#opalsadvent

[rcbirth]

ADVENT WEEK: DAY 001. 

Trigger/Content Warnings: kissing, alcohol, brief mentions/hints at transphobia, mentions of nsfw content.

— NOVEMBER 15, 2015: you’re eighteen: eighteen with a non-profit just starting to really take flight but still no first kiss. tonight was going to be the night. it had to be. at least — that is what you tell yourself as you wipe the brown liquid that remains on your lips after that final swig of liquid luck. you might even be in love.... you think. she’s your friend, but there’s something there. you swear there is, and now, she's heading back to college in a few short weeks for her next quarter, which means... there’s everything to gain and nothing to lose.

when she sees you, she smiles, and your face burns. fingers reach out to gently rest upon her shoulder, accompanied by a nod towards the kitchen for a ❛drink and fresh air❜. it’s something you saw in a movie. then again, it could have been a video: one of those videos. so desperate for perfection in this moment that you had been dreaming of, since you had seen her face light up when you told some stupid joke, you devoured everything you could find to help inform you on how to make your move. 

who could blame you really — for rolling into more explicit material — when all you can find about others that look like you — are like you — are stories of anger and loss? yes, sometimes those videos were worse, but some... well... some provided at least information on the how: how he could make the move, how he should lean in, how he should finally seal the deal and press his lips into hers. 

with her hand in yours, you lead her to the kitchen, grabbing drinks along the way as you step out onto the porch. the cold chicago wind causes you to jump slightly, pulling your jacket and her closer into you. there’s an amused smile on her lips. you both know what’s about to occur, but you can’t seem to do it... not yet at least. your body, leaden in fear and doubt, remains still, but she — oh, she leans closer into you, chin tilting up to look at you properly. she tells you you look handsome, that these few months have clearly done you well. she tells you that she’s proud: proud to be your friend and see what you’ve done with yourself. 

that’s what finally breaks whatever spell your body’s been under. there’s nothing romantic or sexy about it like the images from the videos you used to research meticulously. your hands reach out to try and grasp her face but instead fall to your waist as your lips eagerly press into hers. it’s all too fast. before you’re able to try and adjust, to make her feel how you feel, she’s pulling away with a laugh. 

❝oh fuck. now i really know i’m drunk.❞ 

your lips fall into a frown, but you nod. she’s right. you’ve both drank too much.

❝don’t tell anyone about this. they won’t let either of us live this down.❞

again, she’s right. you’e just friends. two friends that had a bit too much to drink, and one with a silly idea that wouldn’t leave their head.

#opalsadvent #// #listen i knew the topic about lack of queer sex ed like INCLUDING just queer relationships and dating would come up with him #because he and i are v passionate about this #but i did not know it would happen this soon #even if it was just a wil' ole snippet #anyways.... no one look at this #pls #its o'so bad i just wanted to get her done with #* CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. — ⊰ 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘨𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘯 ⊱

[enrough]

AT  AGE  FOURTEEN  YOU  THINK  YOU  HAVE  THE  WORLD  FIGURED  OUT.  you  are  wise  beyond  your  years  in  so  many  ways  ---  yet  you  are  still  so  inexperienced  in  the  human  experience  .  .  .  

you  learn  to  waltz  because  your  mother  says  you  must  and  it’s  not  that  you  object  to  learning  such  things  but  you’ve  never  stood  quite  this  close  to  a  boy  for  this  length  of  time.  you  carry  a  natural  grace  with  you  always,  but  somehow  turn  into  a  bumbling  idiot  every  time  your  partner  tries  to  lead. his  name  is  benjamin  and  he  laughs  at  you  when  you  step  on  his  feet,  but  he  doesn’t  seem  particularly  cruel.  he’s  amused,  but  still  you  scowl  and  hang  your  head  just  hoping  he  doesn’t  see  how  your  cheeks  burn  hot  with  embarrassment.  

it  gets  better  with  time,  you  get  better  with  time  ---  yet  still,  you  are  hardly  a  natural.  the  other  girls  get  swept  across  the  floor  with  ease  and  you  . . .  you  have  to  work  harder  at  it.  you  always  have.  or  maybe  it’s  that  you  don’t  like  to  let  others  lead.  

after  a  particularly  grueling  lesson  you  plop  yourself  down  in  a  cozy  leather  chair  in  your  grandfather’s  study  and  whine  about  how  your  feet  hurt  and  how  you  can’t  get  the  steps  in  time  with  the  music  and  how  you  might  as  well  quit  (  you’re  not  a  quitter,  though  ---  you  both  know  this  ).  he  tells  you  that  ginger  rogers  once  put  it  this  way  ---  that  she  did  everything  fred  astaire  did,  but  backward  and  in  high  heels.  it’s  an  impressive  way  of  looking  at  it  and  you  internalize  it,  memorize  it,  chant  it  in  your  head  like  a  mantra. 

and  the  next  day  you  enter  the  dance  studio  with  your  head  held  high,  the  sort  of  confidence  one  notices  radiating  off  you  in  waves.  you’re  determined  to  get  it  right,  to  be  the  best  ---  and  benjamin  notices  too.  

he  pulls  you  in  close  as  the  music  ends  and  you  ask  him  why  he’s  still  dancing  and  he  says  he’s  not.  his  face  is  too  close  to  yours  and  his  eyes  flutter  shut  and  before  you  can  ask  him  what  he’s  doing  he  plants  one  on  you  thinking  that  you  feel  it  too.  but  you  don’t  think  of  him  like  that  ---  he’s  only  an  obstacle  on  your  way  to  being  the  best  at  something. 

it’s  not  what  you  expected,  you  don’t  feel  anything  ---  it’s  not  like  the  movies  or  like  what  her  friends  have  said.  you  linger  a  moment  in  shock  and  then  you  realize  everyone  is  staring.  he  could’ve  waited  for  a  moment  alone  but  instead  he  took  your  first  kiss  in  front  of  everyone  ---  you  think  he  was  trying  to  prove  something,  trying  to  put  on  a  show.  and  maybe  he  was,  but  you  refuse  to  stay  for  the  curtain  call.  you  run  out  of  the  studio  quickly,  just  trying  to  leave  this  moment  in  the  dust.  

#opalsadvent #we're doing things out of order here #i started this yesterday but didn't think i would finish it but here we are it kinda sucks #feel like it's kinda implied that there was maybe some sort of Bet w benjamin's friends or idk he just wanted to seem cool but ... #chloe wouldn't have known abt the bet so that's not included but like hehe i hate him

[rosegm]

               𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐰𝐨 — 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬.

DAY ONE / MISTLETOE. 

you’re fourteen. 

he presses his pursed lips against yours. 

you shut your eyes tight, just like you’ve seen in the movies. 

you don’t know what to do with your hands. 

his lips taste like coca cola, and when he pulls away,

all you can think about is why he chose to kiss you

in the parking lot 

of a rema 1000 supermarket. 

/

at school, everyone talks about you kissing joey larsen. 

your friends ask you what tricks you did with your tongue, 

ask you about how wet it was. 

you tell them it was just a simple press of lips. 

you think maybe it’s so lackluster,

because you don’t have feelings for joey larsen. 

he’s nice and smart, but the romantic in you

wishes you felt a spark. 

instead, all you have of that memory is the taste of coca cola,

and the smell of the dumpster near which you were standing. 

