after studying abroad...

There are so many ways to feel and express love beyond the Five Love Languages, social media posts, roses, and "I love you". Growing up in a chinese-american family, love was felt through downplayed comments, sacraficed time, and constructive criticism. While the love between my parents and within my family doesn't look like that in an American TV show, it is as real as it gets. Tune in for some wisdom from my dad on why he chose to marry my mom after just 3 months of meeting her.

"Um... let me pull up my calendar, i forgot." This is my answer more and more frequently as I age. Jokes aside, I feel like in the modern urban society, social connections have become so structured, if not, TOO intentional. Counterintuitively, these structured social gatherings seems to make me and those around me feel more isolated. In this episode, I bring you along in a live journaling session, where I reflect on how I can increase spontaneous social connections in my increasingly algorithmic lifestyle.

Back in NYC as a Senior, I realized I have adulted, at least a bit. I no longer have dirty dishes lying in my sink for a week, and I no longer feel the need to meet new people every single week. I feel, just ok. In this episode, I walk you through a few steps that helped me be more confident in myself and my ability to find peace without depending fully on an impressive resume.

I don't know about you, but social events used to be, and sometimes still are, my biggest fears. I mean events where the plain purpose is to "socialize". Where's the manual that teaches us how to mingle? How can I let my night not go to waste by actually finding someone I vibe with? Why do most hallway hellos never lead anywhere? Over the years, I have collected a few personal tips to face each of these scenarios and many more. Tune in, and enjoy :)

I've interned in Singapore for two months, and here are my observations and thoughts on the culture, language, and people in this country. I missed you guysssss, so tune in now so we can catch up :)

I'm backkkkk! This time, with the one and only Quinby (queen-bee). We start off talking about poop. Then, we cover how family dynamics (and sibling numbers) shape the way we communicate our needs to others, specifically, with our homestay parents. Finally, we wrap up this episode, and our time with IES, discussing the anxieties of returning home after having changed so much. Enjoy this zestful (hopefully funny) and cozy episode :)

Lately I’ve been reflecting on what it means to be an international student, and how it shapes us far beyond the number of languages we speak. What happens when we’re educated about the world in ways that slowly pull us away from our own cultures? How does the idea of “home” evolve when exploration is so deeply rooted in our values? How do we stay close to the people we love when they live across oceans and time zones? And the most difficult question of all: will we ever find a place that feels like home, when we’ve never fully known what home is?

Maybe the cure to the modern mental health epidemic is simply to....have someone to talk to.... even if it's just for thirty minutes per night. Let's break down the magic of 'talking about nothing', and how important it is in fulfilling humans' fundamental desire to feel safe through connection. In this episode, I reflect on my experiences living with family in Shanghai, living alone in NYC, and now living with a homestay family in Milan. Enjoy ~

Since middle school, I have struggled to make platonic male friends. I say this because I somehow always get accused of being flirtatious, or leading people on. My personality gives off the wrong impression, and I cannot help it unless I pretend to be someone I am not. I asked around for some advice on how I can start making some male friends without seeming like I am romantically interested in someone. Tune in to listen to how I plan on preventing myself from falling back into old patterns of developing unwanted sexual tension with men I merely see as another human being.

In moments of drastic change, life can feel completely turned upside down. From daily meals to sleeping habits, everything is forced out of its familiar rhythm when you move abroad. Today, I invite you to reflect on the small things that made this transition a little easier. What do you appreciate? Now, think back to a time when you faced a similar major shift. What new insight do you see now, looking back at a younger version of yourself? I’m so grateful for every one of you listening, and I’ll talk to you all very soon. :)