Emily Gan Week 16- My Collage
I am tired and out of ideas for my blogs so I will just finish ranting about my collage since I think it holds a lot of memory in it so it’s on theme. The things I carry are purely based on their sentimental value to me. I just need a notebook and stationery to fuel me for the school day, however, I always find my bag and heart full of unnecessary things. The most important and expensive are my cameras. I find pride in documenting my experiences with my friends so I always have one of my two digital cameras on me, ready for action. What is equally as valuable is The Perks of a Wallflower, although I do not carry the physical book with me, I always have the lessons I have learned from reading the novel in the back of my head. The book was there for me at my lowest and helped me realize to live in the moment and to cherish my life. My friends have also always been there for me, I love them deeply and they are my stars so I asked each of them to cut a star out to put on my collage. I always value my time with my friends however it just seems to slip through my fingers, the watch on my collage symbolizes that. Switching back to a tangible item is my earphones, I always bring my wired earphones or Bluetooth headphones with me to listen to music while I work or walk around. It helps me have peace of mind and gets me in a good mood. What I used to tape my earbuds down were affirmation stickers that you would give a kid when they did something good. I remember these stickers having such a chokehold on me when I was little; so much that I would lie to my teacher that I wanted two to give my brother one too, and then lie to my parents that I did so well that the teacher gave me two.
Everything else on my collage is self-explanatory of things I have in my bag or enjoy, the only thing unique is my name, more specifically my Chinese name since “Emily” is very common. For those who do not know, siblings in China often have the same name but the last word is different so my brother is gan yu xuan and I am gan yu xi. Without my last name, I would introduce myself as Yuxi. Growing up I never needed to use my Chinese name since I was always referred to as Emily or Xixi (my family nickname). But when I started high school and needed to lock in for my AP Chinese Exam, I started to recognize my Chinese heritage more (also because being bilingual is cool). My friends (who are not Chinese) would call me by my Chinese name for some reason (maybe because Emily is basic) and then it turned into Yucksi since they can not pronounce it. Now my Chinese name holds more sediment not only does it encapsulate my background as ABC (American Born Chinese) but also is a funny inside joke that reminds me of my friends.
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog post about the collage and the sentimental items you carry with you. The way you conjoined your personal anecdotes and the symbols they hold truly gave your collage meaning. Your narrative about "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" resonated deeply with me; it's one of my favorite books. It's fascinating how a book can leave such a lasting impact and guide our perspectives on life. Your reflections on your Chinese name were also touching. The contrast between your more commonly used name, Emily, and the deeper connection you have with Yuxi gave me a deeper insight into your identity. It made me think about the significance of names and how they shape our understanding of ourselves and our heritage. The inside joke about your friends mispronouncing your name also added a personal and endearing touch to your story. Overall, your post eloquently captures the essence of memory and identity. It made me reflect on the sentimental items I carry and the stories they tell.
Hi Emily! I really enjoyed reading your blog post, and I think that it is a great idea! If you hadn't mentioned that you chose this blog topic because you had no other ideas, then I wouldn't have noticed it (and even if you did, only having one idea is having an idea nevertheless). The collages are all posted up on the wall on the back of our English classroom, and yet, none of us know what each other's blogs mean, despite having written an entire analysis of it. Thus, your blog choice, allowing us to more deeply connect with an art work, is a great choice. I also enjoyed the book "The perks of Being a Wallflower," and your explanation of the books placement on your blog instnatly brought back a core memory from 10th grade, reading the book after doing my AP Euro assignment in the library after the teacher would borrow the facility for the period. Although, in all honesty, it hasn't stuck with me as it has with you, it is great to see that a fellow AP Lang student enjoyed the same books as me. As an ABC, I also resonate with your commentary on being half-asian, and half-american, and yet still struggling to connect with your Chinese self.
ReplyDeleteHi Emily! I think your collage was so cool! I really love how you added so many explanations about why each item is important. Along with being meaningful, your collage is also extremely aesthetically pleasing. The vibrant colors caught my eye and compelled me to keep looking at it. I also relate to how you said you always have your camera on you. Although I don't carry my actual camera with me everyday, I carry my phone and I honestly take a lot of pictures every day. I like to document my life and that is one of my biggest interests.
ReplyDelete