/

you’re sixteen. 

you’ve lived a lifetime in a handful of months. 

coming back to school is just another hurdle. 

the stares from your classmates burn holes into the back of your head. 

they all whisper behind your back;

to your face, they speak words laced with pity.

it makes you want to turn invisible.

but the gossip and attention follows you and shoves you into center stage,

a spotlight thrust onto you that you can’t cower from. 

a morrison sibling, dead. the other, walking around as a ghost. 

/

maybe you start dating him because he’s speaks to you like you’re normal

not broken. 

maybe it’s because your loss is insignificant. 

maybe it’s because he doesn’t really care about you.

it doesn’t matter. 

you blend in with the other girls, a hand intertwined in his as you attend parties with people

who were once your friends.

( you pushed them all away, didn’t you ? covered your aching heart with ambition. 

but the lingering taste of loneliness doesn’t leave your tongue. )

/

the music is too loud as you avoid all their stares.  

you’re the girl from the paper, 

you’re just desperately trying to find footing again 

in a life where you feel like you don’t belong. 

/

he presses you up against the wall and leans in slowly. 

you exhale as he presses your lips together and you close your eyes. 

it’s hesitant. it’s awfully public. 

maybe your audience is waiting for something. 

maybe you are too. 

when he kisses you, it’s the closest you’ve felt to being a normal teenage girl,

being kissed by a handsome jock. 

you can’t help but feel as if you’re playing a part.

you kiss him back, looping your shaking hands around his neck. 

everyone’s staring anyway, may as well give them a show. 

/

you’re twenty two. 

you kiss him because you’ve thought about it almost every day since watching the sunrise with him. 

you kiss him and when your lips slot together, 

it’s the closest feeling to magic that you can describe. 

he kisses you, soft and sure and smiling, fingers caressing your skin like you are 

something precious. 

and in his arms, you melt. 

DAY TWO / GOLDEN RINGS. 

➛ rose’s wardrobe is fairly simple. on a day to day basis, rose can be seen wearing sweaters ( she likes ones that are off the shoulder, but she has quite a few that aren’t either ), in a pair of jeans, boots, and a soft coat. she doesn’t have a lot of variety in her wardrobe — it’s mostly all earth toned and solid colors, and she doesn’t spend too much time thinking about it. 

➛ rose is almost always carrying around her staple brown leather bag, passed down to her from her father. in it, she always carries a little notebook and a pen, a voice recorder, and a disposable camera. especially recently, rose never knows when she’s going to see something worth noting, and she always wants to be ready. 

➛ the one time rose gets adventurous with her wardrobe is during night outs. she’ll wear some lace, maybe some silk tops, and will have a lot more exposed skin than usual. this is due to the fact that the bar or club she’ll end up in will have low lighting, and rose doesn’t feel like an odd one out for dressing so differently. it also gives her a little boost on confidence when people hit on her. 

➛ her hair is usually in natural bouncy waves, sometimes in a low ponytail with some curls falling out to frame her face. her jewelry is minimalist — she only wears two rings, one on her point finger, the other on her ring finger on her left hand. sometimes she wears a simple gold necklace, and she has only two ear piercings with gold studs. her makeup is usually minimalist, mostly due to time, so rose will usually put on some concealer, some brow gel and mascara and call it a day. when she goes out, however, she’ll usually put on a dark lip and add a smokey eye. 

➛ during the summertime, rose usually wears flowy pieces. whether it’s a dress, or a pantsuit, she opts for comfort and breeziness. however, she really enjoys the cold, so in the winter the coats she wears aren’t particularly warm, but practical. 

➛ she’s rarely seen wearing hats, aside from a large fuzzy winter one henry helped her pick out right before he passed. 

➛ she usually likes a small heel in her boot, partly because she’s short, but also because she likes how it makes her look and feel. at events or parties, she’ll opt for a higher heel. 

➛ check out her pinterest for more !

#opalsadvent #no one laugh at my writing pls i'm sensitive tnx

[oysterformed]

                 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤  𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦   

                                                        ~ 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓁𝑒𝓉𝑜𝑒

the  first  time  you  attend  an  event  with  so-called  MIXED  COMPANY,  you  are seventeen  years  old.  there  have,  of  course,  been  birthday  parties  with girls  from  your  school,  family  parties  and  business  events.  but  for  the most  part  these  events  were  not conducive  to  the  kind  of  goings-on  that could  be  considered  part  of  the  quintessential teenage  experience.  perhaps  this  is  why  the  other  girls  in  your  cohort  titter  and  giggle in anticipation  of  the  upcoming  combined  formal,  where  boys  from  the  brother  school  will be  in  attendance. like  you,  many  of  your  friends  have  had  minimal  interaction  with  boys, and  as  such  there  is  certainly  an  air  of  mystery  and  excitement  about  the  possibilities this  event  poses.  before  long  there  are  whispers  in  the  halls  and  private  group  chats which  spread  the  new  of  an  AFTER  PARTY,  no  teachers,  no  parents,  and  the  lure  of  an  unattended  liquor  cabinet.  you  exchange  glances  with  your  best  friend  -  it  is  far from  both  of  your  comfort  zones  and  yet…  perhaps  TOGETHER,  you  will  be  brave  enough  to  face  the  potential  of  the  event.  besides,  neither  of  you  would  ever  let  the other  go  alone...

the  formal  bears  the  sort  of  stiffness  and  awkwardness  that  you  might expect  based on  name  alone.  you  stand  in  a  sea  of  designer  dresses  and  tailored  suits,  and  watch on  with  a  confused  smile  as  the  scene  before  you  unfolds.  it  is  not  the  FAIRYTALE  BALL,  romantic  comedy  moment  that  many  of  the  girls  seemed  to  have  assumed  it would  be.  unsurprisingly,  when  you  have  been  deprived  of  normal  social  interaction with boys  your  age,  the  transition  to  darling  socialites  who  dazzle  all  onlookers  with  moves learned  in  your  recent  ballroom  class,  is  not  so  easy.  instead,  you  watch  groups  of  girls awkwardly  huddled  like  penguins.  you  stifle  a  laugh  as  your  cohort  throw  furtive  glances to  the  groups  of  boys  who  for  the  most  part  appear  OBLIVIOUS  to  the  subtext  of  the event  and  are  acting,  perhaps,  they  way  they  might  on  a  rugby  field  rather  than  a black  tie  event.

and  yet,  while  dancing  with  your  friends,  one  points  out  that  you  appear  to  have captured  the  attention  of  one  of  the  boys.  you  steal  a  glance,  CHEEKS  FLAMING,  at the  group  behind  you,  and  your  eyes  meet  his.  he  is  handsome  -  you  suppose,  in  that kind  of  classic  way.  but  there  is  also  something  awkward  about  him,  somewhat  LANKY and  bumbling.  you  turn  back  to  your  friends,  eyes  wide  as  they  tease,  ‘ evelyn’s  got  an ADMIRER ’  they  giggle,  and  you  wonder  why  those  words  cause  your  chest  to tighten.

