Life should be epic and adventurous. Why wait?
1. Blog and then treasure it. Jeniffer recently shared her blog entry about her experience as a delegate in Historical Security Council in which I was the chair. I thought it was really precious to read about her experience several years later.
2. Pursue your own dreams. Watch Brad Delson give the best commencement speech ever at UCLA and I think you’ll be inspired to do so too: Part 1 and Part 2.
3. Make life goals along the way. I think I’m one of several people who added “being accomplished (and humorous) enough to make a commencement speech” on my list of life goals after watching Brad Delson speak. In case you were wondering, my life goals include traveling the world, owning properties, raising kids, and establishing a scholarship… but I also have some random ones like having multiple passports and being called 오빠 by a Korean girl haha.
4. Choose the hard right over the easy wrong. This was a piece of advice given to me by Andy Mapes, an LDP graduate I met while I was in Dallas. It’s from his learnings at West Point but it’s applicable to many situations in life.
5. Don’t hesitate when the opportunity is there for the taking. Otherwise you will embarrass yourself and others who expect you to take that opportunity.
6. I need to diversify my social skills. In school, you mostly socialized with people around the same age. In the working world, you may have to interact socially with adults of all ages and it can be challenging when the topics and life stages are different. By the way, a person can be very different in a professional setting and a social setting.
7. Be comfortable with your sexuality. My friend and I were being served by a cute barista at Starbucks. My friend called her “pretty girl” while I just stood there not saying anything. I think she was deprived from a genuine compliment and I think I submitted myself to socially-constructed repression. I’m not saying we should be flirting with everyone, but some harmless thoughts can be shared rather than repressed.
8. Don’t change the status quo if it doesn’t feel right. I feel like this toward a certain situation in my life, and I now totally understand when someone told me this last year.
9. Michael Jackson is really the King of Pop. I didn’t truly realize his influence on my favorite contemporary pop, R&B, and hip hop artists until I started watching his old music videos and realized how much his singing and dancing is imitated. RIP MJ.
10. Hearing reasons/excuses to not serve on jury duty is both the saddest and funniest thing ever. It’s sad because some people really have circumstances that I think are difficult any day, and it’s funny because some people are terrible at making up stories to get off the hook.
11. I feel sorry for people who are ignorant. Some guy in Texas asked where I was from (he meant “really from”) and when I responded that my parents are from China, he told me that explains my accent. I was born and raised in the USA and I don’t think I have an accent, thanks. But really, I feel sorry for him because I probably know more and have experienced more of the world than he ever will.
12. Speaking of Texas, the BBQ and TexMex in Austin is so good! Thanks Andrew, Bilal, Zaid, Casey, Sofia and everyone else I hung out with in Texas. But you guys have now set too high standards for me haha!
13. Do something spiritually uplifting to balance your life. I got my dose of spiritual inspiration when I volunteered at the Special Olympics. It’s refreshing when you encounter a perspective that forces you to reflect upon yourself.
14. Life needs to be adventurous; do something that will give you an adrenaline rush. I went white-water rafting outside of Sacramento and had a blast doing it!
15. Finally, make life epic. Why wait to pursue your passions? I’ll be backpacking Japan, China, Vietnam, and Cambodia with Anthony next month. Here’s to more fun times!
Up next: July 4th weekend in LA, my last week in my first rotation at AT&T, possible visit from Ryan, and then departing for the Asia trip! I’ll be moving to Silicon Valley and starting my second rotation at AT&T when I get back in August.
Why on Earth would I want to work to get into Second Life? I arldaey work hard at my job, in my remaining time I’d like to spend time with my wife, get outside the house and away from my computer, work on my novel, write this blog, contribute to my writing group and — if I get some MORE free time — I’d like to get back into volunteering in the local community.
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