Leggings as Pants

     Every morning I wake up and wonder what to wear for the day. Skirt? Shorts? No...look at the State College weather. Jeans? Nah, too uncomfortable. Leggings?

     Why not? They are comfortable, easy to match and even warm for the chilly weather. But this does not seem to be understood by one of the writers in the Penn Statements: A magazine of Student Writing from Rhetoric and Composition, as she views leggings as a “gripping” fashion craze. She argues that they are made out of un-Godly fabric and “take muffin tops to a whole new level.”

     Although back at home leggings are an alternative to nylons or pantyhose where it is generally worn to add modesty to a too-short skirt or shorts, decreasing the chance of a peep show, it's different when you attend a college in the United States. It's a normal occurrence to wear leggings as pants.

      When you wake up in the morning for an 8 AM class and you don't want to be uncomfortable and wish to pay close attention to what the professor is teaching you, then I suggest all the girls to choose leggings. It's flexible and a lot more casual than jeans... and if you want to wear jeans but at the same time also embrace the comfort, then try jeggings. 

     Leggings are the new phenomenon. They might not be for everyone and fit to everyone's taste but for me, as a college student, leggings are the most utilitarian clothing I have in my dorm room. Even though back at home, people would give me a gaze as to what exactly I'm wearing as my pants, I'm sure they too will understand the comfort of leggings soon.

No Driver's License=Odd Ball

     Watching Twilight and most of the American television shows and movies, I've learned that it's normal for teenagers to drive. But until I got here, I never knew that it would be abnormal to not be able to drive.

      I can't drive. I've never tried and I'm almost terrified to. When Robin said in class today about how it would have been weird for me to see my peers be able to drive when I can't because I'm usually a year or two younger than most of my class, I realized how that never crossed my mind.

      I lived in cities my whole life and so commuting was always through public transportation—buses, subways, and in Japan, bicycles! Until today, I thought the legal driving age in Japan was 21, hence why I didn't urge my parents to acquire a driver's license. But I researched today and found out that it was 18.

      The age that you can legally drive varies from country to country but in many places it is lower than 18. In some American states like Louisiana, you can get a driver's permit when you're only 15 years old. That just sounds really...odd to me.

      I've been so accustomed to relying on public transportation and working around their schedule that I find it fascinating that my friends don't do that here. When they just go casually, “visit me over spring break!” I would just go “Yeah, if my mom doesn't mind driving me there...”

      America is too big and State College is certainly not a city...I need a car and know how to drive not only because I can work around my own schedule but also because I'm starting to feel guilty asking my friends and family for a ride.

Asian dramas...yay or nay?

     On Monday nights, me and my close friends on the 4^th floor of Stuart Hall have made it a tradition from the beginning of the school year to watch the famous television show, Pretty Little Liars together. Originally from the best selling thrillers, the show have gained instantaneous popularity especially from teens due to good looking actors and actresses. Moreover, the action packed episodes give us chills even on dull Monday nights.

      I'm a big television fan-- from popular teenager shows such as Gossip Girl or 90210 to weighty and solemn shows like Grey's Anatomy or Desperate Housewives, I give my undivided attention and follow them like religion.

      Being aware of the fact that I'm obsessed with most of the characters in shows, especially the actors from the Vampire Diaries, my friends wonder if I catch up on any “Asian” dramas. Although it may be hard to believe because it is unknown in the States, Korean dramas are very famous and revered in other Asian countries such as Japan, China, Taiwan and etc. To answer their question, yes from time to time I do.

       Even though I only watch two Korean shows, I don't pay as much attention to them as I would to American ones. This could be largely explained by the reason that Korean dramas tend to not be as straight-forward enough and therefore the story would not progress fast enough. It requires a lot more time and patience for the plot to reach the climax.

       I wonder if it's because Koreans tend to be more conservative and beat around the bush more often so than Americans do. I love Korean dramas when I'm on my break where time is always in my control...but at school where my time is limited, I prefer American dramas. But Korean dramas should be given the chance for everyone to know how deep the stories go-- in other words, I'm pro-Korean dramas but an active advocate for American ones.