arm  in  arm  with  your  best  friend  you  steel  yourself  as  you  walk  into  the  after  party.  to  say  that  the  atmosphere  of  the  room  is  diametrically  opposed  to  that  of  the  school hall  is  putting  it  mildly.  gone  are  the  restraints  of  formality;  suit  jackets  removed, hemlines  are  shorter.  away  from  the  watchful  eyes  of  the  teaching  staff,  and  with  the kind  of  COURAGE  or  perhaps  naivety  that  alcohol  allows  to  the  privileged  progeny  of london,  suddenly  the  girls  of  north  london  collegiate  and  the  queen  elizabeth’s  school boys  are  intertwined,  talking,  laughing.  someone  hands  you  a  glass  of  something,  and  a  long  sip  causes  you  to  blanche  at  the  taste.  you  see  your  friends,  clem  and  rosie,  waving  you  over  to  where  they  sit, with  the  boy  from  earlier,  who  is  in  turn  surrounded  by  his  schoolmates.  another  long  sip  and  a  nervous  laugh  with  chloe  and  you  find  yourself  walking  forward.  “ EV!  this  is  oliver! ”  comes  the  not  so  subtle  introduction  offered  by  clem.  you  find  yourself  saying  that  it’s  lovely  to  meet  him,  asking  if  he  is  enjoying  the  night,  sitting  yourself  down  amongst  the  group.  after  all,  wasn’t  this  the  POINT of  the  evening?  to  meet,  mingle,  go  a  little  crazy?

you  find  yourself  watching  him  speak,  without  really  taking  in  much  that  is  said.  a  few  words  break  through,  enough  for  you  to  realise  that  your  friends  weren’t  far  from  the  mark  by  attempting  to  set  this  up.  top  grades,  orchestra,  tennis,  and  ambitions  to  work  in  finance. as  your  eyes  glance  over  his  features,  you  begin  to  see  your  future  unfold  before  you,  imagine  the  SMILES  on  your  parents  faces  as  you  bring  home  someone  so  well  matched.

when  he  asks  you  if  you  want  to  go  outside,  you  think,  what  for ?  but  the  looks  on  your  friends  faces  are  encouraging,  their  expressions  spurring  you  on.  you  glance  around  for  approval  from  chloe,  but  find  her  seat  vacant  ;  gone  to  the  bathroom  perhaps,  or  getting  another  drink.  you  give  him  a  smile,  and  say  simply,  “  okay  ”,  thinking  that  some  fresh  air  would  be  nice,  away  from  the  din  of  the  music  and  laughter.  he  leads  you  to  a  balcony,  encasing  your  hand  in  a  slightly  clammy  grip.  you  are  looking  up,  exploring  the  stars  with  wonderment  when  you  realise  his  hand  has  moved  to  your  cheek,  turning  it  gently  to  face  his.  

his  lips  are  on  yours  before  you  can  ask  what  he  is  doing.  you  find  yourself,  in  a  moment  that  seems  to  last  for  HOURS,  realising  that  this  was  the  purpose,  the  reason  he  led  you  away,  and  you  wonder  if  you  wanted  this  to  happen,  after  all,  you  followed  him,  didn’t  you?  his  lips  are  soft,  but  press  a  little  too  firmly,  your  noses bumping  awkwardly.  you  realise  you  feel  NOTHING  but  a  sense  of  disappointment.  is  this  what  it  was  MEANT  to  feel  like?  is  this  how  everyone  else  felt?  this …  nothingness ?  accompanied  by  the  pressure  of  another  person  against  you?

by  the  time  he  pulls  away,  you  realise  that  you  have  no  idea  what  comes  next.  he  utters  something  about  how  lovely  you  are  but  your  brain  is  trying  to  piece  together  what  any  of  this  means.  a  hasty  “  i  uh  -  have  to  go  to  the  ladies  room  ”  is  the  only  thing  you  can  muster  as  you  make  your  exit  back  to  the  party,  heart  pounding  in  your  chest.  

your  first  kiss  doesn’t  awaken  anything  in  you,  except  for  a  strange  sense of  dissatisfaction,  and  disillusionment  with  notions  of  romance.  but  you  tuck  those  thoughts  away,  and  as  your  friends  excitedly  question  you  about  ‘ WHAT HAPPENED ’,  you find  yourself  hoping  that  someday  you  might  kiss  someone  and  feel  MORE.

#opalsadvent #╰ ‘ [ * 𝘪𝘮 ] 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩… ’ › self #evelyn said i kissed a boy like i was supposed to and honestly cannot recommend 0/5 stars

[onyxinc]

                         DECEMBER  9TH   :   MISTLETOE

𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓  𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊  𝐃𝐀𝐘  𝐎𝐍𝐄  :   tell  us  about  your  character’s  first  kiss  .

mentions   :   frank  and  carol  sullivan  ,  rose  morrison  . content  warning   :   alcohol   ,   food   ,   and   kissing   .

new  years  eve,  2014.   you’re  fifteen  years  old  and  you  and  seventy - five  other  people  are  packed  in  like  sardines.   as  you  and  your  parents  step  inside  the  two - story  row  house  five  doors  down  from  your  own,   all  you  remember  thinking  is  that  this  is  definitely  some  sort  of  fire  code  violation.   received  a  whopping  four  hours  earlier,   the  invitation  was  the  definition  of  a  pity  invite.   your  dad  had  run  into  marci  sherman  while  perusing  foodtown’s  bleak  spreadable  cheese  section,   and  she  thought  it  was  just  so  sad  that  the  man  who  heroically  repaired  her  washer  valve’s  plans  to  ring  in  the  new  year  consisted  of  a  quiet  night  in  with  the  family.

historically  speaking,   sullivans  weren’t  exactly  a  social  breed.   your  parents  kept  their  circle  to  a  modest  handful,   just  a  rotating  cycle  of  family  friends  who  swept  into  town  a  few  times  a  year  to  sip  boxed  wine  and  gush  about  how  big  you’ve  gotten.   despite  the  innate  lack  of  blood  relation,   you  were  instructed  to  call  these  people  aunt  and  uncle;   carol  was  an  only  child,   and  frank  hadn’t  spoken  to  his  brother  since  he  caught  him  stealing  from  the  plumbing  business  twelve  years  ago,   so  the  pickings  were  about  as  slim  as  the  selection  of  non - alcoholic  beverages  at  this  party.

you’re  tired.   you’re  bored.   you  can’t  stop  refreshing  words  with  friends  to  see  if  rose  played  her  turn,   despite  the  fact  that  it’s  been  almost  a  year  since  you’ve  so  much  as  heard  from  her.   ever  the  attentive  host,   mrs.  sherman  catches  you  staring  at  your  phone  and  promptly  swoops  in,   ushering  you  towards  her  son’s  bedroom  to  play  with  the  other  kids.   well,   for  one,   you  were  far  too  old  for  playing,   and  for  two,   paulie  sherman  was  eleven.   years  ago,   you  were  recruited  to  babysit  with  the  promise  of  twenty  bucks  in  your  pocket,   a  dream  that  died  the  moment  he  threw  his  xbox  controller  at  the  screen  and  pinned  it  on  you.   the  so - called  others  were  around  the  same  age,   if  not  younger,   with  the  exception  of  a  girl  named  jackie  who  introduced  herself  as  paulie’s  cousin  from  pennsylvania.

she  was  nice  enough,   though  she  wouldn’t  stop  talking  about  her  boyfriend  and  how  his  best  friends  list  on  snapchat  kept  flip - flopping  between  her  and  a  girl  from  his  youth  group.   pretty,   too,   even  with  a  scowl  on  her  face  and  a  mouth  full  of  braces  adorned  with  pink  and  aqua  rubber  bands.   after  an  agonizing  twenty  minutes  of  watching  paulie  and  his  school  friends  play  russian  roulette  with  a  nerf  pistol,   jackie  comes  to  the  conclusion  that  said  boyfriend  is,   in  fact,   cheating  and  asks  if  you  want  to  go  outside.

