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This month was my birthday month and a month filled with so many unforgettable moments. As hectic as it was, it's a month I will not forget!
Lifestyle: Back to Back
Coachella
This month I got to go to my second-ever Coachella with Mish, Kelsey, and Stephanie! I was honestly really overwhelmed by the event as my life has been so hectic and busy. I was a little more stressed about it than I was excited. However, I knew when the time came, I would have a fun time and indeed I did! It was my first-ever concert/ festival experience with Mish and Kelsey and it went really well. It also had been a while since I went to a concert/ festival with Stephanie (I'm talking back in 2020) so it was so exciting! I also was glad that I was more prepared for Coachella this year by packing masks, vitamins, and sinus rinse (this was life-changing as it got rid of all the dust). I had the worst cough from Coachella last year and I'm proud to say that with my preparation this time, I wasn't sick at all!
Birthday/ Solo Date
This month was also when I turned 25! I was really excited to celebrate my birthday with a group of my friends at karaoke. I got to sing my current obsessed songs (aka Tally by Blackpink) all the way to throwback songs (aka Love Song by Taylor Swift). I was also glad that everyone else was screaming at the top of their lungs and having a fun time. I'll never take these moments for granted where my friends gather together because I know that as time passes, it'll only get harder to get my friends together. Always will cherish moments like these and appreciate people who come together to celebrate my special moments. ♡
I also wanted to gift myself something special for 25. Although I love a physical gift, I thought I would gift myself an experience and check something off on my bucket list that I had for a hot minute. I realized that I have never really gotten fully ready for a solo dinner date and that's something I've been wanting to do. Therefore, I gifted myself a solo omakase birthday dinner. I had actually checked out one restaurant but when I went, the restaurant had closed down (boo yelp for not updating the information). I was honestly really close to calling it quits and just going home to eat but I didn't want to give up that easily. I quickly searched for another restaurant nearby and decided to go there. I think everything happens for a reason because the dinner turned out to be so good - one of the best meals I've had! I will say it was REALLY vulnerable and out of my comfort zone to do a meal by myself, especially in a restaurant filled with people with companies. However, I quickly realized that literally, no one cared that I was alone and it was honestly really fun to people-watch! I saw some families, some that seemed to be a date, and some friends. I realized I loved my own company and I'd rather be eating my dinner peacefully and at my own pace without forcing a conversation.
Stephanie in LA
I can't NOT mention Stephanie being in LA! Stephanie was in LA for a little less than 2 weeks for Coachella and my birthday. As fun as it was having her for the events, I really enjoyed doing the little activities together such as working from cafes together, going to yoga together, and eating meals together. I can't express how thankful I am to have a friend who's so down to go through life adventures together. I know I can always rely on Stephanie to be there to celebrate every moment. Although I'm sad that this trip has come to an end, I can't wait to see what's next for us!
Lows: Quarter Life Crisis
Honestly, I didn't have any specific moment that I can call my "low" of this month. However, the theme throughout this month was being super busy and stressed. I realized that this started impacting my day-to-day life because I was starting to get frustrated in friendships or small moments even though normally I wouldn't think it was a big deal. I realized it had more to do with myself than other people. Luckily, going to yoga more frequently has helped me calm my overthinking and stress.
I also thought I would have a bigger quarter-life crisis because everyone always talks about it. However, I think because of the big identity crisis I went through post-grad in 2020, this didn't feel like anything. I honestly felt more grateful and happy at the place I was at because I felt like I manifested and worked really hard to be where I am now. However, it did scare me about the future and what that would look like. I started feeling like I needed to all of a sudden think about marriage, family, kids, etc. I do think because society makes women feel like a ticking time bomb on when the best time to get married and have kids is, I unknowingly felt a little pressure now that I was 25, especially not even having a partner. However, I'm so happy at where I am and there's nothing I would change or force.
Lessons: 25 Things I Learned by 25
Routines are important
Don't compare yourself to others, everyone is on a different path
Be kind to yourself
No one is perfect, everyone is learning as they go
Spend time with family
Age goes up but you don't age on the inside
Friends who are there for your wins and not just your losses are your true friends
Friendships are a two-way relationship
Take care of your body
Mental health is as important as your physical health
Go to your doctor's checkups, not just when you're feeling awful
Check in on your friends
Everyone is going through something, learn to be empathetic
Breaking your own promise feels worse than hurting someone's feelings
Active listening is hard but important and makes people feel heard
Never lower your standard for anyone
You don't have to let go of the past, learn to appreciate it and continue living
Always be willing to learn and grow
Be firm in your beliefs and morals
Work to live, don't live to work
Save money but don't miss out on adventures
Don't live life to show off to others, do what truly makes you happy
Happiness looks so different to everyone, find what defines your happiness
Being independent is key but learning to let others in is also important
Love yourself and others
Songs on Repeat:
Top Songs -
FLOWER - JISOOPalette (feat. G-DRAGON) - IU, G-DRAGONTally - BLACKPINKMy Pick of the Month: Home Nail Salon
My friend, Rachel, invited friends over to her apartment to do our nails together. She bought a ton of nail supplies that it truly felt like I was at a nail salon! Although I also went through doing my own nails at home during the quarantine era, I never really stuck to it. However, it was my first time doing gel x by myself and it was a lot of fun! I was surprised that we literally took 5 hours to do our nails (lol) but it was fun nonetheless. Not sure if I'll stick to doing nails at home but it's a fun activity to do with friends once in a while. I was also pretty proud of the finished product considering it was my first time!
This month, I turned one year older and hopefully one year wiser. Although I know 25 isn't that old, it's still the oldest I've been and it scares me a little. However, I know it's just age and I don't change on the inside. Cheers to hoping 25 treats me well! ♡
Talk to you next month,
-- Jin