This is a public service announcement. (No, not really.)

*Jay-Z voice* Allow me to reintroduce myself.

As I've mentioned before, I'm going to spend the rest of the summer trying to get my blogging going again, but instead of writing about how I want to blog more, I'm simply just going to *Shia LaBeouf voice* DO IT. I'll blog more. Sounds like a solid plan, right?

Here we go!

It's been about a year since I was somewhat consistently updating this and so much has changed since then. So I'd like to bring this blog up to speed, and then perhaps go backward and reflect, even as we keep moving forward. (Basically, if I want to write about some person, place, or thing, I'll find
make time to write about it.)

This has been quite a busy but productive summer, as I've been working as a marketing intern at the corporate headquarters of a credit union in the Bay Area. I'm so grateful to have this opportunity because there couldn't have been a more perfect time for me to join the marketing team. A lot of new projects, exciting partnerships, and great events have been taking place and I've gotten to help with so much! There's a lot I could say about how much this internship has taught me so feel free to ask me in person :) In case you haven't already realized, I love talking about professional experiences, career goals, and life in general with others. I just really enjoy conversation and I geek out over this stuff.

I spend most of my time working (no complaints, I seriously love what I'm doing and cannot thank my employer enough), but when I'm not, I've been enjoying my weekends with my family and friends from home that I almost never get to see.

In fact, before I even started interning, I was fortunately to have attended Live 105's annual BFD music festival with my cousins and my brother, where I finally got to see Of Monsters and Men and Panic! at the Disco perform, after years of trying to see them.

Twenty One Pilots was also phenomenal live and I would definitely recommend seeing them if you can! They had such a strong stage presence throughout their entire set and their interaction with the crowd was great. You could feel the energy radiating from the artists to the huge crowd and then reflecting back to Twenty One Pilots. If I ever get the chance to see them on tour again, I'd definitely plan on being there. Eleven hours of music with the people I love most in this world? Not a bad way to spend a Saturday. I'll probably create a separate BFD-post with some of the pictures and videos I have in the next few days :)

When it comes to news, current events, and HISTORY, an amazing thing happened about a month ago. #LoveWon and it's about time that it did. I remember the news breaking out on Twitter while I was at work and how overwhelmingly happy I was after the new broke out. Thank you Supreme Court for pushing this country in another important step in the right direction. It was another special and beautiful year participating in San Francisco Pride, especially following the landmark court decision. The celebration was wonderful, but I think it's important to remember that love may have won that round, but the battle is far from over. Equality forward.

During the July 4th weekend following SF Pride, my family and I took a trip to the city and hiked Land's End Trail really early in the morning before heading to the Walt Disney Family Museum. I hadn't known it existed until last month, which is a fact that shames me because Disney has been such a big part of my life. But what matters is that I eventually learned about it and immediately brought my family there, so no complaints.

It goes without saying that I enjoyed the few hours we spent there, reading more about the history of Disney and the genius himself. I absolutely loved reading some of the awards and certificates he received because he rightfully earned his place into everyone's hearts through his storytelling and animation. It made a difference in people's lives - it made a difference in my life - and that is so important. I cannot thank Disney enough for the magic it's personally given me. Tears may or may not have been shed when we came to the exhibits regarding his dead and the resulting global mourning.

These are just a few of the exciting things I've been able to experience this summer and I'll do some photo-sharing soon! Overall, even though I really miss Long Beach at times, it's always great to be home. I'm really growing professionally thanks to my internship, which is more than I could ask for during the summer before my senior year of college.

Speaking of school, I cannot believe I finished my junior year and that graduation will be here before I know it.

More reflecting to come soon!

Also, I may have titled this blog because I thought I was clever by using Jay-Z's song, but I guess it sort of is a PSA. I'm back!

So what do I do or hope to accomplish with my life?

Ask me “What do you do?” and I'll have the urge to tell you that I am a communicator.

But what does that even mean?

As time passes and I continue to grow and develop personally and professionally, I find that my career goals are constantly changing with me. Details of my life and career aspirations start to transform with time. And that’s perfectly fine. Normal, even.

At the heart of all that I enjoy doing – and I enjoy doing many, many things – is my love of communication, both written and spoken. My affinity for words and human connection are what lie at the foundation of my being. Since I was in elementary school, I knew deep down that what I wanted out of life and my job was to make a difference with this passion.

My job title – journalist, public relations professional, marketer, social media specialist, blogger, etc. – will most likely continue to fluctuate over time, especially when societal and technological advancements come into play. I could be connecting a publication to its audience, an organization to the people it serves or simply (albeit importantly) one human being to another. The channels carrying this communication will range from newspapers to online publications to Facebook or Twitter, and much, much more. I expect that all of this will continue to transform with me.

But despite these variations, the rush I get when I'm even just a little successful in bringing people together in any way, shape, or form, will never change.

So when you ask me what I do, I may answer with any one of the above job titles or perhaps something different.

But my favorite answer to that question? Easy.

I am a writer, a talker, a listener, a communicator. An ambitious millennial who thrives on human connection and her own curiosity. And I am so excited (though undoubtedly nervous at times) to see where this passion steers me in my career and in life.