“   it’s,   like,   20  degrees  out.   ”   you  point  out,   and  your  ears  begin  to  burn  with  embarrassment.   low  of  20,   your  weather  app  said  that  morning,   feels  like  8.   did  pennsylvanians  not  feel  cold?   “   and  mrs.   sherman  said   —   ”

“   no  one’s  putting  a  nerf  gun  to  your  head.   ”   she  fires  back,   and  slips  out  the  door  with  you  scrambling  on  her  heels.

much  to  your  relief,   you  find  the  adults  are  far  too  drunk  on  spiked  cider  and  mr.  sherman’s  famous  wing  dip   (   equal  parts  canned  chicken,   blue  cheese,   and  frank’s  red  hot   )   to  notice  two  young  teens  slinking  through  the  crowd.   across  the  kitchen,   you  spot  your  parents  joined  at  the  hip,   being  subjected  to  a  never - ending  slideshow  reel  of  someone’s  myrtle  beach  vacation.   a  sharp  pang  of  pity  jabs  you  in  the  gut,   but  you  quickly  dismiss  it.   they  were  the  ones  who  made  you  come  here  in  the  first  place.   you  were  perfectly  content  to  sit  on  the  couch  eating  crescent  dogs  and  watching  ryan  seacrest’s  valiant  attempt  at  moving  his  facial  features.

two  minutes  later,   you’re  sitting  shoulder  to  shoulder  on  the  steps  of  a  splintered  deck,   watching  jackie  smear  a  thick  layer  of  goop  all  over  her  lips.   the  artificial  scent  of  sugar  cookie  commingles  with  the  chill  in  the  air  and  you  shove  your  hands  into  the  kangaroo  pockets  of  your  hoodie  to  keep  warm.   as  she  caps  the  tube  of  gloss  and  flashes  a  shy  smile  in  your  direction,   you  remember  thinking  she’s  going  to  kiss  me   —   but  you’ve  been  wrong  before.   more  times  than  you  could  count.

“   what’s  your  name  again?   ”   she  asks,   fiddling  with  her  necklace.   it  was  one  of  those  wire  pendants  shaped  with  a  pair  of  needle - nose  pliers  to  spell  out  one’s  name.   jaclyn,   hers  declared  in  spray - on  gold  cursive.

“   jason.   ”

“   hi,   jason.   ”

before  you  can  even  progress  the  bizarre  turn  this  night  has  taken,   she  leans  forward  and  sort  of   .  .  .   places  her  mouth  against  yours.   there’s  something  expectant  in  the  way  she  lingers,   as  if  she’s  waiting  for  you  to  unleash  your  expert  kissing  prowess  upon  the  world.   a  foolish  part  of  you  had  always  wanted  your  first  experience  to  resemble  the  famous  upside - down  kiss  from  spider - man,   though  the  technicalities  seemed  a  little  too  advanced  for  a  newcomer  such  as  yourself.   instead,   hands  not  budging  from  their  pockets,   you  make  a  feeble  at  attempt  at  kissing  her  back.   the  two  of  you  sit  there  for  a  few  moments,   lips  repeatedly  bumping  into  one  another’s  in  some  strange  ritual  dance  that  in  no  way  resembles  kissing,   and  when  the  sliding  door  opens  and  mr.  sherman  steps  outside,   you’re  just  glad  it’s  over.

when  the  dust  settles  on  the  initial  shock  of  being  caught,   jackie  puts  her  number  in  your  phone.   you  both  know  she’ll  never  hear  from  you,   and  it’s  undoubtedly  for  the  best.   by  the  end  of  winter  break,   she  and  her  boyfriend  would  reunite,   and  soon  enough,   youth  group  girl  and  new  years  boy  would  be  little  more  than  a  footnote  in  their  love  story.

it’s  eight  minutes  to  midnight  when  your  parents  finally  escape  the  trenches  and  flag  you  down  in  the  dining  room,   where  you’re  chowing  down  on  a  plate  of  sweet  and  sour  meatballs  in  solitude.   they  ask  if  you’re  ready  to  leave  and  you  cannot  agree  fast  enough.   the  three  of  you  shuffle  home  in  silence  and  the  whole  time,   you  can’t  stop  yourself  from  feeling  that  by  kissing  paulie  sherman’s  cousin,   you’ve  somehow  betrayed  your  norwegian  pen  pal.   god,   you  wish  you  stayed  home  tonight.

just  as  you  reach  the  doorstep,   the  sound  of  muted  cheers  erupts  throughout  the  block.   fifteen  miles  west,   the  ball  drops  in  times  square  and  if  you  listen  hard  enough,   you  can  almost  hear  the  opening  notes  of  auld  lang  syne.

you  watch  as  your  dad  stops  fumbling  with  his  keys  to  lean  over  and  give  your  mom  a  tender  kiss.   so  that’s  how  it’s  supposed  to  look.

#◞ * 𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒏 : script . #opalsadvent #hello god

[elicts]

𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 !

opals advent day 2 || pinterest ! 

     general aesthetic . 

wearing art to show hints of personality, jackets with pockets deep enough to host a book, soft fabrics, pops of a warm tone in every outfit, looking like he’s trying to make a streetwear section of a magazine while on campus, slim fitting trousers to accentuate lanky legs, small personal touches (usually in the form of gifted jewellery from one of his sisters or a designer), comfortable trainers for cycling home that are scuff free, patterns, patterns, patterns. 

    accessories  . 

a focal point for everything else. eliot likes small, daily reminders of the people he loves most in the world to be represented as part of him each and every day. eliot’s love language is giving and receiving gifts and i think that’s represented best in his style ! from small hints of home such as cuff links gifted by his eldest sister, gabriela, to gifts received from his circlet over the past year that they’ve known each other; the likelihood is, if you’ve ever bought him anything he’s built an entire outfit around it at some point. in the autumn-winter months he rarely leaves the house without a burberry scarf wrapped almost up to his mouth in the biting cold mornings. 

     patterns . 

one of eliot’s favourite things about walking prada when he was younger was always the jumpers. they reminded him of his sketches; of the comfort of looking at a piece of artwork and trying to work out the painter’s intent. and he quite likes to create a similar puzzle for other people when they look at his chosen attire (which will often also be terribly paint stained after a long evening in the strathmore art studio). the best way to work out how eliot’s feeling is often visual. muted tones when he’s working out what to wear when feeling pensive; usual warmth returned when he’s feeling better. eliot particularly likes the idea of wearing the equivalent of delft pottery on a shirt and trying to cooridinate an outfit around it — however, he’s yet to find one. 

#opalswardrobe #V.【 𝓁𝑒𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒽𝒶𝒾𝓇 𝓇𝓊𝓃 𝓇𝓊𝓃 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝑒 】— AESTHETIC #IX. 【 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝒶𝓉𝒸𝒽 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓊𝓉𝓎 𝒶𝑔𝒶𝒾𝓃 】— EDITS #opalsadvent #body image tw #i'm going to get to my dms now i just wanted to do this so badly!!

[magnctic]

        𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦 , 

       miss alejandra barrera requests a wardrobe design for upcoming spring 2021 . it is pertinent that her entire wardrobe be redesigned exactly as is requested . thank you . 

       in order to meet her requirements, we asked her to define and describe what she likes to wear and her overall lookbook . this is what we collected . we look forward to working with you soon .

