Noel Duan

I have ambivalent feelings about The Help but this was my favorite part:

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:12:00 -0800

Mr. Blackly [interviewing Skeeter for a job at the newspaper]: Murrah High Editor, Ole Miss Rebel Rouser Editor, double major. Woohoo. Junior League editor. Damn girl, don't you have any fun?
Skeeter: Is that important?

I had to write an op-ed in defense of true love for French class

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:00:31 -0800

I’m not really good at defending love (be still, my cynical heart), but I tried. However, just as I finished writing my agonizing piece on why love still exists for young people, I found this advice column on Spectrum, Columbia Spectator’s blog:

Dear Emily,

I am totally interested in having a boyfriend right now, but afraid of the time commitment it may involve. School work alone keeps me crazy busy, but at the same time, if I don’t start dating now, am I destined to be alone forever? After all, school work (and life) is always going to be busy. What should I do?

Sincerely,
I’ve Got To Straighten Out My Priorities

Dear I’ve Got To Straighten Out My Priorities,

Once, several years ago, I asked my uncle if he wanted to get married. And his response was that marriage is not like Europe. And I was like, “What is this analogy and why is it so weird?” And he was like, “I know that I want to go to Europe. I know what’s there, and I know I want to see it. But how can I say that I want to be married in the abstract? I want to get married to a person, if I meet the right person.”

A boyfriend, IGTSOMP, is also not like Europe. And if you want a boyfriend just for the sake of having a boyfriend, then, yes, he will seem like a time commitment. If you go out and pull a Rihanna (just live your life), you will, I am sure, through clubs or classes, through friends or family, somehow, someway, at some point, find a boyfriend who will seem more like a wonderful individual whom you can’t wait to spend time with and less like a distraction from school work.

If you want to have a boyfriend right now, you can probably find one. There are dating sites and friends of friends and cute kids in Core classes. But it sounds to me that you want a boyfriend because you’re afraid of what you’ll become if you don’t have one. And all you will become, if you remember that relationships are not like Europe and keep your mind open to the possibility (not the necessity!) of dating, is a fulfilled young person who will be ready to date the right person when he, in all his individual glory, comes into your life.

Just ask my uncle—he’s celebrating his ten-year wedding anniversary in the fall.

So, hey, there we go.

Je le voudrais for this summer in Europe! The bikini, I mean....

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 03:12:00 -0800

Je le voudrais for this summer in Europe!

The bikini, I mean. But the body would be great, too. At least I ran ce matin?

(via Agent Provocateur)

paris wine&tea: One last tumblr moment before I go and bite what I once had

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 09:19:45 -0800

paris wine&tea: One last tumblr moment before I go and bite what I once had:

pariswineandtea:

Noel Duan is an incredible writer. Some of you may recognize her from her blog, Miss Couturable. And others may recognize her as the passionate Columbia University student, fearless in her pursuit to achieve her dreams and her passions in the often-seen-as-not-lucrative publishing and writing industries. I really admire her and her writing.

I’m beyond belief angry at myself. I have a midterm tomorrow. I have just sat around for four hours doing precisely that - nothing.

During the beginning of high school, I had Noel’s passion, desire and motivation to be the best and follow her own heart. I don’t have that anymore.

When I came back from DC, I thought I was a changed person. And in some ways, I really am. I am much more grounded, strong and motivated than I ever was. I know now why I am in school. And even though I don’t know exactly where I will end up, I know my future lies in fashion or public health (heck, or maybe both!).

Noel’s feisty passion for success and the joy that she gets from doing all of the many incredible accomplishments that she does (i.e. cofounding Columbia’s second fashion student magazine; finally interning at Vogue; pursuing her love for writing; treating her body with love through yoga and exercise). I admire her, so much.

I used to be like that. I was aggressive, I was smart, sassy, loudmouthed and anything but what society put on me as a label (“female”). I didn’t care and I worked hard to get high marks, take leadership positions and excel in the violin (although not Julliard standards, but enough to be regarded well on the state level).

What the hell has happened? Now don’t get me wrong, I love living in the dorms and have enjoyed meeting a diverse group of beautiful people. But I think my old memories (freshmen year) and habits are popping up again. And I’m now slowly realizing that I still have so many more things to learn and that balance is essential.

