I’ve never been someone who gets homesick, but the prospect (展望) of going home in a few clays is one of the few things keeping me going. It has been a stressful term. I’m looking forward to seeing my family and friends. But despite my excitement, I’ve been having some Thanksgiving break-caused anxiety. I feel like I’m under a time crunch (困境) trying to fit so many things into just a few clays. Will I have time to see all my friends, spend time with family, and get my work alone?

I’m definitely still grateful that I am able to go home, but it’s strange because I’ve never connected Thanksgiving with being anxious before. Maybe I feel this way because it’s my first year. Breaks in college are different from high school. Teachers usually didn’t give work over break and I could relax the entire time in high school, but it doesn’t exactly work that way here.

Everyone has been so busy this term, and it’s difficult to relax, knowing that we have assignments due as soon as class restarts. The fact that reading period starts only 10 days after break doesn’t help either. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to how fast college moves. Final weeks and winter break are going to be here before we know it, and that is slightly terrifying.

Even though I feel this mixture of excitement and anxiety, the break has helped me gain a better understanding about my first term of college. I’ve met so many new people and become part of clubs that I’m passionate about. The to-do list will still be there over break, but it’s nice to look back and see that I managed to get through most of the term pretty successfully. I’m still thankful for my family and friends as usual, but this year I’m especially thankful for myself.

Being perfect is something many of us want and try to achieve. It makes us feel we’re correct and that our hard work has paid off. However, as much as perfection and being perfect is not all a perfect thing.

Perfection is all about being without mistakes and criticism. Wanting or trying to be perfect can make it hard to admit a mistake. Nevertheless, it is important to own up to mistakes and work to fix them. Not being able to take criticism and fix mistakes is arrogance, not perfection.

Perfection is a double-edged sword. In our lives, we want perfection. Perfection holds us accountable; it’s the mistakes and imperfection that keeps pushing us harder and further at what we do. It’s the perfect motivator. But it’s also the perfect killer. For example, the movie “Black Swan” showcased how perfection can kill us. Working and training and stress hurt our body, mind, and so much more that we can’t do it any more.

But perfection can also have the opposite effect. The movie “High Strung” showed that perfection doesn’t exist, but practicing and pushing ourselves can bring us great rewards. In “Black Swan,” the main character tried to be perfect but he also compared himself to someone else who he thought was better than him. This added more pressure and self-doubt, which can cause unhealthy ways of achieving perfection. The main character of “Black Swan” didn’t know when to stop, whereas the main character of “High Strung” did, or at least didn’t focus so much on the comparison, and instead focused on the competition and the ones she cared about.

Perfection is something we can’t live without and can’t live with. The only way to keep the sword from cutting us is if we know when to stop. Some days are going to be good days and others will be bad. We have to take whatever day it is — perfect or imperfect — and hope that’s enough.

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True beauty is not found in looks. 【小题1】 Changing the way you think about beauty will give you life-long confidence.

Place your beauty in your identity but not your identity in your beauty. If you hold onto youthful beauty as a narrow definition of yourself, you won’t enjoy your looks as you age. 【小题2】 Mirrors tell us only a part of what we show to the outer world. Go past your reflection and see the real self!

The fountain of youth doesn’t exist. Despite many anti-aging products, there is no magic solution to stopping the effects of aging. You should stop devaluing (贬低) yourself just because you are getting older. Aim for a healthy life and keep yourself strong and fit. Eat healthy diet and be committed to a daily exercise routine. Lots of efforts are needed. 【小题3】

Beauty relates to physical and psychological aspects. 【小题4】 However, Serena Williams never hides her unusual muscular physique. Instead, her showing her muscles enhances her appeal. Many fans think she is beautiful. This proves that looking beautiful and attractive goes beyond our looks.

【小题5】 Beauty matters to all women, but to those who age beautifully, it matters neither too much nor too little. Do enjoy our lives to the fullest, True beauty is about accepting yourself. It is also about feeling good about yourself.