iPhone Love

Why I love my iPhone (even though it's out of service):

• Thanks to my iPhone, I can text in style. Or at least pretend to.
• I can use my Instagram now (!) on a device of my own. My old phone's camera was "not compatible" with instagram (is there even such a thing nowadays?).
• I can pretend to text in public while in fact, I'd be playing Bejeweled. By doing so, I avoid awkward stand-alone-waiting-for-mom-to-pick-me-up situations AND I get a new Bejeweled high-score. (What can I say, I'm the Queen of Multitasking!)
• I always have Siri to entertain me when I'm bored.
  
  (or maybe not...)
• I'm no longer Sena-the-family-member-that-has-a-used-phone (it's true. We used to joke about how I had nothing. Ha-ha funny I know.)
• I don't have to go back and delete my internet history every time I open a new webpage because the phone's internal message is crappy (I'm not making this up.)
• I don't have to grimace and pretend my hijab is too thick that I can't hear well when someone asks me what phone I have.
• I CAN ACTUALLY USE MY PHONE IN PUBLIC.

But iPhones are TIME CONSUMING. (Me to iPhone: "No baby, I'm not complaining. I love you forever, I promise." Yes, I do talk to my iPhone and it's not even weird.)

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I think this will be my last blog post for a while now. My official exams are approaching and I have to focus on studying.

God, I hate grade 12.

BUT.

I love my iPhone.

Explosion in Beirut Today

This happens way too often that I can't think back to a time when there was no bombing and no problems in Lebanon. Imagine walking or driving your car casually on the road and then, all of sudden:

BOOM.

I was in Beirut with mom and dad today. Imagine my shock when I learned that a car exploded not far from where we were!
When I think about it, I think about the innocent people that were killed. How can someone live on, normally, knowing that he was the reason behind the deaths of innocent poeple?
We continue on with our lives as if nothing is wrong. I am not saying that that is a bad thing; because if we cannot move on than we cannot accomplish anything in life. Not moving on would keep us living in fear; we would be too scared to go to our jobs or take a walk or drive the car...
But the truth is that everything is not okay at all. Just because those events are way too familiar doesn't mean that everything is fine.
I guess, well.. Happy Holidays.

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*Pictures not mine.

Quote | Success

I'm linking up with the Daily Mayo for today's Quote Me Thursday:

This quote is especially important to me, I think it is super inspirational and motivating. When I'm watching TV or just sitting on Facebook or Twitter, or simply doing something useless, and I think of this quote, I (usually) get up and start studying or revert to doing something more productive. I hope this quote will motivate you like it motivates me!
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Do you have a special quote that motivates you?
Have a good day, and do something productive today! :]

Life Lately...

Lately...

• I have been going to school, doing school, living school, being school..... Okay maybe not the last one, but it seems like all I do is wake up in the morning and go to school, then arrive at school, come back from school, sleep after school, wake up and go to school the next morning. See? It's a cycle that goes on forever (i.e. 5 days a week for about 9 months)
• Except that we are on Christmas break right now. Or are we? We still had to go through 2 hours of Math today and 3 tomorrow. + we have our midterms after the break, which means....
• I have to study for my midterms and...
• For the SATs because I'm taking the January test
• We had a parent-meeting at school last week and I love parent-meetings, I can't help it
• I realized that I can solve math questions and watch movies at the same time, and this is a very helpful skill
• I am expecting (an iPhone, not a baby you idiot) and that is dope (be jealous)
• I have a new character besides Maggie and her name starts with a V 
• I read The Great Gatsby 2 weeks ago, Dear Dumb Diary (which is just hilarious), and I am currently reading I Am Malala
• I AM HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BECAUSE THE FAULT IN OUR STARS MOVIE IS COMING OUT JUNE 6TH AND THE MOVIE POSTER IS SUPERB
• School is standing in the way of my reading, rereading novels, blogging, writing, drawing, and watching TV activities
• But I shouldn't mind it, because I am a huge believer in the power of education (it's true)
• I've been gaining weight because a) I haven't been exercising and b) they have good unhealthy, fattening food at the school store and c) mom just baked THREE cakes (!) and finally d) people who are in grade 12 need more food (especially chocolate) than the regular person. It was scientifically proven
• I am currently writing this blog post in a messy living room (weird, considering that my I-can-spot-a-mess-from-miles-away mom is sitting in the same room as me)
• And that is about it

