5 Years of Life After High School

It's scary how time passes by quickly.

2021 marks the 5 year anniversary of graduating high school.

I looked back at the past 5 years and I feel like I haven't done much. I remember what I wrote in my year book and it said I saw myself living in an overseas country. Realistically, this was never going to happen with the events of the past 18 months. The most notable achievements are completing my bachelor's degree, joining a student organisation and creating my personal brand not much but it's something...

Here are the 5 key words of each year and a small reflection.

2017: Change

The transition from high school to university is a steep one.

Being exposed to a new environment with no one familiar sets you up to take responsibility. I felt lonely but I made up the loss of not making university friends with online friends.

It was a year of me trying to navigate life outside high school. I was young and made some mistakes with the way I communicated with people but that's life.

2018: Adventure

The year of me coming out of my shell where I figured out how to make friends as a young adult navigating life. I don't have many photos that represent 2018 but I got to experience concert culture for the first time.

I fulfilled my bucket list dream of going to Indonesia. I have always wanted to go and to go for educational purposes made it worthwhile. Albeit a small part of Indonesia since it's an archipelago. I got to use my Indonesian language skills that I have honed from school and university. Local people will always appreciate foreigners who learn or use their local language. Although, people frequently asked where I was from due to being the only Asian within a group of Aussie university students travelling in the area.

Going overseas felt like time had stopped.

I spent my 6 weeks in Padang the capital of Western Sumatra. It felt like a dream where I had no responsibilities other than attending 3 hours of class every day except the weekend. I would do anything to go back because it will always have a special place in my heart. The countless memories that I made in the 6 weeks are ones that I look back from time to time.

2019: Discovery

This was the year I started writing. I stumbled upon this Skillshare class where I discovered online writing... which is not right. I have a small history in writing stories on Tumblr but writing about myself was something new. I was focused on numbers and wanting to be great alas that isn't the right mindset to go into a new hobby.

I started writing on Medium.com where I wrote whatever was on my mind (I want to go back to that mindset). I treated as a place for me to shout into the void and some of my favourite pieces were written that year. A bulk of my writing is still on Medium. I will eventually go back but I think I'll branch out and head back sometime in the future.

I spent majority of the year completing my studies and hanging out with my new friends that I made. I realised the importance of having a supportive network. I felt like a proper university student discovering my city where I got to eat out and try new things.

2020: Reflection

The beginning of the current life we are experiencing right now. The year summarised experiencing one of the worst fire seasons to date (2020 Australian fires) to spending a third of the year in lockdown.

It was a rough year but it was a reflective one. I finished my bachelor's degree in the middle of the year on that random Friday in lockdown. I was planning to go spend some time overseas but it came to a halt.

This is where I ended up at a crossroads moment where I decided to venture down the path of studying postgraduate studies in communications. I found a passion in communications and genuinely think I can do something great with it. I went outside my comfort zone and started doing things that I didn't think I would have done without studying communications.

I found a community of peers and mentors that are supportive of what I do. I started my podcast and started a new identity on the internet after 10 years spending my life on it.

2021: Stagnation

This year has been the peak year of where I have felt lost and haven't progressed much in life. I don't know if I could tell you if 2020 or 2021 was better. I spent a better half of the year in lockdown yet again.

I finally got to experience my cap and gown moment after graduating in absentia. It was no fancy graduation ceremony but it was such a wholesome celebrations with friends.

On a brighter note, I ended up in a leadership position with the group I spontaneously joined. I learned how to lead a small team and bonded with some kind girls who appreciate the things that I have done throughout the year.

With the year ending I have found the time to reach out to get some help and finding new hobbies to fill my time.

Future plans?

I'm not asking for much for the future.

The goals are to be able to support myself and find joy in creating content now after 18 months of reflection. Making different type of content has allowed me to the courage to eventually get into writing and podcasting.

I have many plans to create content with a fresher mindset and to try new things.

It's only the beginning.