September 2022

 30/09/22 11:48 p.m.

This month was just a whirlpool, laced with a lot of self-reflection, self-doubts, and a constant feeling of either being stuck or lost. 

It was a reality check - a slap back into the real world. Having to manage school (i.e., content, group projects), work expectations, and external commitments that I have made, it was a real challenge to keep my head above water. But it is rather clear to me this month that it is not about getting through the week, it is all about getting through day by day. So, to get through every single day, there needs to be something in that day for me to wake up to, to look forward to, and to motivate me. All the little things matter to me, more than anyone can imagine. These little things make up my little joys, which get me going through the day, like for instance:

1. The swiss dude I was talking to randomly at the library, shared with me about all the hesitations in his life.

2. My friends checking up on me warmed my heart. 

3. Planning for beach clean-ups for the next 3 months to come and potentially a Pulau Ubin expedition, which I am so excited about. 

4. Midnight talks with my sister reminiscing over the past and all the time we had. 

5. Meeting and spending time with cw. 

6. Catching up with my old but gold friend, kc.

7. Finally met up with our dearest sir Jom, literally chilled our arses out at VeganBurg and promised to meet over soybean curd next time.

8. Prioritizing my health with scheduled and planned gym sessions 3 times a week to maintain my physical health (a mad commitment to myself I soon realized, but I would not trade it with anything else).

9. Getting into Winter SSP, which will lead me back to my hometown (and then to Malacca, then KL) after approximately 3 years - at least, I will have my end-of-year planned out (always good to touch base with my relatives and to see them - pretty excited). 

10. Committing to learning about a new industry - commodities and exploring what this industry has been up to (I never once did regret spending that 1.5 hours extra every week, on top of my schedule to attend the additional lecture).

11. My professors and the discussions we have helped me to clear the air about various concepts in the space. Industry speakers came down to share their own experiences and the golden nuggets that they have accumulated throughout their lifetimes. 

12. World Cleanup Day Community Gathering 2022 was the best night I had this month. Being surrounded by like-minded individuals who are fighting and believing in the same cause, is such an exhilarating feeling.

13. A solid crew working on the microalgae and I am more than excited to see what that will become.

14. Meeting up with Adams literally after such a long time - glad to see this girl and to be able to finally connect up.

Not a lot of things, but they pulled me through this week. And I am more than grateful for every encounter, moment, and time together. The upcoming week will be recess week and this will give me the buffer time I require to buckle myself up and get myself together for mid-terms, group projects, and preparation for finals. I know that the semester will end before I know it. Graduating in 3 more semesters.

Total: 3.5 years + 0.5 years (LOA)

Expected Graduation: August 2024, FT: 2024

Summer Count: 1; Winter Count: 1

About the People

07/09/22 10:18 p.m.

Team SFW

Till now, I still don't really know what SFW means but I just know I miss this bunch of people a lot. It has been 3 weeks since my trip and I still find myself unconsciously having flashbacks about the time that we had together be it in the office or outside of the office. 

I miss these people so much and it is really so heart-wrenching to thrust yourself into the unknown and end up being in a comfort zone that everyone around me built for every other person. And now needing to exit this comfort zone because time's up. Now you want time to be longer, and everyone to stay for a little longer. Now you want your memory to be absolutely perfect, and regulations to be more relaxed. But obviously, life does not work that way. 

I will be back, for sure. But before then, let's just say that I have never met people like them. I am truly blessed, honoured, and beyond grateful for the wonders of life, fate, and the world. This will be an intricate bond that I will have and that I will hold on, so dearly to my heart. They mean the world to me, and I hope they know that they have shaped me, changed me, and made me a better person. Better in what sense? Kinder, more patient, more open, more determined, more strong-hearted, more hardworking and honestly, the list goes on...

Michael Riley

MR is hands-down, and easily one of the best sustainability advocates I have ever met. His humble story was rooted in the hospitality industry and he has clear objectives and a clear mindset about what he wants and how he can achieve them. His transition towards this jarring issue of sustainability was common - building a future for the younger generation. He is a bold man with bold ideas, but I have 101% faith and confidence in him that he can absolutely achieve them. We had very genuine discussions surrounding the space, talked about corporate sustainability and greenwashing, the impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry, and how he drives sustainability within his industry. Cost savings is noticeably a by-product of greener solutions. Definitely someone I will keep in touch with for as long as I am around. 

P'Aui

To pronounce her name is just saying my name. That was one of the first few things we had in common. A meet-up for me to understand more about the work of an ESG researcher became a lecture on a particular social impact measurement framework and the theory of change. Well, I am not complaining because I absolutely loved every single second I had with her. P'Aui was humourous and undeniably a passionate and caring person. But it caught me by surprise when she shared that she had no idea how long will she stay in this industry. Things might get harder and it might become more challenging to make ends meet. This is the reality of things, I would say. She is a brave one, a bold one, and no doubt, she will not leave without a fight. 

AIESEC

This bunch of girls is such a vibe. They are energetic and passionate, yet all so individually unique. Glad to have met all of them in my first month in BKK, and they completely blew me away. There was so much laughter at the start, but we slowly moved towards a more serious discussion about various social problems that are present in BKK (i.e., poverty, social mobility, and cost of living). It was a fresh perspective and hearing straight from them is obviously completely different as to reading it from an article. We separated with a heavy heart, but with a deeper understanding of how different and similar SEA countries are. Local issues are just different facets of global issues. 

Meeting these people during my time in BKK means everything to me. They extended warmth and support to me. Despite meeting all of them for the first time, it felt like there is always that genuine connection there. Hard to describe in words, but I just hope that I keep feeling this way about other people I meet. Life's tough, but people definitely make things better, for sure.