Uh…I’m probably not the best person to give you advice on this. I choose UOttawa because it meant that I would save money and not have to live out. Meanwhile, a lot of people recommend that you move out to experience living on your own.
It’s really up to the person but I wasn’t about to spend an extra 10 grand a year just for living and food expenses. I also chose the university (over Carleton, the other uni in Ottawa) because it’s average acceptance requirements were higher and that my program offered a field placement option. Honestly, if your GPA is high enough, it doesn’t matter where you get your undergrad from. Work and relevant volunteer experience are more of an asset.
I’m not 100% sure where you’re coming from, so what I’m saying may not even be useful to you (e.g., the US, because I know that universities are privately run, unlike in Canada where they’re public institutions). Academic cultures differ, so that would be where you would have to do more research to better inform your decision.
❤ Yeeeee buddy. Tysm.
Thanks aren’t necessary but exactly what you just did! Your support is what keeps this blog going 🙂
Don’t poke a bat at a wasp’s nest, anon. I told him to be nice, but he didn’t listen.
Mathew: No, we’re just different. We stand out more than your normal regular ass.
2p! Canada confirmed.
What this post aims to do is flesh out the “hot tempers”
that are often attributed—uni-dimensionally—to these characters. While Hetalia
is based on stereotypes, the characters’ personalities are still considerably
developed and round. It’s the fan depictions that tend to make them flatter
than what they actually are.
England:
England is probably the easiest character to misinterpret,
especially for those who don’t like him—not to mention that he’s hands
down the most hated and contested among fans.
I’m not here to debate the fact that England can be
incredibly rude. However, it’s important to contextualize and
understand the reasons for this if anyone is to truly appreciate let alone
depict him.
England’s temper comes from a place of extreme sensitivity
and vulnerability.
Ex: His temper became particularly volatile in the aftermath
of the American Revolution. We also learn that he experienced 100 years of
heartbreak. While the connection hasn’t explicitly been made in canon, I think
it’s safe to assume that the latter fact is in reference to the heartbreak that
he experienced in the wake of America’s separation from him.
Source: Hetarchive, 2007 Christmas Event + Hetarchive, Notes & Etc.
Ex: Other character notes state that he’s poor at expressing
himself (i.e., he lashes out and rubs others the wrong way). He’s even aware of
the fact that he’s misunderstood but copes with self-deprecating humour.
Source: Hetarchive, Notes & Etc.
Point is, England’s personality is two-sided: he insults and
condescends, only to reel in this scrutiny in and deprecate himself.
Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 25.
Germany:
Germany is notorious for being characterized as someone with
a short temper. While this isn’t in whole inaccurate, as he does have a short
fuse, it ignores the fact that most of his anger stems from confusion and
perplexion at forming meaningful relationships with others. Longer post on that
here [x].
Source: Volume 3, the United States of Hetalia.
What I particularly want to emphasize is the problem in
which other characters mistakenly perceive Germany to be angry (a German stereotype). In
other words, he comes off and seems angry.
Source: World Stars Chapter 1.
Ex: Germany asks Italy out for drinks after a training
session, only to be interpreted by Italy as being angry.
Source: Hetarchive, Comic Diary 4.
Iceland:
The most forgotten element about Iceland’s personality is
that it’s predicated on a hot and cold spectrum. It’s a clever reference to his
geography, i.e., hot volcanoes/ springs vs freezing weather.
Source: Hetascanlations, Chapter 106 + 114.
Characterizations lean more towards depicting his hot side
and how ‘annoyed’ he gets when the other Nordics—especially Norway—coddle him.
In reality, it’s revealed that Iceland doesn’t mind this
badgering. In fact, he appreciates it.
Source: Hetarchive, Halloween Event 2014.
Another example would be how flustered he becomes when he
finds out that the other Nordics had gotten together to host a surprise
birthday party for him.
Source: Hetarchive, Volume 6.
Romano:
Romano’s personality is very much along the same lines of
England’s. His hostility is a self-protective mechanism employed in order to hide his sensitivity.
Ex: He’s described as a crybaby and coward.
Source: Volume 2.
Ex: When he confronts Germany during WW2, putting on a macho
act, he’s quick to retreat when France appears.
Source: Volume 1.
Ex: When they lived together, Romano became fed-up with the
maid work America tasked him with. The comic gag revolves around Romano
attempting to intimidate America with a gangster persona, only to cower and
surrender when America perceives him to be a “bad guy” in need of being brought
to justice.
Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 59.
Parents, panicking before you go off to college: All sorts of people are going to offer you drugs!
If we’re being theoretical and speculative, then yes, I do think that plays a part.
