HH & Her Beans

OLO MA BEANS!! Guess why yo girl is hyped... She just finished all of her college applications and so she has a few experiences to share with all of you youngsters out there. I am pretty proud of how I did not procrastinate and happy with the application process, so let's get started...

OLO ma beans!! In the spirit of back to school season, I have prepared another College Confidential post for y'all. As you are applying for college, there are many components of your application, recommendation letter being one of the most important parts after your test scores. Having a good recommendation letter means that there is one more person talking about how great you are and how much you qualify for the schools of your choice. I am here to share some tips on getting the perfect recommendation letter or getting one at least...

1. Start early: I know applications are probably not due until November of your senior year but you need to start asking teachers at the end of Junior year. Teachers need time to write the recs and often times, if you think a teacher is awesome then twenty other students will think so too. 
2. 
3. Participate in class: Honestly, this is one of the hardest things to do. Trust me, I am so socially awkward and I know NO ONE wants to participate in class. The thing is, there is a column that asks about student's participation in class for the Common App, so teachers kind of have to fill this out. For those of y'all who just do not want to do that, I recommend participating in the class in another way to get the teacher to remember you. Take charge and create the class t-shirt, create parties, bring food on days when you are watching movies; all of these options work. Just get the teacher to have something to write about.
   
4. DO NOT SLACK OFF: Some teachers might not even tell you that they are going to write about negative behavior on your recommendation letter, so make sure that you pay attention in every class. You never know who is going to write your recommendation letter. 
   
5. Be prepared for rejections: Maybe because you asked too late or because this teacher has too many recs to write so you might get rejected. This is why you need backup teachers for when the ones you want does not write your recommendation. This does not mean this teacher hates you, rather it's because they want their students to succeed so they will only write the best recommendation possible. I haven't been rejected by the teachers of my choice but I think if these teachers had rejected me, then my whole college plan would have messed up. 

I have two college counselors looking out for me right now and I gotta say... They give some pretty solid advice. Since y'all are family, let me tell you what I have learned...

1. Choose your colleges: Do not choose the colleges for the prestige, choose it for your major. When picking your dream school(s) make sure you like the students and environment there.
2. Create a college list: This is basically a list of colleges you want to attend. Make sure that it matches up to the major you select.
3. Create a spreadsheet: On the spreadsheet there should be the tuition of the college, deadlines, what type of application software they use (UC or Common App), the link to the application requirements. 
4. List of awards/honors and any volunteer services you have done in the past: Make sure you only put down the awards you've earned since high school. DO NOT LIE ON THIS PART!! I know it's tempting but if colleges find out, then you are burnt toast. 
5. Supplements: If your college uses Common Apps then they probably have essay questions that are specific to their college. Don't forget these!!
6. Now you are set to go on your essays!!

OLO ma beans!! I'm sorry this post went up so late, I didn't get home until like an hour ago... But some important stuff happened today: I don't think life gets better than this. I honestly don't think it does. Literally someone Internet slap me please because I just had the best day ever. FIRST OF ALL I HAD A FULL 8 HOURS OF SLEEP!!!! When was the last time that happened?? Maybe like one year ago.

After getting up, it was around lunch time and I had a lunch date with one of the best, THE BEST people ever. Legit she's like my mentor/idol/sister and she's also on the admission team at University of California Berkeley. Do I kinda want to go to that school?? Yeaa.... Do I kinda love the fact that she's a family friend??? OBVIOUSLY!! I have met with admission officers from different colleges before but they're all strangers so what's really awesome about this situation is the fact that I can say anything I want and she understands where I'm coming from. She graduated from the same high school as me, went to Berkeley, and now works there. Like uhhhh can I have your life please?? It's so great having someone who can give me pointers and lists that tells me what I should do next to better my chances at getting into the colleges that I want. You know the other reason why she's really, realllllyyyy awesome?? She buys me food.

