My favorite thing to do.

I like being busy. I like having something to do. And I have a love-hate relationship with deadlines. Any type of deadline will do. Be it an exam, a paper or a things-to-do list of errands a mile long that has to be done by X date. I hate it but I *love* it. I love having a list of things to cross off. It makes me feel so 
productive, so accomplished. Especially when I take my pen and draw a line across the last task.

*swoons*

Does this qualify me as a nerd? A dork? A loser? I can't decide!! I like studying and all the stresses that come with it. I need to be busy. It doesn’t have to be work or school related. I just need things to do; I need things to keep my mind preoccupied. Which is why I have post-deadline anxiety. After everything is done, what else is there for me to do? I have no life. There’s only so much shopping, novel reading and movie-watching one can do without starting to feel like someone who hasn’t accomplished anything in the world.

I needed a hobby. Hobby is such a funny word. I'm so random. Do people ever ask you what your hobbies are? I feel like I'm lying and so typical and unoriginal when I say reading. Or writing. Books are good and fun and everything but I can’t do that all day. Sitting and reading all day long makes me feel like a lump. TV has a much worse effect, of course, but I need to keep my mind stimulated. Or at least feel creative in one way or another.

I noticed a lot of girls here put henna on. For fun. They’ll come to class and they’re hands would be stained with a beautiful saffron shade and a pretty design. I WANTED PRETTY HANDS, TOO! But I wanted to be able to do it. Henna is really common here and Indians usually do it for special occasions and sometimes Muslims do it on holidays. Anyways, I’d pick up a henna cone and start piping it onto paper, my hand, my mom’s hands, anybody’s hands. I’d practice whenever I’d get bored or had some down time. I love doing it. I love making pretty designs and I love the deep red stain it leaves behind. The stain lasts for about 5-7 days usually, and then begins to fade. It isn’t harmful to the skin, unless you use black henna, which contains strong chemicals like HAIR DYE and you should never put on your skin because I’ve seen reactions and they are really scary.

Anyways, I like it. It's fun. This I can do all day long. I'm far from being an expert and have to still work on it, but it makes me happy happy. <3