Here is the before, during, and after journeys that I went through:

Before --

Over the summer was when I decided I wanted to run a half-marathon. Although a bunch of AAIV friends wanted to run it with me, only Katie Shi actually registered for it. Before Banff, I was really good about training for the half marathon. I got up to 7 miles at most and ran about 2-4 times a week at the gym (too hot to run outside in Vegas lol). But after Banff, I probably only ran 2-3 times for the remainder of the summer. And even once school started, it became even more difficult to run on a constant basis. I was already using up a lot of my physical and mental energy with piano and school, that if I wasted even more on running, I would be dead. I probably ran about 1-2 times a week every week leading up to the half marathon, which was definitely not enough. Katie and I ran our first 10 mile run two Saturdays before the race, and it took us a little over 2 and half hours. We walked for some time and had to stop because of Katie's knee. Even then, the ten mile run felt extremely long and I wasn't sure if I was even going to do so well during the actual race. 

I had two goals coming into the race. When I first registered, my "dream" goal was to get in under 2 hours and 10 minutes. That would mean I would have to run at a 10 minute mile pace for all 13 miles to meet that goal. Back in the summer, I found out that I can run 6 miles in under an hour, but I wasn't sure if I could maintain that for another 7 miles. Therefore, I made a new, more reasonable goal: to finish the half-marathon in under 2 and a half hours. I was even skeptical of meeting this goal after seeing how long it took Katie and I to run ten miles. 

The day before the race, Katie and I decided to spend the night over at her brother's place so that we wouldn't have to travel from Evanston early in the morning. I had a very busy Saturday which made me a little worried about the race because I wanted to be able to fully rest before. We had pasta at Cheesecake Factory to load up on carbs, and got about a good 7-8 hours of sleep that night. 

The next morning, we dressed up in our costumes (yes, the Monster Dash race is unique because everyone gets to wear Halloween costumes while they run!) -- we were Mario and Luigi!! I am usually horrible at coming up with costume ideas, especially since I haven't dressed up since I was like... 7. So I am really proud of how our costumes turned out. We wore red and green long sleeve shirts, and red and green baseball caps and with a piece of paper we drew in the M and L and stuck it on the front of the cap. We wore our normal running shorts and shoes, and wore suspenders as a replacement of overalls (there's no way we would run 13 miles in overalls.... haha). We also had white gloves, but no mustaches. It worked out perfectly, it was like a runners edition!

We left the house later than I expected, which I was worried about. I wanted us to have enough time at the park to stretch and check in any items that we had that we didn't want to carry. Unfortunately, we got there about ten minutes before the race. We had no time to stretch, and no time to check in our items. We were only carrying phones, thankfully. I was really worried -- how am I supposed to run 13.1 miles without stretching?!

During --

1st mile: There were so many runners and despite all of my worries, I became super excited that the actual race was finally happening. There were pacers spread out and holding up signs telling runners what the current pace was. For example, if they were holding up a 9:30 minute mile pace sign, runners who followed that sign will ensure that you keep that mile pace unless you fall back or decide to speed up. So for the first mile, I found the runner carrying the 10:30 mile pace and I was telling myself that would be a good pace to start off with. Unfortunately, I had lost Katie. I kept turning back to find her green Luigi outfit but there were too many runners. By then, I had told myself that although I really wanted to run the race with her, I still had my own goals that I want to meet. So I went off on my own pace.

2nd-4th mile: These miles were relatively simple. I had one water break around the 3rd mile, even though I wasn't really thirsty. I didn't know when the next water break was, so to be on the safe side and not dehydrate, I took one cup. It was pretty easy to pass by the time by looking at other people's funny and awesome costumes. I wonder how bored I would've been if I was running a normal half-marathon.

5th mile: By this point, I don't know why, but I was becoming a little exhausted. I guess I really wanted to hit the halfway point and I didn't know where that was. So the entire time, I was wondering, when will I ever turn around?! I was also scared that I wouldn't have enough energy and endurance to finish the last half, especially if I was already getting sort of tired by this point... Also, I began to see the fastest runners already heading back. I was so amazed by their speed. 

6th-7th mile: Right before the turning point, there was another water station. Instead of getting water, I got a gel pack. I remembered Chanhan telling me about them and how it really helped to take some while he ran the full marathon. I was skeptical about taking one, but I had nothing to lose especially since I was feeling tired. I took the gel pack, but unfortunately, I didn't realize how dry my throat had become from taking it. It also didn't taste good, so I was kind of frustrated that it had made me feel more dehydrated. 

