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A Month of Full Plates | Jin’s May 2026
- Jun 8
- 9 min read
May was one of those months that felt very full in every possible way - socially, emotionally, and professionally. There were so many moments that made me feel grateful and grounded - time with people I love, new experiences, and small wins in between the noise. But there were also moments that stretched me a little thin and made me more aware of how hard it can be to balance everything at once.
This month felt like a reminder that life doesn’t really separate neatly into categories. It’s all happening at the same time - the good, the stressful, the chaotic, and the quiet - and May was exactly that.
Lifestyle: Travel & Relationships
Friends
Catch up with old friends
I got to spend a lot of time with friends this month, which is something I always appreciate so much. One of the highlights was reuniting with my college friends Emily and Steph over dinner while Emily was visiting from Chicago. It was so nice to catch up, and we finally locked in our Chicago plans for Lollapalooza in July, which I'm super excited about. Emily also got to meet my boyfriend for the first time, which was important to me since we'll be visiting them in July. We ended the night with frozen yogurt, which has quickly become one of my favorite desserts lately.
Catch up over Coffee
I also got to catch up with Michelle over coffee, and it was one of those conversations where we were technically drinking coffee but might as well have been drinking tea because there was so much life to catch up on. We hadn't seen each other in a while, so it was nice to sit down and just talk about everything.
Maryland
The biggest adventure with friends this month was a trip to Maryland with Grace to visit Adriana, who was graduating from her program and is officially on her way to becoming a future therapist. The three of us lived together during our first two years of college, so no matter how much time passes, we always fall right back into our old rhythm. Even though we were all squeezed into her small room, it felt just like old times. It had been a while since we'd taken a trip together, but reuniting felt effortless.
I also had so much fun exploring the DMV area. I never realized how close Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia were to one another. My highlights were our girls' night, trying a blue crab burger, walking around D.C., seeing the White House, and visiting the museums. It was one of those trips that reminded me how special long-term friendships are and how grateful I am to have people who can pick up right where we left off.
Love
Double Dates
I had so much fun this month with my boyfriend, especially because we squeezed in so many double dates with friends. One of my favorites was a Dodgers vs. Angels game with Peter and Michelle. We started the day with lunch at my favorite taco spot, Tacos Los Cholos, where I got the taco pizza (still as good as I remembered), and then headed to the game. The Dodgers won, which felt extra funny considering we were sitting in Angel Stadium while proudly rooting for the Dodgers.
We also had a double date with Crystal and Brian, which is always easy and comfortable since my boyfriend is housemates with them and I've known them for years. We had dinner at Tomikawa and somehow ordered way too much seafood before attempting to play pickleball afterward. Naturally, we rewarded ourselves with HeyTea after.
Another fun double date was with Grace and Aaron over lunch at Pixu Malatang. I've had it before, but for some reason the location at The Source was especially good this time. It might honestly be my favorite or at least top two malatang spots because it's adjusted more toward Korean flavors and even comes with rice. We also got to see their dog, which made my boyfriend especially happy since he loves Dobermans. We ended the date with coffee and a matcha slushie from Insit. My boyfriend insists it's better than the one from Urth Caffé, but I still prefer Urth's version. Maybe it's not even about the taste anymore, it's probably tied to all my teenage memories there but shhh don't tell him that.
Bingo List
Beyond spending time with friends, my boyfriend and I had a lot of fun checking activities off the bingo lists we made for the year. This month we crossed off candle making and boxing, both of which had been on his list. The candle-making class was surprisingly fun because we got to choose our own scents and decorate the candles however we wanted. We both went a little overboard with dried flowers, only to learn afterward that they're flammable and we'd need to use a candle warmer instead of lighting them. Thankfully, a friend had gifted me a candle warmer recently, so it's actually worked out perfectly and I've been using it a lot.
The boxing class came together in such an unexpected way. While catching up with Michelle, we found out that her crush teaches boxing classes on the side. We had been wanting to try boxing but had no idea where to start, so it was incredibly nice that he offered us a free class. It was definitely one of the hardest workouts I've done in a while, but I left feeling proud of myself for getting through it. Even better, my boyfriend ended up loving it and has continued going back whenever he can. It's been really cool watching him add it to his fitness journey and find something he genuinely enjoys.
Overall, May felt full in the best way possible. Between quality time with friends, trying new activities, and making memories with my boyfriend, it was one of those months that reminded me how much joy can come from simply spending time with people you love.
Family
For family, the most memorable moment this month has to be taking my dad on his surprise birthday trip. We usually do a weekend getaway, but since it was just the two of us this time and he had just returned from Korea the day before, he was already tired and asked for something more low-key. So I planned a full day trip instead.
I started the morning with his usual order, a strawberry acai without lemonade from Starbucks, along with my homemade mochi cake. From there, I drove us up without telling him the destination until we finally arrived in Ojai. We grabbed brunch first, which he always loves, and it was extra special because he had never been before. Afterward, we walked around and stopped by a beautiful open-air library where he even found Korean books, which made him light up a bit.
