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Lucky Lucky Girls | Jin’s August 2025
- knowledgepostcollege
- Sep 8
- 9 min read
Through the ups and downs this month, I truly feel like luck was on my side, watching out for me the entire time.
Lifestyle: Travel & Relationships
Friends
Roomie's Bday
This month, my roommate Jazia had her birthday picnic in Hollywood. I loved exploring a new park and, of course, celebrating her. I jokingly made her give a speech, but I didn’t expect to get so emotional when she talked about her journey moving from NYC to LA. Hearing her say how much she enjoys living here and especially when she thanked me and Sophie for always inviting her out and helping her build a community, really touched me. It made me feel grateful to know I’ve been a positive part of her journey as she settles into LA. I’m also extra thankful that FB Marketplace brought us all together. The picnic itself was so much fun! It was super cute, filled with snacks, painting, and endless chatting.
Besties Trip - Orlando
This month was our annual besties trip with Stephanie, and we decided on Orlando for Disney World and Universal. Neither of us had been before, and the idea was sparked when I gifted her a pair of Alice in Wonderland Mickey Mouse ears. We honestly felt like lucky lucky girls because the forecast called for rain and thunderstorms our entire trip, yet we never got wet, unless it was on purpose, like going on the water rides at the parks.
Beyond the theme parks, it was such a joy catching up with Stephanie. I’m always amazed by how much time we can spend together without ever running out of things to talk about... we can literally yap for hours. It was so fun hearing about her life since we’re in a long-distance friendship, while also reminiscing about our past adventures and plotting out future trips. All in all, the trip was an absolute blast, and I’m already sad it’s over. Time to start planning next year’s getaway!
Love
Spontaneous Wedding
This month, my boyfriend and I went to the most spontaneous wedding ever! We were invited just the weekend before, after attending our friend Crystal’s birthday karaoke. I knew the couple because I had been in the same bridal party as her, but beyond that, we hadn’t really hung out. When the invite came through, we honestly weren’t even sure it was real, at least not until the next day, when they sent us a link with the address.
Surprisingly, this ended up being our third wedding of the year. Before this year, we had never even been to a single adult wedding! This one was extra special for me because it was my first full-on Vietnamese wedding, and it was such a blast. I ate until I couldn’t breathe and maybe had one too many drinks, but that’s what made it so fun. All in all, the night was unforgettable and reminded me how exciting it can be to just say yes to something spontaneous.
Beach Day
At the start of summer, I made a goal to hit the beach at least once a month and I was able to check it off again this month. The original plan was Torrance Beach, but since there was no parking, we kept driving until we found a spot and somehow ended up at Redondo Beach. Honestly, I wasn’t complaining. At first, I felt a little bummed because it looked gloomy outside, but it turned out to be warm enough to enjoy the day, get some sun, and read my book. All in all, I’m just glad I got to squeeze in some summer activities this month!
OC Fair
I went to the OC Fair with Brian and Crystal this month, and it was such a blast! I was a little nervous at first because I had been sick just a few days before (more on that later), but luckily, I recovered in time and was able to enjoy the fair to the fullest, eating all the delicious food and even winning a few plushies. The highlight was definitely snagging the shark Hello Kitty plushie I had my eye on, which made me feel like a total winner. Another summer activity officially checked off the bucket list!
Meet-a-versary
This month was my boyfriend and my meetaversary, the day we first met! I know it might sound a little silly to celebrate, but I’m the type of person who loves finding reasons to celebrate the small things; otherwise, life feels dull and routine. And by celebrate, I don’t mean anything extravagant, I just see it as an excuse to spend time together, even if it’s a simple weekday dinner.
For this meetaversary, we cooked pasta together, put on The Chainsmokers (since that’s where we first met), and enjoyed a cozy dinner after work. It’s always so much fun cooking together, chatting away, and just making even an ordinary night feel special.
Palm Springs
Speaking of spontaneity, this month, we also took a day trip to Palm Springs to celebrate my boyfriend’s friend’s fiancée, who, at this point, is our friend too. We were invited for the whole weekend, but since we had other plans, we made it work as a day trip. Even though it was a few hours’ drive, the road trip was half the fun; we stopped at Cabazon for a little shopping and stocked up on snacks to keep the ride lively.
When we arrived, everyone welcomed us in, and we had such a blast just lounging by the pool and playing endless games. It also turned into the moment we discovered we might actually be lowkey good at beer pong, since we somehow ended up reigning champs. All in all, I’m so grateful for the trip and thankful I got to live my best passenger princess life the whole way there and back.
Keshi Concert
My concert era continues, we ended up going to see Keshi pretty last minute, and it was such a blast. I honestly forgot how many bangers he has, and it made me laugh thinking back to when I used to think he was overhyped… until I heard him live at Head In the Clouds!
It was also extra fun because my boyfriend is a fan but had never seen him live before, so experiencing that together was really special. All in all, I feel pretty lucky we caught him when we did, especially since I heard he was sick during his next stop in SF and couldn’t finish the last few songs.
Pottery
I’d been feeling a little down and in a slump recently, so I decided to cross something off the bingo card I made at the beginning of the year with all my bucket list activities. This month’s pick was pottery, and let me tell you, it definitely brought my spark back. It was so simple, but such a joy to quiet my mind, focus on learning something new, and just be creative.