This post may be interpreted as vague but this is just one of the many perspectives I have on answering the unavoidable "So what do you do/want to do?" question. I could go on about specific short term goals or certain things I want to accomplish :)

Say everything you've always wanted

Be not afraid of who you really are. Cause in the end we have each other, and that's at least one thing worth living for.

December 31st means watching Rent and listening to This is the New Year at least fifteen times. Check and check. 

 I'm sure I've said this before, and I'm positive that I will say this many more times to come, but I'm going to say it now anyway: 

2014 was a tremendous year and undoubtedly the year I've experienced the most growth - as a student, as a young professional, and as a person. 

 (I sure hope I give myself reasons to say this more in the future.)

This was the year I danced tinikling for CSULB PAC's 29th annual Pilipino Cultural Night, the year I had the amazing opportunities of writing for the USA Today College and interning for Intern Queen, Inc., the year I started my junior year of college, and the year I was welcomed into an amazing family called Zeta Mu Beta. All in all, I learned so much more about who I am as a person and what I'm looking for in life.

I also turned 20 this year. What?

There's so much to reflect on and discuss, so I'm not going to try to remember everything right now. I'm a bit saddened I haven't updated since September, but I'll make sure to make up for it in the year to come. Be on the look out for some more in depth blog posts in the next few days!

Thanks 2014 for being so good to me. I'm confident 2015 will be even greater. 

 Happy New Year, everyone!   

A warm welcome into the InternQueen family: reflections on an exciting first week of interning

Last week was great for two main reasons. Labor Day weekend provided me with an ample amount of time to get myself organized, accomplish some homework and relax.

 On a more exciting note, I started interning with InternQueen on Tuesday!

SO happy to have our Fall #interns starting this week! Welcome, @_justinepaige @kmshayes and @bmills_618 :) #IQFamily — Lauren Berger (@InternQueen) September 2, 2014

I was eager to join the InternQueen team even before I started working last week, but my three days of interning solidified that I'm going to attain important career wisdom while growing as a young professional during my IQ journey. I've already learned a lot during my first week and there's so much more to learn. I'm definitely excited.

The IQ team includes CEO/founder Lauren Berger (the Intern Queen herself); Digital Marketing Manager Lindsey Day and Campus Programs Manager Shayna Dunitz; former interns and now junior executives Savira and Michelle; and my fellow fall 2014 interns Brooke and Kelly. Of course there are campus ambassadors and others who are part of the entire IQ team, but these ladies are the main women I am privileged to work closely with.

These ladies are inspiring professionals who are passionate about what they do. All of them were very helpful when it came to making sure my fellow interns and I knew how to executive our jobs. I definitely felt welcome into the close-knit IQ family.

Kind of obsessed with our #InternQueenTeam and #InternQueenFamily...that's all :) We get it DONE! — Lauren Berger (@InternQueen) September 5, 2014

This week was a bit overwhelming - not in a bad way, of course - because as I briefly mentioned in a previous blog post, my work as an IQ intern entails tasks and responsibilities that are different from the bulk of my professional career thus far, which has been centered on journalism and working for news publications.

However, as someone who is also studying public relations, communications and marketing, those differences are great and well-desired. I have a few experiences in these fields and I'm ready to build up on them.

What a thrill it is to be a part of the IQ family! I'm excited to continue learning from and alongside them as the semester continues to unfold.

Check out this mug I purchased over the weekend! The crown (in my favorite color) obviously represents InternQueen and I am excited to use it during my workdays this week.

My new InternQueen mug!

Unbelievable sights, indescribable feeling: hello junior year

Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling through an endless diamond sky.

Did I just use this beloved Aladdin tune to begin my first day of junior year post? You bet I did.

As mentioned in my previous post, my 'whole new world' began at 5:45 a.m. yesterday. I had set alarms at 6:15, 6:30, and 6:45 in the morning because I was afraid of being later for my 8 a.m. class, especially after three months of a summer sleeping schedule and two years of starting school at 9:30. Surprisingly, I woke up to silence - not a roaring alarm. I hoped that it was around 6:15, but I knew it was too good to be true. My room was still too dark; there was no way it was passed 6 yet. Sure enough, I checked my phone to confirm what I had already known. 

I'm not complaining because I would have rather woken up earlier than later (punctuality is so important and being late stresses me out). So thank you body clock for knowing it was my first day of junior year.

After staring at my ceiling for a good 5-10 minutes, I decided to go into the kitchen and make a cup of coffee, knowing that a long day was ahead of me. As I sipped on my beloved blue mug from Target, I checked my e-mail and came across exciting news: I was officially offered a fall 2014 internship at InternQueen.com! (Read all about my new internship here.)

Suddenly, being awake so early with the knowledge that I wouldn't be done with class until 6:45 p.m. wasn't so bad anymore. I quickly texted a few friends who I had talked to about my application and interviewing process, shared the exciting news with my roommates, and sent a text to my parents - who are the best, by the way. Having parents who support your dreams and believe in you? That is precious and I never take it for granted.

My roommate, Charlene, and I left home at 7:15 to avoid parking trouble and head to school for our 8 a.m. classes -- not without taking a solo first day of school picture. Here's my first one in years!

