SPRING IS HERE! how wild is it that the year is halfway over?? it seems so bizarre. it’s been a few months since our last seasonal wrap-up, so here’s an update!

farewell, spring

THINGS HAPPENED

alexandra:

london; meeting with priscilla; book con; asian friends from book expo including: linh, aila, alex, ying, joey, mishma, and hazel

it was a fairly exciting few months for me, mostly because i was traveling so much! i went to london for a week (vlogged about it here), then was in new york for nearly two months. i was originally planning on going to a ballet competition during the summer, but decided not to go and train/audition in new york and london instead.

one of the most exciting things from spring was definitely going to book expo/book con. i was originally planning on leaving the city ~2 weeks before the event, but because it was so close, i decided to stick it out to book con and i have NO REGRETS. i met so many of my internet friends and got so many exciting releases ; i’m emo. it genuinely made me really excited and motivated to do something – make something, read something, do anything. also!! while i was in new york, i got to meet up with priscilla!!! that was the best.

since coming back it’s been mostly chill. i started making a bunch of videos (see: make something) and hopefully writing blog posts. it was also my birthday not too long ago and I’M TWENTY. i’m no longer a teen and that’s wild.

kaitlin:

me @ prom, josefine & i omgggg, me @ my cousin’s beautiful rainy wedding

honestly, the past few months have been fairly uneventful tbh. there were probably like, three major things that happened these past few months.

the first thing: PROM! i went to prom this year and it was honestly sUCH an experience because this is my first prom. i had fun though. i’ve never been to such a fancy and dressy event so (although it was stressful) i had a lot of time finding a dress and getting all purty. the event itself was super fun. our prom was held in the academy of sciences so we got to go to the aquarium and i loved the dessert bar that was provided as well. the whole night was a success and i am excited for future proms!

the second thing: BOTTLEROCK! bottlerock is an annual music festival held in napa and i’ve been wanting to go for pretty long now since i live so close to the festival. i had the opportunity to get free tickets this time so of course, i went. there weren’t that many artists that i was super familiar with on the day that i went but i still had a great time. i saw the aces, bleachers, oh wonder, e-40, and snoop dogg! i’ve never experienced live music in the way that i did at bottlerock so i had a really great time. and on top of that, i met josefine of oh wonder, which i’m still shook af about because i loooove oh wonder so much.

the third thing: MY COUSIN GOT MARRIED! finally too! it was such a beautiful and small wedding and i’m glad that i was able to attend. i completely stressed out in finding a dress for the event but alas, everything worked out and i was able to finesse my way in looking cute.

madeline:

this isn’t incredibly exciting (or surprising) but WOW MORE SCHOOL. i finished my sophomore year of high school a few weeks ago!!! now only two years to go before college. next up is junior year which i am fairly nervous about for .~obvious reasons~.

i traveled to Costa Rica with my mom earlier mid-march to go on a surfing adventure, and it was abSOLUTELY BEAUTiFUL. i loved it. hopefully, i can go back in the next couple of years!

i guess this technically would fall under the category of summer, but my family went to Nantucket Island recently for our yearly family vacation. SO MUCH FUN. it was too cold to go in the water (by far), but we hung out, played games, and ate a ton of good food. a highlight was definitely playing a tournament of Yahtzee throughout the week!! guess who won the whole thing? *points at myself* YEET.

chelsea:

oi oi oi!! it’s been a hot minute since i’ve been able to do literally anything but school, so the things happened during my spring is more like school + some mildly interesting things. i’m finally finished my junior year of high school and i can’t wait for senior year. pranks!! ditch day!! college apps!! all exciting stuff.

spring was a stupid busy season for me, and i hate how little i enjoyed myself during it. sure, it was fun, but it was also stressful and tiring and i’m glad summer is finally here. i started working again and signed up for like, 6 new clubs for senior year, so i’m ready to live life to the fullest starting in the fall.

and then, other than that, nothing really happened. i got some new plants, some new books, some new friends, and a new outlook at life. i really think i did a full spring cleaning of my internal and external environment this spring and i’m looking forward to see what summer has to bring!!

haley:

spring went by SOOO quickly mostly & i am so so so glad i finished junior year!! i was getting daily homework from precalculus and chem + other homework + extracurricular work and i was D Y I N G to say in the least. thankfully, i scraped by with grades i’m pretty happy with + didn’t totally lose my mind!

i went to new york and puerto rico this spring, which was amazing! i especially didn’t think i’d fall in love with puerto rico in the way i did and hopefully i can post a blog post about it some time soon!

so yeah, this spring i turned seventeen and hung out with friends but mostly i studied studied studied. this means that i didn’t have a ton of time to do creative things like write for twirling pages or even write for myself, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

priscilla:

ok wowwww spring has been super crazy. even though i technically didn’t have that much to do, i feel like i’ve been soo busy haha. college decisions came out, and i also had ap testing and finals and graduation, not to mention friend drama (as usual). prom also happened, which was fun!

but yeah, it’s crazy to think that high school is actually over, and that i’ll finally be going to college in a few months. by the way, i’ll be attending barnard college starting this fall! it was definitely a difficult decision, but i’ve wanted to live in new york since forever, so i decided to just take the plunge and make my dreams come true! the coolest part was visiting new york (even though it was only for three days) and finally meeting xan in person!! we spent a few hours in koreatown and got food and coffee before my flight back, but it was just so fun chatting and hanging out irl!

