Review: Organic Green Tea - Ito En

Type: Green (sencha leaves with matcha)
Producer: Ito En/Kirkland Signature
Origin: Japan
Brewing Parameters: 80°C, 30s, 1.5g tea bag (recommended)
Appearance: Square nylon bag with green tea fannings and matcha powder
Rating: C- | 72/100
# of Brews: 1

Tasting Notes and Thoughts
The funny thing about this tea is that this is actually Costco branded, but produced by Ito En (so the quality isn't that bad). It's different in the fact that it has both sencha and matcha; if I had to guess, the matcha is added in order to get a deep green color. It works, too. After a short, thirty second brew, the liquid was a cloudy, dark yellowish green with some matcha visible at the bottom of the cup.

Despite the color, the smell wasn't too strong; I could get some light, grassy notes with a lemony citrus. In the taste, the sencha was the dominant flavor. It's soupy– somewhat vegetal– with a grassy sweetness that is overtaken by a long, sour note in the aftertaste. In the background, there is the signature taste of low or cooking-quality matcha, that somewhat fishy flavor. One problem I could find with this tea is that it needs to be consumed fast. The matcha in the water continues the brewing long after you take the tea bag out, so I can see it getting bitter after a while. Overall, for the price point, you're definitely getting your money's worth– especially since there are a hundred tea bags in the box. It's average, but I can see this as a good way to integrate green tea into your cooking or for making iced tea.

Other Notes
Today's album is another eternity by Purity Ring. I'm still listening to the album as I write this, so I don't have much to say, but it's good electronic music with great vocals. I think they came up as a recommended band after I started listening to Grimes, and I'm glad I found them. My favorite song so far is bodyache.

I just returned from my AP biology teacher's funeral. It was nice to see everyone there; the church was filled, I saw many of my friends and teachers, there was a lot of crying, and I finally feel some closure from it. That's all I really have to say about that. Later today, I'm going to go to the county fair with one of my unitmates, the girl from the other team, and some of her friends. It's supposed to be a date between my unitmate and this guy she likes from the other team, so that'll be exciting.

As for stuff I have planned, I still have three days at work– watched a trial about recklessly setting a fire yesterday– a speech to present, a trip to San Francisco with one of my UCLA friends, possibly a Minnesota trip, UC Berkeley homework, We the People meetings, and a few more things. I'm busier than I thought I'd be, but at least I'll be ready for college!

Writing: College Application Essays #7 (Swarthmore)

Prompt:

Please write about why you are interested in applying to and attending Swarthmore.

In his Twelfth Annual Report, Horace Mann wrote “Education... is the great equalizer of the conditions of men– the balance-wheel of the social machinery.” Education is the sole reason why my family was able to leave the farming provinces of Philippines. Education is why, today, I’m able to go to college in America.

For that reason, I believe that the goal of education is to allow students to discover their interests. It should be intellectually challenging and make you uncomfortable. Success, therefore, should come from a genuine love for learning.

However, living in an upper-middle class suburb in the Bay Area, I’ve found that not everyone shares the same views. Here, the emphasis is on grades– as long as you end the semester with an A, it doesn’t matter how much work you put in or how you got the grade. For most, the ends must justify the means; as long as you go to a well-known, Ivy League college, cheating or having a stress-filled four years is acceptable.

Swarthmore’s mission fits more in line with my own ideology. I want to attend because of the challenges the college offers and the emphasis it places on learning– not grades. The Honors Program, in particular, illustrates this. Through Oxford tutorials, students are encouraged to pursue their  interests with those who have similar passions. At Swarthmore, I hope to take advantage of these opportunities, and meet others with the same motivation.

Review: Organic Detox Infusion - Mighty Leaf

Type: Herbal/Tisane
Producer: Mighty Leaf
Origin: Unknown
Brewing Parameters: 90-100°C, 5 min., 3.3g tea bag
Appearance: Dried, broken up dull green leaves (mint and basil?) with white flower petals in a nylon bag
Rating: C | 75/100
# of Brews: 1

Tasting Notes and Thoughts
Doubly quick review today, since this is a tea bag and I'm getting ready for bed. I forgot the story of this tea bag; I'm guessing I got it with the last Mighty Leaf bag I got a long time ago, which my mom brought home from who-knows-where. Since I've had a number of drinks with a ridiculous amount of sugar earlier– milk tea from Plentea and a chai from Starbucks– I thought this would be a nice way to wind down the day.

After brewing, the liquid came out a clear orange color with a strong scent of mint. I could see some sediment at the bottom, but that may just be calcium from the hard water in my area. Like most mint-based teas/tisanes, the main taste is sour, with a cooling sensation in the mouth and throat afterwards. I can also taste some soapy, bitter flavors (I'm guessing the basil? I don't know) along with herbal, smoky notes that are similar to marijuana, especially in the back of the mouth. It's kind of spicy, too, which is interesting. I wish the packaging would give more information as to what is in this tea, but in my opinion, it's decent. I'd prefer a cleaner mint-only tea, but if you're into that detox stuff, go for this tea. Personally, I think detox tea is a gimmick; if you want to detox, just buy a tea you enjoy drinking and have that for a day.