The only thing I have to caution is that there’s already an explicit canon reason attributed to this.
“He frequently rages on the detestable Germany, whom he thinks is a hindrance between them 2 siblings…”
Source: Hetarchive, Volume 2.
Thank you! Maybe after I’m done with uni 🙂
Facts. Bars. I want this tattooed on my blog.
Ya ain’t wrong.
I sent this to Mathew after he gave me his Netflix.
“Behold, my face after logging into your account.”
Anon 1: Good.
Anon 2:
💖
💖
💖
The following post aims
to give a concise breakdown of America and Lithuania’s relationship. Since the
material can be used for both shipping and friendship purposes, I’ve tagged
things accordingly. In analyzing their relationship, I’ve sorted it into three
main themes. Let’s go over them.
Structure:
An overarching theme of
their relationship is structure and the previous lack thereof. Lithuania moved
in with America post–WW1 for employment purposes as his country was
experiencing an economic recession.
Source: Hetarchive, Lithuania’s Outsource pt. 1
Nonetheless, it’s
important to understand where the two were coming from emotionally prior to the
move.
America was living on
his own, having just recently come out of isolation. He still wasn’t on good
terms with England and hadn’t coped with the feelings of grief and bitterness
that accompanied his declaration of independence.
Point is, America was
lonely.
Ex: During an overseas visit
to Japan for trading purposes, America attempts to befriend a whale. He also
declines England’s offer—who was able to read into America’s covert
loneliness—of friendship. Note that this takes place a little bit before, during the Meiji era of Japan.
Source: Hetarchive, Black Ships Have Come.
Lithuania had it a lot tougher. His empire with Poland had been annexed, culminating in him being
forcefully torn from Poland by Russia. In Russia’s home, Lithuania was likewise
forced into servitude. We also learn that in between the world wars, where he
had briefly gained independence from Russia, Lithuania had accumulated several
scars on his back from the abuse he underwent at the hands of the former.
Sources: Hetarchive, Hetare 4: Pact of Steel + Hetarchive, While You Were Gone.
In light of the turmoil America and Lithuania both experienced, the personal and positive experience of living with someone gave structure to lives that had for too long revolved around the chaos of
politics.
This brings me to my
next theme.
Companionship:
The two became best
friends when they lived with each other. Both experienced the loss of a partner
(America, England, and Lithuania, Poland), so to find a friend in these times
was crucial for them in establishing a sense of normalcy in their lives.
For once, work didn’t
take priority and they were able to relax, enjoy each other’s presence, and essentially become best friends.
Lithuania cooked for
America and basically organized his whole life as he took up a clerical/ assistant position.
Lastly, the two’s
friendship was very much a healing experience.
America’s home provided
Lithuania with the sanctity of a healthy, stable, and safe environment—the polar
opposite of Russia’s home. He also felt comfortable enough to confide in America about his separation from Poland.
Source: Hetarchive, Lithuania’s out-sourcing pt. 1 + pt. 2.
Similarly, Lithuania
helped America cope with his separation from England.
Ex: When Lithuania first
moves in with America, we learn that America drinks coffee in spite of his
grudge towards England.
Source: Hetarchive, Lithuania’s out-sourcing pt. 1.
This grudge is touched
on again in the Cleaning out the Storage strip, where we learn that America had
shoved away items that reminded him of England (e.g., toy soldiers, a gun from
the revolution, and a suit that England gave him).
The strip involves
America cleaning out the closet—a metaphor for airing out his past and making
peace with it—and reliving his life with England as his parent figure.
Source: Hetarchive, Cleaning out the Storage.
After he’s finished
cleaning, Lithuania is perceptive enough to offer America coffee and the two serenely
enjoy the drink in America’s backyard. The nature is particularly important
because it shows how grounded and calm America has become as he decides to open
up to Lithuania.
The fact that America
drinks coffee too is symbolic in itself, as it shows that while his grudge and
spite are still present, there’s the hope and prospect that things will get
better as he matures. Essentially, Lithuania has become the familiar shoulder
for America to lean on.
In sum, while short-lived
and ending on the sad note where America became too poor to be able to host Lithuania
(following the Great Depression), the two shared a relationship that was full
of genuinity and sentiment.
The sadness on America’s
face as Lithuania is torn away from him says it all; it’s an arc in the manga
that I’ll always appreciate and have a soft spot for.
Source: Hetarchive, Lithuania’s Out-sourcing pt. 3.
When you bully your partner into complimenting you
Just note that there’s a time error inconsistency between this panel and the out-sourcing series, where Lithuania moved in with America post-WW1 instead of during the Second Industrial Revolution (World Stars).
Ellawritesficssometimes 