7th-10th mile: Finally after I turned around, I caught up with the 9:30 mile pacers, which I was surprised by. Did I really speed up? I decided that I would follow and keep up with them so I can keep a better time. And to my surprise, for the next 3-4 miles, I was able to keep up with them. It was probably the 3-4 best miles of the entire race for me. I guess the gel pack really did help me, because for those miles I suddenly had an energy boost. It was also really fun hanging out with the pacers, because they had the most ridiculous conversation and would sing the most random songs. I felt like I was going on a journey with them.

10th mile: By then, I decided to ditch the pacers... I actually went ahead of them and eventually lost them. However, I started to lose a lot of my energy from before. I found one water station which really helped me out, but I was still feeling dehydrated. My whole body, especially my face because really hot and heavy. I knew this feeling all too well from my cross country days in high school. Even though I was able to keep my pace going, I was beginning to struggle mentally. So I started to give myself motivational pep talk, LOL. 

"Sherry! You think THIS weather is hot? It's probably only 70 degrees at the max. Remember your high school days, when you had to run in the 110 degree weather? THAT was bad. This is nothing!!"

Reminding myself of all that I went through in my past actually helped me stay strong.

11th-13th mile: These were probably the two hardest miles EVER. I didn't realize how much I would struggle with these last few miles, especially since the furthest I had ever ran prior to the race was ten miles. Thankfully, my knees never had a problem throughout the entire race (which is actually, REALLY amazing), but I developed minor cramps and I was really dehydrated. My pacing became very spontaneous. I would have random bursts of energy, and then I would have to slow down for a bit. 

By this point, not only was my physical ability draining but my mental capacity was also going down by the minute. The one thing that saved me was giving myself more pep talk. I started to reminisce on more high school cross country memories. Of all the times I suffered with shin splints, all the races that I ran, doing stupid exercises on the track (bleachers, squats, sprints, etc.). I tried to remember everything that my coach told me. And I started to picture them being right next to me as I ran the half-marathon, barking at me to pass more runners, to keep a steady pace, and more. 

I also thought about the role of the costume I was wearing. I was Mario for the day. I had so many random people, both runners and spectators, shout out "TEAM MARIO!" or "GO MARIO!' when they saw me and my costume. And I remembered of all the times I spent as a kid playing the Super Mario Bros. games, and how Mario never loses in the end....... I couldn't lose. I couldn't give up on this race. Mario never loses... therefore, I am going to keep on running and make it to the finish line. 

Finish line: The last half mile was probably the most brutal thing ever. I didn't know where the finish line was. As a result, I didn't know when I could start speeding up my pace to cross the finish line. My pace had drastically slowed down and I was in so much pain. Then finally, I saw a glimpse of the finish line up ahead. I kicked up my speed and dashed to the finish line confidently. As I walked down the chute, I felt so dazed and shocked that I had just finished an entire half-marathon without stopping or walking. I grabbed my medal and downed two whole water bottles because I had been so thirsty. 

After -- 

I waited for Katie to cross the finish line, so I waited at the sidelines and cheered her on when she finally showed up. Her parents were there for her, and after we finished stretching, we all headed back to her brother's place and took a shower and ate lunch. 

Sadly, I didn't get to recover properly after running the half marathon. I had to immediately go to work and teach for five hours straight. When I went back, I finally got to eat dinner and I had to start and finish my stupid 5-6 page English paper due the next morning. That's when I realized that I agreed to have a 10 AM make-up lesson, meaning that I would have to finish my paper some time before then to be able to warm up for my lesson. I ended up taking a two hour nap that night. I bsed through my paper, turned it in, and only had time to warm up for ten minutes. My lesson turned out fine though. I had my English class right after, and it finally I was able to nap for a few more hours afterwards. Sadly, the following night, I didn't get rest either because I had to wake up early to study for my one and only midterm. I was super sore and super exhausted for not being able to recover. It wasn't until Tuesday night when I finally got a solid 8 hour sleep that helped me rejuvenate my body and mind. 

And that marks my super crazy journey of running my first half-marathon. I was able to run it in 2:02:35 hours.... which I was completely shocked by. I beat my reasonable goal by 28 minutes, and I even beat my dream goal by 8 minutes! If I had actually trained properly, I would've been able to get it under two hours. But perhaps that shall be a goal for another time. Maybe it was because I was on an adrenaline high, but I never imagined that I would be able to run 13 miles nonstop and still keep a 9:22 minute average mile pace. 

I eventually sent a message to my former cross country coaches via facebook about my recent achievement. I thanked them for teaching me valuable lessons throughout my high school years and that they have made an impact on my running. I would've never imagined that I would continue with running long distance -- heck, I never imagined that I would ever join a cross country team in high school, especially coming from someone who absolutely hated running when we were forced to in middle school. Here are their responses from them:

From Coach Billings 

That is excellent!

