Types of Phases that We All Went Through

Hey guys! Just a quick update, I will continue with New Yolk times next week and I will be including some new shows I'd like to squeeze in, namely DC's Legends of Tomorrow and Shadowhunters. As for these shows, I will post them right after their pilot episodes. Now, it is time to talk about the time we talk about phases.

Have you heard any adult telling either of your parents this, "Oh don't worry. It's just a phase." Usually phases are seen as something we go through temporarily and they turn us into destructive teenagers. It makes us the immature weirdos that we are and remembering those days just makes us cringe with embarrassment or regret. And if you don't want to be reminded again, then I suggest that you do not read on. We are going to point them all out right now!

Here are some phases we most likely went through and that we cannot deny. Just so you know, we all went through this and it is nothing to be ashamed of.

How Fangirls Deal with Hiatus

Do you know that feeling when you finish this book or TV series that you love and then you learn that the next installment comes in a year or two? I hate it when that happens.

As people with fandoms, dealing with hiatus is something that we have to see through in the end. Writers and creators do this for fun so they can build up the suspense and this will make us want more of what they're producing. And don't get me wrong, I appreciate the idea of holding on to the edge of my seat; I just don't like experiencing it because it can kill me. For years and years, I spend every year anticipating for the next book, the next season, or even a brand new release. Wow, Tama. What the heck are you doing with your life?

Surprisingly, we can deal with hiatus. The itching impatience is still there, but fangirls and fanboys can definitely hold out for a year (unless you're part of the Game of Thrones fandom). Assuming we need at least a year to wait for the next big thing, there are stages in a fan's year as to how they keep themselves busy. Luckily, we can measure that in months. Yes my fellow fandom-crazed freaks. We wait in months. Not in decades. Months.

If the art of fangirling needs math (oh no, not this again), we only need to remember five numbers: 2, 3,4,2,1.

Obviously, it takes a lot of time for us to take in a series of unfortunate events. People working on our fandoms nowadays know how to tug on our feels, to the point it becomes unacceptable. So yes, it takes time for one to let things sink in. But that is far from over. We need to keep talking about it until we run out of saliva. In these five months, we do headcanons, probably fanfiction, lurk in Tumblr, and devise theories. We do this...just to feel something.

But we are human too and we get tired. So we take a break, and being the inner lazy people we all are....a week is not enough. We need four months. Hopefully during this time, we try to keep up with our boring lives. Then at a certain point in time, our fandoms will randomly announce that they're going to arrive really soon and this is means that the hiatus is almost drawing to a close. We wake up from our realities and become reckless once again. We lurk in the internet, talk about it some more, come up with wild theories that can pierce our hearts--we do all of this... just to feel something. It also takes a lot of time for us to emotionally prepare ourselves for the worst, of course.

This kind of hiatus does not really feel like you're living the hobo life. You still communicate, you do not just twiddle your thumbs, sometimes you eat out your feelings, and you learn how to prepare especially when it comes to purchasing issues! It doesn't really sound that bad, at all. And during our 4-month break, we explore other things due to our boredom. And again, that's not bad. Discovery is part of life, after all. See what hiatuses can do to us?

Now if you think you cannot survive a hiatus, never fear. I repeat, discovery is part of life. So here's what you can do during your year of hiatus:

1.) Don't just stick to the internet. Join a group. Or at least, find friends you can talk to about it. It's like therapy only better.
2.) Look for other fandoms to annoy. Trying a new fandom may sound like a forbidden temptation, but it never hurts to expand your interests.

and finally...

3.) Evaluate your life. Usually, when we succumb ourselves to something that is totally addicting, we forget what is really going on. I know it sucks but...wake up. Life can be beautiful if you change up your perspective, which is something that fandoms teach us.

