shm notes & posts

Travel

Eurotrip review, winter 2017-18

19 October 202015 October 2021

In which I recount my first venture to Europe. Open for a brief overview of an exhausting month and (as always) some cool pictures.

Taking a break from all the real issues, I’ve decided to recount my first backpacking trip and some of my favorite parts. I also do want to use this blog as a travel diary, especially for when we can travel again. For now, let’s take a trip down memory lane. I always make a point to try as much local food as I can when I’m visiting a place, but unfortunately I can’t remember all the food off the top of my head. Read about how I packed for this trip here. STOCKHOLM I cut it real close by booking...

Travel

Planning for a month in wintry Europe with only a carry-on

28 September 202022 June 2022

In which I plan a winter vacation in Europe with just one carry-on and a college student’s budget. Open for insight on minimalist travel.

Planning is honestly one of my favorite parts of a trip. Honestly, I enjoy it almost as much as the trip itself for the pure anticipation it brings. Even with a plan, I frequently end up on unexpected adventures. I learned a couple years back to build in some flexibility, because even the best planner can’t anticipate everything. Also that I will always need a day/night to recuperate after travel. FLIGHT LOGISTICS In summer of 2017, I was interning at UTC Aerospace while all of my friends were gallivanting around Europe, and I had some severe FOMO. That’s when...

Career

Leaning In and Falling Over: A Review of “Lean In”

19 August 202029 October 2021

In which I depict how leaning in falls flat. Open for a critique of corporate feminism and its blind spots.

Leaning in is an interesting concept. It revolves around the empowerment of women, a message that is hard to refute—at least, in theory. Sheryl Sandberg’s message, outlined in the book, “Lean In” is to empower women and raise them to new heights in any and all of their ambitions. The problem with much of Sandberg’s message, ironically, is that it’s not ambitious enough. The book uses a form of ambition previously defined by men and rooted in selfishness. She acknowledges the differences in men and women and yet never changes her definitions for success that were by and large defined...

Reflections

“Do good” vs “Do no harm”

3 July 20201 November 2021

In which I compare the pledges “to do good” and “to do no harm” and why one is much worse than the other. Open to see the shade.

Language is extremely fluid, but as quarantine drags on I find myself wanting to use it more precisely—especially since physical contact with others is few and far between. Lately I’ve been thinking about the difference between “do good” and “do no harm”, both of which are goals for certain fields. On the surface, they seem to accomplish the same positive morale. As I dive deeper, they start to diverge. Consequences Consequences come as the result of any action. We allow for some margin of error in most things because no actions can be performed in a closed system, and therefore...

Career Health Reflections

The value in writing, even when you’re a “bad” writer

18 June 202024 January 2023

In which I talk about the value of writing. Open for a reminder on why you should pickup a pen.

Writing is hard. Anyone who says otherwise is either blindly confident or has never tried. There are a plethora of benefits to writing, regardless of whether you consider yourself a writer. Going through the writing process stands to benefit not only the writing itself, but other facets of life as well. The only way out of your thoughts is through them. This is one of the benefits of meditation as well. Allowing your thoughts to flow through you underpins many of the methods of mindfulness. And it makes sense—have you ever tried to make yourself stop thinking of something? At...

Health

Dopamine detox review (in quarantine!)

21 May 202024 January 2023

In which I reflect on a “dopamine detox” I trialed in quarantine. Open to find out what that means.

Quarantine has been killing me, I won't lie. My motivation, focus, and energy suffered huge losses in the first couple of weeks. Fortunately for me, I had a week off scheduled about a month in, and I was able to still take that time off and relax. During my relaxation, I squeezed in a day where I did a dopamine detox, outlined in this video. I have to be honest, turning off my phone the night before lasted literally 10 min. I decided to scroll through social media before bed at the last minute, and fully disconnect in the morning....

Finance Travel

How to travel on a budget

10 January 202024 January 2023

In which I recount my tips for traveling on the low. Open for ways to cut costs on the road.

If one thing in life keeps me going, it's travel. The sights, sounds, and tastes of different cultures energizes me. From eating in churrascos in Buenos Aires to breaking Ramadan fast in Turkey to bungee jumping off the Auckland Harbor Bridge, I live for all the world has to offer. Even and especially when it scares me. Flights Working for an airline, as I did in 2018, is the best way to get cheap flights. For the rest of us plebians, we must find deals. My favorite methodology to find cheap flights to a destination is as follows: Check which...

Finance Health

Healthy meal prepping on a budget

1 January 202024 January 2023

In which I talk about my low-cost meal prepping days. Open for tips on how to start prepping healthy meals.

Happy New Year! Meal prepping is one of those things that was thrust upon me as I cut costs to afford my apartment with a view of Lake Michigan, but I will carry with me forever. There is nothing better that the fruits of your own labor, especially when you know your way decently around a spice cabinet. In general, I try to follow a few basic principles around food: All meals are one protein (~25+g), one carb, and one veggie Snacks: fruits/yogurts/seeds/nuts/string cheese Drink water before and during meal Season liberally and be satisfied Even though I have the...

Health

How to start long distance running

26 December 201924 January 2023

In which I outline step-by-step how to start running long distance. Open if you want to run into the horizon.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional, I'm not fast, and I still make mistakes. But I like running and I'm fairly decent at it, especially pacing myself. Also, it's free and you can do it anywhere. I hope this helped you, and please reach out or leave a comment if you have questions! I've done a ton of research. You can find the original Instagram story at the bottom of the post and in my highlights! PLAN: Choose a plan to follow custom to your goals. Without a goal, it can be seriously tough to maintain motivation. Goals can be...

Reflections

Life, death, and other statistical improbabilities

20 December 201922 June 2022

In which I discuss life, death, and other statistical improbabilities. Open for numerical musings about qualities of life.

Industrial and systems engineering is 50% statistics/math and 50% process engineering. It is truly a course of study I believe was meant for me. But even after going through it, I have managed to have feelings about life statistics. The number of events that it took to get you where you are today is nearly infinite, thanks to the butterfly effect. That means the odds of you happening are infinitesimal. The odds of any version of you happening are infinitesimal. But that's when you're taking into account everything that had to happen to get you where you are today. Yet,...

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