Other Notes
Today's album is Pressure Chief by Cake. I've heard it so many times, it's one of my favorite albums at this point. I like almost every song on the album, but my favorites are Wheels, Dime, and End of the Movie. There's a nice variety on there, and the lyrics are amazing. Listen to it sometime; I have since elementary school, I think.

Happy pride! I brought one of my unit members to the parade today since it was her first-ever pride, and it was pretty fun. We made a poster saying "I show up because of Loving v. Virginia + Obergefell v. Hodges" and a lot of people in the parade liked it; I got a few hugs from that. Compared to the last time I went, there's a lot less nude people out and about (probably because it was cold today) and a lot more drunk and high people, with others selling weed out in the open to anyone who had cash. We were going to go to the Civic Center for food, too, but the line at security was way too long; instead, we went to Plentea and walked all the way to Fisherman's Wharf to have lunch at Boudin and play games at the Musee Mechanique. Like most of my arcade days, there was a lot of air hockey. After that, we stopped at the Ferry Building for ice cream and headed home. Eventful day. There was a lot of walking.

Last night, I had a bad movie night with a friend– one who I had a crush on sophomore year. Funny story about that; when I was interested in dating her, I went to one of our mutual friends to help me out. After I spent a while getting nowhere (since I was pretty shy at the time and much more socially awkward than I am now), I ended up hitting it off with our mutual friend, since we found out we could have conversations for hours on end, and we ended up dating for almost a year instead. I'm sure I've talked about that relationship on this blog before. As for the bad movie night, it was fun; I cooked dinner for her and her brother, and we watched The Room and Shaolin Soccer (the latter being a pretty funny movie– I liked it). We cuddled a bit, and her parents told us to behave ourselves when they came home and went upstairs. I don't know what she thinks about me, but we did go on a mini-golfing date (technically) earlier this summer, and we're close and comfortable with each other since we've been friends for years. She's going to Canada for college, so I guess there's the pressure of making the time left this summer count (as with all of my other friends).

Review: English Breakfast - Organa

Type: Black
Producer: Organa
Origin: Tanzania
Brewing Parameters: 90-100°C, one 4.8 g bag, 3-5 min., 12 oz. water
Appearance: A circular, paper/cloth tea bag ("pod") with small CTC black leaves
Rating: C+| 78/100
# of Brews: 1

Tasting Notes and Thoughts
Now that I'm done with my loose leaf tea backlog, I can finally get to all of the tea bags I've been meaning to review. As with my previous teabag reviews, these are going to be a bit shorter because they usually can only be brewed once in small amounts; there isn't enough leaf most of the time. Before I end this blog around August 14 (Berkeley move-in date), I want to reach 200 total reviews and I think this last round of teas will bring me there. If not, well, I can always buy more tea.

The story behind this tea is a simple one. I think we were practicing in San Francisco for the national competition for We the People at some law firm, and while we were waiting to begin, they let us use their coffee and tea. Since the packaging of this tea looks very fancy, I took one bag home to review, and three or four months later, here we are. Surprisingly, there is a large amount of leaf in these pods, as they are advertised, which are similar in shape to Trader Joe's Irish Breakfast tea. One thing I thought was cool was that the bag had "This Side Down" printed on its side, which helped keep the bag submerged while brewing (pod-style teabags tend to float because of air trapped inside).

I brewed it for three minutes or so, and the liquid came out a very dark, opaque brown. It had the standard smell of English breakfast, with its brown sugar, earthy, and slightly musty aroma. It was much more coffee-like than other brands I've tried; it tasted bitter, with some sour notes and what I could best compare to soy sauce. It's not astringent, but it did leave a waxy texture on the tongue and I could taste the bitter flavor long after. It's been a while since I've drank English Breakfast, but I think I've had better than this. Bonus points for its packaging (and for being organic, if you're into that), but the verdict is that it's an average blend. I recommend drinking it with milk to mask those coffee flavors if you don't like them.

Other Notes
Today's album is the Hamilton: An American Musical soundtrack by Lin-Manuel Miranda. I know it's late, but a friend finally made me listen to it in its entirety (especially since one of the themes this year at Berkeley is Hamilton) and it's pretty good. I usually prefer to watch the actual musical, either in movie form or in a theatre, before I listen to the soundtrack; however, this stands on its own as an interesting drama on its own. It also helps to have a strong background in American history to appreciate it.

Work at the District Attorney's office isn't great. I don't think I'm cut out for an administrative office job; a lot of the work is pretty mind-numbing and repetitive. As for everything else, I've watched a few movies lately– Young Frankenstein and Moana, to name two. I'm not getting shifts at the ice cream shop, which is a pain since I'd like the extra money. I've been hanging out with people more, particularly my We the People unit, one of my best friends going to Berkeley too, and an old friend. I also went to the grad party of someone in the unit of that girl I like from the other team, which went a lot better. I met a few people and it was fun (wasn't awkward either), but for future reference, I need to remember these two things: don't sweat the small things, and confidence is not the same as having no filter. I should work on that.

