Hi, class!
My name is Crystal but some people call me “Cris” for short (I guess saying a name with 2 syllables is too much work?). I am currently a senior at CSUDH as an American Studies major. My last semester is Fall 2020. I am very excited to finally finish school as it has been a long journey for me. I’ve always worked at least two jobs and dealt with some health issues so I’ve had to take many “breaks”, some longer than others so this has prolonged my graduation date. For that reason, I am forever grateful for the IDS program as it fits my needs as a working adult. One thing I’ve learned though is we each go through our own journey and going at our own pace is A-ok! After all, life is a marathon, not a race, yet I know it can often feel that way sometimes. But really, who are we racing against and where is the finish line? Where is this ticking time bomb that if we don’t finish things in x amount of time it will suddenly go off and the world will end? The road to graduation can sometimes be challenging so with that being said, congratulations to everyone in this class for going to school, whether you’re graduating this semester or next year or the year after that. The point is, you each took the first step in obtaining an education and you will get there soon. It is happening already!
I’m not quite sure what I would like to be known for in this class but I always hope to leave a positive impression on others. As I’ve once read a quote from Maya Angelou:
“At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.”
I like this quote because I tend to say and do many silly, and sometimes embarrassing, things so I’m glad people will forget that for the most part (I hope). As for how I make people feel, it is my mission to achieve world peace by making others smile just like tacos make me smile.
Tacos are an extremely popular Mexican dish enjoyed by people of different cultures. It consists of a small round bread called a tortilla and is filled with diced meat. There are many toppings that can be added to a taco such as cilantro, onions, lemon, radish, and red or green salsa (choosing which salsa to add is the hardest part when making a taco).
Homemade.
From attending family parties with a taquero (and crying when I’d get there late as I missed out on those tacos) and going to the infamous King Taco Restaurant in East Los Angeles at 3 am with friends, tacos have played a significant role in my life. It has become part of my lifestyle especially since I live in Los Angeles where almost every corner has a taco stand. One of my greatest memories with tacos has been when I use to live in the dorms at another college and would make tacos with my floormates. Tacos really brought us all together as a family and having them homemade was the best since we often got sick of eating out (or having cup noodles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
I once attempted to make my own tacos and was nervous about it since I really don’t know how to make food. I decided to just go for it so I got in my car and drove to Whole Foods. I picked up some small gluten-free tortillas, “vegan” ground beef, onion, cilantro, and some already made salsa. I seasoned the vegan “beef” with pepper and topped it off with some lemon. Although these were not the “traditional” tacos, they were just as good as street tacos and were very beginner-friendly! Making these tacos have been one of my greatest achievements in life.