September was a fantastic month. I read all of my readings, did all of my work, was on straight As and had a social life. I also networked like mad, formed a strong, personal relationship with the Vice President of Chrysler and churned my resume to perfection.

October started off on a great note, but now is turning out to be like my past two years of broken agony. Although my social life is at an all time high, my grades have suffered as a result. I’ve no longer joined the other business networking group. Heck, I’m not even sure if I’m participating in the LoReal business competition anymore. And psh, emailing and networking the business leaders I had met? Yeah right. What happened to that?

So I thank Noel for her blog. Reading through her posts have started the fire that was once inside me, hailing all the way from high school.

I’m still sassy, loudmouthed, opinionated. I keep things REAL. I am intelligent. And I appreciate the fashion and creative industries so freakin’ much. I’m going to continue what I started. When I came into this semester, I knew it was going to be crazy. Taking 18 credits, with (currently) 7 hours of extracurricular activities a week (one of which I’m actively on the board) and hours of networking, with the serious intent of joining TWO other organizations and gettin’ all As?

Honey, I’ve been crashed and burned. I’m tired and exhausted. Dealing with roommates, people, school, business, my future? It’s absolutely mindbogglingly tiring.

I definitely don’t want to continue crashin’ and burnin’. So I will scale back. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to accomplish what I came to this school to do. If Noel can do it, so can I.

I’m strong, independent, sassy as hell, loudmouthed, a fuckin’ feminist, intelligent, artistic and musical, beautiful, ambitious, a leader, quirky, eccentric and confident. Midterms? Fuck midterms, you’re not going to stop me.

Just reading her blog has helped me regain some of what I was loosing. It seems almost impossible, but I’m going to do what’s not possible. I am going to kick ass on these two exams - I will OWN them. In addition, I will pick up everything that I’ve slowly let die.

I will rise to the challenge. It’s a alot, but I need to remember: I interned full time and worked a part time job this summer. I had 12 to 13 hour fucking work days. That didn’t stop me. So why should this?

Power to you all ladies!

Oh, goodness, this is so flattering; I didn’t see this until my friend sent this to me in the morning, so thank you for your generous words! I’m really honored that I inspired you.

I’m never comfortable when I read posts like these or when I receive emails like these, though. I don’t think I make a good role model and I don’t think my lifestyle should be emulated. I really mean it. I don’t do drugs and I wake up before the sun rises to run and I never forget to take my daily multivitamins, but I’m just as much of a mess inside as any other 21-year-old.

Being a perfectionist is really crippling, and I feel awfully guilty whenever someone tells me that I’ve inspired her (it’s always a her) to pull more all-nighters and tackle on more extracurricular activities and get perfect grades.

Yuck. I can’t seem to write today. I need to explain, though. Being a thorough perfectionist is crippling because you never feel like anything is good enough, and you never stop toiling for that unattainable perfection.

Things about me that are vaguely unhealthy and I wish I could change about myself:

Not going out because I have an interview to transcribe or a scholarly article to finish reading. I am lucky enough to have fantastic friends who don’t think any less of me because I don’t enjoy drinking alcohol unless it’s bubbly, but I am also not the first person that comes to their minds when they want someone fun to go out with. Sometimes, I feel alone. Usually, I don’t care because I think I see my friends adequately over brunch (my preferred mode of socialization). I’m not a solitary creature, but I’m naturally selective with my company, which I don’t always like about myself.
I am not that spontaneous. Maybe you even think I’m boring. That’s okay. I’m really not boring, though, and my life is far from boring or routine. It is, however, very regimented. Perhaps too much. I wake up before dawn, even on the weekends. I schedule my yoga time like it’s my religion. I am very careful and picky about what I eat. I schedule fun time. I schedule study time. I rarely sleep; I disco nap. The moment I start getting sick, I cancel all “fun” plans until I am completely recovered. My friends know to make plans with me in advance because I am always busy and my iCalendar is color-coordinated with ten different categories. My mother used to be horrified when she’d discover me studying Spanish at 3am in high school. That was all scheduled, by the way. I just can’t stop.
Part of me thinks I could do anything I put my mind to, and part of me thinks I can only achieve anything if I do everything. I love to tackle on new responsibilities and I love new challenges, but I actually don’t know where my limits are. I am always thinking about five things at the same time.
I don’t know how to take a break from school. I’m a super nerd. I LOVE school. I love school so much that I do extra work because I have huge admiration for my professors and I relish everything they say. In Paris, there is less work in school, but I still do more (optional) work, because I feel like I’m not learning enough if I don’t. I think I’m learning a lot, but I’m also missing out by not going out to bars on Tuesday nights.
I agonize in great detail over everything. I never sleep the night before exams because I’m too busy studying. I reread my papers about twenty times before I submit them. I expect perfection from others and from myself to an extreme.

