Farewell: Chia Na Vang
by Chia Na Vang
This is my first and last year here at Fresno High, and I am so grateful for the staff, teachers, and people that I’ve met that have made me feel like I belong here. By observing and interviewing Fresno High staff and teachers, I’ve seen how much they care about students and love teaching, and as a student myself, I think we’re lucky to have so much support. Because of them, I’m ready to face my future with confidence.
First and foremost, I’d like to thank my counselor, Mr. Xiong, who was willing to deal with my indecisiveness throughout the whole school year. He was such a positive presence in my school life, and I can’t thank him enough. Mr. Xiong, ua tsaug os. And thanks to him for speaking to me in Hmong because it’s more personal when he helps me.
Next up, I would like to thank my trigonometry teacher, Mr. Thao, who takes great care in teaching students math. A few lifesaving things he does are going into great detail about a math formula, offering his time after school to explain lessons one on one with students, and personally for me, giving me time to complete assignments and lessons when I fell behind.
I’d also like to thank Mr. Barron and Ms. J for putting their students’ mental health before education. When I was having a hard time on two separate occasions, Mr. Barron sent me a picture of cartoon cats and it made me laugh. And Miss J who always reminds students that we should never worry about her class because our well-being is a priority. I’m sincerely grateful to both of them.
Another teacher I’m lucky to have is Ms. Sciacqua, my Journalism teacher. I’ve recently grown to love my writing style, but Ms. Sciacqua has always been supportive and confident in my storytelling. Through Journalism, I’ve met great people and awesome writers. I would recommend Journalism to students who are interested in writing and improving their writing skills, as well as meeting wonderful Warrior staff and students through interviews, and fun events.
Finally, I’d like to say thank you to my mom for everything and for supporting my decisions regarding my education.
What It’s Like to Be Nonbinary
October 18, 2022
by Chia Na Vang
When did I realize I was nonbinary? Was my family supportive? Did changing my pronouns change the way people treated me? What’s my story? I want to point out that being nonbinary is different for everyone. For example, I am neither a girl, nor a boy. My pronouns are solely they/them. Others may use he/they pronouns, or xe/xem/xirs, etc.
From what I recall, I first learned what nonbinarism was during quarantine, so in 2020. It sounds silly, but I stumbled across TikToks about nonbinarism, which led to me doing a ton of research, and then coming out to my family. When I realized I was nonbinary, it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders, and I could breathe easier. When I told my older sisters, and my favorite cousins, their responses were supportive. That was not my mom’s reaction, and it hurt a lot, but I understood that gender to her was always either male or female. It also hurt a lot when those who knew misgendered me because I couldn’t understand it would take time for them to get used to using my pronouns.
Eventually, I learned to be patient with them, and it hurt less. I’m still learning on my journey as a nonbinary person. One thing I learned that stuck with me was that there’s a spectrum of people. There are people who will support me, and those who will not. Either they are ignorant, or just don’t care. And I shouldn’t let their response to my existence push me into a corner of “I need other people’s validation, or else I’m not valid.” There are times when I question if I’m pretending to be nonbinary and the reasons behind that are because I think my story isn’t as valid as others, and sometimes I think it’s silly that I have to go around telling people, “My pronouns are they/them.” Fortunately, I came to realize that there’s no right or wrong story to being nonbinary. No story is the same. I also realized my validation is enough. But I’m lucky and so grateful that my loved ones also validate me.
One experience of coming out that I recall fondly was with a good friend of mine. When I told her, she was quick to use my pronouns and would correct herself if she made a mistake. She also asked questions, and I was happy to answer because it meant she cared about me. Which leads me to how it feels when I correct others. It can be awkward, and most times I don’t have the courage to correct them. Like I said, there’s a spectrum of people, and I can’t predict how others would react. This is why I refrain from telling others my pronouns right away, or at all.
Another thing I came to understand was that there was no right or wrong way to look nonbinary. In the past, I purposefully dressed masculine so that I wasn’t perceived as a girl and cut my hair short. It’s funny because I tried so hard to not appear as a girl, that I was also mistaken for a boy. Yes, I have wide hips and my shoulders aren’t broad, and sometimes I put on makeup, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m nonbinary.
I would love to end this by reminding those who are also nonbinary that you are valid, but you don’t need other people’s validation. Still, it’s good to be loved, and you are. I’m proud of you for being true to yourself in a world that can be scary and suffocating. I’m here for you and I’m cheering for you.
When Life Gives You Lemons Become a My Day
December 9, 2022
by Chia Na Vang
I stumbled across DAY6 in 2018, and since then, I’ve been a My Day, which is the band’s fandom name. DAY6 is a South Korean band that debuted under JYP entertainment on September 7, 2015. The members were originally Park Sungjin, Jae Park, Young K, Kim Wonpil, Yoon Dowoon, and Lim Junhyeok. Due to personal reasons, Junhyeok left the band in 2016. In 2020, Jae ended his contract with the company, but is still a member of DAY6. A minor thing to know about the band is that each member has their own animal mascot. Sungjin/bear, Jae/chicken, Young K/fox, Wonpil/rabbit, and Dowoon/puppy. My Days are also called My Lemons because the DAY6 logo looks like a lemon. Additionally, Dowoon planted a fir tree and with the help of Wonpil, and Young K planted a crab apple tree in honor of the fandom. Furthermore, in 2020, DAY6’s subunit, Even of Day was introduced. The members of the subunit are Young K, Wonpil, and Dowoon. As of 2022, Sungjin is back from his mandatory military service, while the rest of the members are still enlisted.
