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happiness-in-oblivion · 6 years

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2017: A Reflection

Welcome!

Welcome to Rachel Pistachio’s new creation. Please leave a message and make sure to follow!

Okay, honestly? I’m really awkward when it comes to introductions and first impressions. So I guess, here it goes?

Fun Facts About Moi:

I like lists.

I am Greek-Mexican American.

I get called Rachel more than my actual name (Rebecca).

My last name is Cypriot Greek slang for Watermelon.

I’d like to think I am a combination of Audrey Hepburn and Selena Quintanilla (obviously the biggest delusion I have).

I can’t think of any other cool things about myself.

Phew, now that that's over…

Reflection

Man, I don’t even know how to begin this post. Currently, I am sitting on a worn-out faux white leather sofa in the dark. Well, not completely.

Proof that indeed I am not in complete darkness

I can’t really tell if wanting to write this post is a result of wonderful family cheer or the fact that 2017 has been worth reminiscing. Nevertheless, here we are.

Memories of 2017

1. had a great seventeenth bday

I celebrated seventeen years on this earth surrounded by people that make my life significantly better. There were also s’mores, frozen noses, good music, and delicious cake. (Peep Sage, a human being that makes my life pretty interesting)

**Also, please ignore my incredibly obvious farmer’s tan**

2. received my first B in high school (it was liberating btw)

Going through high school, especially the one I currently attend, involves competition amongst people you should really be calling your friends. Amidst my small class size and incredibly intelligent people, I always felt the pressure to make straight-A’s regardless of what I was or wasn’t learning. Attending that school has taught me all the wrong, toxic things.

Needless to say, junior year was probably the shittiest time of my life, but that is not why this made the list.

The second semester of my junior year involved sleep deprivation and a stupid amount of stress, and eventually I found myself passing out in my dual-credit Calculus II class during an exam. Pretty embarrassing to be honest. And yet, an extremely incredible experience that I dearly needed.

You see, although I did have an asshole math teacher, passing out in that class and getting a B gave me the reality check I needed. I needed to realize that good grades does not correlate to actual learning.

Also, news flash, I am an incredible human being whose value is actually not measured by straight-A’s when I have so many other things going for me. :)

3. flashmobbed w/ awesome gals

My summer began with the inception of the Flamenco Youth Fundraising Council. To put it in a nutshell, we are all a group of gals that wanted to watch incredible dancers, so we blessed the city of Albuquerque by flashmobbing the streets and ultimately making $4k in two weeks. The day this picture was taken, we were downtown and a man offered us coffee on the house. We were also mural hopping and being extremely fierce (definitely not cute, fierce).

4. attended the stanford hssc for the second time

I don’t even know how to begin this one. The eight weeks that this program offered me a home were the most amazing weeks of my entire summer (aside from the fact that it kind of was my entire summer).

Not only did I spend an invigoratingly independent time on campus, I stayed up late either finising my cs assignments, enjoying thought-provoking and hilarious conversation, or a combination of the two, and every bit was amazing.

Peep the incredible people I was blessed to meet and spend my summer with. Not only were they witty, smart, and everything you could ask for in a person, they were also really hawt.

5. had my first kiss

I guess you can say that the summer program might have offered a bit more than academics?

In all honesty though, this was definitely one to cross off the bucket list. Although I’d been previously presented with the offer, my little naive self continued to refuse, expecting an epic story.

Well, epic is a pretty good description. Let’s just say I was beginning to grow impatient listening on the sidelines as my friends recounted their first kisses in exciting whispers. I knew my time would come, but when?

I never thought my time would involve an amazing summer with a relatable person who actually made me secure and comfortable. All I can say is thank god I waited for my epic moment and not some cheap shot who I could have settled for.

Also, thank god for roommates who can’t make curfew and large campuses where you won’t become embarrassed by a stranger’s familiar face.

6. rediscovered my actual obsession w/ poetry

Coming back from a great summer brought immediate depression and senioritis as I had to step into the real world of Rebecca-in-Albuquerque-with-grandiose-expectations. And then, it happened.

I discovered Button Poetry on YouTube.

For those who haven’t heard of this channel, Button Poetry publishes videos of slam poetry from various authors. Well, I happen to come across Sarah Kay and her marvelous poetry on love and the reality of life. All I can say is, click the link below to be blessed with words that will sing the best melody to your ears.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHHzHu289Ws

7. performed at tedx

The Youth Fundraising Council had been given the incredible opportunity to step on the TEDxABQ stage and fill it with passion and art. Plus, we were given VIP passes, so you already know that we spent all day getting our hair and makeup done, along with pocketing all the expensive snacks and pretending we were indeed professional like all the other middle-aged accomplished humans we shared the stage with.