I'm not going to discuss each class individually yet because I'm still in the process of seeing what my official schedule for this school year will be, but they were all pretty neat and I just know that I am going to learn a lot. During my college career thus far, I've been pretty blessed in terms of having good teachers. Based on yesterday, I'm confident the streak will continue.

I know balancing all my classes, my InternQueen.com internship, the Daily 49er, PCN Board, and other activities will be a challenge. Despite that, I believe I have the potential to thrive during this semester and come out of it as an even more focused and knowledgeable person.

Yesterday marked the beginning of my junior year and the start of my last two years of undergrad. Isn't that crazy?

Here's to making the most of the whole new world that awaits me.

InternQueen.com, here I come!

Yesterday marked the beginning of my junior year, but it wasn't a typical first day of school. 

I started my day (at 5:45 a.m., but more on that later) by learning I was officially offered a fall 2014 intern position at InternQueen.com! After three interviews throughout the month of August, the last of which was with the Intern Queen herself, I am extremely excited and grateful to be offered what I know will be a valuable learning experience. 

It has been almost two years since I first came across InternQueen.com, which occurred while I was browsing the Internet for cover letter and resume advice. That's an interesting coincidence because I was seeking this information for my first USA Today Collegiate Correspondent Program application.

Over the course of my first two years of undergrad, I have read numerous blog posts and articles on InternQueen.com -- all of which are insightful life tips. I've always been pretty hardworking and ambitious - at the very least, I try and give my best - and since I started college I've been dedicated to doing what I can to move along the path of achieving my dreams. I still remember walking into the Daily 49er newsroom after my first college class ever and asking how I could get involved with the student newspaper.

It took a semester or two to adjust to being out of high school and to fully realize that I am in charge of the rest of my life from now on, a fact that's both frightening and exhilarating, though mostly the latter. Sophomore year is when I absorbed a career-driven mentality. I started looking at my classes as career workshops because that's what they essentially are, especially in my fields, where almost everything we do - articles, interviews, podcasts, videos, blogs, public relations campaigns, marketing plans, press releases, etc. - in class is hands on practice.

I have become familiar with the USA Today College and InternQueen.com, attended campus job fairs to simply converse with job recruiters, connected with some professors, and read any relevant publications I came across. I've also read internship descriptions and postings so I can possess a better understanding on what opportunities are out there and what skills recruiters are looking for in their interns.

Long story short, I like to think I'm committed to equipping myself with the knowledge and guidance I need to achieve my goals in life. 

In light of this, I'm excited to learn new lessons by interning for InternQueen.com! While the internship involves an array of different skills, most of my tasks will be related to public relations, marketing, and communications. This is very exciting because most of my work so far has been focused on news writing and online media. It's time for a new adventure.

I'm very eager to begin training for this Internship this week and to officially start working as an InternQueen.com intern next week!

Thank you again, Lauren Berger and InternQueen staff for presenting me with this opportunity.

Moonshine Jungle Tour 2014: Bruno Mars concert recap

Bruno Mars singing Just the Way You Are.

Last Friday, I attended a Bruno Mars concert that absolutely blew my mind. The stage and sound effects were spectacular and booming - literally. For the first time, I truly realized just how talented Bruno Mars is - and at many things. I enjoyed watching his show with my parents and my second mom, my Auntie Kerole.

Walking into the SAP Center was nostalgic for me because the last time I had watched a concert at this particular venue, it was still called the HP Pavilion and I was watching the Glee Live Tour 2011 at the end of my junior year -- how's that for a memory? It's also the place I watched my first concert ever - Avril Lavigne when I was seven-years-old - and the venue I had seen so many Disney on Ice shows with my cousins as a child.

I navigated through swarms of people to find the merchandise line while my parents waited outside for my aunt. It's become a tradition for me to buy a tour shirt (with dates and/or locations and the name of the tour) at every concert I attend (though I didn't get a shirt at the Pentatonix show I attended in January 2013 - sigh). I wasn't a huge fan of the tour shirts in general (merchandise director, what prompted you to select the pictures, fonts, and colors you used?) but I ended up buying what I thought was the best option.

Tour merchandise.

After buying shirts for my parents and me, I walked into the venue section where they were now waiting. Our seats were high up in the balcony, but I didn't care - hearing Bruno would be enough for me, and after all, that's what the screens are for, right?

The show started with Nico and Vinz, whose music can be described as a diverse mixture of reggae and pop, with a bit of soul. Nico and Vinz, a duo from Norway, had an energetic opening set and got the crowd clapping and dancing . Their song "Am I Wrong,"  now an international hit, was the last song they performed -- and it was great. My parents (and my auntie, but she's my second mom anyway so she can fall under "parents") enjoyed them.

It took about 45 minutes of set up before Bruno finally appeared on stage and my relatives and I were beginning to get restless. You better be worth it, we said.

And let me tell you - Bruno was definitely worth it.

Everyone was screaming during the 45-minute interval between the opening act and Bruno's set.

The man knows how to put on a show; how to entertain - and more than just that, interact with - a crowd. Now I'm not saying I'm surprised, since I know he's been performing in front of audiences since he was a child known as Little Elvis, but it's one thing to know someone is talented and a completely different (and amazing) thing to witness that talent right in front of your eyes.