DAY6 doesn’t play a strict genre of music, instead, they, as Jae once said, play what they like. Besides being the leader of the band, Sungjin is one of the guitarists. Jae is the other guitarist, the oldest of the group, and one of the rappers. Brian Kang, otherwise known by his stage name, Young K, is the other rapper and bassist of the band. Following him is Wonpil, the band’s keyboardist. The youngest member and drummer is Dowoon. All the members sing, and for Dowoon, it’s a recent thing. Except for Sungjin, the members had their own solo careers. Jae goes by eaJ on his Soundcloud, TikTok, Twitter, Twitch, and YouTube. Young K is known as Young One on YouTube, and he produces and covers songs there. Before he enlisted, he released an album titled Eternal. The same goes for Wonpil, who released his solo album, Pilmography. Dowoon didn’t release an album, instead he released a single called, “Out of the Blue,” featuring Song Heejin.
I recently got out of my DAY6 blue period, where I couldn’t listen to their music or catch up to fan-made content because it made me emotional, and now I’m patiently awaiting their return as a five-member group. My first bias was Jae because I found him funny, pretty, cute, and since he’s Korean American and spoke English, I gravitated towards him more. Now, my bias is officially Wonpil, and I like him because our personalities are similar. He’s introverted but has his extrovert moments, which are funny. And he’s sensitive too. I also favor his vocals more than the others. And his visuals are insane!!
If someone asked me what my favorite DAY6 song was I would have a very hard time choosing one because their whole discography is just so good. But if I was forced to make a list of my top five DAY6 songs, I would sadly name the following: “Deep in Love,” “You Were Beautiful,” “I Like You,” “I Loved You,” and lastly, “Cover.” I always said that if I were to go to one of their concerts, I’d want to hear “Deep in Love” played live because I just know it’ll change my life. The chorus is everything and the guitar riff at the beginning will always send chills down my spine. The next song is “You Were Beautiful,” and I know the Korean lyrics because I’ve listened to it so many times that whenever it comes on, I’m suddenly fluent in Korean. The song is about someone who’s reminiscing about their ex and of all the good and bad moments in their relationship. But regardless of those bad memories, to them, their ex was beautiful. The third song on the list is “I Like You” and I love it for three reasons. One, the music video is the cutest thing ever, and secondly, it’s a confession! I love one particular moment in the music video where the music pauses for a moment, and then comes down with the chorus, “I like you!” It’s cinematic every time. I’m sentimental, and since “I Loved You” was the first DAY6 song I heard, it’s on this list. I’d say I know all the lyrics to this song as well. The last song on the list is “Cover” and I love it so much because the meaning of it is so relatable and heart wrenching, and the vocals hurt so good. In short, the narrator talks about wearing a mask and being scared that if they were to show their true selves, they would burden others with their pain. Just a heads up, DAY6 is known for their happy sounding songs with earth shattering, pain inducing, and heart-breaking lyrics.
If I’ve managed to pique your interest, may I also suggest watching their content on YouTube to get to know them better? A hilarious start would be to watch YouTuber wonpabo’s upload of DAY6’s parody CF where the members introduced their trademark characteristics. I also recommend watching Wonpilates because their DAY6 content is top tier and will have you caught up to all DAY6’s inside jokes and chaos. DAY6 was also on Glamour’s friendship test, which gives some insight to the band’s friendship. Their Undertones content was the last time My Days saw them altogether before their temporary goodbyes. Even of Day came out with content before their second album, Right Through Me, called Summer Melody. After that I believe there’s also a show called Autumn Break. There’s a ton more content that I haven’t mentioned that can be found on YouTube and you should check it out if you’re interested. I could ramble on for days about DAY6. For instance, I didn’t get the chance to talk about my favorite songs from each members’ solo albums, and from Even of Day. And don’t get me started on the most iconic era in my opinion, or Wonpil’s salt incident that is peak comedy.
My K-Pop Albums
February 15, 2023
by Chia Na Vang
As a K-Pop fan, albums are the next best thing to concerts or a meet and greet. Albums are tangible, and they last a long time if taken care of, and I would say I take good care of mine. I still flip through pages slowly and ooh and ahh over iconic photoshoots and eras. I have 8 albums and it’s mostly DAY6 (unit and solo albums), and NCT (mostly NCT 127).
