The Last Chance to Think Before School

And work…

Well, school starts up again for me in two days, which means that my posts are about to become very rare.

As much as this kills me to say (because I’ve really fallen in love with blogging this summer), it’s true, and so it must be discussed; my education will always be put first because I ~~pay money for it~~ wholeheartedly believe a good education is the best thing one can do for him or herself, and so my time and effort will move back over to writing my articles/papers and maintaining my grades. Boring, yes, but also necessary.

Don’t think I’m going to completely disappear for the next nine months, though! I just might only be able to post once or twice a week depending on how busy I am. If I’m not busy, though, which will probably be the case in September, I’ll be able to keep up with my normal amount of blogging, especially due to the fact that I’m going to have hours upon hours of free time at campus some days when I’m waiting around to go compile its newspaper (PS — I’m the layout editor this year!!!!). So don’t worry (not that you are, haha); my presence will still definitely be felt!

Well, as a sort of last hoorah (even though something else will be coming later on today and hopefully once again tomorrow), I thought I’d just take a moment to talk a bit about what’s been going on lately, since I don’t think I’ll have time to sit back, relax, and reflect until winter break finally rolls around. Ugh…

So the first thing that’s on my mind is the job I just landed yesterday. As soon as I complete my first assigned article (which will hopefully be tonight), I will officially be the lead Pittsburgh Penguins contributor writer at Hooked on Hockey Magazine.

What???

Basically, the magazine, which I actually read quite often (which none of you probably knew), reached out to me on Twitter and told me that they had a position available. So I took a shot and applied, and yesterday night I heard back that I got it — which was kind of shocking, actually, since I only sent my application in yesterday afternoon. But I guess what’s meant to be is meant to be, so yay!

That’s a really intelligent conclusion there, I know.

Anyway, I’m beyond excited for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to get started on my assignment. I’m just beyond blessed, and I thank God for all of these chances I get to write and follow my dreams every single day. He’s really the best.

Having a legitimate job doing actual published writing, though, is obviously going to take away even more of my time to post on here (even though I’m not too sad about it, haha, no offense to you lovelies), but I have a good feeling that I’ll still be able to manage my time well enough to leave no one hanging on this little corner of the internet. As I said earlier when discussing school’s soon-to-be effect on my posts, I’ll make sure my presence is still felt. 🙂

Okay, enough of me gushing about my new job, as much as I want to go on. What I want to do next is share some lyrics from a song I discovered last night that really hit home with me.

They’re from a song I had no idea my favorite k-pop band, BTS, ever released (because k-pop is literally all I listen to anymore in an attempt to get better at Korean, which, no, isn’t going well, thanks for asking), and they just really hit home with me. It’s called “Road” (or “Gil” if you wan’t the Korean pronunciation of the word). Take a listen, it’s definitely a cool one (if you don’t want to click on the link, though, I’ll embed it at the very end). Here’s the English translation for you, too, which I got from here:

It started with Eminem, Garion, Epik High.
I exceed imitation. I write my own rap then carve them in.
Now that I see, I’ve somehow gotten to Hongdae.
All of my life savings at the time all (****) the teacher. [Don’t worry, the song bleeps it out, too.]
But we dunno, we dunno, we dunno
The future allowed no time to breathe and tied me up while I was dreaming.
The trap of an abandoned reality, oh, the trap of one’s youth.
My fiery heart lost to my cold head

While I had blind faith that my choice was the right one, something that I can’t identify as an angel or Satan says,
“Wouldn’t you like to rap properly? Yes? No? There is no time to hesitate.”
I, who didn’t want to make an even bigger idiot out of myself, came to this place, and 3 years have since passed.
Some say art is long, life is short, but now for me art is life, life is sports.
Just do it on

Would I have changed if I had chosen a different path, if I had stopped and looked back? Oh Hey Ya Hey Ya
What will I get to see at the end of this road, where you would be standing? Oh Hey Ya Hey Ya

Countless measures of time have passed, and it’s 2013.
I remained as a trainee for 3 years.
Before I knew it, I’d changed from a high school student to an oversized child.
Grey hairs of greed and ambition increase, and the many friends I had split off one by one.
Lonely without family, I greet my third spring in Seoul alone.
I thought my worries would ease with the debut in front of my nose; I closed my eyes to the present that could not be altered.
Reality was different. Even when my peers tried to keep me, I walked the lightless tunnels on my own.
I thought I was alone, but I’ve learned that we are seven.
No longer barefoot, wearing bulletproof shoes/shoes called Bangtan, [This is a play on the band’s Korean name.]
we go on forward another step, newer than the last, towards the fourth spring we’ll greet in Seoul.

Would I have changed if I had chosen a different path, if I had stopped and looked back? Oh Hey Ya Hey Ya
What will I get to see at the end of this road, where you would be standing? Oh Hey Ya Hey Ya

It’s the year 2010. My steps head to Seoul.
I, who started out just loving dance, am soon to stand on stage.
Until then, I combat the many pains and scars and prepare myself.
I nurture my notion to bend rather than to break and run for 3 years and ignite the stars in my heart.
Now see me anew. I carve ‘Bangtan’ into a blank page that means the whole world.
I walk towards my brighter future. I put on a smile for the further days.

Would I have changed if I had chosen a different path, if I had stopped and looked back? Oh Hey Ya Hey Ya
What will I get to see at the end of this road, where you would be standing? Oh Hey Ya Hey Ya
Would I have changed if I had chosen a different path, if I had stopped and looked back? Oh Hey Ya Hey Ya
What will I get to see at the end of this road, where you would be standing? Oh Hey Ya Hey Ya

I think this song resonated with me so much because it hits the nail that is my fear in life on the head. I worry every day that I’m not making the right choice, that I’m spoiling my dreams in order to have success, and this just really got me thinking about that once again.

Sure, I know I shouldn’t worry because everything always ends the way it’s supposed to, but I just can’t help it; I’m only human, after all! But I think that’s actually what makes me love this song so much, the fact that it’s all about how worrying whether or not you’re doing things right is all for nothing; at the end of the day, BTS’ incredible risks, whether for the right reasons or not, lead to something special, something more than they could have ever even imagined, and it’s got me believing that, one day, mine will, too.

Well, that’s all the time I have to write for now, so I’ll have to end this here. If only I didn’t have to work! 😦

While this all was pretty pointless. I still hope you enjoyed reading it nonetheless. Have a blessed day, friends. ❤

(And here’s the video I promised I’d embed: