There’s barely a week left before the holiday I dread the most.

Soon, there’d be lovey-dovey couples proclaiming and showing off their affection in public places.

Also, almost all of my friends have boyfriends and girlfriends and they’d probably go out. So as always, I’ll be left out hiding in my place to avoid all the fuss.

And I don’t know what’s worse: being stuck alone inside my dorm or having to endure being a third wheel when my friends invite me to go with them.

Ugh. I hate this holiday so much. It’s so freaking insensitive to those of us who are single.

During normal days, I don’t find being single as a problem. But times like this can make any strong and independent single person a miserable mess like no other.

But then again, maybe I’m the only one like this.

Why am I so unlikable?

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Sorry if this one’s a little bit rusty. I haven’t written a review for so long. And truthfully, I missed it. Haha.

I have been one to judge books based on their covers ever since the YA genre started spouting tons of vampire/werewolf/*insert-other-mythical-creatures-here* crap. Every time I go into a bookstore, I find, to my disappointment, another goth-themed cover. If not those kinds, I see books with lovey-dovey covers which contain very clichéd plots. Now why am I babbling on about these stuff? Well, because this particular book that I am reviewing falls into those category, cover-wise. (please don’t stop reading)

But then, as I update myself of the vlogbrother’s video entries, I found that in one of it, Mr. John Green himself recommended this book. Of course, my opinion of it changed and I started to take a second look and finally.. bought my own copy. After a few weeks, here I am, finally gotten around reading The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.

I have to be honest and admit that the title didn’t help in convincing me to like the book. You see, I am a non-believer of the whole love-at-first-sight magic. But then as I got past the first chapter, I find myself actually getting attached to the main character, namely Hadley Sullivan.

“It’s not the changes that will break your heart; it’s that tug of familiarity.”

And so the story began as Hadley got stuck in the airport by missing her flight that would bring her to her father’s second wedding. And so she had to book yet another flight and wait. All this hassle just because she was late by 4 minutes. Yep, only 4 minutes. But then this seemed to be a blessing in disguise for she met Oliver, also waiting to catch the same flight she recently booked. 

Their meeting was fairly odd and not quite realistic to me but I guess it somehow worked for the whole of the story. Even when they’ve met for just a few hours, they felt comfortable talking to each other and sharing stuff you don’t usually do with strangers. And so goes their 24-hour-long story of witty remarks, comedic adventures and personal revelations.. all inside an airplane.

The premise of the book may look shallow at first but then reading through it revealed a lot more about the characters that just their timely acquaintance. Surprisingly, what caught me wasn’t the love story between Hadley and Oliver but the conflicted relationship Hadley has with her father. (yeah yeah, I am a sucker for characters with father issues) The book started out with Hadley having strong feeling against her father and as the story unfolds, we were allowed to peek in on Hadley’s head and her hatred. Who wouldn’t be mad of a father who leaves his family for another woman?

I know that this is not a unique story and a lot of books have already intricately depicted broken families and bitter children. But what made this book so much different from the others is that it journeyed toward a positive path of acceptance. Although even to me, Hadley forgiveness of her father’s act was to sudden and early, I felt this bit of jealousy for her having the heart and bravery to finally find peace with what she was dealt with. She wasn’t like other characters who would rather carry the hatred for as long as they can even when it wasn’t worth it. And I think that’s what I admire most about Hadley. She was honest about how she felt and she can deal with it. I, personally, don’t have the strength to do that.

Overall, I enjoyed it and I am glad that I believed Mr. John Green’s word. I think it wasn’t really much of a love-at-first-sight thing. I would say that it was an attraction-at-first-sight. A little predictable but it was fine with me. It was a perfect mix of wit, drama, craziness, and cheesiness. Nothing was too much overdone. I give it a 4/5.

My Harry Potter Story.

Why do you still post stuff about Harry Potter?

Just get over your Harry Potter craziness already! It’s been, like, more than a year since the last movie came out!

Don’t you ever get tired of watching or reading Harry Potter over and over again?

You’re 19 years old, why the hell are you still obsessed with a children’s book?

It’s over, move on and find another book to love.

These are just a few of the comments or messages I get on Facebook whenever I post something Potter-related, may it be quotes, photos, vidoes or little facts. To be honest, I don’t feel irritated at all. I am actually surprised by their reactions. I mean, they’ve known all along that I am a die-hard Potterhead, and yet they still force these opinions on me. Like, do they really expect that I’d give up all my affection and love for all things Harry Potter just because they told me so? Haha. I think not.

I know that it’s quite difficult for them to understand, maybe because they haven’t experienced being attached to something for over a period of time, or that they don’t feel this passionate about things, or for other reasons I may never know. But once and for all, here is my explanation:

When you grew up interested and attached to one thing to the point that it became a very important part of your life, you can never just turn away from it no matter how long it has been since it ended. Much like in a relationship, when you’ve invested so much, spent every sweat, tears, and love for someone, letting go will never be easy. At times, it’s unimaginable. That is how the Harry Potter series is for me.

I got the first book as a present from my mom for my 6th birthday. At that time, I didn’t find it interesting since it was the first time I encountered a book with only a few pictures. You see, even when I started reading early, I was used to fairytales and storybooks filled with illustrations of every character and the events of each story. But then, come the year 2000 and I was then 7 years old, my mother brought me to theater for the first time. And together, we watched the first Harry Potter movie ever released. That was also my first time to watch a movie inside a theater. So for the 7-year-old me, it was truly a magical moment.

When we went back home, I frantically searched for my copy of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and asked my mom (actually, pleaded), to assist me in reading the book. It was just my luck that she agreed. So for days, we sat together, reading the book. Whenever I find a word I don’t understand, my mom would always explain it to me the best she could. It became our bonding session. Before we even finished the book, my mom found out that this is just one book of the series. 

She then bought me the next 3 books in the Harry Potter series for my birthday since they were already available that year. From then on, I would wait impatiently for the following year, ready to receive the next book in the series. Through this, Harry Potter became the center of my entire childhood. Aside from growing up following Harry Potter’s adventures, it also became the thing that brought me and my mom closer. 

So yes, the Harry Potter books might all have been published and all the movies may have been released already but that doesn’t matter to me. The power of this magical story still lives within my heart and all the others whose lives were touched by this wizard boy who lived through all the hardship fate has thrown his way. I knocked myself crazy with anticipation for the next book or film, cheered during all the quidditch matches, recited every incantation, laughed with every joke made by the twins, cried over the deaths of my favorite characters, rejoiced at each triumph, even swooned over the cheesy bits. In these books and movies, I have learned so much about life at such a young age. The Harry Potter series aren’t just words printed on paper or frames sewn into films I can easily forget. No. These books and films are priceless treasures I’ll forever cherish. They are precious bits and pieces that helped in molding a part of whoever I am today.