Just this morning I was looking at my 9th Grade English class (which is averaging a 55%) thinking WHY AM I WASTING MY TIME DOING THIS?

You just reaffirmed that, occasionally, we do make a difference.

Thank YOU.

From Coach Reagh

Just to be able to hear those words from my coaches really made me smile. For the longest time, I didn't like my coaches because I thought they were pushing me TOO hard. They definitely did give me a hard time especially when I was bumped up to the varsity team. There were times I even cried out of frustration because of their harsh words. But after all that I went through and looking back, I knew all that they wanted was the best for me, and I finally truly appreciate that. 

I've definitely come from a very long way. I can only imagine where running will take me next.

Here is the before, during, and after journeys that I went through:

Before --

Over the summer was when I decided I wanted to run a half-marathon. Although a bunch of AAIV friends wanted to run it with me, only Katie Shi actually registered for it. Before Banff, I was really good about training for the half marathon. I got up to 7 miles at most and ran about 2-4 times a week at the gym (too hot to run outside in Vegas lol). But after Banff, I probably only ran 2-3 times for the remainder of the summer. And even once school started, it became even more difficult to run on a constant basis. I was already using up a lot of my physical and mental energy with piano and school, that if I wasted even more on running, I would be dead. I probably ran about 1-2 times a week every week leading up to the half marathon, which was definitely not enough. Katie and I ran our first 10 mile run two Saturdays before the race, and it took us a little over 2 and half hours. We walked for some time and had to stop because of Katie's knee. Even then, the ten mile run felt extremely long and I wasn't sure if I was even going to do so well during the actual race. 

I had two goals coming into the race. When I first registered, my "dream" goal was to get in under 2 hours and 10 minutes. That would mean I would have to run at a 10 minute mile pace for all 13 miles to meet that goal. Back in the summer, I found out that I can run 6 miles in under an hour, but I wasn't sure if I could maintain that for another 7 miles. Therefore, I made a new, more reasonable goal: to finish the half-marathon in under 2 and a half hours. I was even skeptical of meeting this goal after seeing how long it took Katie and I to run ten miles. 

The day before the race, Katie and I decided to spend the night over at her brother's place so that we wouldn't have to travel from Evanston early in the morning. I had a very busy Saturday which made me a little worried about the race because I wanted to be able to fully rest before. We had pasta at Cheesecake Factory to load up on carbs, and got about a good 7-8 hours of sleep that night. 

The next morning, we dressed up in our costumes (yes, the Monster Dash race is unique because everyone gets to wear Halloween costumes while they run!) -- we were Mario and Luigi!! I am usually horrible at coming up with costume ideas, especially since I haven't dressed up since I was like... 7. So I am really proud of how our costumes turned out. We wore red and green long sleeve shirts, and red and green baseball caps and with a piece of paper we drew in the M and L and stuck it on the front of the cap. We wore our normal running shorts and shoes, and wore suspenders as a replacement of overalls (there's no way we would run 13 miles in overalls.... haha). We also had white gloves, but no mustaches. It worked out perfectly, it was like a runners edition!

We left the house later than I expected, which I was worried about. I wanted us to have enough time at the park to stretch and check in any items that we had that we didn't want to carry. Unfortunately, we got there about ten minutes before the race. We had no time to stretch, and no time to check in our items. We were only carrying phones, thankfully. I was really worried -- how am I supposed to run 13.1 miles without stretching?!

During --

1st mile: There were so many runners and despite all of my worries, I became super excited that the actual race was finally happening. There were pacers spread out and holding up signs telling runners what the current pace was. For example, if they were holding up a 9:30 minute mile pace sign, runners who followed that sign will ensure that you keep that mile pace unless you fall back or decide to speed up. So for the first mile, I found the runner carrying the 10:30 mile pace and I was telling myself that would be a good pace to start off with. Unfortunately, I had lost Katie. I kept turning back to find her green Luigi outfit but there were too many runners. By then, I had told myself that although I really wanted to run the race with her, I still had my own goals that I want to meet. So I went off on my own pace.

2nd-4th mile: These miles were relatively simple. I had one water break around the 3rd mile, even though I wasn't really thirsty. I didn't know when the next water break was, so to be on the safe side and not dehydrate, I took one cup. It was pretty easy to pass by the time by looking at other people's funny and awesome costumes. I wonder how bored I would've been if I was running a normal half-marathon.

5th mile: By this point, I don't know why, but I was becoming a little exhausted. I guess I really wanted to hit the halfway point and I didn't know where that was. So the entire time, I was wondering, when will I ever turn around?! I was also scared that I wouldn't have enough energy and endurance to finish the last half, especially if I was already getting sort of tired by this point... Also, I began to see the fastest runners already heading back. I was so amazed by their speed. 