Bruno opened his set with Moonshine - an appropriate first song given that the title of his tour is Moonshine Jungle - and his set featured songs as old as Billionaire and Nothin' on You (my mom's ringtone for the last five years or so), as classic as Marry You and Grenade, and as recent as Treasure and Locked out of Heaven.

When Bruno performed When I Was Your Man, the arena was completely dark, except for a single spotlight and the hundreds of flickering phone lights - it was beautiful and I wish I had captured that moment with a picture.

For most of the show, it sounded as if the entire arena was singing and dancing along.

Bruno Mars and The Hooligans

One of the best parts was watching Bruno dance - the man can definitely sing (as well as beatbox and play the piano, guitar, drums, and harmonica), but boy can he DANCE. Again, I wasn't shocked because I've seen him perform at award shows, competition results shows, and most recently at this year's Superbowl halftime show on big screen TVs, but seeing him dance live - wow.

Bruno Mars definitely feels the rhythm of his music in his soul and he channels that in his dancing so effortlessly. He's smooth and just so happy when he dances and that definitely has an affect on his audience. The smile on his face as he sings his heart out while sliding and gliding along the stage is contagious. Bruno's supporting band and dancers, The Hooligans, were also great and I loved seeing them together.

His final song before his encore of Locked Out of Heaven and Gorilla was Just the Way You are. Definitely a Bruno classic and a great way to start show's finale.

Just the Way You Are - love that smile!

Sing it, Bruno.

A concert isn't over until the confetti drops.

The final moment of the show.

Bruno Mars is a true artist and I loved seeing him sing, dance, and play a variety of instruments at this concert. Hopefully I'll see him again in the future.

Thanks for a great show, Bruno Mars!

Back at the Beach: ready for round three

After three months in the Bay Area, I am back in Long Beach. 

Preparing to go back to school and move back into my apartment over the weekend are the main reasons I have been unable to update my blog. I was also busy these last two days, but I finally have some time today. *Cheers.*

As always, it's a bittersweet feeling to be away from home with the knowledge that I mostly likely won't return until Thanksgiving. Maybe it gets a little less difficult as the years go by and I grow older, but it's always hard right before school starts.

How can it not be, when my identity is so closely tied to my family - all of whom are in Northern California except for a few relatives in Long Beach and my family in the Philippines? Much of my free time this summer was spent going out and about with my parents, relaxing with my brother, taking my grandmother to the bank and grocery shopping together, and constantly being with my cousins, whether it was at a family party, a concert, at the mall, or simply at someone's house.

I was born and raised in the Bay Area and this place will always be home to me. And although I am saddened every time I leave, I have enjoyed making another home in Southern California. I've grown in many ways since moving out and I am eager to continue this self-development alongside my friends and colleagues who are simultaneously traveling their own paths to their life goals. One of my favorite parts about growing up is seeing the inspiring endeavors they are taking as I take my own. Passion fuels passion.

This will undoubtedly be another great year of growing as a student journalist and aspiring media professional as well as a student learning about the world of mass media, communications, public relations, and marketing. I am excited for another semester as an assistant editor on the Daily 49er staff and a new venture as one of PCN Board 2014-15's two marketing chairs. I'm also crossing my fingers because I've applied to various internships and am waiting to hear back for final decisions.

Opportunities for learning are always available and I try my best to take on all that I can handle - while I believe in working hard and am adept at multitasking, it's important to know your limits.

In addition to all my school and career related undertakings, I am also excited to continuously explore Southern California. If I'm being honest, I haven't crossed off many notes on my bucket list. I'm looking forward to doing more this year.

On Monday, I reunited with my dear friend Chantal, who took me to Banzai Bowls in Huntington Beach. I ordered a regular Maui Sunrise, which was topped with strawberries, blueberries, and bananas. I love yogurt and fruits so it's not a surprise that I thought this treat was delicious.

Maui Sunrise at Banzai Bowls (Huntington Beach, Calif.)

The one thing I have to say is that the sizes are quite large, in my opinion, and I thought my regular sized order was enough for two people. So if you're not that hungry (and I was!), consider sharing.

It was a great start to my third year in SoCal.

Here's to more adventures, here's to learning and growing, and here's to life.   

Three months of premier journalism: my time as a USA Today College summer correspondent

August 15 marks the official end of my time as a USA Today College summer correspondent. Here are my (many) thoughts.

Fall down four times, get up five: how I got into the program

Flashback to a little more than a year and a half ago, when I was in the middle of my first semester of college: My good friend Gagan had linked me to the USA Today College correspondent program application because she had learned about it at school and thought of me.

The USA Today CCP is a three-month virtual program where correspondents research, pitch and write weekly stories while constantly communicating with the USA Today College team and editors. Being the ambitious student and big dreamer I am (or at least try to be), I went for it. For the first time in my life, I wrote a cover letter - which took me a day to get perfect - and spent hours working on a resume. I sent three of my favorite articles from my beloved Crown & Shield days, grateful for two years of high school newspaper experience.

I made it passed the application process’ first round and was honestly overjoyed because 1) this is a program affiliated with one of the leading national publications and 2) at the time, I was just a freshman with little professional experience still in the middle of Journalism 110.