 

another cool thing that just happened is that i got a new laptop!! i’ve been using my dad’s old macbook for forever, and it’s just old and heavy and has terrible battery life and also no storage (i could go on and on). i ended up getting the huawei matebook x pro, which i’m typing on right now and ahhh i love it already!! it’s pretty cool because i’ve been working part time and saving up for a new laptop for a while, so i can actually say i bought this with my own money!

the last really crazy thing that happened recently is that i cut my hair! i had long hair for sooo long (i hadn’t been to a salon in over three years), so it’s a nice change to have shoulder length hair now. i was definitely really scared, but i decided to do it anyway, and i actually really like it!

MEDIA CONSUMED

alexandra:

i’ve been having a pretty good reading year so far; i think it’s because i’m no longer pressuring myself to READREADREAD and instead just do what i want. my faves these past few month are definitely Legendary (ajgfshkashd), Crazy Rich Asians (BRUH), and Muse of Nightmares (which i got a book expo!!) i’ve also been reading a lot of webtoons/webcomics (thanks, priscilla!). they’re weirdly addicting and because of that, i’ve also been reading more comics/graphic novels. SPECIFICALLY cheese in the trap and i love yoo. I’M A PUDDLE OF FEELINGS.

kaitlin:

books: KAITLIN HAS BEEN STRUGGLING TO READ, but what’s new? i read like, 3 books during these past few months but that’s okay!! because they have been good books!! i read crazy rich asians, which was SO GOOD OH MY GOD, and also it’s sequel! but really, that’s it hah. hopefully summer can have me reading more.

music: it has been a pretty good few months in music. my constant listening of the daniel caeser spotify radio has led to my love for elle mai (SHE DON’T, OH MAAAAAN) who is amazinggggggg. bottlerock led me to discover the aces, where at one point i had their album on repeat for about 3 days. i’ve been obsessed with this song by kehlani and chinese artist tia ray, where they both came together to collab on a song and let me tell y’all, I WAS SHOOK. it’s called 浪漫主义 and it’s so good and you probably don’t understand mandarin but it’s okay because u should listen to it ANYWAY. also, kris wu came out with two new songs, like that and 天地, and i loved kris wu before he released these two songs but i kinda love him even more now because of his new songs. now that i think of it, music has been pretty good lately and i hopefully will continue to discover new artists!

madeline:

this spring has been really amazing in terms of listening to podcasts & new music for me! i’ve been trying to branch out a bit into artists i haven’t listened to before which has been a journey. Some new faves include: The Paper Kites, Dustin Tebbutt, Little May, LANY, and King Princess.

this really has been the Year of the Diverse Book for me. i’ve read maybe a couple non-diverse books this year total?? I THINK THAT’S PRETTY DARN GOOD. in the next couple of years, my goal is to make my “reading diet” totally diverse! I’ve REALLY been trying to read more books that are meaningful to me and have rep that i relate to vs. whatever generic White fantasy that’s just released.

my goodreads goal is going well! I’m 12 or 15 books ahead of schedule. but to be honest, i only remember about two of my reads specifically from this spring, which isn’t great. one is Leah on the Offbeat, and the other is Radio Silence by Alice Oseman. omg Radio Silence !!! i haven’t been able to stop thinking about it! i reread it a few days ago, and i seriously think this book makes it into my top 2 of all time!!

chelsea:

hahaha. you’re gonna notice i start a lot of these subsections with some uproarious laughter (imagine a 5 year old laughing–that’s me). it’s because my spring life was sad and lacked literally every fun part of life (listen i didnt even get great grades why am i like this). but, i’m gonna talk about the tiny bit of stuff i did re: media consumption

I’m 43 books behind on my goodreads goal. lol, i don’t wanna talk about it hehe

ok movies, i watched a bit more of. thor: ragnorok, infinity war, love simon, the kissing booth, jurassic world, how to train your dragon, moana, spirited away, and probably some more i can’t remember. as for tv, i started watching voltron, i’ve been watching the 100, and when i have free time i usually watch pokemon anime, the office, the x files, or inuyasha.

i’ve also been playing a lot of sims and pokemon, but what else is new lmao

haley:

