This will default to miscellaneous

Dec 28, 2008

This will default to miscellaneous

Posted in: Miscellaneous, Academics & Research

When the most stressful thing in your life is having repetitive conversations about your future, life is too easy and things become a big deal. Things like rearranging the plates and cups in our cabinet in an artistic way. Like watching 6 episodes of the magic school bus. Like exfoliating. Then I took a nap. After my nap I fixed a rip in my pants, hooked up some wires to a telephone jack, talked about knitting a hat but had no clue how to actually do it, and video chatted with my grandparents in China. Conversation (always) goes like this:

I haven't visited China since I started college. I think I will go. This summer, after graduation. Graduation.

And there I go again, getting all queasy thinking about life after college, without the routine of classes and classmates and well-defined goals. Without the people and the place that have become a home for me. Well there's no way around it. After a couple years of getting comfortable MIT gives you the boot in the butt and tells you to get lost. And then what do you do? "What are you going to do after school?" I don't know, honestly. The prospect terrified me just last year, but with every incoming class, I can relate less and less and then I know it's time for me to go. And I think the prospect terrifies me as much as it ever did, but now it feels right that next semester is my last. It's a funny thing, one minute you think you'll never be ready to leave and then suddenly you just can't wait. You realize you've been preparing mentally for this day for four years.

So here it is, what became the biggest dilemma of my day: picking a yearbook photo.

I've narrowed it down to these, voted most popular among a sample of my friends/parents, arranged in order of smiley-ness.

#1: Are you looking at me?
#2: Everybody just calm down
#3: The one where my mom thinks my dimples look ugly
#4: Awkwaaaard.../I may or may not be in charge of my own destiny
#5: LOL. my gums are showing and I'm probably falling off this stool.

A more complete collection here. What do you think? Honestly, I probably have one in mind already and I just don't know which. I like the more serious ones over the more LOL ones. Just 'cause I'm a very very serious person.

Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)

Last one. I tend to be a smiling person.
Plus you look the prettiest there. Not to be a creeper or anything. I'm a straight female, I swear.

Posted by: Cris '13 on December 28, 2008

I'm also getting kinda queasy about leaving high school even though it's nowhere comparable to your final semester at MIT, and what you plan to do afterwards. What scares me the most is having to shift routines and realizing that this is the pivotal point of my life.

Of your photos, I like #2 and #3 the most.

Posted by: Stacy on December 28, 2008

In order: #4,3,5,1,2.

Yes, that's it, perfect! :p

Posted by: Suril on December 28, 2008

#4. Definitely.

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

I second Cris. Leave the cheeriest memories on the yearbook.

Posted by: Charlotte on December 28, 2008

Posted by: Yan on December 28, 2008

The fifth one. For the same reasons as Cris and Charlotte.

Posted by: Bethan on December 28, 2008

#4 gets my vote (assuming you'll take the democratic approach to selection)....best of luck to you!

Posted by: P'12 on December 28, 2008

#2!!

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4~ !!!

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

4 is the prettiest!

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

4. in all the others you either look weird or fat.

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

^ lol wut

you sound like my mom

Posted by: lulu on December 28, 2008

Posted by: anan on December 28, 2008

5!- coz after a few years you'll think- "Oh crap, I should've smiled- y couldn't I have smiled?!?! Was I that uptight?! And am I still like that?! oh god, now my therapist needs to teach me to smile!!"

Oops, sorry for the weird rant.

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

I vote 4. You look friendly, happy, and likable without being intimidating in your happiness

I think you look very pretty in all of them, though - choose based on the mood you're trying to convey.

@anonymous 11:53 ... what? Are we even looking at the same photos?

Posted by: Katie '13 on December 28, 2008

tie between 4 and 5

Posted by: priyanka on December 28, 2008

last one's great!
and ... nobody cares about your gums, and the rest are slightly awkward.