What surprised me most was how affordable the class was compared to others I had seen online, where you usually have to commit to several weeks. I thought we’d only be making one piece, but it ended up being two: a cup and a bowl! I even got to use the wheel for the bowl, which was way harder than it looked but so rewarding. Overall, it was such a fun experience that I’ve already booked another class with a new group of friends who also want to give it a try.
Family
This month, I got to celebrate a family friend, which felt really special. For the past couple of years, I’d always been too busy or tied up to make it, so I wanted to be intentional about showing up and being a good friend this time. It was so nice to spend quality time together over dinner and just catch up.
I’ve also been keeping up with my promise to have dinner with my dad at least once a week, and it’s been so meaningful. Not only do I enjoy it, but I can tell he really does too, since it's more quality time than he’s been used to in recent years. As I get older, I notice my parents getting older too, and that always makes me emotional. It pushes me to carve out as much time with them as I can.
My dad also dropped me off at the airport for my Orlando trip, and it reminded me how grateful I am to have such a reliable support system. I usually try to ask friends for rides so my dad doesn’t have to worry about it, but I think he actually enjoys helping because it makes him feel like he’s still taking care of me. Knowing I can count on him, even at the last minute, is something I’ll never take for granted.
Work
This month was kind of tough for me, not just with the workload, but also with a lot of personal reflection. I missed a deadline, and while there were a lot of miscommunications and hiccups along the way, the responsibility ultimately landed on me. I didn’t expect to feel as anxious as I did, but it really showed me how much of a perfectionist I am and how deeply work can impact my life. Thankfully, the project ended up working out and wasn’t too big of a deal, but it made me realize just how much work can affect my mental health.
I’ve also realized that I don’t tend to get too comfortable in a role or position. Lately, I started feeling a bit stuck, so I began scheduling coffee chats with inspirational people who are on the path I aspire to. Those conversations motivated me to continue pushing myself and not get too complacent. At the same time, they reminded me how challenging it can be to balance stepping out of my comfort zone with prioritizing my career while still finding happiness in the present. I’m still learning to navigate that balance, but I’m grateful for the growth and perspective this month brought.
Lows & Lessons:
Sick
This month had a few lows, mainly from pushing my social battery to the max until my body gave out. I usually schedule at least one solo day each week and have been good about it, but this month, those days got complicated/ canceled, and I wasn’t getting enough time to recharge. I started to stress about it but didn’t want to let anyone down, so I pushed myself until my body finally forced me to slow down...I got sick.
Being sick ended up canceling many plans for a few days, which, in hindsight, was exactly what I needed. It relieved the stress I’d been carrying and reminded me that I need to start saying no and be honest about my limits. Even when I got sick, I initially wanted to keep plans because I didn’t want to disappoint anyone, but eventually, I had no choice. I should’ve just canceled right away instead of hoping I’d feel better in time.
On top of that, I developed a stye in my eye, which was surprisingly painful. My TikTok feed didn’t help since it kept showing stye-related videos, which freaked me out, especially because of a past experience where I had to go to the doctor and have it surgically drained. I immediately stocked up on eye wipes, drops, stye ointment, and baby shampoo, and thankfully, I’m stye-free as I write this.
All in all, this month reminded me how important it is to be kind to my body, both mentally and physically. I’ve been getting sick more often, and it’s a clear sign that I need to take better care of myself. Health is truly everything!
Besties Trip
This month’s besties trip was extra special because, during one of our long yap sessions, we realized we had officially reached five years of our annual besties trips. Not only does this feel like we’ve “completed” another college experience, but this was also the “freshman year” of our third college experience lol! I still can’t believe we met back in 2016 at freshman orientation and somehow became so close that we’ve stayed in touch all these years and continue to take trips together.
I’m especially surprised because I used to be terrible at long-distance friendships, but I’ve learned that effort and communication are key. I’m lucky to have a bestie who shares my values and puts in the same effort to keep this friendship alive. This trip was so much fun that we started daydreaming about our next annual besties trip, maybe Europe? We’ll see. We also imagined keeping this tradition alive even as we get older, get married, or have kids. I really hope that happens, and I’m so happy we’ve been able to maintain this tradition.
Even though it’s a little sad that this trip is over, I know there’s another one coming later this year, I’m heading to SF for Stephanie’s birthday in November, so there’s no need to be too sad just yet.
Songs on Repeat:
manchild - Sabrina CarpenterCloser - The Chainsmokers, HalseyJUMP - BLACKPINKMy Pick of the Month: Sunscreen Makeup Spray
This might seem a bit random, but now that it’s summer and I’ve been out and about, I’ve been loving the One/Size Sunscreen Makeup Setting Spray. I’ve always struggled with reapplying sunscreen, especially with makeup on, which makes it tricky, but lately, I’ve been keeping this spray in my purse everywhere I go and touching up whenever I need. It was especially handy during my trip to Florida, where the heat was intense and I needed frequent touch-ups to stay protected.
All in all, this month was full of spontaneity and so much love from friends and family. Even though I got sick, it taught me a valuable lesson about not pushing my body too hard. I also feel incredibly lucky to have had such a special trip that truly brought sunshine to my month, and I feel so loved being surrounded by so many amazing people.
Talk to you next month,
-- Jin
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