6th-7th mile: Right before the turning point, there was another water station. Instead of getting water, I got a gel pack. I remembered Chanhan telling me about them and how it really helped to take some while he ran the full marathon. I was skeptical about taking one, but I had nothing to lose especially since I was feeling tired. I took the gel pack, but unfortunately, I didn't realize how dry my throat had become from taking it. It also didn't taste good, so I was kind of frustrated that it had made me feel more dehydrated. 

7th-10th mile: Finally after I turned around, I caught up with the 9:30 mile pacers, which I was surprised by. Did I really speed up? I decided that I would follow and keep up with them so I can keep a better time. And to my surprise, for the next 3-4 miles, I was able to keep up with them. It was probably the 3-4 best miles of the entire race for me. I guess the gel pack really did help me, because for those miles I suddenly had an energy boost. It was also really fun hanging out with the pacers, because they had the most ridiculous conversation and would sing the most random songs. I felt like I was going on a journey with them.

10th mile: By then, I decided to ditch the pacers... I actually went ahead of them and eventually lost them. However, I started to lose a lot of my energy from before. I found one water station which really helped me out, but I was still feeling dehydrated. My whole body, especially my face because really hot and heavy. I knew this feeling all too well from my cross country days in high school. Even though I was able to keep my pace going, I was beginning to struggle mentally. So I started to give myself motivational pep talk, LOL. 

"Sherry! You think THIS weather is hot? It's probably only 70 degrees at the max. Remember your high school days, when you had to run in the 110 degree weather? THAT was bad. This is nothing!!"

Reminding myself of all that I went through in my past actually helped me stay strong.

11th-13th mile: These were probably the two hardest miles EVER. I didn't realize how much I would struggle with these last few miles, especially since the furthest I had ever ran prior to the race was ten miles. Thankfully, my knees never had a problem throughout the entire race (which is actually, REALLY amazing), but I developed minor cramps and I was really dehydrated. My pacing became very spontaneous. I would have random bursts of energy, and then I would have to slow down for a bit. 

By this point, not only was my physical ability draining but my mental capacity was also going down by the minute. The one thing that saved me was giving myself more pep talk. I started to reminisce on more high school cross country memories. Of all the times I suffered with shin splints, all the races that I ran, doing stupid exercises on the track (bleachers, squats, sprints, etc.). I tried to remember everything that my coach told me. And I started to picture them being right next to me as I ran the half-marathon, barking at me to pass more runners, to keep a steady pace, and more. 

I also thought about the role of the costume I was wearing. I was Mario for the day. I had so many random people, both runners and spectators, shout out "TEAM MARIO!" or "GO MARIO!' when they saw me and my costume. And I remembered of all the times I spent as a kid playing the Super Mario Bros. games, and how Mario never loses in the end....... I couldn't lose. I couldn't give up on this race. Mario never loses... therefore, I am going to keep on running and make it to the finish line. 

Finish line: The last half mile was probably the most brutal thing ever. I didn't know where the finish line was. As a result, I didn't know when I could start speeding up my pace to cross the finish line. My pace had drastically slowed down and I was in so much pain. Then finally, I saw a glimpse of the finish line up ahead. I kicked up my speed and dashed to the finish line confidently. As I walked down the chute, I felt so dazed and shocked that I had just finished an entire half-marathon without stopping or walking. I grabbed my medal and downed two whole water bottles because I had been so thirsty. 

After -- 

I waited for Katie to cross the finish line, so I waited at the sidelines and cheered her on when she finally showed up. Her parents were there for her, and after we finished stretching, we all headed back to her brother's place and took a shower and ate lunch. 

Sadly, I didn't get to recover properly after running the half marathon. I had to immediately go to work and teach for five hours straight. When I went back, I finally got to eat dinner and I had to start and finish my stupid 5-6 page English paper due the next morning. That's when I realized that I agreed to have a 10 AM make-up lesson, meaning that I would have to finish my paper some time before then to be able to warm up for my lesson. I ended up taking a two hour nap that night. I bsed through my paper, turned it in, and only had time to warm up for ten minutes. My lesson turned out fine though. I had my English class right after, and it finally I was able to nap for a few more hours afterwards. Sadly, the following night, I didn't get rest either because I had to wake up early to study for my one and only midterm. I was super sore and super exhausted for not being able to recover. It wasn't until Tuesday night when I finally got a solid 8 hour sleep that helped me rejuvenate my body and mind. 

And that marks my super crazy journey of running my first half-marathon. I was able to run it in 2:02:35 hours.... which I was completely shocked by. I beat my reasonable goal by 28 minutes, and I even beat my dream goal by 8 minutes! If I had actually trained properly, I would've been able to get it under two hours. But perhaps that shall be a goal for another time. Maybe it was because I was on an adrenaline high, but I never imagined that I would be able to run 13 miles nonstop and still keep a 9:22 minute average mile pace. 