Lastly, I started that online class for Berkeley. It's interesting enough, with the assigned readings and all, and gives me practice for my writing. But, as I read the responses of my peers there, I wonder; why was I chosen for the Regent's scholarship? Everyone there is amazing at writing and very intelligent, sometimes much more than I think I am. I wonder if I come off as smart as everyone else there; I also wonder if I'll be cut out for Berkeley. I guess it's a bit frightening (for lack of a better term) to think about how everyone is as hard-working, motivated, and smart as I am, but also exciting at the same time. Maybe I'll finally be average there at Berkeley, and it's a weird feeling since I've talked with friends about how I never wanted to be as distinguished as I ended up being in high school. We'll see once school starts, but if I do write about it, it'll probably be on a new blog. Thanks for reading.

Writing: College Application Essays #6 (Brown)

(Note: Some responses here for essays were copied from my responses to other schools, like the extracurricular prompts. They are not included.)

Prompt: Why Brown?

Unlike other colleges, Brown offers students a sense of freedom, exploration, and participation in their education. Through the Open Curriculum, interdisciplinary study is the focus, while a broad education, one with a basis in language or number, is the foundation.

I believe that education should push students to study what they’re interested in– not what would be easy or provide a good grade. Your classes should make your uncomfortable and question commonly accepted beliefs. You shouldn’t be forced to stay on a single track; you should be offered multiple to discover what you’re truly passionate about.

In high school, I’ve tried to stay true to these beliefs, taking both unusual and challenging classes to foster my intellectual curiosity. This year, for example, I’m taking African American literature, the first and only class on people of color. At Brown, I hope to continue doing what I love: learning new things.

Prompt: Tell us where you have lived - and for how long - since you were born; whether you’ve always lived in the same place, or perhaps in a variety of places.

I’ve lived here my entire life. It’s a quaint neighborhood, lined with similar brown and blue condos. At the entrance is a lantern perched upon a red brick tower. Its light marks a transition between suburbia and a century-old town.

Years ago, there were only four kids, and we grew up together. But, as time passed, we drifted apart, found new friends and eventually moved out.    

Now, a new generation enters. These kids do the same things, playing and laughing together. Watching them, I think of the others– what we’ll do, where we’ll go.  

And still, the lantern glows.   

Prompt: We all exist within communities or groups of various sizes, origins, and purposes; pick one and tell us why it is important to you, and how it has shaped you.

My school’s student body is sixty percent Caucasian, twenty percent Asian, and ten percent Hispanic, followed by African Americans and others. Compared to other Bay Area schools, my school is diverse in terms of race. However, it lacks in economic diversity.

Students can afford expensive preparatory programs, and as a result, academics become ultra-competitive. Students are judged solely by their GPA or test scores.

Here, I am an outsider. To me, my school symbolizes the classism in education throughout America. But, still, I have benefited from it; in overcoming this challenge, I’ve learned that passion for education is key to success.

Writing: College Application Essays #5 (Haverford)

Prompt:
Tell us about a topic or issue that sparks your curiosity and gets you intellectually excited. How do you think the environment at Haverford, including the framework of the Honor Code, would foster your continued intellectual growth?

In 1925, the Supreme Court held in Gitlow v. New York that states may not infringe on the First Amendment’s protection of free speech. This case set into motion the doctrine of selective incorporation, in which certain rights in the Bill of Rights have been applied to the states. In the ninety years since, the Court has incorporated almost every right except the Third and Seventh Amendments and parts of the Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth.

As a result, the Court has protected and created many rights we see as vital today– for example, our Miranda rights in Miranda v. Arizona and the exclusionary rule in Mapp v. Ohio. Everyday, we can see the Bill of Rights and legal precedent at work in our own lives.

    At my high school, I’ve pursued my interest in Constitutional law through my Competition Civics class. Through it, I’ve spent many hours discussing questions like “Should the government surveil the internet without a warrant?” or “Are free speech zones a violation of the First Amendment?” with those who have the same passion in our history and law.

I think that Haverford will be the perfect place for me to continue these intellectual discussions. With the Honor Code and freedom offered to students, the emphasis is on learning and exploring issues– not grades and rote memorization. Haverford’s environment is tailored to those who love to learn, and there, I hope to meet others who feel the same about the Bill of Rights and education.

Prompt: 
Please tell us what motivated you to apply to Haverford and what excites you most as you imagine your Haverford experience.

For me, high school has been a time of exploration. Freshman year, I was interested in aerospace engineering. Sophomore year, it was environmental science. Junior year, statistics. This year, it’s American history, government, and law. And to be completely honest, I still haven’t made up my mind as to what I should pursue; I’ve loved learning about it all. That’s why I’m applying to Haverford– because I believe that the freedom offered there will foster my intellectual curiosity.   

