Cool Habit

Something I've been doing recently is thinking out loud.
And through it, trying to organize my thoughts. On gray areas in my life or topics I think need a little clarification or just some good ol' catharsis.

I think of this task as analogous to cleaning my room.
It's gotta happen once in a while - or else it gets messy and uninhabitable.
Once you talk through some things that are a little hazy, you receive some clarity and a sense of accomplishment. Which in turn leads to motivation to do the things you have to do.

Try it out! Tell me if it works for you or not.

- Jinwoogle

Still Life

Waiting
Waiting
And more waiting

sums up the past couple months of my life.

If you didn't know, early June, I hurt my leg playing basketball.
The surgery went well, but the recovery time nearly killed me. For a torn achilles tendon, the post-surgery life consists of not being able to walk properly for 2~3 months.

"You can't walk? Hahahahahahaaha"

Summary of my summer: Not fun. I went from bed to couch to another couch to bed.

BUT SUMMER'S NOT OVER YET

Sincerely,

- Jinwoo

Getting Lazy

Haven't been able to move since the surgery - I've got my leg in a cast.

I've been feeling so lazy these past 2 weeks.

There's not much I can do besides watch TV or read.

My mindset constantly shifts from:  don't worry, just rest up this time. No need to do anything necessarily

To: What am I doing with my life watching YouTube for 5+ hours a day... I feel like I'm wasting my life.

It's constantly fluctuating.

And maybe the truth is somewhere in between. That I could be more productive with my time, but at the same time, there's no need to guilt-trip and shame myself.

Well, at least, I think the surgery went well and the post-surgery pain was not bad at all.

Injury

Tore/Ruptured my left achilles tendon -

Happened while I was playing basketball :(

Thought the people playing behind me hit me in the calf with their basketball. I was gonna get up and yell at them, but apparently nothing hit me... scary.

"What doesn't kill you makes you go get surgery."

First, I thought it was just a minor sprain because I had sprained my ankle before (right leg) and that hurt a lot worse than this.

I go to the doctor and she breaks the news to me. Surgery asap is highly recommended.
Going into the operating room on Tuesday.

:/   is how I feel about this whole episode.

See you next week,

- Jinwoo

P.S. Sorry about the absence - I promise to keep y'all updated.

Analogies: The Water

Ok I have no idea why but I laughed so hard at this

Some of the YouTube comments too:

"Poor guy... His face said it all..."

I think it's the way his legs break the water... omg....

Ahmad Azman - An Olympic Diver

Congratulations to all who graduated this year! Hope the best for all of you.

Even if your college experience was like this guy's dive, know that in life, there are many chances to dive. Into life. and into the water. Where there are plenty of fish. Which if you teach a man how to catch, he'll find his one true love. (Am I doing this analogy thing right?)

Love,

- Jinwoo

Hi

I forgot to post last week
And there's no way I can make a quality post today
Anxiety is high and finals are near

Hope I can get through... :(

Til next week,

- Jinwoo

A Look Back at this Year

Looking back at the year, it's been quite a ride.
I got to meet so many new people, share stories about life.

Literal translation: Move to Blue

It's really been a blessing I haven't reflected on enough.

A lot of people don't know this, but I took a gap year after the end of my junior year, hoping to find a little more direction in life.

The adorable preschoolers I taught during the gap year.

Things were okay for the most part during that year, but one recurring theme of that year was loneliness.

I didn't get to meet/know that many new people, and though I brushed off facebook envy for the most part, I couldn't help but worry I was falling behind in some way.

Probably drawn during class.

Irrelevant
Being forgotten
Looked down on for being a (super?) junior

These were some of the fears I had coming back. Some of you may be reading this post and thinking,

"Dude, you care too much about what others think about you. Just do you."
And while that point may be valid, (it is) I wonder,

How can we strike a balance in between having our own agenda and allowing others to shape our path?

I think it's a question certainly worth pondering over.

Am I being too general?
These past couple weeks have not been too kind for me, as the kindhearted readers of my blog have probably noticed. But when I look back the past few months, back to the beginning of the school year, it puts things in a different light/perspective. There are so many things I am proud to have accomplished this past year, and while I shouldn't sit on past achievements, self-recognition is an important part of moving forward. An essential part of better understanding the road I'm on.

And through it all, I think I can honestly say I've made the right decision to come back to the University.

That is, until finals hit. Then I will regret coming back.
Just kidding~ ^^

The nuances of life are difficult to navigate through. And if you feel like you're just barely managing, you're not alone.

Read this Till you Believe it by M.H. Clark

See you next week,

- Jinwoo