I eventually sent a message to my former cross country coaches via facebook about my recent achievement. I thanked them for teaching me valuable lessons throughout my high school years and that they have made an impact on my running. I would've never imagined that I would continue with running long distance -- heck, I never imagined that I would ever join a cross country team in high school, especially coming from someone who absolutely hated running when we were forced to in middle school. Here are their responses from them:

From Coach Billings 

That is excellent!

Just this morning I was looking at my 9th Grade English class (which is averaging a 55%) thinking WHY AM I WASTING MY TIME DOING THIS?

You just reaffirmed that, occasionally, we do make a difference.

Thank YOU.

From Coach Reagh

Just to be able to hear those words from my coaches really made me smile. For the longest time, I didn't like my coaches because I thought they were pushing me TOO hard. They definitely did give me a hard time especially when I was bumped up to the varsity team. There were times I even cried out of frustration because of their harsh words. But after all that I went through and looking back, I knew all that they wanted was the best for me, and I finally truly appreciate that. 

I've definitely come from a very long way. I can only imagine where running will take me next.

Reading back on how my past few October's have been spent are making me nostalgic. I remember being in middle school and having to practice extra hard for MTNA. Back when my mom was in pretty much complete control of my life. I was under "house arrest" for that month, so I had to deny all birthday party invitations and other hangouts that I received from friends. It was a miserable month and I hated October for it. This was still somewhat true in high school, and I remember back when every single teenager had to visit Frightdome at Circus Circus, I wasn't able to go my freshman year and I snuck out of the house to go my sophomore year. 

October was all about cramming in a whole program's worth of music, feeling nervous and screwed. I felt as though I didn't have enoug hours in a day. It was extremely difficult in high school because I had cross country meets on top of practicing piano as well as Key Club RTC and Homecoming (games and dances). 

And you know... that feeling has never completely left me. In fact, I feel just as screwed this year, my 8th year of competing in MTNA in a row. Except now I have other worries - working to pay the rent, leadership roles at church and in AAIV, just living an independent life in general. 

October is the month where I literally start counting down the days until D-day. Panicking, panicking, panicking...

And then in just a matter of half an hour's worth of performance time, it's all over. All of that hours of practicing (and cramming in)... for the past 7 years, the end result has always been successful - 1st place and getting to advance onto regionals. 

And always, always... 

November was the chillest, most relaxing month of the year. Well.. maybe except for senior year and stupid college apps, haha. But that feeling of freedom and stress exiting my mind the week after the competition was always the greatest feeling. This year, I can't wait for November, because I get to have my relaxation in NYC for a week. I don't care if I'm skipping three days of school for it (I'm only missing three classes total, thank God for a light schedule this quarter!). 

It's crazy to think how many years I've been in this same old cycle. Always with different variables of course, but still.. what a life!

To conclude this post, only 19 1/2 more days until D-day!~!~!~!!

BRING IT ON.

Reading back on how my past few October's have been spent are making me nostalgic. I remember being in middle school and having to practice extra hard for MTNA. Back when my mom was in pretty much complete control of my life. I was under "house arrest" for that month, so I had to deny all birthday party invitations and other hangouts that I received from friends. It was a miserable month and I hated October for it. This was still somewhat true in high school, and I remember back when every single teenager had to visit Frightdome at Circus Circus, I wasn't able to go my freshman year and I snuck out of the house to go my sophomore year. 

October was all about cramming in a whole program's worth of music, feeling nervous and screwed. I felt as though I didn't have enoug hours in a day. It was extremely difficult in high school because I had cross country meets on top of practicing piano as well as Key Club RTC and Homecoming (games and dances). 

And you know... that feeling has never completely left me. In fact, I feel just as screwed this year, my 8th year of competing in MTNA in a row. Except now I have other worries - working to pay the rent, leadership roles at church and in AAIV, just living an independent life in general. 

October is the month where I literally start counting down the days until D-day. Panicking, panicking, panicking...

And then in just a matter of half an hour's worth of performance time, it's all over. All of that hours of practicing (and cramming in)... for the past 7 years, the end result has always been successful - 1st place and getting to advance onto regionals. 

And always, always... 

November was the chillest, most relaxing month of the year. Well.. maybe except for senior year and stupid college apps, haha. But that feeling of freedom and stress exiting my mind the week after the competition was always the greatest feeling. This year, I can't wait for November, because I get to have my relaxation in NYC for a week. I don't care if I'm skipping three days of school for it (I'm only missing three classes total, thank God for a light schedule this quarter!). 

It's crazy to think how many years I've been in this same old cycle. Always with different variables of course, but still.. what a life!

