Strange but True

I needed 6 passport sized photos for IUP, so I went to a photo place on campus. Very simple and straightforward, right? So I thought, too, until they started photoshopping my face. Not only did they go in at high mag and erase some blemishes, they also lightened my skin tone considerably (I'm pretty tan for an Asian)! I understand the "white is pretty" mentality, and I wouldn't have such a response if it were normal pictures (say a family portrait), but somehow, the idea of altering pictures for IDs and official documents just doesn't seem right.

In other news, I am getting devoured by mosquitoes, and developing some sort of allergic response. The area around the bites (roughly 2 inches in diameter) is swollen, red, hard and extremely itchy. Being the pre-med student that I am, I looked it up. It's called Skeeter Syndrome, a local allergic reaction to bug bites. It happens most often when traveling to new locations. Taking my pre-med expertise one step further, I decided to try allergy medicine instead of normal itch relief cream and in two days, voila! The bites have stopped itching, the swelling has gone down and all that remains are sad-looking red spots. Henceforth, I am bathing myself in bug spray whenever I go out. And stocking up on allergy medication.