Just A Bear.

This weekend was the first time in a while that I did not go home. Instead, I was on dog-sitting duty for Henley, a golden retriever puppy that belongs to one of my friends. Henley has gotten so big and, thankfully, much calmer. I was initially worried about watching her all weekend because she is usually so high energy, and I never seem to get anything done when she is around. This time, though, she was much better. She just followed me around and lounged on a chair in our apartment that fits her perfectly. I spent most of the weekend with my roommates, caught up on several tasks, and even enjoyed some relaxing time. On Friday, my roommates and I stocked up on our favorite snacks and watched the Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson fights. I have never really been into boxing or fights in general, but we were all curious about this one. Ultimately, we agreed it was a letdown. Neither Mike Tyson nor Jake Paul brought much energy to the fight. I could not help but feel bad for Tyson. He is fifty...

  As the semester comes to a close, the deadline for my capstone project is quickly approaching. This week, we had our capstone presentations, where we shared our project topics and examples with the art department to gather feedback. The experience was definitely nerve-wracking. After dedicating so much time and effort to my capstone this semester, presenting it to those who will grade it most critically was intimidating. Still, their critiques gave me valuable insight and the opportunity to make changes that will ultimately improve my project. That said, hearing that adjustments are needed for something I’ve worked so hard on was a bit overwhelming. This capstone has truly tested me. I conducted five photo shoots featuring my friends participating in outdoor activities while wearing their favorite outdoor clothing. My goal is to tell their stories and show how outdoor clothing helps them enjoy and excel in their activities. I took so many photos that I initially wanted to include...

  Last weekend, I went home to celebrate my sister Sophia’s birthday. Her special day was on Saturday, but I arrived on Friday so we could kick off the celebration with a family dinner. It’s always a treat to spend time with my family, and we were all excited to try a new ramen and sushi restaurant. Ramen is one of Sophia’s favorite foods, so it felt perfect for her birthday dinner. The evening was already off to a great start, but our waitress made it even more fun. She was warm, funny and clicked with our family’s vibe right away. Since my dad had to come straight from work and joined us a little late, there was a comical moment when the waitress called his name for the reservation, only to realize he wasn’t there yet. Once he arrived, she kept joking with him about being late to his own reservation, which had all of us laughing. It was a small but memorable detail that made the night even more enjoyable. For appetizers, we ordered calamari, egg rolls and takoyaki (octopus balls)...