To conclude this post, only 19 1/2 more days until D-day!~!~!~!!

BRING IT ON.

1. To start off, I live off campus now, at Evanston Place. I live in a den, while my two roommates Esther and Joanne share a bedroom. The apartment is pretty spacious and we have an awesome view of the lake! I love eating Korean food just about everyday and living here in general. I love that everything is so close to me, especially MAB (which is where I practice piano). 

2. Speaking of eating Korean food, it's so strange that I get to eat it everyday again, after living off of dorm food for the past two years. Esther's mom is so awesome because she always restocks our fridge with side dishes and other yummy Korean food. As a result, we have never had to make an H-Mart trip. It's so funny that I get to eat so much Korean food now, even though I was so sick of it back in the days. It's even funnier that my sister, who loves Korean food ten times more than I do, is living in a city that has like maybe... one Korean restaurant. 

3. I have only one student to accompany for work-study. This is a huge change... especially because I used to accompany so many voice majors at a time. I was making bank! I realize that I should be taking advantage of my work-study, but I decided that even though I need a bit more of a boost financially, practicing for the next two years is going to be crucial. Right now, practicing > making money. I'll just have to starve every so often and pray that I'll be able to make enough for rent. (just kidding.)

4. I barely have any classes. MWF, I only have one class, which is my English class (that I was supposed to have taken as a freshman... haha). Tuesdays and Thursdays aren't even that bad, two classes and my piano lessons. I used to spend so much time in a classroom in any given week and now that I have so few classes, it feels weird to be done after sitting in class for only an hour. I purposely overloaded my classes the past two years so that I can spend more time practicing and getting ready for auditioning for grad schools. So far, all that work I've done in the past two years is paying off.

5. Alan Chow's studio class is completely different. Have the students have graduated this past summer, and so half the studio is brand new. And they are all really good. It was actually nerve racking playing for my studio last week knowing that half the people sitting there have never heard me play... haha. They are all really nice people though, and I can't wait to bond with them for the next two years.

6. Last year, I started teaching for Martha Yelenosky's piano studio. Well, I just started out with teaching her two daughters, Joy and Melody. It wasn't until about 2/3's of the way into sophomore year that I received my very own piano student to teach. This year, I have about 5 more new piano students, while still teaching the three that I had last year. And my teaching schedule is completely different. I used to teach on Fridays and Saturdays and rested on Sundays, but because of AAIV Focus every Friday night, I do not teach on Fridays anymore. I also took Saturdays off because I hated not being able to sleep in on Saturdays (but of course, my boss doesn't know that hehe). Instead, I make up the hours I couldn't teach on Friday and Saturday by teaching on Sunday after I finish teaching all of my own students. So every Sunday after church, I teach from 3-8 PM nonstop. It's quite tiring, but it's also so very rewarding at the same time. I know this is the type of lifestyle I'll probably be going through in the future as a piano teacher, so I might as well get used to it now.

7. This year, I'm the keyboardist on AAIV's Worship Team, and we play every Friday evening at our large group called Focus. We also rehearse from 4-7 PM, and Focus starts at 7 PM and lasts til around 9 or 9:30. It's been such a blessing to be in a praise band. It's such a different field from being a classically trained pianist. You are not the spotlight... God is. You are not performing, expecting people to hear what you play. Instead, the music you produce is creating an atmosphere for others to worship God in. I knew this was a position I had always wanted to try out ever since freshman year, so I'm glad that it's finally time for me to serve the Lord Almighty. I was never really strict about coming out to Focus every Friday evening for the past two years, but I don't really have much of a choice now that it's required for me to go. It's a form of discipline, and I know it might get tiring at times, but I know I'm going to learn a lot spiritually from this discipline. 

8. At church, I am the new church van driver!! (along with Brandon and Sunah). I got to drive the van a few times last year, despite everyone's hesitation. I swear I'm an awesome driver! Haha, it's just so funny that I'd do anything to get to drive, since I miss driving so much from back home. It's also kind of intimidating, driving for about 20 some students every Sunday, knowing that you are fully responsible for their lives. The drive to church is about 20-25 minutes from campus. Also, I am a student facilitator for our college ministry's small groups. That means that I hold a position in leading a group of students after the service is over. This is similar to m Peer Adviser position, where I had to lead a group of kids. I'm just a little bit intimidated with this specific position because sometimes I fear that I am not ready for this position spiritually. I don't even know how I even agreed to fulfill this position, I swear it was God telling me to do so. I guess I shouldn't doubt myself so much, even if I feel as though I lack good public speaking skills. If God called me to this position, then surely He thinks I'm capable and ready. And plus it's not even about me, or about how well I can lead/facilitate... it's all about God. He will steer the discussions and conversations every week. He just needs me to trust Him and His Word, that's all.