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

5 is my favorite!! But if you definitely want one of the more serious ones, go with 2. You look pretty, you're kind of smiling, ( unlike 1) and 3 looks a little funny.

Posted by: Rebeca on December 28, 2008

i like #4 and #1 !

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

I agree with Yan, #5!

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

4!!!!!

Posted by: lalalala on December 28, 2008

In #3 it looks like you're just about to burst into laughter and/or the camera guy is constipated. I root for #5!

Posted by: Ahana on December 28, 2008

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

#4, your have a very pretty smile and it looks most natural there. The others don't have enough of a smile, in my opinion, except for #5 which might be little too much.

You should've set up a php voting system or some such it seems haha.

I went through the same process choosing my yearbook picture a while back... I had my friends vote on a few out of 8 that I liked, and then chose a completely different one that none of them liked. So, good luck!

Also, in #3 I feel like you're about to burst out laughing.

Posted by: Cam on December 28, 2008

Posted by: :D on December 28, 2008

4 looks the best!

Posted by: melissa on December 28, 2008

Nr 4! Its the best one, you look just great there!

Posted by: Fouad on December 28, 2008

#4. Although, if #4 was to be randomly swept up into a black hole, #5 would do just as fine.

Posted by: Steph on December 28, 2008

^ the black hole created by the LHC?

I wish it would suck up some of these pictures, really would simplify things for me

Posted by: lulu on December 28, 2008

#4!

Posted by: Fiona on December 28, 2008

@ Lulu : Exactly. haha

Posted by: Steph on December 28, 2008

444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444

Posted by: mm on December 28, 2008

Nooooo, five!!! You look gorgeous in five!

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

4 for sure. 1 is my favorite but not for the yearbook.

Posted by: kayla '12 on December 28, 2008

omg magic school bus!! I love that show.

my ordered preference would be: 4, 5, 3, 1, 2. you actually kinda look like a spy in #1...like an international woman of mystery, haha.

Posted by: Mikey on December 28, 2008

im just too caught up in the irony of those prints having "do not copy" posted all over them. I figure if you're going to stick it to the man, do it for the whole world right?

btw, #4

Posted by: Austin on December 28, 2008

4!!

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

3rd is not too happy not too sad. Its perfect

Posted by: Ehsan on December 28, 2008

You look just like my sister and she isnt Chinese.... 5 is the best one

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

#4, definitely! you look natural

#1 looks like you're a bit mad.
#2 looks like you're smirking
#3 looks like you're about to compress a laugh
#5 looks like you're trying a little too hard

Posted by: 0 on December 28, 2008

4444444444444444!

Posted by: 0 on December 29, 2008

4 is the bestest :3

Posted by: 0 on December 29, 2008

i have a sneaking feeling some people are voting more than once

Posted by: lulu on December 29, 2008

i have a sneaking feeling some people are voting more than once

Posted by: lulu on December 29, 2008

lol -

you can change your name but you can't change your IP, 71.77.29.243!

Posted by: lulu on December 29, 2008

lol

Posted by: 0 on December 29, 2008

too bad i actually can.

Posted by: 0 on December 29, 2008

Oh oh.. someone playing with proxies! I always knew the online democracy wasn't that fair. :p

Posted by: Suril on December 29, 2008

garbage

Posted by: lulu on December 29, 2008

#4 in my opinion

and as much as i hate to admit to stereotypes, it seems a lot of the "typical asian family" stuff is true x.x

They say I look like my brother but if someone were to say I looked like my dad I would go o.o
-J Go

Posted by: Jamo G. on December 29, 2008

the stereotypes may be true, but the stereotypes are awesome. :]

Posted by: lulu on December 29, 2008

Posted by: Snively on December 29, 2008

lol ya
-J Go

Posted by: Jamo G. on December 29, 2008

Posted by: 0 on December 29, 2008

2 or 4

tough one

Posted by: 0 on December 29, 2008

dude! 2!!