I didn’t make it into the third round, and looking back now, I know I wasn’t ready at the time. I’m not going to say it didn’t disappoint me, because it definitely did launch me into a period of self-doubt. Maybe I’m not meant to be a journalist after all, I thought. But it wasn’t enough to stop me applying four more times after that. Yes, four.

Spring 2014 was an incredibly busy semester because of the classes I took, my unprecedented involvement with the Daily 49er, and my participation in PAC, my school’s Pilipino American Coalition. Although free time became very limited and at times I felt I was stretching myself thin, I dedicated myself to these endeavors because they were all important to me.

Somehow, in the middle of producing articles, videos, and podcasts for three journalism electives and completing assignments for two other classes, working in the newsroom, and having six hour rigorous dance practices after class for PAC, I made time to apply for the summer term of the USATCCP. I didn’t let myself get too excited when I made it passed the first round again, but I was overcome with happiness and pride when I found out I made it into the final round.

The third round - a phone interview with the USA Today College editorial board - took place at 9:00 a.m. on a Tuesday. I was terrified my responses were inevitably going to be flawed because I had gotten home from dance practice around 2:30 a.m. and I had to work on school assignments until 4:00 a.m. Despite this, I pulled myself together and answered the questions to the best of my ability, although I wasn’t sure whether I should be confident after the interview was over.

Here comes truth day: how I found out I was a finalist

April 28, the day of summer 2014 correspondent announcements, came both quickly and slowly. I had been checking my email every 20-30 minutes, eager to hear back from the USATC. Soon enough, it became 3:00 p.m. here (and 6:00 p.m. where they’re based) and I became discouraged - I still hadn’t heard back and it was already late in the day. Surely I hadn’t made it. 

And then I received an email from Patrick, which said we should have already gotten a response. Puzzled and a bit embarrassed because I thought I probably hadn’t been selected, I sent him an email explaining I wasn’t sure of my correspondent status. Patrick then forwarded me this:

The life-changing email.

I was working on a story in the newsroom and immediately did a happy dance in my chair. A few tears may have been shed. Go ahead and call me overdramatic, but it was a very emotional moment for me: after years of trying to get into one of the best programs for a field I was increasingly learning about, gaining experience in, and falling in love with, I had finally made it.

Just accepted my invitation to be a correspondent for @USATODAYcollege this summer! I am beyond excited for this invaluable opportunity :) — Justine Paige (@_justinepaige) April 29, 2014

After I let myself celebrate by myself for a few minutes, I finished my story and left the newsroom, excited to call my parents, who were just as happy, if not more joyful, as me. I texted my closest friends who had known how far I made it into the process this time — I am so grateful for their genuine love and support. I then headed to dance practice, where I miraculously didn’t feel any physical tiredness or muscle soreness for the first time. It was one of the best days.

Walking the walk: how the program went for me

The last three months have been challenging in the best ways and I am so appreciative of this learning opportunity the USA Today College editorial board has provided me with.

My experiences with the Daily 49er definitely laid a great foundation for me to be successful into this program. Going from a contributing writer to staff writer to assistant editor last semester and specifically serving as the Daily 49er’s ASI (student government) beat reporter taught me a lot about writing, editing, interviewing, researching, networking, attending meetings, etc. constantly and by deadline.

Although there are many similar lessons I learned from writing for both publications, there were clear differences in style, audience, and topic range, which I tried my best to quickly adapt to.

I still vividly remember how disappointed in myself I was when my first story went unpublished, although McKenna, my incredible editor, said it wasn’t uncommon for that to happen to first stories. It had holes despite my constant reporting and the hard work I put into writing and editing it. Self-doubt clouded my mind again. Great Justine, I mocked myself. You managed to get into the program and you can’t even publish your first story.

But I continued to push and published my first story a week later. Reading my stories among the countless other great articles on the USA Today College is surreal, especially since it has been a dream for almost two years. It's also incredibly humbling to see people reading and sharing my articles, whether it's on Facebook or Twitter.

Over the course of the last twelve weeks, I have networked with many hardworking media professionals and student journalists who share my passion; have interviewed university officials, project starters, researchers, leaders of organizations and agencies, professors, and countless students from all over the country, who deserve to have a place to share their voices.

I have received individualized feedback from USA Today editors and have witnessed improvement in my reporting and writing. I have become increasingly better at phone interviews. I am also better at maintaining a professional tone when sending emails and communicating via social media, especially with my editors, since I don’t physically see them.

Additionally, I’ve truly learned the definitions of time management and dedication. While it’s nice to not have to relocate and work from home, it takes commitment to set your own hours aside and to make your desk at home your ‘office.’ I think anyone can sit in a work office for a set number of hours and perform assigned tasks when a boss is nearby, but it takes a different kind of self-discipline to truly be in charge of your time and to get your work completed by all your deadlines. 

 It wasn’t always easy and there were a few times I waited too long to send an email or to make a phone call, but I’ve definitely learned a thing or two about efficient and professional communication.

Learning by doing is a big part of being a journalism student and I’m so appreciative of all I’ve learned with the USA Today College.

Moving forward: where will I go from here?

Although my time as a summer correspondent is over today, I plan on continuing to contribute to this great platform. In fact, I am currently in the process of interviewing several people for an interesting story I aim to have published by the end of this month. It doesn’t stop here - it doesn’t ever stop - and I will gladly contribute to the USATC for as long as I can.