                 —  pinks and reds , mostly  . silk , silk , and more silk . cowl neck dresses , or dresses with leg splits . floral designs , with hints of glitter and stars . heels with socks . lip gloss at all times , almost never lipstick . early 2000′s , with a hint of femme fatale . classy and sleek , but playful and pretty . oversized fluffy coats . skirts and dresses , for the most , almost never jeans or sweatpants . pale and pastels , except for when it’s ruby red and dangerous . necklaces that tie around the throat delicately . butterfly hair clips . sparkly diamond necklaces . soft colours or bold colours only , nothing in-between. playsuits with boots , that are flowing and gentle on skin . top brands are hermes  . gucci . dior .  burberry . and , of course , prada . 

#opalstask #opalsadvent #1 / 3 so far isnt bad for a girl with no talent ! #also thank u diana for this literal masterpiece #it deserves to be in the moma lets ask eliot how to accomplish that. #also yes alejandra gets her wardrobe redesigned every season . . o . . to be Rich . . . #did i google celebrity stylists ? maybe so . #am i so very extra ? absofruitly.

[tourmvlines]

──   𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐨  :    𝐺𝑂𝐿𝐷𝐸𝑁 𝑅𝐼𝑁𝐺𝑆 .

prompt:  tell us about your character’s fashion sense !

i.  sloane gravitates towards earth tones and neutrals for most of her basics since they can be worn with anything and are a little more versatile. she likes being able to wear things that she can wear in any season just because she’s always had a pretty sparse wardrobe from when she used to move around as a kid. also they’re just easier to layer with since the colors don’t clash or anything like that so she just finds that going for more neutral tones with her basics makes them more wearable. 

ii.  with that said, she’s also the type of person who likes a good statement piece so cool patterns, bright socks, that type of thing. she likes cool graphic t-shirts. for some reason, i have two pictures in the edit of sweater vests and like, honestly, yeah, sloane likes a good sweater vest! a lot of her clothes have been from thrift stores just because she’s never been super wealthy, but she also sort of prefers it anyway and most of her favorite things to wear have been things that she’s thrifted over the years. 

iii.  shoes are sort of a different issue just because nice shoes are a little more expensive. sloane usually buys off-brand shoes just because she refuses to spend much more than $50 on a nice pair of shoes. honestly, one of her greatest accomplishments in life was finding her doc martens at a savers in chicago. they fit like a glove and everything and she literally wears them all the time. if not her docs, she reaches for her beaters. she likes converse but she did buy a pair of off-brand cdgs because she likes the little heart.

iv.  sloane love love loves jewelry. she doesn’t buy super nice jewelry because she switches them out so often but she prefers silver jewelry for the most part. she’s got three piercings in both ears, and a cartilage piercing in her left ear so she switches out her earrings fairly frequently. she also digs the mismatched earrings vibe. her favorite pair is a pair that her mom, pepper, used to own. it’s one of the few things of her mothers’ she still owns and she tends to save them for special occasions. other than earrings she also likes anklets and necklaces and rings. she just loves jewelry bro. sloane also has a nose piercing, but she prefers a stud over a nose ring. 

#opalsadvent #╰ 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑗𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 — tasks . #╰ 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑗𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 — aes . #edits.

[divmvnd]

grace helena johnson: a study in fashion. pinterest.

grace is very proud of her fashion sense and takes great pride in picking out the perfect outfit on an every day basis. she tends to wear mostly black & neutrals, with some pinks and blues peppered in. she tends to wear clothes that are both modest and sexy at the same time. she adores silks & fake fur, as well as wool sweaters. she also loves wearing dresses one day and suits the next — she’s not afraid to mix feminine and masculine in her wardrobe. she’s almost always wearing heels, even though they usually push her past 6’. sometimes she will wear non-heeled boots or sneakers. she feels as if you cannot ever be overdressed and even her fellow opals have probably rarely if ever seen her in sweats or traditionally “comfy clothes”.

#opalsadvent #i made this on my phone/: #pls be gentle/:

[rcbirth]

ADVENT DAY 002: GOLDEN RINGS.

EARTH TONES are a go-to regardless of the occasion. he has a pretty good idea for how different fabrics can go together and how to dress things up or dress them down, but he swears that these colors just make that so much easier. 

SIMPLISTIC RINGS AND CHAINS consistently adorn his fingers and neck. it’s rather rare that you’ll see him without at least one item of rather plain, typically gold, jewelry. fish keeps rather good care of them too, as he’s not exactly one that likes to spend much money when it comes to clothing items. he tends to buy his clothes, particularly his jewelry, thrifted and then fixes them up all on his own. 

KNOWING HOW TO LAYER was something that was less of a fashion statement and more of an essential growing up with chicago’s winter wind tunnels. there’s almost always a jacket that he throws into the mix or a light linen t-shirt over his tank tops or even bare chest.

FORMAL WEAR has never been his favorite. he always felt too stuffy and congested in classic suits and ties. fish tends to play with the ideas of formal wear, which — often to his parents — makes more traditionalists roll their eyes, but he enjoys it all the same.

LAZY DAYS consist primarily of pants and a minimalist cotton t-shirt or comfortable sweater paired with a chain or ascot of some sort. he enjoys looking nice and knowing that others think he looks nice, so he’ll put in extra effort even when he’s down to at least look presentable.

— PINTEREST.

#opalsadvent #// #it's so short woof #but here #* CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. — ⊰ 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘨𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘯 ⊱

[ambvrs]

                     𝑨𝑫𝑽𝑬𝑵𝑻  𝑫𝑨𝒀  𝑻𝑾𝑶  :  𝑮𝑶𝑳𝑫𝑬𝑵  𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺  .

                      a  peak  into  miss  josephine’s  wardrobe  +  pinterest  .

i.      everyday  contents     :     slightly  oversized  sweaters  and  cardigans  in  a  range  of  colors,  though  the  majority  fall  in  a  spectrum  of  neutrals  and  warm  autumnal  shades;  neutral  colored  turtlenecks  and  plaid  skirts;  a  handful  of  brown  tweed  coats;  pinafore  dresses;  denim  jeans  in  all  colors,  with  a  preference  for  black  and  light  wash,  and  a  fair  amount  of  ripped  ones;  (  mostly  )  tan  peacoats  and  a  couple  of  trenchcoats;  flowy  button  -  down  tops.  in  the  warmer  months,  her  wardrobe  is  also  full  of  loose  dresses  in  bright  and  pastel  colors  (  with  a  preference  for  soft  pinks,  blues,  and  yellows  ),  though  almost  always  accompanied  with  loose  cardigan.

ii.     everyday  styling     :     pinafore  and  other  strappy  dresses  worn  over  long  -  sleeved  shirts  whose  sleeves  are  almost  too  long;  oversized  sweaters  and  turtlenecks  tucked  into  pleated,  plaid  skirts  with  dark  and  sheer  tights  almost  always  tucked  into  a  pair  of  heeled  boots  or  booties  (  for  the  extra  height,  of  course  );  long  -  sleeves  layed  beneath  coats  draped  absently  over  her  shoulders  or  beneath  a  sweater  that  she  never  leaves  the  dorms  without;  black  messenger  school  bag  slung  over  her  shoulder  and  almost  never  in  anything  without  pockets  (  it’s  not  a  want,  it’s  a  functional  necessity  ).

