December’s last breath

a final exhale

drifts off in the wind

scattering memories like ashes

to be visited once again

the blue sky fades away

and everything becomes new

another year is born

from December’s last breath

The new year is on its way, and I think most of us can agree that leaving 2020 behind is quite a relief. Looking back, it is astounding how much can change in a matter of months, weeks, and even a day. To be honest, I learned more this year than I ever imagined, but I grew so much stronger through every fear, uncertainty, hurt, and disappointment. Although it is easy to focus on everything that went wrong, it is important to remember all the things that went right like welcoming my baby brother into the world, moving to a beautiful new house, graduating high school, and attending a university honor’s program. Overall, I feel like this year helped me become a better version of myself, and I am grateful for all of the things that I learned despite the hard times.

One of my resolutions for 2021 is making the conscious effort to write more even if it is only once a week or so. I do not intend to force words on a page, but I know that reminding myself to frequently write (even in a personal journal) will help me become more in sync with my thoughts and emotions…Writing always use to be the thing that I would revert to when things got hard, but I definitely didn’t do that this year which only made things harder. Nonetheless, I want to continue to improve my writing, so I think becoming more active is a great resolution.

That being said, I wrote a little free verse poem in honor of the coming year that I hope you find enjoyable… Here is to new beginnings, and a Happy New Year!

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A New Decade

A new decade has begun, and a new journey awaits… No matter how 2019 went for you, do not forget the lessons and experiences that helped you become the person that you are today. I hope 2020 is a great year, and I am excited to see what it has in store for all of us.

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I am astounded at the growth of this blog within the past twelve months, and I could not be more thankful for the tremendous amount of support. This site topped 8,000 views this year, and I received visitors from all over the world! I am so glad to be part of this community of writers because you are all so talented and inspiring. My most popular post in 2019 was ‘Don’t Be Beautiful’ so be sure to go check that out if you haven’t already!

Beyond the blog, I also want to give a shout-out to all of the people in my personal life who were always there for me and made the year so memorable especially my mom. I don’t know what I would have done without you guys, and it means the world (you know who you are.) 2019 definitely wasn’t an easy year, but it was one that I wont forget because it truly changed my life.

Here’s to a new year and a fresh start. Happy 2020!

Fall Semester 2019

This semester was harder than I ever expected, but I learned more life-lessons within the past sixteen weeks than any of the other semesters combined. Looking back, I am not really sure how I made it through everything, but I couldn’t be more thankful for the experiences that helped me become who I am today despite the challenges.

I always use to tell myself that nothing is impossible and that I could do anything I set my mind to if I was determined enough. This helped me achieve great things in the past, but this semester humbled me to realize that some things truly aren’t possible. I was pushing myself harder than I ever had before, and I was setting unrealistic expectations for myself. This year, I took a full semester at the college through dual-enrollment while dancing full time as a professional trainee ballet dancer. Though I had done this before, my academic courses were more difficult this time, and the demands were a lot higher. I was only getting about five hours of sleep every single night just to keep my feet on the ground, and the exhaustion/stress really started to take a toll on my health.

I learned that “you can do anything, but you can’t do everything.”

The problem was, I was trying to give 100% effort at both school and dance because I didn’t know where I would end up or what I even wanted anymore. A professional career in ballet is extremely competitive, and universities are also highly selective; I needed to be perfect at both. It was about mid-October when I realized that something had to change because I physically couldn’t do everything anymore, and I was wearing myself out… I had some big decisions to make. After thinking everything through, I decided to no longer pursue a professional career in ballet after Nutcracker which was one of the hardest decisions that I have ever had to make. Even though it is a huge change in my life, I know that I made the right decision, and I did what it best for me. Since then, I am so much happier, and I passed all of my classes!

Through it all, it truly was bittersweet to walk off campus for the last time knowing that some of my friends wont return in January… From the coffee shop shows, Friday morning laughs, “flying squirrel” (inside joke), study groups, and hot chocolate chats, I couldn’t have hoped for a better group of people to hang with. I made some great friendships, and I am so thankful for all of the wonderful memories! It certainly wasn’t an easy semester, but we got through it together. The Fall semester is officially complete. I can’t believe it, but we did it!!