I offered to pay, but ma beans... She always gets me. She told me if I want to pay her back, I have to get a job and do that. Ooof the pressure is on. I don't think last year I brought you guys with me for this holiday, but I headed over to my aunt's house for her BBQ party with a bunch of strangers... BUT SO I THOUGHT!! Apparently the doctor that I met knew me a long time ago. And by a long time ago I mean literally when I was going through my embarrassing phases, he was there to witness it all. Yup, that was fun. I managed to embarass myself in front of someone even before meeting them. My life is so sad. Well I guess this day isn't actually that great... Another interesting I met there was a dude who worked at WallStreet. This is one of the most interesting backstories I have heard so far. Apparently, he married a woman from this super exotic country in Asia (I forgot where) and after bringing her back to the U.S. she cheated on him, left him her child and ran off somewhere. He is now basically living off all of the money he earned from Wall Street to raise his kid. That dude is living the life... I want a life where I just live off of the millions of dollars I made... Now how do I get there without doing anything?? HMMMM that's the challenge. Until next time, stay cool ma beans. 

I just want to sit down a chat with everyone for a few moments. No series, just me and all of you. I posted a few days ago that I will be signing off for AP season to study but as days goes by, I realized how screwed I am even if I study.

I literally failed (meaning I did not pass) two tests this week. One is a midterm which is basically a practice AP exam and the other was a history test that I studied for 15 minutes on the car. Yes I know, I know I should have studied longer, so let me tell you what I was doing the night before. I finished my HAND WRITTEN notes for class and the rest of homework (1 assignment but I'm a slow worker). I also slept 5 hours because we got out of school early but in my defense, I slept 3 hours the night before studying for my midterm. My "power naps" became "afternoon bedtimes".

At this point, I am out of energy to try anymore. My grades are slipping out of my hands faster than water and I'm losing control of everything. Don't even get me started on my math grade. There are only around 5-7 grades left to put in, and I'm only passing. If I don't get my GPA up, I can say goodbye to my first choice colleges. I know some of my readers are from other countries and your academic life is probably worse than mine yet I'm still struggling. What makes the situation even worse is that my super nerd friends (they are the most genius, genuine, amazing students that's why I call them super nerds because they have magic powers to get good grades and be in so many extracirriculars all at the same time) all got into a team for next year. I tried out for both and didn't make any.

Yay for how much I suck at life. This whole team thing is either you are really good at what you do or you're popular enough to use connections to get in. Well, I have neither. I learned to take rejection calmly but this is too much. I don't know why I'm always so bitter and negative but sorry if I depressed you. Until next time, stay cool ma beans. 

Life doesn't give you free stuff... It just doesn't. But I'm a bit better than life so I am giving you guys double posts this week since I'm going log off for AP testing season. Basically see you all in June. Just kidding more like the last week of May... That's not much better... So AP testing season is coming so I'm studying for AP tests along with my other school work. Since I decided to be a tryhard this year, I have three AP tests to study for. And also my math grade is a C right now and if I want to go to my first choice college, I am going to need to get that to a B. Which is kind of scary since there are only around 5 tests left. My mind shrivels up just thinking about it. I really hope ma bean army can wait until I return in June for Project Inspiration Part II and this year I have a great line up for this blog. Follow me on Twitter for hints as time counts down. I have really appreciated everyone for following me around in my crazy life this school year. The last thing I can do for everyone before the end of my Junior year is to end with double posts everyday and some inspirational stuff here and there. If ma beans miss me too much, shoot me a email or follow me on Twitter and Instagram to be kept up on my daily life. I have so much planned for the summer and Senior year. I am so grateful for each and one of you. Until next time, stay cool ma beans. 

Don't miss me too much ma beans

Wow... Even my winter break is boring... I'm still at the Double Tree by Hilton in Berkeley. Looking at the bay while blogging. I am seriously embracing this blogging life. On Friday we arrived at the hotel at around seven, I jogged and swam at the fitness center. I tired myself out so I wouldn't hear my grandmother snoring.

AND IT WORKED!! The next day we headed out to Berkeley and Stanford which is amazing because I got to see the colleges that I won't be able to get into. At Berkeley I spent the morning feeding the tons of squirrels that are on that campus. THEY ARE SO CUTE!! I swear these are the friendliest squirrels ever... They all ate crackers from my hands and jumped around me. I am not even joking but I felt like a princess. After lunch we drove to Stanford in which I strolled around the big campus, taking pictures like the Asian tourist I am. The campus was so big and ancient... I didn't like the school because it was really big but I might of had a different reaction if there were some students there so I could feel more like a student. At night I was able to visit the little town that I was living in and it was so nice besides the fact that I was freezing my butt off.