9. I've joined a brand new small group (we call them Family Groups now) this year. I've been in Shepard's small group for the past two years, and now as an upperclassmen, we get the freedom to join any small group as we please. Minah's small group was the only one that could fit into my schedule since I work almost every weekday. Most of the upperclassmen are inclined to join the small group that they have grown up with for the past two years, so for me, not only are the freshmen in the group new to me but also the upperclassmen. It's not that I don't know the upperclassmen, I just have never gotten the chance to see what it's like to be in a small group with them, so that'll be interesting. Also, for the past two years in small group, I felt like I was well-fed by the upperclassmen, always helping me out when I needed help, etc. I feel like this year, I am taking more initiative in helping out and getting to know the freshmen. It's such a different feel to small group for me because of this new stance I'm taking. I like it though, and I can't wait to see how I'll get to bond with these people over the year.

10. My sister is now a freshman in college, at UNR. It's strange to realize that my brother is the only one remaining in the house. I never could have imagined my sister being in college by herself either, since she was always so dependent on me and my parents. She seems to be doing okay though. I guess when you're thrown into a situation that only you can solve, you have no choice but to solve it, you know? My brother no longer has to put up with arguments and fights with my sister. We're all in different locations now, and I bet that's how things will always be from now on. It's so crazy how fast we are all growing up. By the time I come home in the spring, my brother will be able to pick up from the airport. Now THAT will be weird to me.

In general, it just feels so weird to be halfway done with college already. It's always by junior year where I start to feel as though time is running out too quickly. I feel like I'm already starting to choke on auditions. I remembered how much I hated going through that process last year. I feel as though I could have better prepared myself then, like take lessons with piano professors, which I never got to do in high school. I know that I'll need to do that, which is why I'll be flying to NYC from Nov 17-23 to take some lessons with teachers. So far, I'll be getting a lesson with Prof. Raekallio, and I'm hoping to get in a lesson or two with other teachers. I'm scared because I know graduate school is more important then undergrad. And it sucks because if we include taking lesson with professors and picking out our audition repertoire, the whole process of applying for grad school begins NOW, as a junior. No more frolicking and wandering around like a confused college freshman. Sigh.

But, I'm going to try not to think too far into the future... since that only scares me. I'm going to do my best to take things one step at a time, day by day, week by week. Everything will be okay, as long as I cast my fears away and trust in the Lord. 

1. To start off, I live off campus now, at Evanston Place. I live in a den, while my two roommates Esther and Joanne share a bedroom. The apartment is pretty spacious and we have an awesome view of the lake! I love eating Korean food just about everyday and living here in general. I love that everything is so close to me, especially MAB (which is where I practice piano). 

2. Speaking of eating Korean food, it's so strange that I get to eat it everyday again, after living off of dorm food for the past two years. Esther's mom is so awesome because she always restocks our fridge with side dishes and other yummy Korean food. As a result, we have never had to make an H-Mart trip. It's so funny that I get to eat so much Korean food now, even though I was so sick of it back in the days. It's even funnier that my sister, who loves Korean food ten times more than I do, is living in a city that has like maybe... one Korean restaurant. 

3. I have only one student to accompany for work-study. This is a huge change... especially because I used to accompany so many voice majors at a time. I was making bank! I realize that I should be taking advantage of my work-study, but I decided that even though I need a bit more of a boost financially, practicing for the next two years is going to be crucial. Right now, practicing > making money. I'll just have to starve every so often and pray that I'll be able to make enough for rent. (just kidding.)

4. I barely have any classes. MWF, I only have one class, which is my English class (that I was supposed to have taken as a freshman... haha). Tuesdays and Thursdays aren't even that bad, two classes and my piano lessons. I used to spend so much time in a classroom in any given week and now that I have so few classes, it feels weird to be done after sitting in class for only an hour. I purposely overloaded my classes the past two years so that I can spend more time practicing and getting ready for auditioning for grad schools. So far, all that work I've done in the past two years is paying off.

5. Alan Chow's studio class is completely different. Have the students have graduated this past summer, and so half the studio is brand new. And they are all really good. It was actually nerve racking playing for my studio last week knowing that half the people sitting there have never heard me play... haha. They are all really nice people though, and I can't wait to bond with them for the next two years.