At one point, he insisted on treating me to dessert, so I chose ice cream, and we lingered a bit longer browsing postcards before each of us wrote a letter to my mom and mailed them together at the local USPS. After that, we headed to the outlets where I wanted to get him his birthday gift. I had intentionally not bought anything beforehand because he’s the type to say he doesn’t need anything, and I really wanted to get him something practical that he would actually use. Luckily, he mentioned needing golf shoes, so we went store to store until he brought up the Adidas pair he had been eyeing but wasn’t sure we’d find. I happened to spot the store across the way, and we ended up finding the exact pair in his size, the last one available. He looked so genuinely happy and a little spoiled in the best way, which made me so happy.
We ended the day back in LA with a surprise dinner reservation at Sushi Zanmai, a spot I had been to in Japan and loved so much that I wanted him to try it here. He ended up saying it was some of the best sushi he’s had, and I could just see how happy and content he felt throughout the night.
As chaotic and busy as life can get sometimes, moments like this remind me how grounding it feels to be able to do things for the people I love. It made me really happy to see him so happy. And still, it feels like nothing compared to everything he’s done and continues to do for me. Happy birthday, Appa.
Work
Jury Duty
This month I also had jury duty, which meant I was lowkey stressed every night waiting to see if I’d get called in. Normally, a day or two away from work sounds nice, but work has been so chaotic and hectic lately that stepping away from my laptop actually felt more stressful than anything. Luckily, I never ended up getting called in. It also worked out well because I hadn’t planned any activities on those days just in case, so I unexpectedly had a bit more free time than usual, which was honestly a nice reset.
Work Dinner
At work, we had a team outing to the Tesla diner. We were planning to eat there, but our order never went through and the menu didn’t look that appetizing anyway, so we ended up pivoting to a nearby restaurant instead. It turned out to be a great decision because it was a bit fancier, and I got to split a tomahawk steak with my coworker, which I genuinely can’t complain about, it was so good.
Puppy Yoga
The highlight at work this month was definitely puppy yoga, which is probably two of my favorite things combined. It was chaotic and not exactly a serious yoga class, but it was such a needed mental break in the middle of a busy work week. Even just being surrounded by puppies made everything feel lighter for a bit.
AAPA
I also got to attend a conference through the AAPA club I’m part of at work. Even though it had a more corporate feel, I really enjoyed it. It was a nice opportunity to step outside of my immediate team and meet other coworkers, and I genuinely appreciated getting to network and connect with people in a more relaxed setting outside of day-to-day work.
Lows & Lessons:
My low this month has honestly been work. I really hate being the person who constantly talks about work, but it has been taking up a lot of mental space for me lately. A lot of leadership has been on medical leave, including my director who is also my manager, which has created a lot of shifting dynamics and, in turn, more workload and uncertainty on my plate.
I’ve been trying my best not to let it stress me out or make work my entire personality, but it’s been harder than usual with so many changes happening at once. I’m slowly learning that a lot of it is out of my control, and things like this will inevitably happen in any workplace. The only thing I can really control is how I respond to it and how I move through it.
I’m trying to stay more grounded and positive, and trust that doing my best will be recognized in its own time. At the same time, it’s also made me more reflective and empathetic. I genuinely hope everyone on my team is okay, especially knowing that we often don’t see the full picture of what people are dealing with in their personal lives. If anything, it’s been a reminder to extend more grace to coworkers and to people around me in general.
On top of that, it’s also been hard to manage all my friendships and relationships. I’m someone who genuinely loves making time for the people I care about, and I’ve been doing a lot of that this month, which has honestly made me really happy. But at the same time, balancing everything has felt a bit overwhelming.
I’ve noticed my mind sometimes spirals into thinking I’m not doing enough for anyone, whether that’s at work, in friendships, or even in relationships. If I’m being honest, that feeling is probably the loudest when it comes to myself and how I show up for me.
It’s something I’m actively trying to work on, learning that I can care deeply about the people in my life without constantly measuring whether I’m doing “enough.” I’m trying to be more gentle with myself in that process and remind myself that being present, consistent, and intentional in the ways I can be is enough.
Songs on Repeat:
the cure - Olivia Rodrigodrop dead - Olivia RodrigoRight Back! - KARLEE GIRLMy Pick of the Month: Wine Bar
My pick this month has to be a wine bar that Grace, Adriana, and I stumbled upon in DC. It ended up being such a fun surprise because we were originally planning on going to a club, but the line was too long and we decided to pivot last minute.
Honestly, it turned out for the best because I’ve realized I’m not as much of a club person anymore, and the wine bar was the perfect alternative. It still had such a fun, going-out energy but in a much more relaxed way. We got to sit, eat cheese and meat, drink wine, and just yap the night away, which honestly felt even better.
It made me want to explore more spots like that in LA when I’m back. It felt like the perfect balance of a night out without the chaos of a club, and just really good girly time overall.
Overall, May really felt like a month of full plates - in every sense of the phrase. My calendar was packed with double dates, book club hosting, family time, work obligations, and little spontaneous moments in between, but so was my mind and heart. There were days that felt really joyful and connected, and others that felt a bit heavier as I navigated work stress and the quiet pressure I put on myself in relationships and daily life.
Still, looking back, there’s a lot I’m grateful for. I got to spend meaningful time with people I love, try new things, and create memories that feel grounding even in the midst of everything else going on. Even the more stressful parts taught me something about patience, perspective, and learning to loosen my grip a little on what I can’t control.
If anything, May reminded me that a full plate isn’t always a bad thing - it just means there’s a lot to hold, and I’m still learning how to do that with more grace for myself along the way.
Talk to you next month,
-- Jin
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