iii.     casual  contents  &  styling     :     while  she’s  very  fashion  inclined  (  it’s  hard  not  to  be  when  your  parents  always  dressed  you  to  perfection  ),  she’s  actually  a  big  fan  of  more  comfortable  and  simpler  outfits.  if  she  can  get  away  with  it,  there’s  nothing  she  loves  more  than  a  sweater  or  graphic  sweatshirt  over  a  pair  of  leggings  and  sporting  a  pair  of  crocs  (  the  black  ones,  usually,  since  they  go  with  everything  ),  though  she  does  enjoy  opting  for  worn,  white  vans  or  patterned  toms  slip  ons.  any  time  she  can  opt  for  something  casual,  especially  when  it  comes  to  graphic  tees  and  ripped  jeans,  she  does.

iv.     accessories     :     at  any  given  point  in  time,  she  dons  a  variety  of  accessories,  though  she  favors  baker  hats  and  the  occasional  bucket  hat.  she’s  always  sporting  some  kind  of  jewelry,  often  things  with  dainty  gold  chains  and  thin  bands  that  are  minimalistic  in  nature,  as  she’s  never  been  one  for  extravagance.  she  can  appreciate  over  the  top  jewelry  and  other  adornments,  but  she’s  never  felt  that  they  suit  her,  opting  for  the  less  obvious  pieces.  in  terms  of  jewelry,  plain  bands,  bracelets,  and  necklaces  with  simple  pendants  is  generally  the  way  she  goes.  in  terms  of  earrings,  she  always  wears  a  singular  pair  of  (  small  )  hoops  in  her  lower  lobes  and  occasionally  diamond  studs  in  her  top  ones.  the  only  other  consistent  piece  she  wears  is  a  simple  black  wrist  watch  on  her  left  wrist.

#opalsadvent #* 𝒋𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒚𝒅𝒊𝒏 ﹠ wardrobe. #i'm literally so tired of looking at this please don't perceive unless u must

[enrough]

𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐬  𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭  ⁠—  𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

fashion  is  a  trend.   style  lives  within  a  person.  

01.  always  classic,  always  put  together.  that’s  how  chloe  davies  would  describe  her  style.  as  a  child,  many  of  her  pieces  were  handmade  by  her  grandfather  and  given  his  expertise,  she  was  dressed  in  more  of  a  preppy  look  (  she  had  so  many  tiny  little  blazers  and  well  made  coats  ).  but  in  terms  of  dressing,  she  was  never  put  into  a  box.  she  had  an  opinion  on  the  way  she  was  dressed  from  a  young  age.  after  all,  she  comes  from  a  family  with  refined  taste  and  her  mother  and  father  and  grandfather’s  expertise  all  got  passed  down  to  the  one  and  only  prodigal  daughter.  

02.  day  to  day,  chloe  tends  to  mix  and  match  ---  she’ll  do  denim  (  but  never  denim  with  rips  or  holes  ),  but  pair  it  with  an  impossibly  gorgeous  coat  and  a  pair  of  absolutely  iconic  heels.  she’ll  sport  an  incredibly  luxurious  sweater-dress  and  pair  it  with  some  knee  high  boots  and  a  cute  cap.  she  favors  designer  goods,  things  that  have  longevity,  but  also  items  that  have  something  special  to  them.  she  has  her  basics,  of  course,  but  you  won’t  see  her  carrying  a  louis  vuitton  neverfull  through  campus.  she  looks  for  unique  pieces  that  make  her  stand  out  from  the  crowd. 

03.  being  the  davies  that  she  is,  chloe  has  a  strong  love  for  suits  and  think  that  they  can  be  the  perfect  power  statement  when  she  wants  to  command  a  room.  she  feels  at  home  in  well  tailored  pieces,  all  from  the  family  label,  of  course.  she  loves  coming  up  with  designs  alongside  her  grandfather.  she’ll  describe  what  she  wants  and  he  sketches  and  brings  her  dreams  into  reality.  she  always  feels  her  best  when  she’s  in  something  made  by  him. 

#opalsadvent #this isn't very long bc my brain is mush but #i wanted to do a thing so :D #body image tw #just in case!

[onyxinc]

                 DECEMBER  10TH   :   𝑮𝑶𝑳𝑫𝑬𝑵 𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺

𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓  𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊  𝐃𝐀𝐘  𝐓𝐖𝐎  :   tell  us  about  your  character’s  fashion  sense.   (   click  source  link  for  pinterest  board   )

01   :   if  you  really  think  about  it,   jace  has  never  actually  picked  out  his  own  clothes.   growing  up,   he  would  wear  whatever  his  mom  chose  for  him  at  kohl’s,   target,   or  old  navy.   up  until  high  school,   his  carol - approved  uniform  typically  consisted  of  jeans  or  cargo  pants,   graphic  t -  shirts  adorned  with  superheroes  or  science  puns,   and  a  hoodie   ---   usually  in  his  favorite  color,   green.

despite  money  being  perpetually  tight,   frank  always  insisted  that  a  quality  pair  of  shoes  was  worth  the  investment.   as  a  kid,   jace  typically  wore  the  same  pair  of  nikes  or  adidas  until  they  were  run  through  with  holes.   to  this  day,   he  doesn’t  hesitate  to  splurge  on  shoes   ---   though  that  doesn’t  say  much,   as  he  doesn’t  hesitate  to  splurge  on  anything.

for  personal  reasons,   every  throwback  photo  of  him  in  a  graphic  tee  has  been  erased  from  the  internet.

02  :   jace’s  stylist,   renaldo  ortiz,   has  been  dressing  him  almost  as  long  as  he’s  been  in  the  public  eye.   when  jace  interviewed  potential  candidates  and  most  of  them  blew  smoke  up  his  ass  to  garner  favor,   renaldo  was  the  only  one  who  kept  it  real.   he  insulted  jace’s  pants  and  the  rest  is  history !

renaldo  is  a  big  fan  of  the  tailored  look,   hence  why  jace’s  clothes  are  typically  on  the  more  form - fitting  side.   very  early  on  he  decided  the  exposed  ankle  would  be  jace’s  signature,   so  most  of  the  pants  in  his  closet  are  deliberately  cropped  or  left  long  with  the  intention  of  being  cuffed.

he  knows  jace  pretty  well  at  this  point,   and  this  very  much  bleeds  into  the  way  he  dresses  him.   renaldo  tries  to  stock  jace’s  closet  with  pieces  that  are,   in  his  words,   idiot  proof   ---   meaning  he  should  be  able  to  grab  just  about  any  top  and  bottom  and  they’ll  somewhat  work  together.

with  jace  living  overseas  a  good  chunk  out  of  the  year  and  renaldo’s  tendency  to  float  between  fashion - forward  cities,   they  mostly  communicate  through  facetime   ---   though  he  has  a  london  pied - a - terre  and  selfridge’s  connections  should  he  ever  need  to  visit  in  person.

03   :   as  his  room  at  strathmore  doesn’t  have  much  by  way  of  closet  space,   the  rest  of  his  clothing   (   namely  formal  wear  from  past  events   )   is  held  in  his  manhattan  penthouse  or  a  climate - controlled  storage  locker  only  renaldo  and  himself  have  access  to.

04   :   since  joining  his  circlet,   he’s  started  to  wear  a  lot  more  black  and  likes  to  incorporate  onyx  elements  into  his  formal  wear  as  a  little  wink  towards  the  society.

his  fashion  sense  is  very  much  an  evolving  thing,   and  he’s  trying  to  take  a  more  active  role  in  dressing  himself.   whenever  he  attempts  to  branch  out  and  try  something  new,   he  always  sends  a  photo  to  garebear  to  get  his  opinion   ---   which  doesn’t  really  make  sense,   as  he  dresses  a  lot  like  jason  1.0.

i  just  really  want  him  to  wear  a  davies  suit

celebrity  inspiration   :   chris  evans,   chris  pine,   david  beckham,   david  gandy,   joe  alwyn,   jake  gyllenhaal,   henry  golding,   oscar  isaac,   ryan  gosling,   william  jackson  harper,   zac  efron

aesthetic   :   platinum  and  onyx  links  fastened  to  one’s  cuffs,   crisp  collared  shirts  folded  neatly  in  a  drawer,   pullover  sweaters  in  a  rainbow  of  neutrals,   a  slim - fit  pair  of  slacks  tailored  to  the  ankle,   a  freshly - ironed  oxford  with  several  buttons  undone,   pulling  on  a  sport  coat  and  wishing  it  was  a  hoodie,   jet  black  workout  clothes  with  strategically  placed  reflective  panels  for  early  morning  jogs,   the  initials  ‘j.a.s.’  stitched  into  the  lining  of  every  jacket,   a  tattered  green  baseball  cap  with  the  knowme  logo  on  it,   pairs  of  shoes  lined  up  like  soldiers  in  formation,   a  vegan  leather  commuter  bag  slung  over  one’s  shoulder,   a  pair  of  gloves  with  tech -  touch  fingertips.

#opalsadvent #◞ * 𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒏 : headcanon . #hims ....

[magnctic]

when : 20 january , 2013 . 1am .

where : the barrera villa veranza vacation home , pedregal

who: @elicts​ !!! 

   ALEJANDRA sits with her back ramrod straight , as always . she chews on her bottom lip as she looks at eliot , with slightly imploring eyes . “  —   you’re not just doing this because you feel sorry for me , right ? “ she has to double check . she’s known eliot for YEARS and YEARS , and admittedly - the pair have been more brotherly - sisterly , than anything else . but . . with the start of high school looming in a few short weeks . . ALEJANDRA IS NERVOUS . she doesn’t want to admit it , but she is . she doesn’t like going into a situation and not being fully prepared . especially when she’s coming back , REDESIGNED ( that’s what high school is for , right ? ) . chin up straight . her confidence is half a front , and half the truth . she relaxes slightly , scooting over to eliot . “ . . . you’ve kissed a bunch of people before , right ? “ she knows he has . people look at eliot and basically THROW themselves at him . and he’s always so darned sweet . if there was anybody alejandra would trust to do THIS right with , her first time . . it would be him .  “ okay  . logistically . how does this work ? “

#c: eliot #i dont have a tag for flashback but oop here we go ! yee haw #love u mr eliot love u hayley #opalsadvent

[ambvrs]

                   𝑨𝑫𝑽𝑬𝑵𝑻  𝑫𝑨𝒀  𝑻𝑯𝑹𝑬𝑬  :  𝑯𝑶𝑻  𝑪𝑯𝑶𝑪𝑶𝑳𝑨𝑻𝑬  .

                                       the  classes  that  she  is  taking  .

𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖  ──  re  :  josephine  aydin,  second  year,  creative  writing  +  graphic  design  major,  math  minor  .

most  would  expect  that  a  dual  major  (  and  subsequent  minor  )  in  completely  differing  fields  of  study  would  fill  her  week  with  more  course  time  than  anything,  but  the  reality  is  that  neither  major  field  of  study  require  a  significant  number  of  compulsory  courses,  which  means  much  of  the  time  she  dedicates  to  them  goes  into  homework,  projects,  etc.  josephine  is  known  to  throw  herself  into  her  courses,  because  she  finds  much  of  it  very  interesting  and  it’s  things  she  likes  to  do  rather  than  needs  to  do,  but  is  still  carefully  chosen  to  best  suit  her  not  -  so  -  morning  person  tendencies.

𝐂𝐑𝐖𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖  ──  𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐘  𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆  .

course  description.     explore  various  modes  of  storytelling  in  a  contemporary  context,  with  a  view  to  developing  narrative  skills.  engage  with  contemporary  fiction,  poetry,  non  -  fiction,  film,  and  theatre  and  will  aim  to  investigate  and  understand  the  multiple  ways  readers  and  writers  engage  with  storytelling  and  narrative.  students  are  required  to  engage  with  and  analyze  their  own  writing  and  the  writing  of  others,  with  the  aim  of  helping  students  to  hone  their  ability  to  edit  and  create.

schedule.     this  course  lectures  once  a  week  for  an  hour  and  requires  a  two  hour  seminar  each  week  for  eleven  weeks.  josephine  attends  this  course  every  tuesday.  her  lecture  runs  from  10:10  am  to  11:10  am,  and  her  seminar  is  lucky  enough  to  fall  on  the  same  day  from  1:40  pm  to  3:40  pm.  

assessments.     the  end  of  term  assessment  for  this  course  is  primarily  a  summative  one,  which  includes  a  portfolio  of  creative  writing  (  2,000  words  or  equivalent  in  poetry  or  script  ),  a  self  -  reflective  critical  commentary  (  500  words  ),  and  a  review  of  a  literary  event  (  500  words  ).  there  is  also  a  formative  assessment  based  on  lecture  discussions  and  tutor  feedback  based  on  on  -  going  coursework.

standing.     she  currently  ranks  second  in  this  class  with  a  98.83%,  just  behind  isak  nilsson  (  small  talk  tells  her  it’s  a  small  margin  of  difference,  however  ),  not  that  she’s  too  concerned  about  that  fact.  out  of  all  her  courses,  she  considers  it  her  third  favorite  class,  mainly  because  she  loves  exploring  the  way  storytelling  presents  itself  in  a  variety  of  media  forms  (  with  a  preference  for  fiction,  poetry,  and  film  ),  and  it’s  taught  by  her  favorite  creative  writing  and  literature  professor,  and  published  author,  dr.  ophelia  parker.

𝐂𝐑𝐖𝟐𝟎𝟒𝟕  ──  𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐘  𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄  :  𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑  𝐀𝐍𝐃  𝐒𝐄𝐗𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘  .

course  description.     look  at  how  a  range  of  contemporary  literature  is  constructed  around  issues  of  gender  and  sexuality.  using  prose,  poetry  and  drama  written  by  men  and  women  from  britain  and  north  america,  it  explores  what  it  means  to  write  about  masculinity,  femininity  and  desire  and,  indeed,  how  these  concepts  affect  form  and  determine  meaning.  the  course  provides  a  theoretical  underpinning  that  will  enable  students  to  construct  links  between  contemporary  texts  and  relevant  theories.

schedule.     this  course  lectures  once  a  week  for  an  hour  and  requires  a  one  hour  seminar  each  week  for  eleven  weeks.  josephine  attends  this  course  every  thursday.  her  lecture  runs  from  12:30  pm  to  1:30  pm,  and  her  seminar  is  also  on  the  same  day,  from  1:40  pm  to  2:40  pm.  

assessments.     the  end  of  term  assessment  for  this  course  is  a  summative  one,  which  includes  an  essay  (  1,500  words,  due  by  the  end  of  week  eight  )  and  a  two  hour  examination.  additional  formative  assessments  may  occur  in  the  form  of  seminar  discussions  and  tutor  feedback.

standing.     she  currently  ranks  first  in  this  class  with  a  97.68%,  a  feat  given  how  complex  her  fellow  classmates  consider  the  content  and  execution  of  information.  out  of  all  her  courses,  she  considers  it  her  favorite  class,  and  the  one  she  is  most  excited  to  attend  each  week,  because  she  loves  dissecting  the  representation  of  gender  in  writing,  understanding  how  individuals  of  differing  genders  and  sexualities  perceive  others,  and  how  it  affects  the  overall  story  being  told.  it  is  also  taught  by  dr.  ophelia  parker,  which  one  may  argue  is  the  only  professor  she  consistently  seeks  to  take.

