beginnings and ends

beginnings and ends

So much has changed around the world over the past couple weeks: cities and entire nations have gone under lockdown, university spring convocations have been canceled, the Summer Olympics has been postponed an entire year, and of course, everybody who was on exchange got called back to come home in the midst of flights getting canceled and countries closing borders. Everybody coming back from their exchange is now somewhere in the middle of their 2 week self-isolation period and I think we’re all in, or trying to get into, the same mindset: This is terrible and nobody wanted it to turn out this way, but we need to be grateful, so grateful, of the time that we had abroad. Everybody around me was trying their best to repeat that to themselves during the last few days we had in Singapore. I’m so grateful, we’re already so lucky to have had…

View Post

you can’t regret the life you didn’t lead

you can’t regret the life you didn’t lead

My friend and I love following those types of accounts on Instagram that feature beautiful prose paired with visually pleasing photos (@latenightsinthecity is a great example). It’s the type of stuff that’s easy to read and digest, yet makes you stop in the middle of mindlessly scrolling on Instagram and really think about life, love, friendship, or fate (they all usually revolve around one of these topics). The other day, she sent me a post that had this as the caption, and it’s something that I haven’t stopped thinking about since: “There’s an alternate reality where today would be your wedding day if you didn’t break up with your ex or you went to your second choice school. There’s a life out there that you could’ve had where you live in a beach town or you married your high school sweetheart or you’re a professional horse rider. The point is,…

View Post

people want to help, so let them

people want to help, so let them

Throughout high school and the early years of my undergraduate career, in particular with the recent launch of my book’s pre-sale campaign, I have realized one thing: People are willing to help you, oftentimes expecting nothing more than a smile and a grateful “thank you”. A lot of the experiences that I’ve had has taught me this, and I decided that it was time to sit down and put them all into words, as I felt that it was the least I could do. From grades 10 to 12, I was actively involved in a lot of clubs, both inside and outside of school. For a few of the clubs, I took on a big sponsorship role, which essentially involved having to “beg” local mom-and-pop stores and local company chain stores for monetary donations or in-kind donations, and in return, we would promote their business within our ecosystem and basically…

View Post

what i learned from yoga: let it go

what i learned from yoga: let it go

In my three or so years of regularly practicing yoga, I’ve learned a lot. And not just about how to do certain poses, or how to stretch a certain way. There has been much more beyond a downward dog and beyond the physical practice. The lessons extend off the mat, as corny as it is to say. The instructors — anybody who leads a class — always talk about taking away what you learned on your mat and applying it to life off your mat. “Your practice doesn’t stop when the class is done,” is what we’re commonly told. “Take what you learn, and carry it with you, for the rest of your day.” So, I’ve often asked myself, “What have I learned from the flow and from this spiritual practice? What have I learned from the breath and the energy?” I think there is a lot — the importance…

View Post

beware of busy

beware of busy

I have this Google Chrome app downloaded on my computer and it’s called Momentum (it’s gotten pretty popular over the last couple years, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve heard of it). It essentially replaces your typical Google Chrome tab background with a new landscape and every time you open a new tab, you’re greeted with the time, the words “Good morning/afternoon/evening, [Name]”, and a fresh quote that they pulled from an online source. The other day, when I opened a new tab, a quote by Socrates came up: “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.“ That stopped me in my tracks and instantly got me thinking. Because I have always thought of my life as being constantly busy. Workout classes, dinners or drinks with friends, meetings, appointments — the schedule is always jam-packed. And the crazy thing is that I liked all of it. I liked having one…

View Post