Day 22-23: What's in my purse & Things that I don't leave without

Day 22: What's in your purse?

Lip balms, tint, and a lipstick. For me, the only makeup that makes a difference in my overall look is lipstick. I put a lot of effort in keeping my lips tinted and hydrated (but it's really hard!). House key - I can recall a handful of times when I had to wait outside of the house waiting for my husband to come home because I forgot my key. That situation made me so annoyed about everything, myself included, to the point that I even questioned the lack of neighborhood interaction in Australia. I thought that if we were close, I probably could have waited for Jay in my neighbor's house instead of outside our apartment, looking so homeless. LOL. Hand sanitizer because of the pandemic - again let's not go there. 

Day 23: Something you don't leave the house without

My purse. 

My alma mater

19 June 2020

Today, my degree is officially conferred. I now hold a doctorate from the University of Queensland. I have yet to articulate all my emotions during my Ph.D. journey as it has not sunk in. In case my reader is living under a rock, I regret to inform you that we are currently fighting a global pandemic.

While I have yet to uncover the rollercoaster emotions that I felt in the last four years, my attachment to my alma mater - The University of Queensland - has grown stronger over the past few weeks. I have all the reasons to feel this way. First, UQ gave me a fair chance to compete for a slot in their competitive Ph.D. program. A foreigner, with almost unknown credentials, and no publications, found a supervisor who fought hard and vetted for my talents - based on his trust on me. I have yet to ask his reasons but, needless to say, it is something that I will never forget. UQ awarded me a full scholarship with a decent salary and a multitude of opportunities that were given by merit alone. I went to international travels, career development seminars, and classes that honed my skills not only as an academic but as a professional. Accomplished colleagues willingly co-authored my papers, gave constructive feedback, and shared valuable writing skills. I would not be able to publish my research in prestigious journals without their help. Finally, despite the recession, UQ gave me my first full-time academic job after my Ph.D. I am overwhelmed that, at a time when universities are struggling to stay afloat, I am still able to start my academic career. A chance is all I need and UQ granted it.

I am so proud of UQ. I feel immense gratitude, happiness, respect, and loyalty to this institution that took a chance on a stranger, a woman, a person of color like me, and believed in my abilities.

Mon Cheri

I've looked all around this

Big old world and found that

All I really want is love

Nothing can compare

This world I've had my share of

All I really want is love

In this life of chasing dreams

Such strife in seeking schemes

Designed for happiness

Now I finally realized

Deep underneath my lies

All I really want is love.

**********

Day 21: Sweet Memory of My Youth

Nothing beats the prom. That one night in high school where we all played dress-up and stepped into the spotlight together for the first and last time in our adolescence. My prom was held in 2007, meaning pre-social media, pre-Instagram influencers, and fashion bloggers, hence we never really had so much social anxiety and visceral 'red carpet'-like competition on what we were going to wear. We just wore whatever we fancied, not because Vogue told us so. Our school, always known for taking the high road, gave the girls fashion advice on how to look classy (not trashy!) for prom and they even provided a 2-hour seminar on dining etiquette for formal dinners hahaha. 

Many people say that highschool is the best part of their youth, and while I don't agree on that, I strongly believe that it is indeed a special phase in life that we can never recreate again. We only live through highschool once. All the flutters of our hearts, butterflies in our stomach, innocence, fun, energy, insecurities, angst - these all come with our adolescence.

Ahhh, being young is sweet and fun but I also like where I am right now (still young!!!). 

"It's the oldest story in the world. One day you're seventeen and planning for someday, and then quietly and without you ever really noticing, someday is today, and that someday is yesterday. And this is your life."

Day 20: Plans/dreams/goals you have

This question is so cliche and hard to answer that I had to look back on what I wrote on my first attempt on this challenge back in 2011 - voila it's empty! It seems that I didn't change at all. Maybe I chose to keep my plans and dreams in private to stop my future self from using it as a receipt. I choose to do the same this time around.