As I imagine my Haverford experience, I’m most excited about the senior thesis. I love finding connections between subjects and applying what I’ve learned to real life. I want to find answers to questions such as “Can biology be used for transportation theory?” or “Why does the American constitutional system fail in many other countries?” With these opportunities, Haverford will help me grow as both a student and an individual.

Writing: College Application Essays #4 (Cornell)

Prompt: Why are you drawn to studying the major you have selected? Please discuss how your interests and related experiences have influenced your choice. Specifically, how will an education from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and Cornell University help you achieve your academic goals?

The future is uncertain. It always has been; however, through a number of chance discoveries and scientific breakthroughs, that uncertain future has appeared bright. New technologies, such as petroleum and electricity, have dramatically increased our standards of living and ensured that we have lights in our homes and food on our plates.  

But, eventually, our luck will run out. Fossil fuels are finite. A quickly growing population threatens limited food supplies. Carbon emissions contribute to global warming, which jeopardizes global biodiversity. In other words, we’re living on borrowed time and our bright future has dimmed.

Fear, they say, is a powerful motivator. In elementary school, I remember scientists coming into our room to talk about global warming and the problems it poses to us in the future. In middle school, I read articles saying that the end is nigh, and that we are in the sixth extinction event. The gravity of the situation never really sunk in until high school, when I began to do my own research.

In Sophomore year, I tried to tackle the question of alternative energies. I turned to biofuels as a potential solution. As part of a project for AP Biology and the science fair, I tested the effects of electricity on algae growth with two other classmates. We believed that by adding a slight electrical current to a bioreactor, we could increase the rate of reaction in cyclic electron transport during photosynthesis. The data was insufficient to make a conclusion, but it made me realize that in order to solve the world’s environmental issues, there needs to be much more work done in order to make progress.

The year after, I decided to tackle another issue– something that directly affects our daily lives, like public transportation and carbon emissions. Rather than take a physical or engineering standpoint on this issue, I used my biology background and the concept of energy homeostasis. Living organisms constantly attempt to balance their energy input and output in the most efficient way– so why can’t we do that with transportation and fuel? As it turns out, we already do. In my tests, I found that physarum polycephalum, a slime mold, recreated the layout of current highways and rail systems almost exactly.

During those six months of testing, while my room was littered with petri dishes and yellow webs of slime mold, I came to another realization. Our solutions to these global issues require collaboration and open-minds. Innovation comes from intersection; in my case, the intersection of biology and civil engineering. As a whole, scientists, whether they specialize in chemistry, physics, biology, geology, or any other science, must cooperate in order to succeed. New perspectives are our key to survival.

In Cornell’s case, these intersections are between food, environmental, social, and life sciences. At the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the focus is not on one of these fields. Rather, the focus is on resilience and effecting change in the world. That is our best bet in changing our future for the better; our education must be broad in order to see the connections that exist between life and society.

The world’s problems are not limited to one discipline. In the end, my academic goal is to ensure that future generations have food, water, and a place to live at the same, if not better, quality than today. Individual and public health, no matter the location, is the utmost goal. From Philippines to the United States, people now and later deserve their most basic needs.

Cornell and its College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is the place where I can achieve that goal. With the experience and education I will receive there, I can enter the world, ready to face that dimming future.

Review: Oriental Beauty - Unknown

Type: Oolong
Producer: Unknown
Origin: Taiwan
Brewing Parameters: 6g, 90°C, gongfu style
Appearance: Very loosely rolled leaves, brown, orange and white, connected to thin twigs
Rating: A | 93/100
# of Brews: 5

Tasting Notes and Thoughts
For the Taiwan set of reviews, I think this may be the last one; I have a few other random tea bags and powdered/instant teas, but I'll most likely make those standalone posts. Anyway, like most other teas I've reviewed in this round, I've tried this beforehand but I've only gotten around to writing about it now.

So, the producer is actually on the packaging in English for this tea, but the font is so ridiculously small that I can't read it. There are also English instructions, but they're also very basic and describe how to brew in gongfu style, so I don't have much to work off of. To make up for it, I'll just be doing what I've usually been doing: six grams, flash brews, and boiling water.

Since this is an oriental beauty, it's very fragrant; the leaves are fruity, like a honeyed citrus with apples. The liquid is similar in color to beer (a golden yellow color) and smelled the same as the wet leaf. Compared to other oriental beautys I've tried– Ten Ren's and Tea Ave's– my first response is that this tea is much sweeter. It has some earthy undertones, but the main flavor is lemon; if I had to compare it to anything, I'd say it's like diluted lemon juice. However, rather than ending on a sour note, it becomes sweeter like honey or a dark caramel. There is no astringency, and it's a very smooth drink.

Funny thing is that while I was writing this review, my grandma was peeling an orange next to me and I thought that the orange scent was coming from the tea. They're actually very similar, but an orange is just a little bit sweeter in scent. Overall, this is one of the better oriental beauties I've tried; I'd like to compare it to Tea Ave's again, but I'd need to put in another order and right now my gut says this one is better.


