Winter Grays

Dress: Forever21

Leggings: gifted

Pink blazer: Forever21

Knee high oatmeal-colored socks: Cotton On

Boots: Macy's

Scarf: gifted

WARNING: Super long post about Fil-Am, MK Choir, and Big Sib/Lil Sib stuff!

Today was the official last day of choir for this 2012 year! We may still be caroling this week, but it won't be the same because we will be in much smaller numbers due to everyone's different schedules. It still felt bittersweet at tonight's practice. We may have felt tired, singing our songs over and over to get the right take for our recordings, but it was definitely the most memorable and most fun practice so far. 

I initially thought up the idea to find some way to thank our choir representative for driving us freshmen around to different events we performed at. However, I also wanted to thank our choir directors for working so hard on composing our amazing holiday medley. I shared my idea to some girls after one of our events, then the idea was never brought back again. It still came back to my thoughts every so often for a couple of weeks until I decided to just go for it and share it with the rest of the choir members. I typed out a super long message describing my plan, but I felt absolutely discouraged when I kept seeing who have read the message, but there were no replies with thoughts or opinions (that feature on Facebook where it shows you who has read the message so far). I thought my plan would just fail and have at most 4 people sign my handmade cards. I felt nervous as the time came closer for all the members to meet secretly and sign the cards I created. However, when more people came, I felt reassured as the card got filled up. 

We had fun during practice, but when the time almost came for the end of practice, I was worrying on how we would introduce our surprise and if it would be totally awkward trying to hand them their cards and cupcakes. Then one of our choir directors started closing the meeting, and one of my friends who helped with the planning said, "Wait! Choir has something for you guys!" and it was our cue to get the cupcakes, cookies, and cards. As I walked down the steps from my chair and handed them my cards that most of the members signed, I was so thrilled. I could feel their excitement and happiness when they squealed over our surprise, and the choir co-directors were so overwhelmed, they said, "Wait, was this recorded?! Do it again!" since they were just so excited. Then one of our directors started speaking, saying thank you, and that the little things like the surprise and just coming to practices make them really happy and proud. They brought up how they talk about choir more than their studies and their roommate can testify that! I knew then that what seemed to be a dumb idea to me was the best thing to have done to end the 2012 year with choir. Then we all huddled up for a group hug and did our choir group hand-huddle, yelling out "Attack!"

I also didn't forget about my big sib, and of course had my two sketches of us together for him. These portraits are of two of my favorite pictures we have together so far. One is of our very first meeting at the Big sib Lil sib revealing and the second is at our first performance together at FATD's (Filipino American Thanksgiving Dinner) where we made silly faces. Of course I had to write a super long, cheesy message on the back of one of them. I was reluctant to hand it to him, saying it doesn't look right, but he was excitedly prompting me to see it, saying "what is it?" so I finally handed them over to him. I saw his face break out into a smile and I could see he loved it, despite my rusty drawing skills (haven't practiced drawing over the summer since AP Studio Art). He thanked me, saying "you're the best lil ever!" and hugged each other. Later that night, when I got back to my dorm, he texted saying he read the message and loved it and that we have to meet up before vacation to study for finals together or just destress, ending his text with "I love you, lil <3". Of course when I read that I broke out into a smile and in that instant I knew we were infinite...no just kidding (The Perks of Being a Wallflower reference). I knew that he somehow was meant to be my Big Sib, because I have never had such strong, special bonds with people in high school and I never made the effort. However, the Fil-Am community here is so welcoming, friendly, and caring I crave for their company everytime there are socials or events with them. My Big always looks out for me and I just wanted to show my thanks with a "lil" gift from myself.