I will take everything I’ve learned when I come back to the Daily 49er this school year and in all future endeavors, whether it’s another writing opportunity or simply a virtual internship for another field.

Thank you USA Today College Correspondent Program for all the important lessons - both in writing and in life - that you’ve taught me and for most importantly the true significance of believing in myself and what I do.

I'd also like to express my gratitude to all my family, friends, and colleagues who have been incredibly supportive as well - your genuine faith in me means a lot. 

To read all my USA Today College stories, check out my author list here.  

Tune out to tune in: reflections on my family's annual camping trip

In 1999, my dad suggested an event that would remain an important family tradition more than a decade later: camping. 

Since then, my entire family - my mom's side, some of my dad's side, cousins of my cousins, our family friends - has gone camping for at least three days every summer. We skipped 2008 and 2013 for monetary and reservation issues, but have gone on 13 trips thus far. It's something my cousins and I yearned for every single year when we were growing up, yet the excitement that comes with it still hasn't gone away. Even though I'm 20 now.

Pinoy Campers (yes, the adults gave us that name many years ago) 2014 in this year's color: red!

I came back from my annual family camping trip - five days and four nights this year - on Sunday afternoon, a few shades darker with the skin on my face peeling off because of the sun. No complaints though. As per usual, this trip consisted of nothing but family bonding (telling stories, fighting over the technicalities of Scattegories rules, playing Guesstures, etc.), driving and riding jet-skis while occasionally falling into the water, swimming in the lake (which was 33% lower than usual because of the California drought, something that really saddened me - I will go into detail in a later post), making s'mores, roasting hot dogs and sausages, and being surrounded by nature. 

However, this particular trip stood out to me for several reasons.

First of all, it was noticeably warmer than usual. I wore a jacket only once during the five-day stay, which has never happened because it always gets extremely cold at night and during the morning. This was partly due to the water level dropping about 30 feet. The effects of the drought were clear throughout the campgrounds -- heck, one smaller lake was completely dry. Later on I'll post current pictures alongside some pictures from the past for comparison. It was quite saddening.

As I previously mentioned, we did not go camping in 2013, so this year's trip was my first one since starting college. I don't mean to be overdramatic, but so much in my life has changed in the last two years of my life; my first two years of undergrad. It's the truth. Camping gives me some time to just think about life and discuss it with my cousins who are the same age (I was blessed with a handful) and I couldn't help but think about how much we've all grown since 2012. 

But forget the changes that have occurred to me, I was partly fixated on how much my little brother and 'baby' cousins have grown since our last trip. Two summers ago, they were all pre-pubescent middle school students with higher-pitched voices, standing below my shoulders. Now they look down at me, or if I'm lucky, at the same level as me. The speak with deep voices about their school drama and various relationships. Where has the time gone? Who's to know what will be different after my brother finishes his freshman year? Or after I finish my third year of college? 

Lots of thoughts and observations taking place in my mind, especially since this was essentially my last big event of the summer. Can't imagine spending the last few days before school starts again in a better way. 

My phone was dead for most of our stay at the lake and I barely charged it by choice. It's always nice to tune out of everything else - including social media and all technological platforms - for a few days every year so I can tune into what matters most to me: my family. Constantly being with each other is never really a problem or annoyance. 

I'm grateful my parents and my aunties and uncles raised my cousins and me to be appreciative of nature and to always remember we are grounded in our family. I will always look forward to this trip and I hope it continues for decades to come. 

I love my parents and my brother very much.

My cousins and I with our nephew, Nathan. It was his first time camping with us and he loved it!

A beautiful sunset by the lake. You can see our family's four jet-skis at the shore. Another fun year.

O captain, my captain

may your soul rest in peace. I hope you’re continuing to make other souls laugh wherever you are.

 -

I am deeply saddened by Robin Williams’ passing because I grew up watching, loving, and learning from his films. From Aladdin to Mrs. Doubtfire to Flubber to Good Will Hunting to Dead Poets Society, one of my favorite films of all time.

Dead Poets Society is so dear to me and I remember crying and falling in love with it the first time I watched it. How can you not? It’s an excellent coming-of-age movie with dialogue that is sure to cut through your soul and really make you think. It gets to me because it gets me. Moves me. Inspires me. Challenges me.

We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.

All my life, words have given me a feeling of fulfillment - regardless of whether I'm reading them or writing them. Language. Communication. Discovering new ideas, people, places, and things. These are the things I've always loved and hope to center my career around. I strive to be enthusiastic about everything life has to offer. I don’t know where I’d be without my passion, without my dreams, without my intense desire to do everything I can in life to fulfill these dreams.

 But that wasn't always the case.

 I was in deep love with writing by the time I watched this film but at the time I believed that this silly hobby would not provide me with a successful life. I wanted to be respected, which translated into eventually becoming a doctor or scientist, a businessman, an engineer, or a tech person - at least in my young adolescent mind. Even a few years after I saw Dead Poets Society, I still thought I would go on a more conventional route. The devil on my shoulder was my own Mr. Kerry, telling Neil on my right shoulder to quit acting (writing, in my case.)

