance, respect and kindness to others. My Indian heritage has also taught me similar philosophies. But what I truly cherish from India is our diversity as a nation in language, religion, culture and much more. Our clothing and festivals are so vibrant and it sparks happiness when I show my British friends the wonders of my country.

I used to detest one or the other as I grew up, believing that it is not possible for me to value both as much as each other. I felt as if I can’t be British enough or I can’t be Indian enough. There were times where I was discouraged from “becoming too British”, as in not becoming like those English kids at school who do whatever they want, swear, have families that are split and not perfect. Even embracing my Indian identity had me scared for some reason, as if others will laugh at me for talking about curry or might snicker discreetly when I show my churidhar in class. But I love my English friends, I love the roast dinners and fish and chips at school, I love the carefree nature of those I have come to know living in Britain. I also love when my friends say they love Indian cuisine, I love showing off my traditional clothing, wearing them to school events and having classmates say it looks beautiful.

I grew tired of this pointless clash between cultures. There are bits and pieces that anyone who grew up in a multicultural family can value close to their heart. So I decided that I’ll embrace both my Indian and British identity, after all it makes me more unique as an individual and I shouldn’t run away from that. I also found that such an identity encourages a deeper understanding of the world and that reality is a door for endless possibilities and splendour. My eyes opened and witnessed the beauty of a culturally diverse person. A culturally diverse person is intelligent, aware, respectful, tolerant and possesses a kind and curious soul and thus can pass on these qualities to others so that may be the same.

Embrace your heritage and value your other half as well, for it is truly a blessing.

The Beauty Of The Rain: Poetry & Thoughts

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

The rain is ambiguous

The rain is ambitious

Tears of the lost souls fall

Your painfully sweet voice will call

These droplets are meant for sadness

But you say that is madness

Let’s make our love blossom with the rain

Let these raindrops wash away the pain

– Ashika

The inspiration for this poem stemmed from the Korean drama series, Love Rain. Although the content of the two differs, the series really made me appreciate the beauty of the rain completely.

The rain tends to connote sadness, loss and overall negativity. But what’s to stop it from being so meaningful, loving and beautiful? I used to wonder why kissing someone in the rain was romantic. Then I realised that people in love don’t care about anything around them or what will happen. The rain falling is making them wet and they’ll have to get dry, they could also become ill. But that love is so strong between them that even the evil bows down and changes for good.

The rain, to me, is also a metaphor of cleansing. These droplets, that can be considered the tears of those before us, are silently telling us that we should not dwell in sadness and instead, refresh and make ourselves new for the future. Its simplicity renders us able to imagine how wonderful the rain is, and it doesn’t have to be all negative.

So the next time you see or feel the rain, instead of complaining how it will affect you with useless problems, appreciate its beauty.

Journaling: Ideas, Prompts & Reasons Why You Should

Ashika GeorgeLeave a comment

Alright, I’ll admit that I only began journaling last year. But as the months passed, I knew that I held a deep passion for writing anything that meandered in my mind onto paper. Not only that, I wished to create aesthetically pleasing pages that I could cherish.

Since then, journaling has really helped me in more ways than one. I will attempt to inspire you to start journaling as well!

To begin with…

• Buy a journal!

The first thing to do is to buy a journal, obviously! You can find empty books in your local arts & crafts stores or you can order online. I own several because, frankly, I’m obsessed with gorgeous notebooks and journals.

• Make sure you buy a journal that speaks to you

Buying a plain-looking school notebook will not do. You need to make sure that your journal is of good standard and screams who you are. Try buying journals with pastel colours, inspiring quotes, high-quality paper and if you’d like, a hardback cover. Beautiful journals will motivate you to write in them.

• Decorate them!

If you can only get a hold of a plain notebook or good journals are expensive, just decorate them! Look through your local craft stores for washi tape, stickers and even paints to spice up your journal, all usually at a cheap price.

Next…is the writing process!

• If you’re keeping a diary-style journal, all you need to do is write an entry every day/week. In a diary, you are free to write about anything from the day’s events, your philosophical thoughts or just how you feel about certain people. The choice is yours, but ensure that you keep it secret!

• If you’re ambitious and love art, make an art journal! I only thought about creating one literally a few days ago. In an art journal, you can paint, draw and stick in quotes or book/newspaper sections. If you want some accompaniment, write a poem to match the art piece you have created. To get more inspiration for art journaling, please check out Noor Unnahar and Areeba Siddique, they have the best art journals I’ve ever seen!

• Travel journaling is something that I’ve decided upon doing because I’m extremely wanderlust. Write a list of places you’d like to visit, places you’ve been to and plan out your trips beautifully. You can write a review after you’ve visited somewhere as well.

• Other examples of journaling that you can try are keeping a gratitude journal, a poetry journal or even a bullet journal. Bullet journaling is basically a more creative way of planning.

If you are really unsure of what to write in a journal, you can just buy a Q&A Journal! These books from Potter Style basically ask you a question every day for the next five years. It’s easy and fun! There are different versions from a regular to a Q&A for writers. It is quite pricey (£14.99 in the UK) but it’s honestly worth the money.

Reasons Why You Should Start Journaling:

• It’s beneficial for your mental health. I can get quite emotional and I have anxiety, so writing down little things has helped me to release the tension and relax.

• It prompts creativity. Instead of just lying around, make your brain active by decorating and writing. The best part is that you can do whatever you wish.

• Discover yourself. Since you’re thinking a lot, you will realise more about yourself, what you’re good at and what you need to improve. You might even recognise a hidden talent that never shone before!

• It keeps you organised. If you bullet journal, it will make your life a lot easier! Organising your schedule and plans to do whatever it may be, can be done in a fun and simple way, thus more motivation to do so.

So what are you waiting for? Go get started and remember to have fun!

Happy journaling! 🙂