Other Notes

Today's album is Chillhop Essentials - Summer 2017. I found it through The Cancel, one of my favorite bands for chill, jazz hiphop beats, and it's not a bad album at all. Chillhop always makes for some good rainy day or late night work music.

Well, first week of work is done. I still don't feel like I enjoy office work particularly much, but the District Attorney's office is very relaxed and the work isn't too hard. I have some other small things to do outside of that, like an online summer class for incoming Cal freshmen, a speech about human trafficking for the program I'm interning with, reading some books (Slapstick by Vonnegut right now), and improving my handwriting. I'm also still working at the ice cream shop, which I have a shift for today. Oh, and I've been driving so I'm on track to get my license before I head off to college.

After a lot of thinking, I need to work on my confidence in college. I can get somewhat nervous around people I don't know too well sometimes. My fix for that is to get out of the house more often and hang out with people, so I can just get more comfortable socializing and conversing. I guess I'm not as bad as I think I am, but it's still a bit scary going to a new place.

Writing: College Application Essays #3 (Amherst)

(Note: As I stated previously, I'll be posting the supplemental essays in clusters because a lot of them are just very short essays.)

Prompt:

Please respond to one of the following quotations in an essay of not more than 300 words. It is not necessary to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken; we are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts. Remember that your essay should be personal in nature and not simply an argumentative essay.

“Creating an environment that allows students to build lasting friendships, including those that cut across seemingly entrenched societal and political boundaries...requires candor about the inevitable tensions, as well as about the wonderful opportunities, that diversity and inclusiveness create."

Carolyn "Biddy" Martin, 19th President of Amherst College, from Letter to Amherst College Alumni and Families, December 28, 2015.

Sitting in my first-period African American Literature class, I drowsily think: it’s only been fifty or so years since the institution of Jim Crow ended, and we’ve already come so far. Because of the work of the Warren Court and civil rights activists such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Mario Savio, Rosa Parks, and many others, it’s now completely acceptable for me to work and study with extremely diverse people.

By the standards of the 1950s, the group I volunteer with must look like a circus troupe. In fact, the entire situation probably looks like a freak show: a short Filipino working with an African American veteran, two undocumented Mexican middle school girls, an Indian couple, and a white college-aged female musician serving sandwiches to half-naked men and women at San Francisco Pride. If George Wallace, the famous segregationist, saw us, he’d probably be sick.

Regardless, I’m glad we’ve gone this far. These opportunities, from a place where I can work with these kinds of people, have allowed me to grow and become more accepting of other cultures. They’ve taught me the basics of food preparation– how to chop and fry plantains, put together a jerk sandwich, and dress a falafel. More importantly, they’ve also shown me that despite skin color, sexuality, background, or any other characteristic that separates us, we’re all similar in our hopes, dreams, and success.

From my own experience, I’ve found that diversity and inclusiveness are extremely important to producing widespread change. When we’re exposed to those different than us, our horizons expand greatly, and new doors open for all. Even so, we must be ready to face the challenges that come with opening those doors, and accept the new worlds hidden behind them.

Prompt:

Please briefly elaborate on an extracurricular activity or work experience of particular significance to you.

“Good afternoon. We are Unit 5. We’d like to thank you for listening to our testimony.” Since October, I’ve said these words countless times as part of my school’s We the People program– a national competition focusing on the American Constitution.

In this program, my unit’s focus is the Bill of Rights and the issues that surround it. In a four minute prepared speech and eight minute question-and-answer session, we have to answer questions such as: “Can police search cellphones without a warrant?” “How have women and minorities benefited from the freedom of assembly?” “Should student speech, on social media, be limited by school officials?”

For me, We the People has defined senior year. Through this program, I’ve learned law, history, philosophy, current events, and more. From working with my team very closely these past few months, I’ve improved significantly at public speaking, argumentation, and cooperation– all skills which will help me succeed in college and the future.

Prompt:

If you have engaged in significant research in the natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, social sciences or humanities that was undertaken independently of your high school curriculum, please provide a brief description of the research project.

How can biological models be used in transportation design? One organism that addresses this question is physarum polycephalum, a simple slime mold. Due to the concept of energy homeostasis, this organism creates an efficient web which balances energy intake with expenditure. As a result, when food sources are placed in the geographic locations of cities, this organism will form a blueprint, reducing fuel usage, greenhouse gas emissions, and travel time, whilst increasing distance travelled.

Review: Bao Chung Oolong - Unknown

Type: Oolong
Producer: Unknown
Origin: Taiwan
Brewing Parameters: 90°C, fill 2/3rds of brewing vessel with leaf, gongfu style (recommended)
Appearance: Mix of dark and light green rolled leaves of a large size
Rating: A | 94/100
# of Brews: 5

Tasting Notes and Thoughts
I actually forgot I had this tea; I thought I only had one left to review, and when I was looking through my bag of Taiwan teas, I found this one. It's in a nice, large gift box and has a decent amount of English information on it including brewing instructions and nutritional facts. For one, this tea already wins in presentation.