**Shoutout to our founder Caro (pictured in sunglasses) for literally being my type of human**

8. became an apprentice for the professional company

Since I began dancing flamenco at the age of five, my friends and I had this amazing hope and dream that we would one day be sharing the stage with our teachers and mentors. Well, this semester, I was given the opportunity to partake in the company’s rehearsals with guest artists and surrounded by motivated and incredibly hardworking people every day. With the 20 hours a week I danced this semester, I have to say it was all worth it.

Let’s just say I learned a lot more than dance technique. I learned how to be extremely confident in myself and my abilities. I learned to be my harshest critic, and my best teacher.

Although I may not end up in the actual company, this lifelong dream of mine is the best news to receive during my final year in Albuquerque.

9. danced with actual legends

Okay, just seeing this picture gives me chills. When I tell you that the people I shared the stage with that night are legends, I truly mean it. I mean I’ve been watching Tacha (third from left) and Loreto (fourth from left) on YouTube for a really long time, and suddenly I am studying and performing with them. It was amazing, and without this picture, I wouldn’t believe the words I am currently typing.

10. danced at my last greek fest

Newsflash: For me, being multicultural means having the craziest clubs and hobbies. Aside from dancing flamenco for thirteen years, I have also been Greek dancing with some of the peeps depicted above.

Although I am the only senior girl in the group, these guys have toughed it out with me all twelve years, occasionally cussing each other and others out in Greek (eimaste malakes).

11. spent thanksgiving w/ the greatest peeps

Now back to the Mexican side of the family.

The arrival of Thanksgiving week also brought the arrival of my mom’s family in a white van coming from South Texas. For the entire week, our house went from hardwood floors to air mattresses. Meals varied from tamales to meat to (surprise!!) turkey.

We also may or may not have blasted music from Grupo Celedón’s track, which was the family band my grandfather had started that consisted of my mom and her siblings traveling the country to make ends meet by playing awesome original music. Enjoy the shameless plug below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnHJb2qmtZM (my mother is not in this recording; she’d dipped to UT Austin by then)

12. got accepted into actual college

To be honest, this is probably the one that brings me the most relief. I, Rebecca Watermelon, have been accepted to two universities. I believe that does mean that I will be, ahem, going to college.

I am so excited. The opportunity to leave New Mexico (the land of enchantment) for the independence and fresh start I felt at the summer program is so cool. However, I now have no motivation to complete any other college applications, or, for that matter, complete my senior year of high school.

13. performed in my last recital

Dancing has always been a part of my life, and every December brings the Recital Navideño, in which all the students and dancers from the National Institute of Flamenco share a weekend of what we’ve been working on.

Well, this December is officially the last recital that I will ever partake in, and it was extremely sad but also a bit liberating. It is a quite literal marker that marks the end of an (epic) era, but also the start of a great beginning. Plus, who’s to say I will stop dancing? ;)

14. held my grandfather’s hand for the first time in two years

This is huge for me. About four years ago, my grandfather had a stroke. As a wee little eighth grader, I felt incredibly hopeless and frustrated that I couldn’t do anything. And then when I came to visit him for the first time, I realized the true extent of it. My grandfather, a man who was considered an accordion legend in The Valley, could no longer move the right side of his body.

And yet, I still had one thing. I could hold his hand.

Although he could not speak to me, he could look me in the eyes and hold my hand. This small act to many has instilled a sense of hope and love that I did not completely appreciate before the horrible moment.

Being that I was gone every break either studying or traveling somewhere else, coming here this Christmas made me realize that I hadn’t held his hand in two years. And when I did, I felt grounded. I feel grateful. After all, holding hands is such a loving form of communication.

15. realized my life motto(s)

Last but not least. Since starting this post, it has been about half a day of procrastination, watching Friends, and being quite a couch potato. It is currently two in the a.m. on Christmas Day, and I am reminiscing on the beautiful year that was (and still is) 2017. I see now that this year has allowed me to grow into myself, and learn the best lessons before embarking on the next chapter that is college. This semester involved two phrases that I constantly repeated to myself as I tried not to actually panic about the future:

Whatever happens, happens

Find happiness in oblivion

I’ve found that these simple words have truly calmed me, and therefore I am dedicating this blog to being ok with not knowing the future, and being happy with the fact that all I know is that I know nothing.

Thank you for reading this incredibly long story that is my life. Here’s to many more reflections and memories. :)

#college #blog #reflection #2017 #memories #newbeginnings

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