The last day of vacation, we stopped on the way at a lake... Which was super pretty because the field surrounding the lake was golllldeeennnn!! AND THERE WERE EITHER DEER OR REINDEER THERE LIKE SANTA IS REAL!! We got home around one in the morning. The downside of this whole vacation was the food. We literally ate fast food two meals a day and it is ridiculously expensive. Okay fast food cannot be over fifty dollars but the price was a looooott different from the fast food chain at home. The dollar menu was basically nonexistent and each burger was around three to seven dollars. EXCUSE ME!! If I want to eat mainstream fast food I should not have to pay this much for something that I would normally get for $1. I hope you guys get a chance to visit these places in the future. Until next time, stay cool ma beans and happy New Year!! 

I think that not everyone's family owns a company or have parents who are doctors, lawyers, or business moguls that can afford the full college tuition. Even for people like me who qualifies for financial aid, I still need to save up for housing and food. I believe that every little thing that you can save on counts towards college, the less you spend = the more your parents can save up, unless you don't spend their money and have a job yourself (a job that I don't have a time for) you should also consider these tips that I find useful. It's never too early to start or too late to start saving... Without further ado... LET'S start this week's Q&A Thursday!! DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are for entertainment purposes only and shall not be considered as advice in any way. Neither ahandherbeans, nor its author shall be held liable for the content in this post. I encourage you to seek professional advice or care for any problem which you may have. 

1. Shop from Department Stores:
   
   This is personally my favorite tip because I love shopping but I can't necessarily afford to shop from my favorite stores. Take Marshalls and TJMaxx for example, if you look hard enough in the clearance section or the juniors section you will find some article of clothing from either Hollister or Abercrombie. There isn't necessarily any Brandy Meville but there is American Eagle. Close enough? Most of the things at department stores are less than $30 from my experiences (tops, pants, and jackets). If you want to buy DESIGNER brands however which is like BCBG, Steve Madden it's around $30-50 but it's still a lot cheaper than buying it from the store. My fav department stores: Marshalls, TJMaxx, Ross, Burlington
2. Shop in the Clearance Section:
   
   If you were to go into your favorite boutiques, I suggest you to shop in the clearance section. It might be embarrassing to you because you normally shop throughout the store, you might actually find some shirts and pants that are not necessarily on the racks anymore. Most of the times at Hollister or Abercrombie, their clearance section only has certain sizes and styles, which makes your shirts/tops/pants even more unique than the full priced shirts since there is only a limited quantity. Loads of times Hollister and Abercrombie has shirts that are less than $10 but are equal in quality when compared to their full priced shirts. The best clearance sections: Marshalls, Hollister, Ross, FOREVER21, H&M. 
3. Online Shopping rather than in Person Shopping:
   
   I think this tip controls the amount of money that I spend because normally online shopping has a certain amount that you have to reach to be able to get the free shipping, so I would limit myself to be a few dollars more than the amount needed for free shipping. Unlike in person shopping where I just pick up anything that I like, most of the time ending up to be around $100, online shopping forces me to find cheaper things for less to be able to buy more. 
4. Before Buying Anything, Ask Yourself: "Is this a need or a want?":
   
   I think this will only apply to those of you already in college but I want to suggest it non the less because if it is a want, it is not a necessity so if you don't have it, nothing will happen. You'll just miss out on something. It's no big deal.  
5. Try to DIY:
   
   I know for YouTube videos most of the time the DIYs are pretty expensive like buying spray paint and brushes and the materials in general but try to do some simple DIYs that looks cute so you can recycle the stuff that you were going to throw away. I'm not talking about plastic bottles and trash but more like dirty earphones and notebooks. Recently I bought a stack of cardstock/scrapbooking paper for 50 cents at a yard sale, and I just glued a page to my spiraled notebook that has the 70 pages sign on it, and now it's super cute, plus the cover won't bend. I spend 15 cents on the notebook at Big Lots and 50 cents on the paper, yea the cute notebook was less than $1. I also wrapped my old earphones with friendship bracelet string, and recycled that.  
6. Freeload or Share:
   