There was a time in my life when I wasn’t like this. I remember it clearly, because it was freshman year of high school. I went to bed at 10pm, woke up at 7pm, and didn’t care if I got an A- or B+. And then, during my sophomore year, I realized all my classmates were sleeping at 3am, getting better grades than me, and working toward a goal that I didn’t have. I felt like I had to change my mindset, and I did, but I don’t know whether it’s for the better or not.

I mean, I’m more than satisfied with my life and I’m proud of myself, but there is always a little voice in the back of my head that asks: Was it really worth it?

I don’t have an answer yet.

I’ve gotten really sick of these on Facebook, but this is...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:29:44 -0800

I’ve gotten really sick of these on Facebook, but this is one I actually love.

"Americans do not hate their cities. Rather, they are ambivalent about them, and their ambivalence..."

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 07:28:27 -0800

“Americans do not hate their cities. Rather, they are ambivalent about them, and their ambivalence has ebbed and flowed with the prospects that cities have offered. Even when antiurbanism was ostensibly most pronounced, many people praised the city, moved there for fame and fortune, and remained in order to enjoy the good life. “Cities,” an observed claimed, “express an ambivalence in the American soul.””

- Robert Beauregard, How America Became Suburban

amcorm: buzzfeed: A play-by-play of Harvard grad Jeremy Lin...

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:48:41 -0800

amcorm:

buzzfeed:

A play-by-play of Harvard grad Jeremy Lin and Stanford grad Landry Fields’ new handshake:

Two quick high fives on opposite hands.

Landry Fields presents his hands to Jeremy Lin as though they are a book.

Lin “pages” through the book.

Fields closes the book.

Both Lin and Fields put their hands to their eyes as though they are glasses.

Both players “remove” their glasses and put them into an invisible shirt pocket.

The addition of two smarty-pants cuties on the Knicks is making me interested in the NBA.

I love Jane Pratt. I should probably stop reading xojane.com and...

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:51:02 -0800

I love Jane Pratt. I should probably stop reading xojane.com and finish my homework though.

Disgustingly racist anti-Asian Michigan campaign

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:50:37 -0800

Disgustingly racist anti-Asian Michigan campaign:

The 30-second ad opens with the sound of a gong and shows the Asian woman riding a bike on a narrow path lined by rice paddies.

Stopping her bike, the woman smiles into the camera and says, “Thank you, Michigan Senator Debbie Spenditnow. Debbie spends so much American money. You borrow more and more from us. Your economy get very weak. Ours get very good. We take your jobs. Thank you, Debbie Spenditnow.”

The scene shifts to Hoekstra, who says, “I think this race is between Debbie Spenditnow and Pete Spenditnot.”

The website… I’m appalled. In 1982, Chinese-American and Detroit-resident Vincent Chin was beaten to death by two unemployed autoworkers who were angry about competition from Japan. Have you forgotten, Hoekstra?

Amy Astley of Teen Vogue, on Valuing a Work Ethic

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:30:00 -0800

Amy Astley of Teen Vogue, on Valuing a Work Ethic:

I also find that if you ask someone in an interview, “Are you a morning person?” the truth always flickers across their face, no matter what they say.