Starting off with DAY6’s third regular album: The Book of Us: Entropy. There are 11 songs on the track list and the genre is mostly Korean rock/alternative with a few R&B and folk. This album has great bops, seriously, DAY6 never disappoints. My all-time favorite songs from Entropy are “Deep in Love,” “Rescue Me,” “Like a Flowing Wind,” “Not Fine,” and “EMERGENCY.” The contents from this album that I got were: two PCs (photocards), a post card, and a bookmark (I gave it to another My Day). My favorite takeaway from this album is the songs because the photoshoots of the members are not my favorite. They do look sharp though.
Next is DAY6’s subunit Even of Day’s (EOD) first mini album The Book of Us: Gluon- Nothing Can Tear Us Apart. There are 7 tracks, and the genre is R&B. I like all the tracks, but “Where the Sea Sleeps,” “Landed,” and “Thanks to” are songs I recommend. The album came with two wavy PCs, which is pretty cool because most PCs are rectangle shaped. It also came with a clear bookmark and I think it’s really pretty. There’s also a lyrics sticker sheet that’s in Korean, and the funny thing is I had my cousin translate it with her little knowledge of the Korean alphabet. My favorite takeaway from Gluon is the photoshoots and the album cover. Everything is so pretty and luminescent. Even the CD is pretty because it’s designed to look like the moon!
Next up, EOD’s second mini album, Right Through Me with 7 great songs. My favorite ones to cry to are “All the Things You Wanted,” and “From the Ending of a Tragedy.” The packaging for this album is really cool because it comes in a paper case and has a huge envelope and a photobook. The contents inside the envelope are as follows: two PCs, one is a unit PC, and the other is a random PC of one of the three members. I love the PC I got of my bias Wonpil because he wrote, “This too shall pass,” on the back of it. I also got a double-sided poster, and it’s gorgeous. It also came with a sticker sheet and a big postcard. My favorite takeaway of this album is the photoshoots because the photos of this era are insane!! I love the glowy filter and the cluster of knick-knacks as props.
The next album is Wonpil’s first solo album, Pilmography. There’s 10 songs and the overall genre is R&B. I think all the songs are touching, and it’s good to listen to the album when you’re having a main character moment, or it’s raining, and you need to feel something. My favorites are “Unpainted Canvas,” “Stranded,” “Someday, Spring Will Come,” “Sincerity,” and the title track, “Voiceless.” The album came with a big envelope containing two PCs, one of which has my favorite outfit look on Wonpil, a frame for the PCs, a small bookmark, and a letter to My Days. As a Wonpil stan, I loved everything about the album. And I really loved how the design for the envelope and bookmark were inspired by Wonpil’s finger tattoo of a heart.
The last DAY6 album I have is Young K’s first solo mini album, Eternal. There’s 7 songs and Young K wrote all the lyrics! This was another amazing DAY6 album. I enjoyed every song. The overall genre is Korean rock/alternative with a few being R&B etc. A song I’d recommend after a long day is “Come as You Are” because the lyrics are like a warm hug. This album is pretty cool in visuals and the contents inside. First off, it looks like a magazine, and most of my albums are hardcovers. It’s huge. Second, it comes with a cute small Young K cutout stand. Third, a lyric diary book. Fourth a PC, and a poster, which did not come with my album.
The first NCT album I have is Resonance part two. The album has 13 songs in total and every song is a bop. The main genre is K-pop with ballads and all NCT units (NCT DREAM, NCT 127, WayV) worked on this album together. My favorite pop song from the album is “90’s Love” and my favorite ballad is “From Home.” The Resonance album comes with a poster, a sticker sheet, and two PCs. My favorite thing about the album is the memories that were made. My cousins and I raved about everything from the trailers for the music videos, and then the music videos when they were released, to the online concert.
NEO ZONE is NCT 127’s second album and has 13 songs, all of which are K-Pop. I have a lot of favorites from this album, such as “Kick It,” “Elevator (127F),” “White Night,” “Love Song,” and “Pandora’s Box.” The album came in a plastic case containing the photobook, a lyric book, and a postcard poster book with a poster, a sticker sheet, and a circle card. I love everything about this album. The songs are great bops and the photoshoots from the album version I got are so cute.
Last but not least, is NCT 127’s NEO ZONE PUNCH The Final Round second repackage album. Because this is a repackage album of NEO ZONE a few songs were added to the album, like “Nonstop,” and “Love Me Now.” The album came with a postcard, a poster, a circle card, and a PC. The title track “Punch” is a bop and was one of the first NCT 127 songs that I listened to, so I love listening to it. I also love the photoshoots for this album version.
The Best Advice I’ve Ever Received
April 11, 2023
by Chia Na Vang
I’ve saved quotes, poems, had meaningful conversations with people, listened to music, but the best advice that I’ve ever received was from my therapist. Three words that I’m still trying to incorporate. “Live for yourself,” is what she told me. I broke that down into a few more words. Living for myself meant I shouldn’t live to please others (obviously, but I can be dense). Whether or not people are okay with the decisions I make are out of my control. I also can’t be responsible for how others perceive me in general, but I definitely can manage how I respond to their opinions. If people want to remain in my life, they’ll have to adjust to my standards. I’m done with being a people pleaser!!!