   I'M NOT TELLING YOU TO ASK EVERYONE TO BUY YOU EVERYTHING!! It's more like take use of opportunities that offers you free stuff. For example, a lot of libraries have teen programs where there are tons of DIYs that you will be able to take home. The library where I volunteer at had a bracelet making class, a succulent planting session, and a butter making class. Don't feel bad for going to them because the library gets funded about $2,000-3,000 every year to plan for these events so the library wants you to go to these events because if no one shows up, in the following years, the government will no longer fund these programs, SO GO!! It will be a fun experience, plus you will be able to take home FREE stuff!! The sharing part is basically sharing something when you're going out with your friends. My best friend and I went to Knotts for our 8th grade field trip and the food there was $20 for a meal, ridiculous pricing for fast food, since I wasn't that hungry, I paid half and she paid half and we even got onion rings after that. It's a perfect way to safe money, unless your friends don't wanna share, then you have to just pay the full price. It's not that bad. 
7. Coupons are Your Best Friend:
   
   I use coupons all the time. Fast food coupons, coupons for $5 off with a purchase of $20 or more... etc. It's not being cheap but it's using your resources wisely, it's not easy to make money, so you should be careful when you spend it. I sign up for emails at my favorite stores because they notify me when there are any sales going on. Promotion codes are always a plus when checking out your items online. Always check if there is another way to save money. 
8. Don't Spend All of your Chinese New Year Money:
   
   This tip won't work unless it's long terms but my parents refuse to let me spend any of my Chinese New Year money so in the end, I have over $20,000 saved up in the bank because of this.

Guess where I'm writing from?? My bed. At 1:22 AM. Ha. Normally I don't have rants on Mondays because I usually don't do much on weekend with social media. BUT OH MY G!!! I NEED TO RANT!!!!! 


Okay so there is this girl (B), who is extreeeemmmeeeeelllyyyy close with someone from KPop group A. I will not name her. This girl goes to the same school as me and she knows someone from A. She graduated the same year as my best besssstttt friend and she has a YouTube channel where she does covers. There is a member from A called C, so C has a little brother called D. B went to the same school as C.


I am so annoyed at her for 2 reasons... JUST 2. 1st: she's been to homecoming/prom/whatever formal dance that I have at my school with both C AND D. The thing that bothers me is that they are siblings and D is not famous, and so why are you going with C and then going with his little brother?? Are you just trying to use his fame for something?? Just imagine this conversation going on without you... D: "Hey, I asked someone to homecoming today." C: "Oh yea who??" D: "The girl you went with last year. Don't worry though, we're just friends." 


Just imagine having that conversation with anyone. I just realized that "D:" looks like my expression while I was thinking this through. 2nd: Why do you use the hashtag "imissyou" when you wished him happy birthday?? In addition to that, what's with the quote on your Tumblr??


The quote was basically something along the lines of "I hear your music on the radio and you sing about how you love a girl. Although you've never told me, I know that you love me." Bro. The fact that C's fans know that you know him means that we are going to interpret it as you thinking that he "loves" you. I'm sorry for being so bitter but it's just the truth. Fans are going to be like "are you dating him????" and then you are going to be like "oh nah we are just friends" so why are you doing this in the first place?? Why are you using these quotes??? Like couldn't you picked something more educational and inspiring like a quote by Albert Einstein. #muchwow 


Do you see all of the annoyed GIFs
that I used?? Yea... I'm this
annoyed. 

The hashtag... I get it, you guys are close and you really do miss him but just putting it out there, he's in Korea and you are here, he doesn't visit you anymore. You want to get his attention or get more followers, you might have to do that on your own, through your YouTube channel, stop trying to use him and his family as a source of popularity for you to gain followers because you are friends with him. You guys have no idea how annoyed I was yesterday about this situation. UGH. With all negativity aside, she's actually really pretty and she went to a good college so much goals. I hope that one comment made me a better person. Probably not... But if you guys wanted positivity and perfection, you wouldn't be here... You would be on YouTube!!! Until next time, stay cool ma beans!!