After googling a bit about this tea, it's supposed to be very fragrant– and this one is no exception. Once the tea was washed, my pot had a very strong, sweet floral scent just emanating from it.
Since the leaves were loosely rolled (6 grams took up a large amount of space in my teapot), I did very fast brews, essentially just pouring the water in and pouring the tea off. The liquid came out a clear, bright yellow-gold color with a scent similar to the leaves, but with a little more caramel scent instead of floral. For the taste, it's just how it smells, with sweet notes of jasmine, honey, and very light fruit, probably cantaloupe. I also tasted a little bit of tomato, but this is more of a greener, sweet tea. It's generally smooth, with a clean aftertaste, but I can see it getting astringent if you brew at high temperatures for a long time.

I ended around maybe the fifth brew, but the tea was still going strong; the color became more golden and the flavor was similar to when I started. This is actually one of the better teas in the Taiwan set I've had– so far, the high mountain green and this one are those I've liked the most– and I can't believe I forgot about this one. Overall, it's enjoyable, following the taste of most Taiwan high mountain teas, but just a little less grassy.


Other Notes
Today's album is the Committed to the Crime EP by Chaos Chaos. Like most other people recently, I found them through their song Do You Feel It? which was in Rick and Morty a while back. They're pretty good; I recommend it.

Anyway, it's been an interesting past two days. Yesterday, I figured out my schedule for next year– history of Asian Americans through musicals seminar, chemistry, math, English, and political science– and went to the girl from the other team's grad party. I guess it wasn't a great day; it's kind of hard to socialize with people when everyone else knows each other, and I don't think I'm the best at meeting people. After staying there, giving her a gift, talking with a mutual friend, and eating, I walked a couple miles home for two hours. Thinking about it, I'm a "nice guy" in relationships and it isn't that great; it leads to some awkward situations. So, when college starts, the plan is to try to be more confident and assertive to try and make friends (and for relationships, too).

Today, I started work at the District Attorney's office. It mainly was just a lot of filing, refiling, and mundane/monotonous work, so it wasn't that interesting. It's a nice experience since it's my first office job, but from my first day, I'm not sure how I feel about it. Personally, I prefer actually getting out and moving about. I'll give it a week. Also, I'm getting better at driving, so that's fun, but right now with work, time management is what I need to work on. I'm currently watching the NBA finals right now, so I'll get back to you all after another review.

Review: Taiwan Black Tea - Unknown

Type: Black
Producer: Unknown
Origin: Taiwan
Brewing Parameters: 90°C, 6g, gongfu style
Appearance: Mix of dark and light brown curled/rolled leaves of medium size
Rating: B | 83/100
# of Brews: 4

Tasting Notes and Thoughts
Short review today because I'm busy and not really feeling going in depth on this one. This is one of the teas that is almost completely in Chinese except for the name (which is pretty vague on its own). Because of that, I don't really have much information to go off of and I'll just assume that it's a standard black tea.

Interestingly, the dry leaf is relatively pungent– with a smoky, malty smell. When brewed, the leaf became a bit more sour smelling, but kept the smoky notes. For some reason, I keep thinking this is fermented (smells slightly like it'd be). The liquid was a nice clear, bright orange-amber color with very quick brew times; since the leaves were loosely rolled, there was no need to brew for more than five or ten seconds. As for the taste, it's similar to the Azores Pekoe Black. It's very malty (like it smells), somewhat earthy, and ends on a sour note. It's a bit astringent, but doesn't really have an aftertaste. All in all, it's not a bad tea, but it's not great– it's average. I'd be interested in trying it with milk, just for the hell of it.


Other Notes
As I said above, busy day today. I'm taking my permit test (again), getting my suit dry cleaned for work (starting work at the Fremont DA's office on Monday!), getting some gifts for peoples' grad parties, and maybe hanging out with friends. The goal is to get my license by July, so we'll see how that goes. I also start an online class for incoming Berkeley freshmen next week, which I'm unsure if it'll be a waste of time or not, but it's two free units so I'm not really complaining.

I feel like I shouldn't work this much this summer because it's the first time I really don't have that many responsibilities, but I don't know. I wish I could travel like it a lot of my friends are doing. My ex told me a while ago that I'm probably going to be one of those people who end up constantly working their ass off and never have a social life, which kind of sucks. I'm going to try and fix that this summer and in college; it's hard since I never really had the same high school experience as a lot of my friends. Oh well.

Also, remember that girl from the other comp civics team? We were going to hang out next week, but she ended up bailing on me last night. It's been kind of on par for how our relationship has been; she says she just wants to be friends (which I'm fine with), but always just seems kind of cold to me in my opinion. I'm going to her grad party this Sunday; I don't know how that's going to go. I should really move on, but it's easier said than done. So it goes.