I might even have to stop blogging altogether for the next 4-5 months because of school. Which is no fun, but I need really high grades this year. (!)
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How has your life been lately? :]

Thoughts on the Day of the SAT

Before the Exam:

• Woah, there are so many kids here. I'm not the only one taking the SATs then.
• Oh, God. Look at all those beautiful girls in their nice clothes.
• I wish I left my hobo-looking-jacket in the car.
• Why did I wear this jacket?
• Look at that girl's scarf. Love it.
• Now compare that girl's scarf to my own bulky scarf.
• ...
• Those chairs are so small!
• I can't believe I'm taking the SAT on such a small chair.
• I'm thirsty.
• I'm so desperate for water, I might just ask the girl in front of me for her bottle.

During the Exam:

• WHERE ARE ALL THE VOCABS I MEMORIZED?
• WHY CAN'T I SPOT THE VOCABULARY WORDS I MEMORIZED?
• This Math is easy queasy.
• This question is not easy queasy. I think I just jinxed myself.
• Why does the Critical Reading have to be so... so ugh?
• Thank God it's a writing section now.
• TWO CONSECUTIVE CRITICAL READING SECTIONS?
• Too many instructions.
• Really? So I can't tell my mother about the essay topic? (-When the proctor told us that we shouldn't discuss the essay topic by any means, "including, but not limited to, e-mail, text message," etc, etc..)

After the Exam:

• What. Just. Happened.
• My head.
• My back.
• My legs.
• My stomach.
• I'm hungry.
• Where's dad?
• Did I just spend 5 hours in this place?
• I'm hungry.

RANT.

Ughhh the people who think they know everything!
That is probably one of the most annoying and irritating things. Ever.
You, do not, know everything. Guess what? It's not even a shame that you don't!
I don't know everything, nobody knows everything, and you certainly don't know everything either.
You don't have to prove yourself, because nobody is trying to pinpoint your mistakes.
Assuming you have any.
Since, you know everything, doh
(!?)
There are only so many things a person can be thoroughly knowledgeable about.

Planet earth revolves around the sun, didn't ya know(!)
...
Obviously I had a sort of frustrating day today.
And, and, I didn't do well on my Chemistry exam. Grr.
I couldn't be happier that tomorrow is Sunday. Omg.
Ah I feel better now though lol.
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How was your day? Was is good? Frustrating?

Proud For The Day

Today I am happy.
(Alert: cheesy post)

Before we went into our classes this morning, our principal told us that we will learn until the third period, before we all go for a "march" in celebration of Independence Day (which was yesterday- and there was real "marching"). So, at 10:30, instead of having recess, we all stood in lines, and the smaller students were holding flags and had little little ones painted on their faces; some were even wearing army uniforms! (apparently the whole school knew about this except us). And we went, the "Kashaf" (scouts) in front of us, playing their drums.

I'm not usually the person who would talk about how proud she is for being Lebanese, or about how great of a country Lebanon is- I'd usually be the one dreaming about 'upgrading' or leaving (Check: Lebanon: The Controversy). But not today- the spirit was so nice, and I think people need that. Some might say that "we should stop pretending that everything is alright on Independence day" (I read a blog post by someone about it), but I think people- especially the younger kids- need  that sense of affiliation to their country; they need to hold the Lebanese flag and feel proud, even if it's only for this one day. The  truth is that the country is not in it's best conditions, and people, children even, talk about this, about the problems and troubles; the indifferent government... Because that is what they were born to; and it's good to do something else for a change rather than talk about all the problems and the bombing that killed 25 people the other day and the organ trade that happened last week....


I was genuinely happy today. It's activities like this that make that weird and odd sense of pride or happiness or whatever it is wash over me (other activities include watching folklore shows).
(And I wish I had a video to share, because the harmony in which the scout-boys were playing in is crazy!)

If you've never heard the Lebanese anthem, then listen to it! :)

Happy Independence Day- and hopefully the coming days will be better for this country and it's people. :]
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Pictures are not mine; credit to الكشاف المسلم فوج كامد اللوز