This week, as I sat down to write, I couldn't think of any one thing to write about. There were so many different things to say, but I found that the common thread was that the following are all things that I love and enjoy doing. It's pretty random, but why not?
1. Driving alone
I absolutely love driving by myself. Long, quiet rides in the sole presence of me and my music is not only relaxing but also refreshing. After having a bad day, sometimes all I need is a drive back home to recollect my thoughts and feelings. Instead of being confined to the same room and surroundings, a constantly shifting view from my car window is a metaphoric reminder that life goes on and whatever is happening at the moment will pass, and most importantly, it's in my control. On a lighter note, nothing makes me feel freer and more independent than being able to drive anywhere I want, anytime.
2. Table tennis
I know it's random, but I recently started playing and I LOVE IT. Not only is it good for your health and fitness, but I love how fast and fun it is. Once you start to get the hang of ping-pong, you will not want to put your bat down. Every game is exciting, relatively quick, and different than the one before. You wouldn't think it would require too much thinking considering the game itself is so simple, but nope! There's so much strategizing, planning and quick decisions that need to be made that you'll always be thinking on your feet. I'm not going to lie, losing a match or even one point is very irritating at times, but that's what keeps you wanting to play more. Unlike other sports, I love that anyone can play table tennis, start learning and master their own moves.
3. Anything that requires repetitive, routine work
Okay, this one is random, but I love doing systematic work. I love organization and precision, so it’s no surprise that I find work that has a "correct" way or method is super relaxing for me. For all my years in school, the first subject I would want to do my homework for was always math. Why? Because there was always a correct answer and a systematic way of arriving at that answer. Most see it as busy work (and it is), but nonetheless, it's relaxing. When I'm at my research lab, my friends hate doing electrophoresis gels because of the tedious amount of pipetting, but I love it (to the surprise of my friends).
4. Re-watching movies
A lot of people hate rewatching the same movies over and over, but not me! If there's a movie that I really like, I can and definitely will watch it countless times. Each time, I notice things that I hadn't noticed before and I understand the movie at a deeper level. It's also comforting to watching a classic over and over again.
5. Desserts
Most of the time, my favorite course of a meal is the dessert. I have a sweet tooth and anything chocolatey catches my eye.
6. Memorization
I love anything that requires memorization. While a lot of people prefer application and open-ended type of problems, my expertise is anything that can be memorized. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think memorization is a good way to retain information unless you actually understand it. If I'm memorizing something, I make sure to understand it. And it isn't necessarily memorized things that I love, but rather the process of memorization itself.
7. Kids (especially babies)
Whether it is watching adorable baby videos on YouTube, or actually spending time with kids, I love it. This summer, I had the opportunity to tutor a few kids, and it was so much fun! I just love how cute and innocent little kids are. They are free and happy, and I love interacting with them.
8. Formatting stuff
My favorite part of making any kind of presentation is the way it's actually presented. In other words, I love formatting. I love playing around with fonts, colors, background, and spacing.
9. Performing on stage
For someone who is usually reserved, it's a little ironic that I feel completely free when I'm up on stage. I've been dancing since I was a little girl, and being up on stage and performing in front of an audience is one of my favorite things to do. In fact, any party or event that involves dancing gets me excited. Some people hold back when they're on stage even if they're complete extroverts. I'm the opposite. I'm usually up there with the biggest smile and most confidence you'll ever see me have!
10. Competition
Not a lot of people admit this, but I love a good amount of competition in my life. Competitiveness motivates to do my best and try harder than usual. I'll admit that too much competition isn't healthy for anyone, but sometimes, it's really hard to make your goals seem tangible. Goals like "eat healthy," "work out," and "study hard" aren't as encouraging and fun when you do it alone. Having other people with the same mindset and goals around you helps bring out the best you. Even if your short-term goal becomes beating your competition, your long-term results are the reason why it's worth it.
11. Pretending to be a YouTuber
From time to time, I'll make random haul videos, "get ready with me," and challenge videos and send them to my friends. I'll pretend like I'm an actual YouTuber with an intro and outro, and ask my "fans" to like, comment, and subscribe. It's pretty silly, but a lot of fun to make and edit the videos.
12. Listening to music
I've written an entire article about this, but I LOVE music. I'm constantly playing it whether I'm at home, roaming around college, or driving in my car.
That's all for me for now! There's probably a hundred other things I could write, but I'll leave them for a day if we actually meet in person.
