andrea's thoughts

      With COVID still very much around, everyone is trying to be as healthy as possible. Well, most people. A lot of people think the vaccine makes you immune, so you don't have to wear a mask, but you SHOULD.WEAR.A.MASK! It's kind of like a wake up call for certain people to be more cautious about their lifestyle and health choices. For example, washing your hands multiple times a day, covering your nose and mouth while sneezing/coughing, staying in the house while you're sick..seems like common sense and things we did before COVID. Enough about that though. I came to talk about my lifestyle.      I know a lot of people like their nic-sticks, but I'm SO happy I never got into it. Seeing some of my friends and cousins fein for it is crazy. I'm grateful that, from a young age, a healthy body and mind was implemented into my household as a normal way to live. The different foods in my culture are very healthy. We eat a lot of garlic, onions, and vegetables. ...

     Finally! We're almost half way through the semester! I'm not sure about anyone else but I feel like the days are just flying by..which I'm not mad at. This week was very stressful for me and I need to just get my feelings out/seek some advice. So first, it's my cousin's wedding today and I'm so excited because I'm a bridesmaid! But, in my culture, weddings are kind of a big deal and there's so much to get done. We get really dressed up and start early and rally throughout the night. We have different traditions like "dressing the bride" and certain songs as she gets ready, so basically we have to be ready early in order to make it there and participate. Also since I'm in the bridal party, I have to be there even EARLIER to get ready with everyone. I also had to attend the rehearsal dinner which was Thursday evening. I have a lab at the time so I had to switch and go to the 9 AM one. I'm glad it worked out and I got to switch becaus...

         This third week blog post kinda had me stuck at first because I wasn't sure what to write about. So, naturally, I went to google. I'll probably be going back to that list of "blog post ideas" throughout the weeks but for this week, I want to talk about a common hobby for others that I always wanted to get in to, but just never did: knitting/crocheting/sewing. First of all if anyone reading this knows how to do any of those, or has a grandma that does, please teach me! My grandma used to crochet blankets for my cousins and I all the time when we were younger. I loved them so much and when I got old enough to try, she told me she hadn't crocheted in years and forgot how. That kinda discouraged me to want to try it anymore.         Recently on social media, Pinterest especially, I've been seeing a lot of gorgeous crochet-knit tops, bathing suits, and even pants. There's a bunch of new fashion trends that involve crochet-knitted ite...

       After watching the documentary, "After Tiller," I feel more compassion, respect, and empathy towards healthcare providers and women. This documentary is showcasing the hardships doctors who perform third trimester abortions go through, especially after the assassination of their colleague and friend, George Tiller. There wasn't one scene in particular that stood out to me, because the whole documentary felt like the "same" story, but with different women and reasons as to why they're getting an abortion. When the women were explaining different health issues their babies' had, I was getting teary eyed. It's definitely heartbreaking hearing about these rare and life threatening diseases, and it's even worse when the parents think it's their fault that this sickness happened. I couldn't imagine being in that situation and having to make that type of decision. The way the doctors guided the parents, and really listened to them and wer...