Till the next post~

How to Fangirl and Live Your Life

Most of us would develop our love for certain fandoms at an early age, and we end up blaming books, TV series, video games, and many other medium for this kind of feeling. But at the same time, we end up loving them. Having your very own fandom is like being in a love-hate relationship, only we experience it a tenfold (and if not, probably more. May God forbid). Loving your fandoms, that's not a problem. But making it a top priority? Now that's an issue that we cannot easily avoid, especially when the story of the Supernatural Brothers seems a hundred times more interesting than yours.

I'm sure you know where I am going with this; just like screwed-up relationships we see on drama series, fandoms have the tendency to ruin our lives. And we can turn everything backwards all we want, but we know that we give those fandoms the power to rule our lives. We just tend to deny it, most of the time. We give so much love and attention to this Television series and the next thing you know, you end up watching four seasons in less than three days. Not only that, you get slapped by the realization that you got other "important" things to do like schoolwork or actual work, or saving your relationship from drowning (but then it becomes too late, because your girlfriend/boyfriend sees what a total bum you are). I guess that fundamental question is, can we really focus on our fandoms and reality at the same time?

The answer is yes. Believe it or not, you can have your Hogwarts Life and your Career Life at the same time. It's just a matter of balancing your time. I know that is easier said than done, but there are plenty of healthy ways to do so without trying to put too much focus into one thing. And this is based on my experience. My life  story may not be exactly the same as yours, but I guess it is something you can learn from.

Distribute your priorities, equallyNow this is the first and most difficult step, and don't say you don't know why. Dividing your time for life and your fandoms...? That's not easy! If you're one of those people who keep saying, "One More Episode" then I wish you luck as you take on this step. Give each of your priorities the same weight. Don't give this thing more importance than the other, or else you will go mad. I'm sure I am not the only who has experienced such turmoil. There is nothing wrong in planning out how many hours or days you want to dedicate yourself to something. It does not automatically make you a control freak, I'm sure. Besides, it is a whole lot better to plan ahead rather than pressuring yourself to do something last minute. As much as it is difficult to do, don't give all your attention to your fandoms. Do not give all your attention to certain aspects of your life, either. Get a planner of your own and pan out all the things you have to do and want to do. At least, that's what I did. Call me a nerd for saying this, but having a planner is a total life saver.

Fandom as an inspiration
I'll admit. There were many times I would prefer to bury my head into an nonexistent, fictitious, fantastic world rather than burying it into my textbooks. I just get really annoyed by the fact that reading about Shadowhunters and Demigods are much more interesting than figuring out the puzzling (and unnerving) sorcery called Trigonometry. Admit it, you underwent this, too. But what really would fascinate me aside from the stories, are the characters themselves. People like Hermione Granger, Annabeth Chase, and Tessa Gray....they impressed me. From that, that feeling turned into admiration. Then I aspired to become a very diverse, independent, and headstrong individual. So in a way, my fandoms became apart of my life in such a way that they served as inspiration for the way I live my life and how I deliver myself. And it turned out really good. You could say I have books to thank for my very own character development.

Go beyond Fandoms and explore Life
Afterwards, I decided to step out my comfort zone and become acquainted with the real world. Now how did I incorporate my fandoms, you ask? Well, let's face one fact here; we can learn a lot of things from our fandoms and if you dig a little deeper, we realize how much of these discoveries can still be applied in real life. So the first thing to do is close that book or turn off that television or computer (but certainly not now, You gotta read till the end before you can do so), and look at real life in such a way you see your fandoms. Real life can be an adventure and all you have to do is look. The next thing you know, you met the Edward Cullen of your life or you're in the place where they shot the scenes of  Lord of the Rings, living your own Hobbit-like journey. Basically, life is just as interesting as your fandoms. So try to look at your school, work, or family in a completely different angle. Along the way, you will learn and try new things, and sometimes they end up twice as exciting as the book you are currently reading because you are actually doing it.

And there you have it. This is how I dealt with my fandom addiction before it could get any worse. Like I said, this is just how I dealt with it, so you don't necessarily have to do everything I did. In the end, it is your choice on how you want to live your life. But if you had a different way of dealing fandom addiction, then feel free to share your story on the comments below! Till the next post~

7 Important Life Lessons We Learn from Wednesday Addams

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As some of you know, the season finale of Adult Wednesday Addams was just uploaded to Youtube and right now I am praying hard, hoping Melissa Hunter will be able to make season 3. In spite of the unusual things Wednesday does on a daily basis, we learn many things from her. And surprisingly, there are a lot of times when she made a lot of sense.

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1.) Being different can intimidate others.
This is the price we all pay in being diverse or unique, but the good thing about it is that your uniqueness doesn't really have to kill you. If people can't tolerate them, give them a razor. 

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2.) We are all destined to die alone.
To all the people who are afraid to be lonely for the rest of their lives, not to worry. We are all eventually going to die alone. It may be in a car accident or lung cancer, everyone is going to die alone...and that commonality brings us together. It sounds reassuring, if you think about it.

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3.) Accidents can be a gift.
When you experience something horrible, the natural response is to grieve or suffer. Afterwards, you rant it to your friends and family. Not only will you learn from the terrible incident, others will as well and you will be more appreciate. What an interesting way to keep the roads friendly, Wednesday.

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4.) Never be afraid to be tested.
Trials will always come, so learn to love them. And when someone is trying to take you down, always remember that you can always handle it without trying to get your hands dirty. Let those downers reap what they sow. Or let them be the ones to pick up after their s*it. 

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5.) Verbal abuse is actually legal in public.
See how twisted that is?

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6.) True love leaves a mark...or a chain.
Wednesday may have said that love is somehow like experiencing more than thirty bullets to the chest, but normally people who break chains tend to let go of them and leave it. But this guy kept them.... surely that must mean something right?

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7.) Real monsters prey on real monsters.
That is very true; when you become a "monster", you end up attacking or at least bother others who are sort of like you (I hope that makes sense). Whatever the reasons may be, the wrong actions can change you into something entirely unrecognizable. If you go farther and farther into that, then heavens know what could possibly happen to you. So try not to be a monster. 

Don't be shy. Try an episode Adult Wednesday Addams today. There is plenty. Till the next post~

10 Times You Became Harry Potter

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If you're a Potterhead, then surely you're one of the many readers who would do anything to attend Hogwarts and be part of something that is obviously more than just a "Potter" experience. And believe it or not, you did live like Harry Potter (so far). It may not involve cloaks and wands, but in some instances of your life, things became magical. In a way, this is a pretty blog post discussing ten life lessons we can get from the brilliant series. Your egotistical minds may say that you already know this, but it does not hurt to be reminded.

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1.) We had a "Snape" in our life
I'm sure anyone who has had at least 7 years of education can realize this. As much as it is hard to admit, we had tough teachers and professors who would push us around and we would think that they're doing this just so we wouldn't pass the subject and hence, ruin our lives. Because of this, we can't help but loathe them at some extent. But then we learn that they push us for a surprisingly good reason. They may not have died a heartfelt death like *spoilers* Severus did, but they would suddenly give us this feeling of gratitude and what's funny is that we notice it in the latter part of our lives. I'm not surprise if you are reading this right now and you are remembering a particular educator who may have been so mean to you, but really wanted to prepare you for the harsh realities of life. And once we do remember, we don't remember the tears or the humiliation; all there is left was the lesson, we smile and we eventually name our kids after that professor (it could happen).

But if you guys had to go through classes with the likes of her:

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Then I feel sorry for you, but not completely sorry. I'm sure there's something we can learn, no matter how gruesome they can be.