(via The New York Times)

Feelings feelings feelings

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:34:32 -0800

I am deeply frustrated because my generation did not break this economy but every day, I see my peers working themselves to death trying to do everything possible to compensate. We’re told that it’s harder to find jobs in this economy so just-accept-this-unpaid-internship-and-move-back-home-with-mom-and-dad. We’re told that we’re ungrateful and lazy and unrealistic, but how can the older generation accuse us of these things when they tucked us into bed at night, telling us that we can be anything we want to be when we grow up?

I used to dream so big, but now I worry more than I dream. I tell myself that education will change everything, but I see so many 20-somethings who are overeducated and underpaid.

My eyes glaze over when adults lecture me about my unrealistic expectations and my “petty” dreams. The way I see it, I did not ruin this economy. I am not to blame for this economy. And I, like so many of my peers, am just trying to hold onto those childhood dreams and hopes. When did “you can be anything you want to be” become “you are not good enough”?

An education

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:27:35 -0800

I feel that there are few careers that allow you to directly spark and shape the world (yes, yes, I’m sure you, brilliant reader, could name quite a few, but still…), which is why I become sick to the stomach when teachers from my high school die. When you’re 16 years old and you just got in a fight with your parents because you crashed the car and your SAT score doesn’t look good enough and you’re convinced that your friends could care less about you, you probably don’t want to draw cell membranes or sit in class discussing the Civil War. But then, all you need is that one teacher who sets on fire that inner spark within you that wants to learn more, and that can change your entire life.

I’ve been thinking about education a lot lately, because even here in Paris, I can find no greater joy than the tireless passion of academia. I don’t know why I become so happy when I’m sitting in class, but I know it wouldn’t have been possible without the foundation set by my high school teachers. I still remember the first time I shamelessly ran to my locker after school so that I could plunk down and finish The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

And with that, I say, RIP Ms. M — I am a little less heartbroken because I look at my Facebook newsfeed and I see the products of your labor continuing to strive for great things in college and for the rest of their lives.

Photo

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:36:40 -0800

29lives: kevinless: This is Ulyana Sergeenko’s DEBUT...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:12:23 -0800

29lives:

kevinless:

This is Ulyana Sergeenko’s DEBUT collection.

This is so me. You may as well wrap it up and tie it with a bow for me.

benglert: Found this in the process of educating Midori on Bay...

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:27:09 -0800

benglert:

Found this in the process of educating Midori on Bay Area hip-hop. It is simply one of the best things ever, I have no words. Just watch.

God bless America (especially the yay area).

farankrentcil: Stop apologizing for being smart. Sexy is not a...

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:40:05 -0800

farankrentcil:

Stop apologizing for being smart. Sexy is not a dirty word. (A Tale of Two Issues.)

hellogiggles: From Our Readers: HOW TO DO YOGA LIKE A GIRL by...

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:19:58 -0800

hellogiggles:

From Our Readers: HOW TO DO YOGA LIKE A GIRL

by From Our Readers

"We are the girls with anxiety disorders, filled appointment books, five-year plans. We take..."

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:19:19 -0800

“We are the girls with anxiety disorders, filled appointment books, five-year plans. We take ourselves very, very seriously. We are the peacemakers, the do-gooders, the givers, the savers. We are on time, overly prepared, well read, and witty, intellectually curious, always moving… We pride ourselves on getting as little sleep as possible and thrive on self-deprivation. We drink coffee, a lot of it. We are on birth control, Prozac, and multivitamins… We are relentless, judgmental with ourselves, and forgiving to others. We never want to be as passive-aggressive are our mothers, never want to marry men as uninspired as our fathers… We are the daughters of the feminists who said, “You can be anything,” and we heard, “You have to be everything.””

- Courtney Martin (via air-light-time-space)

I guess what frightens me, is how much this hits home.

Did you know Nicolas Flamel was a real person? Paris teaches me...

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:17:22 -0800

Did you know Nicolas Flamel was a real person? Paris teaches me something new every day.

amcorm: Well the highlight of my first day of school, Mom, was...

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:00:17 -0800

amcorm:

Well the highlight of my first day of school, Mom, was obviously when I sat down to drink a Diet Snapple and eat a Luna Bar before class and to my right was Sarah Jessica Parker. Duh.

Why am I not on campus?