𝐃𝐄𝐒𝟐𝟏𝟎𝟒  ──  𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐃  𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍  𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐒  .

course  description.     students  will  be  introduced  to  how  organizations  use  graphic  design  to  benefit  and  enhance  their  image  and  products.  students  will  continue  to  learn  more  about  the  principles  and  practices  of  graphic  design  in  the  context  of  business  in  addition  to  learning  industry  standard  graphics  software  by  applying  their  skills  and  knowledge  to  create  original  content.  content  will  be  in  a  variety  of  styles  and  formats  to  best  represent  a  student’s  range  and  understanding  of  the  principles  as  they  have  been  learned.

schedule.     this  course  lectures  twice  a  week  for  an  hour  each  week  for  eleven  weeks.  josephine  attends  this  course  every  tuesday  &  thursday.  her  lecture  runs  from  9:00  am  to  10:00  am.  

assessments.     the  end  of  term  assessment  for  this  course  is  a  summative  one,  which  includes  a  personal  portfolio  of  graphic  design  (  at  least  three  major  pieces  reflecting  some  part  personal  aspect  of  the  student’s  life  ),  two  reflection  papers  (  500  words  each,  one  mid  -  semester  and  one  at  the  end  ),  and  a  final  project  that  uniquely  uses  at  least  five  basic  principles  of  design.  additional  formative  assessments  may  occur  in  the  form  of  tutor  feedback.

standing.     this  course  does  not  use  traditional  grades  for  ranking  methods,  opting  for  letter  grades  based  on  submission  completion  and  understanding  of  the  assignment.  she  currently  holds  an  a+  in  the  course.  her  design  courses  are  not  necessarily  her  favorite,  because  of  how  monotonous  they  can  seem  at  times,  but  she  highly  enjoys  the  creative  liberties  that  her  professor  allows  them  to  take  with  each  assignment.  the  designing  process  is  her  favorite  part.  it  is  taught  by  the  head  of  the  graphic  design  department,  dr.  blake  adams.

𝐃𝐄𝐒𝟐𝟏𝟒𝟔  ──  𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒  &  𝐓𝐇𝐄  𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐆𝐄  𝐎𝐅  𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐒  .

course  description.     students  will  be  introduced  to  the  core  skills  and  essential  knowledge  associated  with  the  discipline  of  graphic  design,  as  well  as  a  range  of  conceptual  and  practical  approaches  to  image  -  making  in  relation  to  the  discipline  of  graphic  design.  through  technical  workshops  and  software  inductions,  students  will  explore  the  analogue  and  digital  construction  of  graphic  design,  informed  by  historical  and  contemporary  research,  as  well  as  find  a  great  deal  of  support  in  experimenting  with  both  analogue  and  digital  methods  of  production.

schedule.     this  course  lectures  once  a  week  for  two  hours  each  week  for  eleven  weeks.  josephine  attends  this  course  every  thursday.  her  lecture  runs  from  5:00  pm  to  7:00  pm,  though  generally  speaking,  her  professor  only  asks  that  they  work  for  the  first  hour  as  the  second  is  often  reserved  for  editing,  questions,  etc.  

assessments.     the  end  of  term  assessment  for  this  course  is  a  summative  one,  which  includes  a  portfolio  (  five  analog  &  five  digital  pieces  )  and  a  two  hour  examination.  additional  formative  assessments  may  occur  in  the  form  of  tutor  feedback.

standing.     this  course  also  does  not  use  traditional  numerical  grades  for  ranking  methods,  opting  for  letter  grades  based  on  submission  completion  and  understanding  of  the  assignment.  she  currently  holds  an  a+  in  the  course.  her  design  courses  are  not  necessarily  her  favorite,  because  of  how  monotonous  they  can  seem  at  times,  but  again,  she  does  enjoy  the  content,  and  quite  likes  this  course  in  particular  with  the  option  to  work  with  analogue  and  digital  means,  as  she  find  drawing  quite  relaxing.  it  is  taught  by  known  artist  and  professor,  julien  troy.

𝐌𝐀𝐓𝟏𝟎𝟑𝟑  ──  𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘  &  𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒  .

course  description.     an  introduction  to  probability  theory  and  statistical  methods.  the  course  leads  to  a  deeper  understanding  of  probability  distributions,  random  variables  and  their  role  in  sampling.  tools  such  as  hypothesis  tests  are  presented  and  a  basic  introduction  to  the  statistical  software  r  is  provided.  this  course  acts  as  a  foundation  for  mathematical  statistics,  general  linear  models,  and  stochastic  processes.  more  generally,  it  underpins  other  course  where  an  element  of  uncertainty  /  chance  /  randomness  exists  or  where  knowledge  of  the  software  package  r  is  required.

schedule.     this  course  lectures  three  times  a  week  for  one  hour  each  week  for  eleven  weeks,  meets  once  every  two  weeks  (  for  eight  weeks  )  for  a  one  hour  hands  -  on  lab,  and  once  every  two  weeks  for  a  one  hour  seminar  (  for  ten  weeks  ).  josephine  attends  this  course  every  monday,  wednesday, and  friday.  her  lecture  runs  from  10:30  am  to  11:30  am,  her  lab  meets  every  other  wednesday  and  her  seminar  is  held  every  other  monday.  

assessments.     the  assessment  for  this  course  is  a  summative  one,  with  one  in  -  term  test  (  worth  25%  of  course  grade  )  and  one  two  hour  examination  (  worth  75%  of  course  grade  )  taken  at  the  end  of  the  term.  additional  formative  assessments  may  occur  in  the  form  of  individual  written  feedback  (  or  auto  -  feedback  from  online  tests  and  quizzes  )  via  a  number  of  marked  formative  coursework  assignments,  as  well  as  verbal  group  feedback  during  lectures  and  by  a  seminar  tutor  at  fortnightly  seminars.

standing.     it’s  no  surprise  that  she  ranks  first  in  this  course,  given  her  math  history  and  proficiency,  with  a  current  grade  of  99.21%.  what  may  be  a  surprise,  however,  is  that  she  considers  this  to  be  her  second  favorite  course,  over  most  of  her  major  -  specific  coursework,  as  she  has  always  loved  numbers  and  enjoys  putting  in  the  time  to  understand  and  solve  complex  equations.  math  brings  her  a  certain  sense  of  happiness  and  considering  it’s  the  only  class  she  takes  on  mwf,  it  helps  break  up  the  long  hours  of  writing  and  design,  even  if  it’s  the  most  thought  intensive  course  she  has  to  take.  but  dr.  michiel  ivy  was  both  kind  and  made  the  class  entertaining,  and  was  among  one  of  the  more  helpful  professors  she’s  ever  taken.

#opalsadvent #if this is Long well Yes : ) #does it make sense well Probably Not : ) #thank u ual for the design classes and surrey for the Others #imagine understanding a single word of that math class description #anyway i refuse to proofread this just know i've based her entire schedule around the probability class