Nutty Weekend

Just like that, Nutcracker 2019 has officially come to a close, but I would do anything to go back and relive my moment as the sugar plum fairy…

I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity to dance such an iconic role, and it was truly an honor to perform. My second show on Saturday night was better than I had ever expected, and I can’t recall time where I was that happy onstage before. I was overcome with joy, and I truly danced my heart out which doesn’t happen everyday. I am not sure how my dancing was physically, but I think that last show was one of the best ones I have ever done. If anything, it is definitely something that I will remember for a very long time.

However, I am going to be honest and admit that it was not an easy weekend for me, and this Nutcracker certainly had its hiccups. I was in a lot of pain as my muscles kept seizing up in the middle of my dances, my Achilles was hurting, and I had a really bad cough that was a constant struggle. Also, slipping onstage during the pas de deux of my first show was far from the debut that I had envisioned.

Despite the circumstances, it truly was an incredible experience, and I am already missing that theater. It has been an amazing journey to get here, and I have made so many memories that will last an entire lifetime. Thank you to everyone who came out to support me and also everyone who encouraged me backstage. The entire cast danced beautifully, and I am so lucky to have shared that stage with such a talented group of artists. This was truly a dream, and I will always remember Nutcracker 2019…

Father’s Day 2019

Daddy,

I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done for me, and I am so blessed to have such a loving, caring, giving, inspiring, and amazing father. The past few years have been filled with memorable adventures that I will cherish for a lifetime, and I am so grateful for all of your support to do what I love. You have shown me that I can do anything that I set my mind to, and you have taught me so much throughout the past seventeen years. I learned that superheros truly do exist because I am looking right at one… I love you so much, and I hope that you have a fantastic Father’s Day!

~Maysa

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Happy Father’s Day to all of those super awesome dads out there!

Season 2018-19 Recap

The 2018-19 season has come to a close, so I took some time to revisit all of my adventures from the past several months…

I remembered the exhilaration of dancing the Snow Queen pas de deux in The Nutcracker, and flutes of Act 2 came floating back to me from when I took the stage as a Mirliton. My heart became warm as I recalled performing the Sugar Plum Fairy variation for the seniors at the assisted living facility, and I smiled at the memory of pure joy on their faces. I recalled working with the choreographer of “Flight” and being part of its debut in January as well as the Balanchine-themed “Spiral.” Both of these creations were brought to three separate stages as we popped in and out of the city this year, and each experience was uniquely special. I shivered at the flashback of February and all of the stress that accompanied those long days of overtime at the studio. Alice in Wonderland definitely kept us on our toes as we raced against time to put the entire ballet together, but the performance was worth every moment. Shortly after, we dove into The Little Mermaid where we spent over 13 hours in the theater on a show day, and the contemporary repertoire marked the successful ending of this very busy season.

I am incredibly grateful for all of the opportunities that I had, and I cannot thank everyone enough for the tremendous amount of support through it all. I especially want to thank all of my followers for joining me this year, liking my posts, and leaving such positive comments. It means so much to know that my friends, family, and readers all believe in my ability to succeed, so THANK YOU!

How was your dance season? Do you have any questions for me? Any special post requests? Happy Summer!

My Experience

That’s right. I am dabbing in this ballet photo shoot (more to come) to celebrate my amazing experience with blogging and the evolution of Maysa Rose from its birth in 2013! I never thought so many people would genuinely care about all of the random thoughts that I document on this public diary, so I am absolutely astounded with its growth especially within the last year. This space gives me so much joy, and I am incredibly thankful for this site and everyone who reads it!

The Story: 

I began Maysa Rose back in 2013 as a highly talkative fifth grader with an ink pen who filled entire notebooks with stories and poems. My dad recognized this budding passion for writing and he suggested that I begin a blog so that my words could actually be read. I jumped at the opportunity, and I really kept up with blogging before I practically neglected it about a year or two later. After awhile, I decided to pick it back up again, but I didn’t want to start where I left off. I completely redesigned my site and actually deleted all of my old posts to get a clean slate. I started posting very frequently, and I really began to find joy in writing again. Blogging has been my absolute obsession ever since!