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2.) You've been called a mudblood...sort of
If Harry was not your favorite character in the series, then fine. Let's take a quick look at Hermione Granger, the brightest witch her age. Everyone has a gift, but in reality you can never please anyone. Certainly, not everyone was able to appreciate how intelligent Hermione was except for the ones who truly mattered in her life. In other words, there will always be that one person who refuses to see the best in you and shall call you a "mudblood" for reasons that you may never know. And that's the thing; you may or may not know why you're being called that and what Hermione taught us is that it doesn't matter why. It may hurt (and it will), but name-calling didn't stop Hermione from studying her butt off.

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3.) We use the Polyjuice Potion all the time
As we all know, this famous potion can give us the ability to transform into whoever we want. And what's best about the real world is that we don't need to make a potion in order to become someone else. We're the masters of copying others. Heck, a lot of people have been doing it even before Rowling ever thought of writing about Polyjuice. The idea of it is cool at the same time, scary. Sadly, not everyone is truly original. And I guess it is up to you if you want to take this in a good way or a bad way.

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4.) Most of us live in a cupboard under the staircase, already
Harry Potter is not the only one who thinks he has the worst family members. Most of us do, until we learn how to be truly grateful for the things that are already there for us. And I am speaking for a lot of children and teenagers when I say this. We would think that our family is just ruining our lives until...*remember the first point*. I'm not saying you should just stop whatever you're doing and randomly hug all your brothers and sisters, but you should know that you're not the only one who actually thinks they have it worse. And sometimes, thinking about how worse other people's lives are can be therapeutic. So remember, if you think you have the worst and mortifying parents ever, just be kindly reminded that your parents love you enough to give you an actual room...and they're alive.

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5.) You have a wand
The way I see it, wizards and witches use the wand to direct whatever spell they wish. And what's interesting is that all wands are unique and very different. What's even more interesting is that a wand must be compatible with the owner. That's a really cool concept, Rowling! And yes, you already have your wand. You just need to find it you do not chose the wand...the wand chooses you.

6.) Amortentia is right under your nose
One of the many things I love about the Harry Potter series is how they value love. For me, it is the most romantic and heartwarming YA series next to maybe Percy Jackson and the Olympians (eh, maybe not even close). If there is one way I can describe how love was written in these books, then it would be this: love comes naturally. It came naturally when Lily Potter protected Harry from the Dark Lord, and it came naturally when Hermione and Ron agreed to help Harry with his problems no matter how dangerous they were. Basically the act of love came in naturally throughout the series. It was natural as Amortentia. I know it's a potion, but the good thing about the real world is that we don't need any of that to feel that. When we know that we love someone, it will just come naturally. Now how many times did I say "naturally"?

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7.) Exams exist
Whether you are in Hogwarts or not, there will always be freakin' exams.And yes, Harry Potter went through exams just like you.

8.) Harry also had no time for fun because of schoolwork
Honestly, I enjoyed Harry's short montages when he would always describe how stressful his schoolwork was getting. I'm sure he enjoyed those times too, because the boy who lived would certainly want a taste of an ordinary life. Surprisingly, there would be times when we would feel the same way. After wanting so much interesting shiz to happen in your life, you eventually want to keep things simple and ordinary.

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9.) You are a chosen one, and there are times you won't like it
Reading Harry Potter makes you feel that having an extraordinary life is impossible. Harry and a lot of YA protagonists are trying to tell us that leading that extraordinary life is not easy, and it is more than just being not easy. It involves a lot of work and sacrifice. This gave most readers tugs in their hearts, thinking whether or not they still wanted a life of wizardry and adventure. But that's just how it is, even in real life. Having an adventure is not as easy as walking down the yellow brick road (now I'm straying to another book). So instead of reminding yourself how much your life sucks, then "Carpe Diem". You can wait until something unusual is thrust upon you or you can easily look for adventure (or sometimes trouble). And if you end up fearing for your life just like Harry, all you can do is have a little faith on what will happen next because the most exciting thing about life is that you don't know what the next page is because you're already inside a story.