6. Last year, I started teaching for Martha Yelenosky's piano studio. Well, I just started out with teaching her two daughters, Joy and Melody. It wasn't until about 2/3's of the way into sophomore year that I received my very own piano student to teach. This year, I have about 5 more new piano students, while still teaching the three that I had last year. And my teaching schedule is completely different. I used to teach on Fridays and Saturdays and rested on Sundays, but because of AAIV Focus every Friday night, I do not teach on Fridays anymore. I also took Saturdays off because I hated not being able to sleep in on Saturdays (but of course, my boss doesn't know that hehe). Instead, I make up the hours I couldn't teach on Friday and Saturday by teaching on Sunday after I finish teaching all of my own students. So every Sunday after church, I teach from 3-8 PM nonstop. It's quite tiring, but it's also so very rewarding at the same time. I know this is the type of lifestyle I'll probably be going through in the future as a piano teacher, so I might as well get used to it now.

7. This year, I'm the keyboardist on AAIV's Worship Team, and we play every Friday evening at our large group called Focus. We also rehearse from 4-7 PM, and Focus starts at 7 PM and lasts til around 9 or 9:30. It's been such a blessing to be in a praise band. It's such a different field from being a classically trained pianist. You are not the spotlight... God is. You are not performing, expecting people to hear what you play. Instead, the music you produce is creating an atmosphere for others to worship God in. I knew this was a position I had always wanted to try out ever since freshman year, so I'm glad that it's finally time for me to serve the Lord Almighty. I was never really strict about coming out to Focus every Friday evening for the past two years, but I don't really have much of a choice now that it's required for me to go. It's a form of discipline, and I know it might get tiring at times, but I know I'm going to learn a lot spiritually from this discipline. 

8. At church, I am the new church van driver!! (along with Brandon and Sunah). I got to drive the van a few times last year, despite everyone's hesitation. I swear I'm an awesome driver! Haha, it's just so funny that I'd do anything to get to drive, since I miss driving so much from back home. It's also kind of intimidating, driving for about 20 some students every Sunday, knowing that you are fully responsible for their lives. The drive to church is about 20-25 minutes from campus. Also, I am a student facilitator for our college ministry's small groups. That means that I hold a position in leading a group of students after the service is over. This is similar to m Peer Adviser position, where I had to lead a group of kids. I'm just a little bit intimidated with this specific position because sometimes I fear that I am not ready for this position spiritually. I don't even know how I even agreed to fulfill this position, I swear it was God telling me to do so. I guess I shouldn't doubt myself so much, even if I feel as though I lack good public speaking skills. If God called me to this position, then surely He thinks I'm capable and ready. And plus it's not even about me, or about how well I can lead/facilitate... it's all about God. He will steer the discussions and conversations every week. He just needs me to trust Him and His Word, that's all.

9. I've joined a brand new small group (we call them Family Groups now) this year. I've been in Shepard's small group for the past two years, and now as an upperclassmen, we get the freedom to join any small group as we please. Minah's small group was the only one that could fit into my schedule since I work almost every weekday. Most of the upperclassmen are inclined to join the small group that they have grown up with for the past two years, so for me, not only are the freshmen in the group new to me but also the upperclassmen. It's not that I don't know the upperclassmen, I just have never gotten the chance to see what it's like to be in a small group with them, so that'll be interesting. Also, for the past two years in small group, I felt like I was well-fed by the upperclassmen, always helping me out when I needed help, etc. I feel like this year, I am taking more initiative in helping out and getting to know the freshmen. It's such a different feel to small group for me because of this new stance I'm taking. I like it though, and I can't wait to see how I'll get to bond with these people over the year.

10. My sister is now a freshman in college, at UNR. It's strange to realize that my brother is the only one remaining in the house. I never could have imagined my sister being in college by herself either, since she was always so dependent on me and my parents. She seems to be doing okay though. I guess when you're thrown into a situation that only you can solve, you have no choice but to solve it, you know? My brother no longer has to put up with arguments and fights with my sister. We're all in different locations now, and I bet that's how things will always be from now on. It's so crazy how fast we are all growing up. By the time I come home in the spring, my brother will be able to pick up from the airport. Now THAT will be weird to me.

In general, it just feels so weird to be halfway done with college already. It's always by junior year where I start to feel as though time is running out too quickly. I feel like I'm already starting to choke on auditions. I remembered how much I hated going through that process last year. I feel as though I could have better prepared myself then, like take lessons with piano professors, which I never got to do in high school. I know that I'll need to do that, which is why I'll be flying to NYC from Nov 17-23 to take some lessons with teachers. So far, I'll be getting a lesson with Prof. Raekallio, and I'm hoping to get in a lesson or two with other teachers. I'm scared because I know graduate school is more important then undergrad. And it sucks because if we include taking lesson with professors and picking out our audition repertoire, the whole process of applying for grad school begins NOW, as a junior. No more frolicking and wandering around like a confused college freshman. Sigh.

But, I'm going to try not to think too far into the future... since that only scares me. I'm going to do my best to take things one step at a time, day by day, week by week. Everything will be okay, as long as I cast my fears away and trust in the Lord.