Writing: College Application Essays #2 (Common App)

(Note: I realized that a few of my essays are rehashes of previous things I've written, just shortened - like Towards Tomorrow's Dreams, which I posted previously. I will not be posting those here again. Some other essays are different versions of the same concept– my UC essays talk about the same things in the Common App– but I think they're different enough that I can post those twice.)

Prompt: Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

“[The] American system... is founded upon the conception that only through ordered liberty, freedom, and equal opportunity to the individual will his initiative and enterprise spur on the march of progress.” – Herbert Hoover, 1928

Beginning in 1607, immigrants have come to America in search of new wealth, new liberty, or a new life. Through the existence of free land in the West, Americans have formed a deep commitment to the ideals of social mobility and rugged individualism; everyone, and anyone, can succeed through hard work. Such a mindset has created the American Dream: a distinct, unwavering work ethic and optimism not found anywhere else.

However, the problem arises when history has proven that this dream is not attainable for everyone. In the case of many minorities, such as women, African-Americans, and Asian-Americans, the system has worked to continually prevent their success.

For example, the eighty-year battle for female suffrage only succeeded when groups such as the National American Woman Suffrage Association advocated that women are not equal– but only more morally upright than men. Now, campaigns for equal rights are accompanied by calls for the rights to one’s body and equal pay for equal work.   

For African-Americans, while the institution of slavery ended, racism has led to lynchings, Jim Crow laws and, today, issues of police brutality. Especially for the working-class black male, the threat of mass incarceration is real; the school-to-prison pipeline punishes petty criminals and prevents their reintegration back to society.

For Asian-Americans such as myself, while they have settled in America as early as the 16th century, they have been seen as subordinate– a view which only recently has begun to change. As Carlos Bulosan wrote in his memoir, America is in the Heart, “[In the United States, I heard] an angry chorus shouting: ‘Why don’t they ship those monkeys back where they came from?’” Similar patterns continue for all minority groups– Native Americans, Latino Americans, Muslims, and others– through time.

However, despite the fact that time has proven that the American dream only exists for a minority of the majority, it still thrives today. Americans have faith in the institutions that have historically discriminated against them for three centuries. While we have made great strides in such a short period, there is a long way to go before we achieve the goal of the Declaration of Independence: a nation where “all men are created equal... endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

This issue has no perfect solution. For me, I believe that history education is the first step to a progressive society. By looking at the mistakes of the past, we ensure that we do not follow in the same footsteps. The comparisons we can make across time allow us to better understand who we are, and in turn, how we can improve as a collective. We must recognize that while our ancestors were capable of great good, they were also capable of terrible wrongs.

For many Americans today, including my parents– first generation immigrants from rural provinces in the Philippines, history does not stop them. Nor does it stop me. The paradox of the American Dream thrives on the fact that we, as a nation, are idealists; no matter what, we have the choice to take the initiative to change the status quo. We love to root for the underdog, as they stand tall against the immeasurable challenge before them.

“It is but fair to say that America is not a land of one race or one class of men... America is not bound by geographical latitudes. America is not merely a land or an institution... America is a prophecy of a new society of men: of a system that knows no sorrow or strife or suffering.” – Carlos Bulosan, 1946

Review: Preferred Taiwan Mountain Tea - Guang Ying

Type: Oolong
Producer: Guang Ying
Origin: Taiwan
Brewing Parameters: 100°C, 3 min., gongfu style (recommended); using 6 g
Appearance: Small dark green, balled oolong with visible stems/twigs
Rating: A- | 91/100
# of Brews: 5

Tasting Notes and Thoughts
In all honesty, trying to find any information in English about these teas on the boxes is like an easter egg hunt. I got lucky with this one, since the brewing info was in English, but nothing else really was. With the name, appearance, and smell, I'm going to assume this is a high altitude oolong. Since there was no water volume listed on the packaging, I'm not going to follow the recommended 3 minute brewing time; I'm doing quick 10-30 second brews only.

Interestingly, the dry leaf smelled similar to jasmine flowers, although this tea is not flavored. Like most of the high altitude oolongs I've tried, the liquid had a smell that's somewhat creamy, grassy, and sweet; it's fragrant. As for the color, it's a clear light yellow that turned only a little bit greener as the drinking session went on. The flavor itself is surprisingly floral, a bit like rose (instead of jasmine, which is what the smell would lead you to believe). It's mostly sweet (slightly milky but not ridiculously sweet like a Jin Xuan) with a very dull sour taste that lingers in the mouth as an aftertaste. The texture is smooth with little astringency. Overall, I like this tea– I wish I knew exactly what cultivar it is so I could order more online, but oh well. Looks like there's more exploring to do.

Other Notes

Today's album is Acid Rap by Chance the Rapper. Fun album; favorite songs on this album are Juice and Cocoa Butter Kisses. I'm going to remember driving with my friends to get dinner, blasting this album, and singing along during my last week of finals.