I ALSO READ CRAZY RICH ASIANS and oh my god i’m in love i cannot wait for the movie (the male lead i S SO HOT) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so amazing in more ways than one. i also read turtles all the way down & i liked it a lot more than i thought i would. i think i’ll always be in love with john green and his writing. other books i’ve read & reviewed include: frat girl, stay sweet, and chemistry lessons. i’m like, 7 books behind on my goodreads challenge but i thrive on being behind so i think i can catch up!

i’ve also seen a lot of movies this spring! some that come immediately to mind are oceans 11 (ehhh), oceans 8 (amazing!!!!!), i feel pretty (meehhh), black panther (michael b jordan is so beautiful), love simon (AHHHHH!!!!!!!), a wrinkle in time (i love mindy kaling), the kissing booth (ugh ew), and deadpool 2 (hated the ending).

one tv show i’ve been particularly loving is 90 day fiance!!!!!!!!!! you can bash on reality tv all you want but it’ll always have a special place in my heart. one question i have to ask is: WHY DO SO MANY AMERICANS ASSUME FOREIGNERS JUST WANT TO GET INTO THEIR COUNTRY? hate to break it to you, but america is just one of the nations in the world with amazing qualities and contrary to what trump says, is not the best place in the world.

priscilla:

it’s sad, but i’ve barely read at all this year/season. i actually just binged it ends with us by colleen hoover, which i got forever ago and finally decided to pick up. first things first, there was a LOT more hot and steamy romance than i was expecting haha, but i still thought the characters were all super interesting. i also read the power of habit a while ago, and i really enjoyed it! the only other book i’ve read recently is a little something different, which was really cute!

even though i haven’t been reading much, i’ve been watching lots of kdramas (too much tbh). i watched strong woman do bong soon (which is soooo good please watch it!!) and while you were sleeping (also amazing) and weightlifting fairy kim bok joo (so cute omg), and i just started about time (binged 10 episodes in two days) and something in the rain. since it’s the summer before college, i actually have NOTHING to do so i’ve just been watching kdrama all day haha

i also finished watching the unit (similar to produce 101), so now i’m really into a k-pop group called unb (PLEASE listen to feeling!! you won’t regret it)

ooh this isn’t something new but you should definitely know that i LOVE webtoons!! i actually spend so much time reading webtoons – i think it’s kinda unhealthy ahah. but yeah, some of my favorite webtoons are i love yoo, super secret, oh holy, my giant nerd boyfriend, lookism, and sooo many more (all are from line webtoon!).

FAVORITE FOODS

alexandra:

noodz from very fresh noodles in new york; ai fiori, the restaurant my sister works in; kith treats (they had non-dairy alternatives!!); a breakfast spread at a diner while catching up with friends

while in london, my parents and i loved loved the borough market. there were just so many small stands with quality food! and i finally had my first ~english breakfast~ (baked beans!!).

one of the main reasons i went to new york with my parents (they were there for a week) was so we could all eat at the restaurant my sister works in. it’s a michelin star so it was supposed to be super good and it didn’t disappoint. i also went to smorgasburg twice and ALL THE FOOD. there was so much. annnnnd i found my favorite ice cream place: kith treats! it’s a bit odd because it’s actually an athletic wear store, but their ice cream is seriously quality. (and they have non-dairy options!!)

finally, because i haven’t had a burger at in-n-out in TWO YEARS, i recently found out their grilled cheese is pretty much a burger without the meat (bless). i knew the grilled cheese existed on their secret menu, but thought it was just a grilled cheese. my californian heart is happy.

kaitlin:

okay because not much happened these past few months i haven’t been eating as good as i normally would but that’s okay because i been making big moves during the summer. the most memorable thing i would think is the dim sum place i tried while i was in sf a few weeks ago. there’s a dim sum place i have been wanting to try for awhile now, good mong kok bakery, and they have to go dim sum. i finally went with my friend lusi and oh my lort it was so worthy the hype and wait. dim sum is so amazingly cheap, i think we each paid $6 for the food we got and it was hellaaaa good. the baked bbq pork bun was honestly my favorite and i most definitely will be back there soon.

madeline:

going back to the topic of Nantucket again!! there’s the most delicious sandwich shop on the island called Something Natural. it’s so fresh and the cookies are the best oh my goodness. my family’s been eating there for years now, and it’s so special to us!

i feel like i always say this lol but boarding school means that i haven’t had the greatest food this spring?? i went out for mexican food about twice (for a rice, chicken, avocado bowl), but nothin much other than that. i did have the most delicious salmon + salad + potatoes when i came home from school though!

chelsea:

food? going out to eat? i don’t know her! no, but really, if i went out, it was to edo, boston pizza, starbucks, someone else’s house, or fast food. it’s been a sad food season but i’m so excited to try all the cute indie and local restaurants/coffee shops this summer!

