living in the moment
Growing up sheltered, my first international trip showed me how much is out there BEYOND tiny Seattle and the suburbs. Specifically, my time in South America was a defining moment. I discovered a greater sense of my independence and my capability of learning about myself and the world through cross-cultural experiences.
During my study abroad program, my professor constantly emphasized the idea of living in the moment. At first, his comments bothered me. It felt as if my teacher was lecturing me on how to live my life because I was doing it all wrong. However, I would learn that there was some truth in what he had to share. His constant reminder encouraged me to compare my experiences abroad to back home.
I began to realize more and more how things can often feel rushed back home. As people are constantly planning ahead, looking forward to the future, and rushing to complete one task to the next, we forget to take a step back and enjoy the moment then and there. Yes, I know. This is incredibly cliché, but the concept of living in the moment is something I constantly try to instill in my life. For me, I grew up in an environment where academics were solely prioritized and relationships/social experiences were tossed aside. I was scolded for constantly caring too much about my friends or for having “too much fun”. Well, I’ve learned over time that it is possible to have a balance. I have definitely cried too many times to count about exams and feeling stressed in college, but I understand that I am not defined by my success. When I look back at college, I’m not quite sure if I’ll remember that organic chemistry final I aced rather I’ll remember that one time Ansul, Kristina, and I went to Capital Hill during Dead Week (of all times) and spontaneously ate tacos. Over time, I have developed this reputation for making “spontaneous” (and often irrational) decisions. With that, I am often asked two questions.
How do you afford all of this?
For me, I prioritize spending my money on experiences, not things. I have developed a huge passion for traveling and I have recognized its value as I immerse myself in other cultures and experiences. With that, I make it my mission to find the time and create the savings to go travel and explore the world, which requires a lot of saying no to other experiences back home. Big picture, I also understand how incredibly fortunate I am. I often remind myself how lucky I am to be able to travel as not everyone may have the same opportunity.I hope I’m not coming off to be a humble brag. While it’s not my main intention, I do hope humbly sharing my experiences will encourage others to make the effort to travel as well!
How are your parents okay with this?
To be completely honest, I live by the saying it’s better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission. It’s awful. I know. I often make decisions without discussing too much with my parents because I know they’ll most likely say no. My parents have always been extremely protective, but I don’t ever want to limit myself. Recently, I have noticed more of a shift with my parents’ willingness to let me go. I constantly try to prove to them that I can be independent, and patiently, they’ve developed more trust in me. I am really fortunate !!
With that, I have created this platform as my own personal diary to keep track of my adventures and the many irrational decisions I constantly make. Feel free to follow along. Cheers!