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10.) We're all about that sass.
If you can sass, congratulations you became Harry Potter

Till the next post, Potterheads~

College Vs. High School

Yes. I am still alive! Anyway, the reason why I haven't been updating much is because I've been contemplating on what I should post. Blogging is definitely something I would like to do for the rest of my life and I was hoping this would be a good place to start. On another note, UPCAT (University of the Philippnes College Admission Test) is coming up very soon, and a lot of students would kill just to get in. During the weekend, a lot of my friends who intend to apply for UP are now experiencing UPCAT jitters. I understand perfectly, because I've taken the exam and I know how intense it can be.

I suddenly remembered the days when I was in the middle of trying to find a college for myself. Admittedly, I only applied for three colleges and I only got accepted into one. Yes, applying for colleges can be stressful, since it will coincide with your current school work. If you are a high school student and you are currently reading this, then I'm sure you already have an idea on what you are going to read. I will be sharing the difference between High School and College life, and it will obviously be based on my experiences. However, if you are currently in college or already a graduate, then I guess maybe you can relate to the experience that I am about to share. 

Believe it or not, the adjustment I had to go through was pretty dramatic. I came from a high school that always had strict rules and high standards. My college does the same things, but not always. I guess you will understand what I mean as you read on.

School Shopping

Personally, I love shopping for school. It's been one of the many things I always look forward to whenever school is fast approaching. When I was in elementary, I would buy new things every single year. However, as I grew up, I would end up buying the things I ran out of and I would sometimes recycle what I already had (e.g. notebooks, pens). But when I became a college student, I was honestly not sure of what to buy aside from a yellow pad. I kept buying whatever I thought I needed for my classes, but at the very end I realized that I didn't really need a lot of things. All I needed was a notebook and a pen. That's it. 

As for your textbooks,  it depends on your professors or classes. If your professor requires you to get a specific kind of book or reading (instead of books, you are mostly given readings, which are supposed to expand your mind on the subject or topic, and they are usually photocopied versions from various books that your professors used), then you really need it. However, if they tell you that it isn't required, then you don't have to stress yourself to get a book. Sometimes listening to your professor and taking down notes are enough. But if you really think you need a book for your class, then you always have the option to buy or rent or maybe even borrow. 

Study Habits

I think your study habits will dramatically change. Yes, college can be chill but the term responsibility will have more emphasis once you are a college student. If you are a studious type, then good for you. But if you aren't, brace yourself to eat up your free time just to prepare for your subjects. In my high school, we used to follow a uniformed standard. But when I entered college, each subject had different standards and expectations. The challenges are to meet each and everyone of them. This is where you will have to master the skill of adjusting. 

Friends and Social Life

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For me, college was where my social skills were truly put to the test. In high school, it was easy to recognized who to hang out with because I was either batchmates or classmates with my friends. I also saw them everyday. But now, I don't. It feels lonely to not see them as often as I could, but I managed to live with it. I am not saying making friends in college will be difficult. It was pretty easy for me, in fact. I actually gained more friends in college than I ever had in high school. However, I still haven't gotten the chance to officially hang out with any of them yet, because I have different friends or acquaintances every semester. But no worries, I have really close friends among my coursemates. 

Also, "dramas" happen rarely in college, compared to high school. Getting along with my classmates in college seemed easier for me compared to high school. I guess when you're in high school, it is natural for us to feel the need for a sense of belonging. But once you leave high school, you've already learned from your mistakes and you would apply them in college. Sure, there will still be a little space for you to develop yourself in college, but you already have an idea on how to interact and deal with people. I don't know if that's true for others, but not once have I experienced or witnessed a feud in college. Which is great, because you have a lot of other things to worry about in college. 

So far, this is all I can share because I still have a far way to go. For those who are going to take UPCAT or any other college entrance exam then may God bless you all and remember to always hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and to expect nothing. Also, admit your nervousness because it will definitely help you calm down during the exam day. 

I hope you enjoyed reading and I will try my very best to update again soon! 

note: some photos are from my instagram