haley:

my mom recently took us to vancouver island, where we tried a little cozy restaurant called fish hook! i’m actually allergic to seafood but it was sooo delicious & the allergic reaction i got was totally worth it.

i ate out a lot this spring, so i’m trying to cut back and eat healthier. i’ve been eating chia seed pudding with strawberries every morning, with a side of kimchi. i wake up excited to eat these. not only are they packed with nutrients, but they’re delicious and low in calories! perfect for someone like me who hates salads. also, i had a jugo juice smoothie with hemp hearts the other day and it was sooo yummy.

priscilla: 

since i started working at paris baguette (a bakery/cafe), i’ve been eating way too many pastries (oops). i think i’ve also been going out to eat more often, which is bad because i really need to save money ahhh.

anyway, here’s collage of random food i had this spring. i’m such a sucker for cute cafes, especially ones that do latte art! tous les jours is another really cute cafe that’s really similar to paris baguette – they also have really good bingsoo (aka shaved ice)!

foresights of summer

alexandra:

SUMMER! my least favorite season l o l. i’m actually not 100% sure what i’ll be up to but hopefully:

• begin a yoga teacher training course – yes, i’m going to try to be a yoga teacher hahah
• attend my ballet studio’s summer program
• go to disneyland!!! – vidcon is coming up and i’m planning on going to disney to meet some friends :’’’) (i won’t be going to vidcon though) since drafting this post, THIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. i’m checking things off and feelin’ proud.
• create more content – i have a lot of plans for my youtube and trying to do some stuff on the blog as well

kaitlin:

SUMMER. i hate heat, this is a terrible and hot time of the year but i love summer vacation. i’ve been on summer vacation for about a week and a half now and i am living my BEST life! making moves, eating good food, and being somewhat productive. it’s been so nice just to chill, take everything easier, and mentally prepare myself for junior year.

i’m dipping out of the country for about a month in a few weeks too and i am so excited to be traveling again and making the most of my summer. hopefully i can read more this summer as well. i checked out a big stack of books in hopes of getting back into my reading mood but so far, that hasn’t been working out as well as i would like to (lol). i have time though and i am really just hoping to accomplish the things that i want to accomplish this summer.

madeline:

ugh honestly, summer isn’t my favorite season?? alabama is so hot all the time, but especially so in the summer months. like, gross hot. anyhow, i’m leaving soon/already have left for a two week camping trip in colorado & utah!! super exciting stuff! i’m gonna be hiking, canyoneering, and climbing for fourteen days in the mountains!

i’m also hoping to finish (?) my goodreads challenge because of the whole ~junior year~ thing next fall, create lots of blog posts for twirling pages, and maybe try a new type of content like podcasting or making youtube videos!

(as you might know,) i’m leaving my original blog Reverie Pages (there should be a post already up/coming up soon about this topic), to focus more on this blog, my goodreads, instagram, etc. i was feeling very weird about the content i was posting on my blog, and going into junior year managing that blog alone. i’m a bit sad about it (IT’S MY ORIGINAL BRAIN CHILD), but i think it’s for the best moving forward. Here’s to being more active on Twirling Pages!

of course, as always, i’m planning on doing a heckin ton of running! cross country season is coming back up again, and i want to be in good shape before i go back to new hampshire for school in september.

chelsea:

hahahahahaha words cannot even describe how much i hate summer. it’s too hot, too sticky, i lose all my motivation, i have to work more, and to top it all off, summer school!! i’m doing grade 12 biology in the summer and i am not looking forward to it. but hey, there’s worse things in life, right?

i’m going to write this summer!! for twirling pages, and for my own personal WIPs. one of my really good friends finished her manuscript and has been sending it to agents these last few weeks so it’s really gotten me excited to write!

haley:

i’m going to write so! much! this summer. i’m hoping to write tons more for twirling pages like i was during spring break, and i was also selected for the adroit mentorship program! i’ve been eyeing the program for YEARS because of its sheer amazing-ness & wow is my mentor so cool!!!! i’m still in shock honestly.

also gonna hang out tons with my friends and go on a camping trip with my dad and practice perfecting makeup for senior year. SENIOR YEAR. that means i’ll also be starting on my common app and studying for my sat subject tests!!!!!! :0

priscilla:

this is crazy to think about, but this might be my last totally free summer. it’s kinda sad, but i actually don’t have any summer plans besides working. this is gonna be a longggg summer (and probably a really boring one too). i’m really looking forward to the fall, when i’ll finally be starting college ahhh hopefully i don’t totally waste the 2ish months i have left – i really want to learn korean, so i’ll probably work on that (and not just by watching kdramas haha)

what have you been up to this past spring? do you have summer plans? let us know in the comments!