Posted by: erik on December 29, 2008

I always love your blogs!

Posted by: Tim on December 29, 2008

Posted by: 0 on December 29, 2008

I like 4 and 2.

If I were you, I'd use 4.

Posted by: 0 on December 29, 2008

Pick one of the first three in this entry. [They aren't actually numbered...]

So cute!

Posted by: 0 on December 29, 2008

4. Definitely.

Posted by: 0 on December 29, 2008

2 is the cutest imo

Posted by: s on December 29, 2008

4!!! or 1

Posted by: 0 on December 29, 2008

2: I'm trying not to laugh at the guy tap dancing in the background.

At least that's what it looks like to me.

I'd go with 4 or 5

Posted by: 0 on December 29, 2008

You said you are a serious person. Number three would be the best picture for you. It is professional, sober but yet has a hint of happiness that radiates from behind those high cheekbones. And your eyes are best accentuated by this picture because your face is more relaxed around the eyebrows than the last two pictures. Cheers.

Posted by: Generic Bob on December 29, 2008

Lulu, I think you need to go to China to find your birth certificate. Don't pretend like you don't have one.

LOL!!! (I hope you get this reference)

Also, 4 or 5.

Posted by: Christina on December 30, 2008

lol how could i forget

seriously, most awkward thing ever

Posted by: lulu on December 30, 2008

Ur dimples r fabulous...don listen 2 ur mama

Posted by: Robyn on December 30, 2008

I prefer numbero dos y cuartro.
Really, its like #2 is all yeah I did it, and #4 says that you have the perfect smile and your smart and that you'll eventually conquer the world or China.
Okay maybe not the last one but hey you still have the first two.
You know if all else fails you can do eney, meeny, miny, moe!

Posted by: Francesca on December 30, 2008

I was wondering what led to this entry getting 60+ comments.....looks like its a thing about public opinion - heck,what about me?
Should be 3/4!
3 - Just right I feel - not too 'smiley' not too serious (the trait of your charcater which can be told by the pic. you've got as your banner)

4 - Smiley - but in a good way......

Posted by: Vaibhav on December 30, 2008

Number 4

Posted by: intleyes on December 30, 2008

Number 4 looks the best!!
Lulu>>> you do know how to speak Mandarin right?

Posted by: Helena on December 30, 2008

definitely either 4 or 5

Posted by: Anonymous on December 30, 2008

I think you should go with 4 or 1. They look the most natural and graceful. The others have a hint of strain in them.

Posted by: 0 on December 30, 2008

Come visit http://coltonprovias.com/?page_id=426 and chat with all of us hopeful students..

Posted by: Corey on December 30, 2008

4, maybe 2

Posted by: 0 on December 30, 2008

#4 looks most like you, methinks.

Posted by: mit 09 on December 30, 2008

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Posted by: lesbian on December 30, 2008

In this order: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5

Posted by: anonymous on December 31, 2008

If I were you, I would choose 4 or 5. I think they make you look the prettiest, though your other photos are still pretty anyway. =)

Good luck with your last semester! Your blog entries are very entertaining, I always look forward to them.

Posted by: Janet on December 31, 2008

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Posted by: damon on December 31, 2008

haha i loved the cartoon... i totally understand your situation.

i had an academically-related question. or questions. haha XD

you say that you came from china, right? how do you manage to write so well? haha XD do you read a lot?

secondly... how much time do you put into studying? and what's your typical schedule like?

haha; i hope these are not too intrusive! thanks so much!!

Posted by: rachel on January 1, 2009

it gotta be #4

Posted by: dmitriy vi on January 1, 2009

#4. c:

Posted by: stephanie on January 2, 2009

Definitely 4! ^-^ I like 5 too but 4 is better for the yearbook...

Posted by: alva on January 4, 2009

wait a minute, lesbian torture?

that ain't right

Posted by: lulu on January 5, 2009

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