 I'm not going to say that this movie was the sole reason I decided to pursue my passions and travel the road "less traveled by," as Professor Keating would say. But it was one of the first resources that caused me to really think about what I wanted out of life. The Huffington Post published a great article on how Dead Poets Society has affected and inspired a generation - my generation. I agree wholeheartedly.

Dead Poets Society helps me remember that while I fully respect all other occupations and career destinations, my own path is truly the one for me. It'll have some bumps and change every now and then, but it's mine.

No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world. Several years ago, I wrote down a bunch of quotes from Dead Poets Society onto my various notebooks and scraps of paper, as well as transferring quotations onto pastel colored paper to post onto my bedroom walls. I surrounded these handmade posters with some work I was proud of - some poems I wrote as a child, fictional stories, and articles from the high school paper. Seeing these words on my wall never failed to make me smile or feel inspired.

One of my Dead Poets Society quotation posters became the center of my 'journalism wall.'

Some of the other quotation posters I made -- another Dead Poets Society one can be found at the bottom right.

I'm reminded to never forget the importance and beauty of words; to never forget how powerful they are when chosen wisely. One of my biggest desires coming into the world of journalism and mass communications is to affect people with my words in whatever way, shape, or form. Williams reminds me in this film that I have the power to do just that.

Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.

Let's be honest, how many times have you seen someone from my generation quoting carpe diem? More times than I can count - and if I could count, more than I can remember. If that doesn't testify how moving this film is to thousands, if not millions, of people, I don't know what will.

It saddens me to know that someone who devoted his time and energy to providing others joy and happiness could not do so enough for himself. Please respectfully remember that depression is real mental illness and can affect single person. Reach out to each other, truly hear each other out, seek to understand. Many of Williams' roles were mentors, listeners, and advisors -- let us aspire to be that for each other every single day. And above all, love.

Thank you Robin Williams for the endless laughter, important lessons, and deep thoughts inspired by you.

Let the PCN Board adventures (and work) begin

My day started at 6:15 a.m. - I woke up early to take my Lola to mass for her birthday, as she requested. After being awake for six hours, I fell asleep around 12:45 p.m., right when PCN Board announcements were made. I woke up two hours later (oops) to five unread text messages and a handful of Facebook notifications and thought, "Okay, let's hope all these notifications mean good news!" And sure enough, they did.

Introducing PCN BOARD 2014-2015! Congratulations to all of you! pic.twitter.com/8zBdR5rZpi — Long Beach PCN (@lbpcn) July 28, 2014

Eager to know if I had earned my first choice position, I scanned the hilarious PCN Board announcement poster (which is a true winner, in my opinion) for a silly picture of myself.  Once I found my face (with a picture that my dear friend Jonas took - why am I not surprised?) and saw "Marketing" written under it, I screamed. 

Marketing and public relations are two areas I study in school and have much experience in. I love doing tasks relevant to these areas as well as communications/journalism/social media, especially in regards to organizations or projects that are important to me. 

I've always been proud to be a Filipino-American; to know my language, my traditions, my roots. I've never been ashamed of my ethnicity. But I don't think I fully realized how important it is to share my culture with the world around me, especially since I am part of the first generation of Americans in my family. Wow. I never realized how big a deal that actually is until I wrote it out. 

Joining and participating in my school's Filipino organization, CSULB's Pilipino American Coalition, has truly made me realize the importance of celebrating and sharing one's culture, especially in my amazing experience of this past year's PCN. And for that, I am grateful. 

I'm excited to use my networking and communication knowledge, as well as other marketing and public relations skills, to serve PAC and to make PCN 2015 incredible. Although we never met this last year (it's almost impossible to know everyone in PAC when there are hundreds of members and more than 200 participants in PCN), I am beyond excited to work with my co-marketing chair, Victoria! We already contacted each other and we're ready to make a great team. 

I am so thrilled to use my talents for something that is so important to me and I am ready to learn and grow even more with this opportunity. PCN Board 2014-15 is full of passionate people and I cannot wait for the year to unfold, PAC and PCN-wise!   

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy -

the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. - President Franklin D. Roosevelt

DISCLAIMER: As I will explain more in-depth in a following post, I am in no way romanticizing World War II in this blog entry or any other future entries relevant to my obsession with studying the WWII Era. I know it was a terrible number of years that cost millions of lives in the worst ways and I have utmost respect for everyone whose lives were tarnished by this war.

Just had to get that out there first.

About three weeks ago, I woke up in the wee hours of the morning to get ready for Pearl Harbor. When my family and I had first arrived in Hawaii and my parents were making an itinerary, I told them I didn't care what we did or where we went as long 1) we saw turtles at the beach and 2) we went to Pearl Harbor. A 6:30 a.m. departure was nothing to me as long as I got to feed my history-obsessed brain and indulge in my fascination with learning about World War II.

We had such an eccentric but lovable tour guide on this day, which made it all even better. I opted to take the narrated tour because I wanted to experience everything to the fullest, and wow, it was definitely an experience actually listening to the USS Arizona survivors share their stories. And it was something else to hear them break down and cry while walking and reading through the museum and memorial.