Anyway, I started working out again and I am already sore (which is telling of something). I had a regular schedule a couple of weeks ago but stopped because school got busy, but now that it's summer, I have a lot of free time. My daily to-do list has usually just been this blog, exercising, cooking, cleaning, college stuff, driver's test prep, and reading. I'm trying to get out and do stuff with people at least once a day so I'm not stuck inside all day.

Post-Graduation

After holding off of on writing this for a few days, I'm finally going to force myself to put down my thoughts. I graduated high school last friday, on June 6th, 2017. I begin a new life at the University of California, Berkeley, on August 14. In the meantime, I'm going to try and enjoy myself this summer vacation, although I still have a few plans and responsibilities: interning at the Alameda County District Attorney's office, writing for this blog, working at that ice cream shop, getting ready for Berkeley, and a few other things.

I'm sure I've mentioned this time and time again, but this year has defied my expectations– I wouldn't trade it for anything. We placed fifth in the national We the People competition. I'm the best mock trial journalist in California. I placed second in the area round of the American Legion oratorical contest. I judged for the science fair. I was accepted to all of the Universities of California I applied to, with some very good scholarships to boot. I graduated with a 4.0 unweighted GPA. I got a paid trip to UCLA and had a great time with some newly found friends. I've made so many friends and become close to so many of them. So much has happened in this short year that I never would have expected, especially if you saw who I was just a few years earlier. Hell, I even got the guts to ask a few girls out on dates. Who would've guessed?

I finally feel like I've left the shell I've lived in my entire life, and I'm so much happier for it. I still have problems stressing out about the future and opening up to people about my feelings and all that fun stuff, but that's alright. There's time, and there's hope. I don't know if this is how technically being an adult feels, but I'm indifferent about it. I expected that the moment I'd get up there on the stage and pick up my diploma I'd feel more free or more mature or more of anything, but I just feel the same. I feel like me, but me with just a little bit less off of my back. One of my friends said it took three days for graduation to really hit her last year– and I wonder, has it hit me yet? Maybe it never will. I don't mind.

But, this wasn't a perfect year. Nothing ever really is. There were high points and low points, like everything else in life. On May 20th, my friend and AP Chemistry lab partner's sister passed away after a long battle with cancer. She was young. On June 8th, my AP Biology teacher and science fair advisor suddenly passed away, just days after his retirement. For all that he did for me, I wish I spoke to him more or simply visited him to say hello once in a while. I have a picture with him at graduation, but that's it. I left one of my science fair pins in his old room as a sentimental gesture and thank you for all the help he's provided me these past few years.

Until recently, I've never really dealt with death, or at least it has never hit me as hard as it does now. Life is unfair, and it doesn't make sense sometimes. Good people go; bad people succeed, or get more than they ever really deserve. But, still, no one ever really is just good or just bad. You just have to push through those low points, and eventually come to terms that there is never really a reason to what happens in life. There's always light.

I still need to figure out how to deal with emotions and people. I need to learn how to help others and be a leader, and I think Berkeley will be the place to do that. I'm going to get that environmental sciences degree in memory of my teacher. I'm going to push through and continue the success of this year.

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."

Review: Ginseng Oolong - Loyal Tea

Type: Flavored Oolong
Producer: Loyal Tea
Origin: Taiwan
Brewing Parameters: 95-100°C (recommended); brewing with 6 g and gongfu style
Appearance: Medium sized balled leaves with a thick coating of dark green flavoring
Rating: B | 84/100
# of Brews: 5

Tasting Notes and Thoughts
Personally, I think this tea is kind of gimmicky– with my experience with blue people ginseng oolong from Vital Tea Leaf, it's good at first but gets very old very quickly. If you're unaware of what ginseng oolong generally is, it's a roasted oolong rolled into balls and then coated in a ginseng and stevia mix. It's interesting because it tastes like a regular roasted oolong, but has a very sweet aftertaste that stays on the breath long after drinking.

First off, compared to Vital Tea Leaf's, this oolong has larger leaves with more powder/flavoring. When I washed the tea (which I don't recommend), the liquid was somewhat of a bright green color; however, in every subsequent brew, it was a dark yellowish-gold color. The flavor itself is soupy and savory with some smoky coffee and sour notes. With the sweet taste of the flavoring, the sour taste is especially prevalent, coming in and leaving on the back end of the tongue quickly. This is no different from Vital Tea Leaf's; the trademark sweet aftertaste of ginseng oolong is prevalent on this one, too.

Overall, I think it's obvious what I think; while this particular brand is a good tea, ginseng oolong is nice as a once in a while drink. It's one of those teas that I would give to someone if they were knew to tea, because it's interesting and drunk more for the experience than the actual flavor.


Other Notes

Today's album is Lungs by Florence + the Machine. It's a bit old now, but I mainly chose it for the song Dog Days are Over (which I feel is pretty fitting, now that high school is over). The whole album is great, though; I wish I actually did a full listen a while ago.

I graduated on Friday. A lot has happened since then, but I'll save it for its own post. I don't really have much planned for the next few weeks, but I need to catch up on my writing and do some stuff for Berkeley.