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Girl Bossing | Jin’s September 2025
- knowledgepostcollege
- Oct 6
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 2
This month was really busy for me, especially with work. I came across a TikTok that said, "What a privilege to be overwhelmed by something you once prayed for." That really stuck with me because I realized how lucky I am, even when I feel stressed and overwhelmed.
Lifestyle: Travel & Relationships
Friends
Brunch & Beach
Our brunch and beach group got to reunite with Calvin, who now lives in New York City. It’s always so fun when he’s in town because it feels like old times. We usually go out, end up crashing at our friend Mish’s apartment, then spend the next day eating yummy food, grabbing coffee, and just seeing where the day takes us. It reminds me of our early 20s when we were always going out in LA together. Even though we don’t do this routine often anymore, it’s always so nice to pick it back up whenever he visits.
Love
Recreating First date
This month my boyfriend and I decided to recreate our first date since it’s been exactly two years. Our first date was at Amoeba Record Store, and funny enough, we hadn’t been back together since then. It was so cute watching him thrive there, like a fish in water, going through each section and enjoying all the vinyls. We also revisited some of our other favorite spots like Calic Bagels and Harucake, and tried something new by going to Hollywood Park to read for a bit. Overall, it was such a solid and memorable date.
Knott's Scary Farm
We also went to Knott’s Scary Farm again this year, which was our second time going together since last year. This time felt really solid because we went on a Thursday night, so it wasn’t nearly as packed as the Friday we went before. Last year we barely got to ride anything because of the crowds, but this time we went on everything we wanted and still wrapped up the night before midnight. Overall, so much fun!
Boyfriend's Birthday
I spent most of my weekend and weekdays celebrating my boyfriend’s birthday. It’s funny because I always see memes about guys who don’t care about birthdays dating girls who make them a big deal, and that feels so true for us. He’s not one to celebrate much, but I always try to make it extra special.
I surprised him with a birthday celebration at Dave & Buster’s with his close friends, and it was so much fun to see everyone, even if just for a little while. The best part was watching him reunite with his bestie, who he hasn’t seen since they stopped living together. I also picked up a tiramisu cake from Porto’s since he mentioned it’s his favorite, and I was honestly surprised by how delicious it was.
The birthday didn’t stop there. I surprised him with dinner at Izakaya Osen since he’s been obsessed with sushi ever since we came back from Japan and hadn’t been there yet. After that, the party kept going late into the night with a few of his friends at his place.
The next day definitely called for a reset, so I planned a chill spa day. We relaxed in the baths, read, and had some amazing Korean food. It was the perfect Sunday activity after such a busy celebration.
On Monday, we both had to work, but we met up afterward for dinner with his mom at Benihana. We used the $50 birthday reward, and since his mom mentioned how much she loves Benihana, it felt right to include her.
We wrapped up the birthday celebrations by taking a day off together to chase birthday freebies. We started with a free Starbucks drink, had brunch at Denny’s, watched a movie at AMC (One Battle After Another - a long one, but he gave it a 4.5/5), and ended the night with free hot pot and boba at Boiling Point.
Overall, it was such a fun time celebrating, and I really hope he felt as special as I wanted him to.
Family
Even with such a busy and packed month, I stuck to my promise of getting a meal with my family at least once a week. I know it’s not a huge thing, but it mattered to me to make it happen and not forget about them.
Work
Nashville
This month, I also went on a work trip to Nashville, and it was honestly a lot of fun. At first, I was excited to visit a city I’d never been to, but also a little nervous since none of my work besties were going to be there. It ended up being a great opportunity to learn more, meet new people, and get closer to other co-workers. The highlight of the trip was going on a food tour with my co-worker Jerome. I got to learn more about him outside of work and hear about his department since we’re in different teams. We even swapped career advice while enjoying some really good Nashville chicken sandwiches.
Disneyland
This month, our work friends were finally able to do the Disneyland trip with the whole group. Madison hadn’t been able to make the other two trips because something always popped up, so this was our first time all together and it was super successful. Even though we ended our half-day Friday a little later than expected, we were able to do everything we wanted and even wrapped up the night with pho in OC, the perfect cozy meal after Disney.
Of course, the trip came with a few scares, like Dianne thinking she booked the wrong date haha, and some memorable moments, like Liz and Madison freaking out on the Disney swing Ferris wheel while Dianne, Abida, and I were scream-singing The Climb by Miley Cyrus. All in all, we closed out another December date just in case this one didn’t happen, and I think we’re going to keep that date, so I’m excited to run it back during the holiday season.
APR
This month I also had my annual performance review. I’m constantly confused about HR stuff because something always seems to come up every other month, and the cycle never really matches the calendar year, so I always get mixed up. But my review was solid, and I was really proud because it showed progress from last year and confirmed that I’ve been doing a great job, especially since it’s hard to see that when you’re so zoomed in on day-to-day projects.
Even though it felt validating, I also noticed areas where I still need to improve and do better, and I couldn’t help feeling a little bit of imposter syndrome. I’m always trying to find the balance between wanting to climb the corporate ladder and being happy with where I am while still challenging myself. I don’t know if there’s a perfect answer, but I do know I want to stay filled with gratitude no matter what.
Lows & Lessons:
Overwhelmed
This month was still pretty overwhelming, with constant things coming up at work and my work trip, which was fun but meant I came back without really resting. I really can’t complain because it was great and I wouldn’t take anything back, but with my crazy schedule, it was hard to find alone time to recharge. I found myself slipping back into bad habits like staying up late and drinking too much caffeine. I also started feeling a bit anxious and stressed, and it was tough trying to figure out the balance of everything and I’m still figuring it out.
On top of that, I was starting to worry about burnout and just feeling too stressed. But then I came across those TikTok videos about how lucky it is to even be stressed for the life you have, and it gave me a reality check. I also realized I need to be grateful, especially seeing a lot of people around me getting laid off. That perspective helped me understand that I shouldn’t base my happiness solely on how successful I am at work or what I accomplish, but rather on how good a friend, daughter, or loved one I am to the people around me. Overall, I’m learning that I need to set aside time for myself no matter what, prioritize my solo days, and focus on gratitude.
Songs on Repeat:
During my long drive, I thought about SoundCloud because that’s what I used to listen to constantly in college, especially on long drives. Listening to this playlist was such a throwback, and it really helped keep me awake for the ride.
My Pick of the Month: Blind Boxes
I’ve been obsessed with blind boxes for a while, but this month they really boosted my serotonin in the moments I needed it. I also got everyone an Inside Out mini bag blind box, which felt like such a throwback since that was our group costume last year. It’s such a simple joy, even if it is an expensive one haha.
Overall, this month had a big focus on work, but since I don’t only find value in being a girl boss, I made sure to fill my cup in other areas of my life too. I do think I still need to work on balancing my solo and alone time, but overall it was a busy, packed month that I’m grateful for, with plenty of learnings to carry into next month. I’m excited to see what’s in store for me next!
Talk to you next month,
-- Jin
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