A Hallelujah month of events | Stephanie's April 2026

A Hallelujah month of events | Stephanie's April 2026

April has been quite the month as expected, so much went on each week - each day, I knew this would be an eventful month each year, but this year definitely topped it off. I will try my best to capture it all here. — Stephanie 

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Lifestyle, Lows, Lessons

In each pillar of my life I feel like I did so much, yet also not enough? 

I started off the month with a bang, from swapping out the bar with late night cafe adventures in north beach with Pearl and Sadie - to taking my Dad (and family) to listen to throwbacks with the Beach Boys live. Then almost immediately - it was time for my annual LA trip to visit Jin and coachella. Quite immediately actually - as the next day after I flew in to LA, it was time for us to set out to Coachella! After a year hiatus, this year definitely made up for it - especially as it was not in my bingo card to get to see Justin Bieber live and have him play all his throwbacks. I lived out my inner child and sang my heart out is an understatement. I had a little too much fun as my inner-teen also lived out her major lazer dreams a little too hard ha. And I can’t believe the last time we were all at coachella 2 years ago, Sabrina Carpenter just came out with her song Espresso and now she headlined this year with a whole ass production. I say this every time but coachella is not for the weak and somehow we just get better each year - from living, eating and meals, and I feel super thankful to get to go with Jin and the group each year. Until we get to do it all again next year. 

Right after Coachella, I had a eventful week in LA - my annual LA week where it truly feels like a second home here. As I WFH - I found myself going on walks and grabbing coffee in Culver and the area truly feels familiar with each visit where I’ve gotten to identify new and familiar shops that have come and go. And of course, Jin makes each day extra eventful with plans and good food - I ate so good every single day here that I was always full 24/7 lol. I got to reunite with my love yuppduk heh. Love norcal but LA for the food >>> I still think about the tacos, handrolls, and momos I’ve had as well. From yoga, watching XO Kitty, game nights, movie night on the itinerary - taking an afrobeats dance class was definitely not on my bingo card this year. Taking an adult dance class in general wasn’t on my bingo card, let alone an afrobeats class out of them all lol. I must say I left that class feeling very accomplished, not that I was able to keep up with the choreo by all means - matter of fact I probably looked very stiff and out of place in that room of under 10 haha but I feel proud that we went through with that class and stuck it till the end. Here’s to trying and learning new things together! Just like the VSA times as Jin would say. 

And of course to top off the end of my week in LA would be celebrating Jin’s birthday! From happy hour and game night with the demis (we got rly into banannagrams), to dimsum with her OC friends (way too much food, Jin rly got me into dimsum), the cutest color me mine (I got too into this too lol), and an unexpectedly filling dinner at the Mulberry (felt like we robbed them) - I had so much fun celebrating Jin and am super thankful for this bestie friendship of ours where we can yap about anything and everything for hours (that we need to take note of topics to continue the next day), where we’re open minded to try new things and get along with others in a non-judgemental way, where there’s no ill-intent envy and support, and to do things for one another even when its inconvenient. So so thankful and I hope Jin had the best 28th birthday! 

Immediately ( lots of immediately this month lol) after LA, I flew to LV for my annual work conference - the largest event for our BU. Wow similarly to LA, I’ve been visiting LV so often since post-grad haha not even for the reasons you think I am. While I shit on being busy all the time and doing too much work, feeling unfulfilled - I am still so grateful to be here. I was thinking back 4 years ago when I joined the team, I once dreamed of being at this conference in person. I had spent 2 years building sessions for this event but never got the chance to go in person, and now I had the privilege of attending 2 years in a row. I was also thinking back to how different I am this year compared to last year - how I was saving up company money back then and putting in my all for my current team, and how this year I was trying to maximize my meal budget each day haha (I continued to eat way too good here) and how I was honestly just trying to do the bare minimum work wise and enjoy the conference and try to live a softer life. I must say I still barely slept each day that week, stayed out way too late with coworkers - some new bonds formed, and to be frank such a privilege to see first hand live some of the largest leaders in the technology industry, and to play a (albeit small) role in the revolution of AI. 

I can’t believe I was away from home for 2 weeks, feels like an international trip with all the eventfulness - I came back to SF on the last week of April and as I am trying to settle in my new normal again, I get called for jury duty haha. So many things in my life kept immediately happening this month, girl is trying to catch a breath. What are the odds that I also end up scheduling time with a hiring manager for a role on a team I’ve been eyeing - and also with my dual role work kept piling up, as I head to jury duty for 3 days. I say 3 days but man did those 3 days feel so long. It was also quite eye opening to see how final jurors are chosen (more on that another day) really had me thinking about morals, ethics, and equity. I got really into my thoughts here about the system and people haha. Anyway thank god I was not selected because I was really hoping to interview (and I currently still am) and want to leave a good impression. I am proud of myself for going through with both jury duty and the interview, instead of pushing one back or trying to spend too much energy making an excuse for jury duty. And as I got back to my SF life I feel like now 2 weeks in it’s still a re-adjustment as immediate things keep coming up, that perhaps this is the new normal. I feel like I’m doing so much but at the same time not enough for each person / pillar in my life, I briefly caught up with Ashley and Tammie after I got back from LA/LV though it felt like ages and I didn’t know when I’d see them again given all that’s going on. Catching up with my family and parents as well, seeing how much my grandma has aged, and also my parents - coming back home didn’t magically fix everything, and now I’m trying to take each thing at a time and I hope all will be well again. I didn’t even get to write much about my partner (stay tuned for more in May as we’ve had quite an eventful celebratory week), but April we really didn’t have much going on and I am thankful for his patience and support of me this month while I was away. From all the rides to everywhere I needed to go (airport, work, jury duty), to making sure I was well fed from the day I flew out to the day I flew back and onwards, to supporting me as after I was back from my trips, I was immediately busy (jury duty + interview + work) and could not be present. I still can’t be fully present with my friendships and romantic relationship to be honest - as I am taking in one thing at a time with work, career, and family. I am thankful for my friendships and romantic relationship for being patient and supportive of me!

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My pick of the month: Reinvigorated 

I couldn’t choose one single thing this month - I have so much to be thankful for, so many events, so many memories, so much good food, and so much good company. I chose the word Reinvigorated. The pivotal moment was when I decided to give it my all and apply for a new role (during my break at the conference aha) and then the courage to continuously communicate with the hiring manager to interview. While I am not sure where this will lead me, I was able to feel reinvigorated, and a reminder of my old self - the one who was full of hope and ambition, and the one who was relentless after her goals. The busyness and unhappiness I had been feeling in my current role had me lose confidence and forget who I once was and this month I was able to feel what it was like to be excited to learn, to be willing to put in the extra time and work for something I believe in, and to want to be better and improve myself. Of course it wasn’t just this one pivotal moment that flipped a switch in me, rather I think it was a conglomerate of things that happened this month that made me feel reinvigorated that built up to this moment - from bringing back the 2016 vibes and living my childhood + teenage dreams at coachella, from spending quality time with my best friend, from attending the work conference from a full mindset vs scarcity mindset, to reaching out to my old mentor for advice during the outreach and interview process (to which she immediately responded - I owe her so much for my career success), to my supportive friends, family, and partner - that led me feeling reinvigorated and empowered. While I don’t know how the future will go, I’m off feeling like I can dictate my situation again and I can’t wait to do fulfilling things again. 

 April, you were unforgettable in every single aspect of life. Here’s to an already eventful May ~~

Have an amazing month everyone  — Stephanie