My Experience: 

I don’t even know where to begin; being the author of Maysa Rose has been such an amazing experience, and it has significantly changed my life for the better. My writing has matured so much through the years, and I have met so many amazing people who continue to inspire me every day. This site is filled with so much positive energy, and the encouragement has really helped me through life’s unpredictable moments. Sometimes, all it takes is ONE positive comment to turn the entire day around, and a couple bloggers have written such beautiful words that I still remember to this very day! I actually cannot recall any offensive or negative comments, so I am very blessed for that. I never imagined that Maysa Rose would grow as much as it has, and I am so thankful for this opportunity to share my passion with the world. Thank you all so much for everything, and I cannot wait to see where this goes from here!!

Photo Credits: Richard Jean-Louis

Do you have any questions about blogging? What is your blogging story or experience? Did you enjoy this post? 

My Survival Kit

Lately, several people have asked me the same exact question, and I began to realize that this might make a really interesting blog post. People catch a glimpse of my overflowing list of of day-by-day tasks on my weekly planner and look at me wide-eyed…

“How do you do it all?”

My reply is always the same: “I don’t even know.” In reality, however, I guess there really is a method to manage this madness, but it is not easy! I will be completely honest and tell you that there have been many nights that I have gotten under four hours of sleep as deadlines crept up faster than expected, so I don’t want you to get the impression that I have mastered these strategies because that is far from the truth. For the most part, however, I think this survival kit has really been the reason that I have been able to “do it all,” so I thought it might be neat to share with you.

1: Staying Organized:

My agenda/weekly calendar is actually color coded so that I can quickly see the homework load for each class. I also write down the important projects, papers, quizzes, and exams for that week in a black pen and highlight it in bright yellow so that I don’t accidentally miss them or forget to study. My friends think I am a bit crazy, but I actually color code my notes as well by the units or lectures.

2: Managing Time:

I always go to the campus library at least 30 min (sometimes even an hour) before my class begins to get a head start on homework for that day. I use every free moment that I have to get things done, so I frequently work Friday nights or even weekends as well. Time management is extremely important, so use extra time to your advantage!

3: Routine:

I also think following a routine helps me a lot because my body has gotten use to the wake/sleep times. This doesn’t mean that I am never tired, but it just means that I don’t feel like a walking zombie everyday because my body has gotten into a relatively consistent schedule.

4: Support:

Family and friends have significantly influenced me to keep working hard because I know they believe in me. This ultimately helps me believe in myself too, and it really does feel good to have someone there to encourage me through difficult times with a “you can do it!” attitude.

I also wanted to let you all know that I am scheduled to get my braces off on March 15!!!

I hope that you enjoyed this post, and thanks for reading!

How do YOU manage your schedule? Would you like to know my tips for studying late at night without getting tired? What was it like to get your braces off? 

New Year 2019

“Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.”

~Brad Paisley

2018 is packed with so many great memories that I will never forget, and I feel like the experiences have really helped me grow as an individual. I am so grateful for all of the people who impacted me, both negatively and positively, throughout this past year because I learned a lot from each of them. Aside from personal life, this blog of mine has grown so much, and views have topped 6,000 for the year! I am so incredibly thankful for each and every one of you readers. Your comments/likes mean so much to me, and I greatly appreciate the tremendous amount of support and inspiration that you have continuously given me. I also really enjoyed discovering new blogs and meeting so many talented writers in the past year. I truly cannot thank everyone enough! I hope 2019 brings even more wonderful memories.

Happy New Year to you all!

Velvet

“And I’m fallin’… fallin’ for you hard. Let’s slow down; this is just the start. When you hold me, I can’t sing the blues. Like velvet on my fingertips, you sure are smooth”

Lyrics: Velvet by Sofia Caterina

Hey everyone! My friend just released her very own song a few months ago. Believe it or not, Velvet has already received over 30k streams on Spotify and topped 17k views on her YouTube audio track. It would be great if you guys could help promote this rising star by re-blogging this post, sharing it with your friends, and posting it on your personal sites. It would be very appreciated if the WordPress community could help get her more publicity… Be sure to give this song a listen!