The fact that the memorial rests on top of the remains of the ship - a literal burial site for thousands of soldiers - is so fascinating to me and I think there's no better way the memorial could have been constructed. I was also really touched by the fact that many of those who survived ask to be buried with their fallen comrades.

And what made this day even better were the souvenirs I got from the gift shop - a copy of a newspaper that ran when the United States joined WWII and a copy of a newspaper that ran after the war was officially over. I had a complete fangirl moment - ask my mom, who fondly rolled her eyes and told me to quiet down - because these paper copies blended three of the things I love the most - history, journalism, and learning about World War II. The Rosie the Riveter tote bag I bought for less than $3 was a pretty awesome purchase too.

Our visit to Pearl Harbor was undoubtedly my favorite part of going to Hawaii.

Fine, it's tied with my encounter with five giant sea turtles on the beach. But still. History. Pearl Harbor. World War II. Woah.

Press play, don't press pause.

Progress march on.

SF Pride 2014

Almost three weeks ago, I traveled to San Francisco with a few of my cousins and my good friend, Jason, for a very special reason. We BART-ed (I like to verbify nouns) to the city to march in the 2014 Pride Parade with the Human Rights Campaign.

Flashback to another three weeks before then: Around the first week of June, I became aware SF Pride was quickly approaching. Because I had such an amazing and fun experience marching in last year's parade for the first time with Equality California, I knew I had to do it again. Being a part of the parade was such a blast. We danced to the music playing on the loudspeakers ("Same Love" was the song that started the parade, are we surprised?), we chanted for trans rights, and yelled for equal rights. Because my friends - Jason, Hannah, Lexi, Anthony, and Karissa - and I were so energetic and loud, the leader of EQCA encouraged us to run around and high five the millions of people cheering in the stands. We did and everyone loved it.

But it was more than just another literally colorful rally with lots of dancing and cheering. I found myself mentally pausing throughout the day, absorbing everything happening around me and what it all meant. And I'm glad I did because I think my hyperactive awareness of my surroundings made it all the more sentimental.

SF Pride 2013

You see, SF Pride 2013 followed two very important Supreme Court decisions for the LGBTQQAP (and whoever else I'm missing) community. The Defense of Marriage Act, DOMA, and California's law banning same-sex marriage, Prop 8, were ruled unconstitutional earlier that week. Love and 100% genuine happiness surrounded me. Now I'm sure these emotions can be felt at every pride event, but for some reason this particular event truly felt like a celebration times three. I still remember people carrying signs that said "Thank you, Supreme Court."

These brief moments of contemplation throughout the day made me realize just how important it all was - not just this one single event, but this movement, this gathering, this needed celebration, this call for love over judgement, hate, and discrimination. I'm trying not to get too into it, but wow. It was beautiful.

Now back to the semi-present.

In early June, I checked my e-mails from HRC and sure enough, there was a link to sign up as a pride volunteer. I decided to invite my cousins along since we do everything together and I wanted to share this with them. My outfit last year for pride was very last minute - bright turquoise shorts, white Toms, and a white shirt with "Love is love" messily painted on with hot pink paint.

Needless to say, I didn't want that again. My cousins and I made "Pride Princess" outfits - aka a tulle tutu and flower crown - in colors that matched a Disney princess of our choosing. I obviously chose my princess alter ego, Rapunzel. And yes, I brought the Pascal stuffed toy I received for my 18th birthday.

One of my favorite parts about taking the train into the city during pride weekend is seeing the cars fill up with all kinds of people, dressed in all kinds of outfits, headed to San Francisco for the same reason. Lucky for us, we were able to sit down because we boarded on the first stop.

Tangent: on the ride to SF, I saw that @JamieFord had favorited my tweet about some books. It was a picture of a few of my favorites I had lent to my cousins and I included that I absolutely love Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, which is an incredible book y'all need to read. It's definitely one of my favorites. I knew the name sounded so familiar but I couldn't exactly pinpoint who it was. I clicked the Twitter handle to check out the user's profile, and what do you know! The New York Times Best-Selling Author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet had favorited my tweet! Plus 1,000 excitement points for this day.

Anyway, back to the main story.

Once we arrived in San Francisco, we made it through the crowded subway escalators and several streets blocked off streets before finding the HRC leaders. But before we made it to them, we were stopped a handful of times by various people with cameras. Should I call them photographers? I'm not sure. But nevertheless, we were complimented on the "cuteness" of our themed outfits and posed for several pictures.

When we finally reached our group, we decorated ourselves with HRC stickers and I stuck a few in my bag for my laptop, my car, and whatever else I might feel like putting a sticker on. More people took pictures of us and we were asked if we wanted to hold the HRC's main sign and lead the group since we were all "so cute and matchy matchy." We said yes, of course, and while we waited for our turn to start walking in the parade, we danced to the loud music, earning a lot of smiles and comments.

Then began the two hour parade - chanting "What do we want?!" "Equality!" "When do we want it?!" "Now!" Waving at, cheering with, and sometimes blowing kisses to the people in the audience. God, I love the really energetic people in the crowds. I also snapped a few pictures whenever I saw a sign I particularly liked or saw someone interesting.

It was a beautiful and fun day. If I can be home for pride weekend next year, I'll definitely be here again. Until then, I really want to make it to other events too.