I am departing for Japan.

Tonight.

So I won’t be able to make a new post for a little while, I think. The hostel we’re staying at in Tokyo doesn’t have free wi-fi, so my access to internet will be limited.

For now, though, I’ve been blog-tagged by notlateone! (Who everyone should go check out, by the way– she’s a brilliant writer.)

So please entertain yourself with this little filler-post while I spend some time sans-internet. (No internet?! Inconceivable!)

HERE GOES!

The Rules:

1. Post the rules

2. Post 11 random things about yourself (optional):

3. Answer the questions the tagger posted for you in their post.

4. Create 11 new questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.

5. Go to their blog and tell them that they’ve been tagged.

Eleven Random Facts About Me:

1. For those who don’t know– I’m Vietnamese and proud!

2. My high school housed about 3,200 kids– and that was only the sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Our school wasn’t big enough to fit in the freshman. My graduating class was just over 1,000 kids.

3. The username I use for almost everything– comicsmaniac, comixmaniac, or variations thereof– I actually came up with in 2nd grade, while playing Neopets. 11 years later, it’s still relevant.

4. I really do have a good smattering of freckles, which is highly unusual for an Asian. It’s from a combination of sun exposure and unlucky genetics.

5. Despite loving comics so much, the one genre I just can’t get into is superhero comics. Time and time again I’ll pick up a superhero comic and read it, but I’ll never get into it. Maybe I’ll try again soon.

6. I glare without meaning to, especially while 1. studying 2. playing video games and 3. walking around outside when it’s sunny. When I was in elementary school, teachers would stop me in the halls and ask me if everything was okay. At my parent-teacher conference in 5th grade, my teacher urged me to smile more. Man, did I look that depressed?

7. Once upon a time in my junior year of high school, I joined the boys’ tennis team. Long story. Perhaps I’ll write a post about it sometime.

8. I ended up going to my university, Northeastern, based on pure and coincidental chance. My best friend took a tour of Northeastern during my senior year and returned with rave reviews. I ended up applying on a whim, and, lo and behold, they offered me a good scholarship. NU wasn’t even on my radar before– but now, I’m here! And very thankful for it.

9. For someone who really likes video games, I really suck at shooters. One time when I tried to play Call of Duty, I ended up just falling off cliffs the whole time and dying. Additionally, for someone who really likes video games, I really haven’t played that many. I have an extensive list of games that I’d like to play, but have never found the time to get around to. (Including: Bioshock, God of War, Skyward Sword, Xenoblade Chronicles, Uncharted, Mass Effect, and many, many more.) For those reasons, I don’t consider myself a real “gamer.”

10. If it wasn’t for my girly sister, I would have been a huge tomboy. I wasn’t fashion-conscious until my junior year of high school, I didn’t start wearing makeup (despite the urging of my mother) until the end of my senior year, and I still don’t have my ears pierced. My family often tells me that I dress like a hobo.

11. I have an acute lack of common sense.

And here are the questions I’ve been asked! Here goes:

1. What important lessons have you learned lately?

Hmm. Perhaps how to manage my time better? Because it’s essential in college, especially given all the stuff I do.

2. Are you happy with your academic progress?

Thankfully, yes. Anyone who knows me knows that I study way too much, stress out over test scores too often, and am generally a huge, huge nerd. As a result, though, I usually get good grades.

3. How would you define your spirituality/outlook on life?

I’m not very spiritual at all. I simply wasn’t raised that way– no churches, no praying, none of that. I’ve actually always been quite the pessimist, though I should really try to think positive. HAPPY THOUGHTS!

4. What is the number one time wasting habit you have?

THERE ARE SO MANY. Tetris Battle? Reading manga? Playing video games? Staring aimlessly out the window when I should be doing work? My roommates know how much Tetris Battle I play… it’s embarrassing.

5. If you had to pick a career/major other than the one you have/are getting right now…what would it be?

Alternative dream career: Travel blogger. Done. I mean, traveling and getting paid for it? What more could I ask for?

Actually, I’d also like to be a cartoonist. That’s been my dream since I was a little kid. Perhaps one day I’ll get good enough at drawing?

6. Let’s say life throws you lemons. What do you do with them?

Don’t ask me… ask Cave Johnson. (Portal 2 reference, anyone?)

7. Have you ever been abroad? Do you want to go abroad?

I’ve been abroad to Germany! It was amazing. I’ll soon be going abroad to Japan as well.

8. What languages do you speak?

Save English, nothing fluently. I can understand and speak a bit of Vietnamese, as I am Vietnamese. I’m currently studying Japanese. I also know the following phrases in German: “I am from the USA,” “My German is very terrible,” “How much does this cost?” and “You are my most beautiful souvenir.” (I blame my phrasebook for the last one.)

9. Name your most interesting hospital trip.

When I dislocated my left shoulder in my sophomore year of high school, I was rushed to the hospital. Before they could put my arm back into its socket, though, they had to check it with an x-ray. And before they could x-ray me, they had to make sure I wasn’t pregnant. Now imagine me, left arm swinging out of its socket, stumbling to the bathroom to pee in a cup. I understand that it’s standard procedure, but I sure didn’t enjoy it at the time.

10. What’s the best part of your life right now?

College! Blogging. My dear family and friends! And the fact that I’m about to go abroad to Japan– that too!

11. How have you changed in the past year?

Huh. Well, the past year was my first year of college, where I definitely learned to “be myself” a little more. It’s the same old song and dance– I had trouble making friends in middle school, so in high school, I was very concerned about what people thought of me. I tried to act like the person everybody liked– cheerful, nice, whatever— but it was exhausting. This year at Northeastern, then, I acted like my normal self– dry, sarcastic, moody– and still managed to make friends.  Maybe there’s hope for me after all.

And now I’m supposed to come up with 11 new questions: 

1. Where is your “dream” place to live and why?

2. What was your childhood career choice? Has it changed since then?

3. Everyone gets those non-drug related “addictions.” (like video games, facebook, and the like.) What’s yours?

4. What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?

5. Name your pet peeves.

6. What do you like the most about yourself?

7. What’s the one thing you’d like to achieve before you die? Your most important goal, that is.

8. What trait do you admire the most in others?

9. What is the most outrageous thing you have ever done?

10. What are you most proud of achieving?

11. What’s the biggest “life lesson” you’ve learned as of yet? (Man, I sound like a college application.)

As for tagging… I tag… uh, whoever wants to do it! (I really don’t know who to tag.) Seriously, though, run along and do this if you’d like! And link me so I can see your answers. 🙂