Hasta La Vista

As someone who always keeps in mind that tomorrow isn’t promised, having the opportunity to graduate is something that I am endlessly proud of myself for. School has always been a top priority for me, especially as the child of two parents who didn’t have the same opportunities at their disposal. However, I can’t imagine finally having to say goodbye to a school that hasspoon-fed me up until now. The guidance I’ve received from my teachers and counselors is something that I will never be able to repay.

​My accomplishments have taken time and effort, but it’s all been worthwhile. Hard work does indeed pay off. I have earned the honor of being Fresno High’s ASB President, working alongside people who I believe are the very backbone of this school’s culture and community. I also am very honored to have been a mentor in the EL Peer Mentoring Program here at Fresno High. I have been awarded the FUSD scholarship, which I could not be more grateful for as a low-income student. Furthermore, my biggest accomplishment, and a milestone within my lifetime is receiving admission to the University of California, Berkeley!Knowing that a school of such prestige picked me out of a pool of 125,000 applicants as someone who would succeed in their STEM program makes me feel accomplished representing Fresno High. I’m glad that I am able to say that I have had the most amazing teachers in the Fresno Unified School District that I could ask for.

​Along with the people around me, I don’t believe that I could have done any of it on my own. I am in debt to my parents who have shown me guidance. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for me!

Gym Routine

Recently, I’ve been keeping up with my gym routine at Planet Fitness… however, today was definitely a lazy day at the gym. Although, I often push myself to strive for better, consistency remains my main priority, and that would be attending the gym regularly. I started my routine by meeting up with my friend, Angelina. I decided to follow her lead today since I usually follow my own guide yet rarely hit arms and I wanted to get more insight on exercises that she does to grow her biceps. We started our routine by going on the stair masterfor a good five minutes. Five minutes sounds like nothing until you’ve climbed 15 staircases at 60 steps per minute.

That was our simple cardio for the day, we then decided to stretch out our arms with simple stretches that targeted activating our biceps. After, we decided to do two variations of bicep curls, each with three reps of 10. I decided to use 12-pound weights because my arms are absolutely flimsy! Later on, into our workout, Angelina continued to work on her upper body on the seated cable row. I decided to work out my lower body by doing RDLs (Russian dead lifts) with two 40-pound weights. Lastly, I decided to end my short workout with Bulgarian split squats using the planet fitness bench. Overall, today was a short workout, yet the key is to stay consistent! 

https://www.planetfitness.com/

Skin Care Routine

My love for skincare roots back to my earlier days of adolescence when I had a major outbreak on my forehead. I would have done anything to get those pimples off my forehead!  So, when I decided that enough was enough, I began my research.  

I learned about vitamin C and retinol, as well as taking certain supplements for healthier skin. I had even tried the Raisin Method-- soaking raisins in water and drinking it for glowing skin. Healthy, but it did not do so much for me.  

I discovered my skin barrier type, and from there, I was able to use products that target my skin type. For example, to get my t-zone area (forehead and nose) from oily to normal, I use the CeraVe foaming cleanser. On days when I wear makeup, I first begin with my Neutrogena cleansing balm. After both cleanses, I use the salicylic acid 2% anhydrous solution serum by The Ordinary for my blemishes. I also use a Korean skin serum called Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence by Cosrx. This serum has helped with how my skin seems to secrete oils; ever since I started using it, I have noticed my t-zone secretes oils regularly instead of overproducing them. Lastly, I moisturize with either the CeraVe lightweight daily moisturizer or a Vitamin C infused moisturizer. After this, I can sleep soundly, knowing my skin will stay glowing and healthy! 

Teriyaki Don

At this point, I think I’m using this blog as an excuse to buy takeout.

Previously on my blog, I decided to try a local rolled ice cream shop, Let’s Roll Fresno, I honestly enjoyed every bite of that delicious, rolled ice cream. They also had a wonderful incorporation of Latinx culture.

This time, my digestive system desired something more; hence I decided to take advice from the audience. I created a form to gain insight on the best local restaurants, or quick takeout shops, around Fresno, California. I formatted the form as brief as possible to hold the attention of my audience; there were both a section indicating the audience’s grade and another section with space for them to type their responses.

My goal was to reach at least 30 responses; and from there, narrow it out to the most suggested restaurant. However, in my case, I’d like to try something that I haven’t had yet. I decided to create a chart and eliminated any restaurant that I have already tried.

The winner of this form was... dun dun da dun.... Teriyaki Don! The majority of the votes happened to come from Seniors and the majority voted on Teriyaki Don. Although Quesadilla Gorilla was definitely up there in the votes, I had yet to try Teriyaki Don.

I ordered the Teriyaki beef don ($10.50) which came out warm and quick! The staff was loving and sociable as well when I had asked to take photos. Their entire staff seemed as if they all knew each other for years and had spoken to me as such. Each and every flavor melted on my tongue, the meal had also come with a salad on the side and soy sauce. I enjoyed every bite of the salad, rice, and beef. I would honestly see myself going more often, too bad it’s a 25minute drive!

https://www.teriyakidon.com/

Let's Roll Fresno

Today, I decided to visit Let’s Roll Fresno. I absolutely love trying locally owned food vendors and restaurants because I believe in the quality of hard work. When visiting places like Art Hop or 559 Night Market, I find eating from one of the food vendors is never a miss. The creativity that stems from each vendor is often evident in the taste of their product.  

    Let’s Roll Fresno welcomed me with hospitality and were ready to answer any question I had. The business owners, Jasmine Guzman and Tony Quezada, explained that when on a trip to Mexico City in early 2019, they heard a quick recurring banging noise. Out of curiosity, they decided to follow the noise down one of the busy streets of Mexico City. On the side of the street, they saw two young boys, around the age of 13, were selling and making “rolled ice cream.” 

    Rolled ice cream, otherwise known as stir-fried ice cream, is a form of ice cream that is made and served on the spot. Fresh ice cream, who knew it could get colder than it already is!  

    With the inspiration taken back from these young hustlers, they decided to introduce rolled ice cream to Downtown Fresno. Jasmin Guzman and Tony Quezada had realized that the closest rolled ice cream shop was located in Clovis, 25 minutes away from their general area. Not only did they bring rolled ice cream to the Fresno area in 2019, they had brought their culture along with it.  

    Their fascinating menu included a variety of flavors to choose from and all were based upon Latinx culture. The menu consisted of names like La Nina Fresa, Como La Flor, and Mom’s Pecan Roll. Personally, I ordered La Ferrera, which was based off one of my favorite chocolates; Ferrero chocolate. The ice cream tasted just like the chocolate itself, it was both delicious and sweet as well as refreshing.  

    It’s also a great place to take your significant other or a friend out to a cute inexpensive date. With the beautiful outdoor dining, Jasmine Guzman and Tony Quezada often host movie nights to keep their guests engaged.  

 https://www.letsrollfresno.com/