An Apology

More than 50% of all sexual assaults on college campuses happen during the first six weeks of the semester. I believe that. I know you did too. And in between are-you-sures and I-don’t-trust-yous, we stood in solidarity, promising to believe each other.  There was a lot of anger in us. I remember us avoiding Mason …

What’s your hobby?

When I was in second grade, my school had a story writing contest on fire safety. I remember writing my story on Hangul manuscript papers, making sure that I was following the spacing guidelines accurately. Couple days later, my teacher came up to me and asked if I had written the story all by myself. …

An open letter to men who took a liking to me a little too fast

Dear You, Before I begin, I want you to clearly understand that this isn’t about you.

Licensed to drive, but still learning patience.

"In New York, I didn't think much of driving. Who cares? The driver's license had now just become a convenient tool for me to bring when I need to prove that I'm of age. Besides, driving in New York seemed terrible. Narrow streets and overcharged parking fee? No thank you. I even considered not getting a car in LA; some people seemed to be okay with that. But after a week in LA, I went to a car dealership, financed a car with trillion safety options, paid extra money that I didn't need to (so I found out later, anyway), and left the dealership nervous as hell. I've always had a fear of driving, especially next to big trucks and buses. This was not going to go well. "

A working woman in progress

I recently read a study about how procrastination is correlated with low self-esteem. The act of putting off tasks is a result of a self-aggravating belief that the task you produce is representative of you as a person; you believe that your value is dictated by what you create, and in fear that you will …

Living Korean in LA

Before moving to LA, there was one thing that I was really excited about: Korean food. I knew that Korean food is far more superior in LA than in any other U.S. cities, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on dishes other than bulgogi, ddukbokki, and bibimbap (sorry not sorry, New York.) It's …

My growth may be small, but it’s still happening.

1/4/2018 12:33AM If someone asked me what my 2017 was like, I would say it was slow and painful. My 2017 was sticky. My 2017 was holding onto a lot of things that I should've left behind in 2016. It had been a year since I graduated college, yet my life seemed to be dragging. …

Youth is wasted on the young

About two weeks ago, I bought collagen peptide powder from Whole Foods. For $25 a container, you can smoothen the lines on your face, strengthen your hair and nails, and have youth restored in your body. Oh, the sweet, sweet aroma of innocence. I've been obsessing over aging lately. I feel bad saying it, especially …

Food can be more than “just” food.

Enjoyed my post? Show your appreciation by supporting me towards my Masters Degree! http://bit.ly/2pxOWMp Just about everything in life, preference for flavors are determined biopsychosocial factors, such as innate preference (babies are born with a sweet palette but rejects bitter taste), environmental influences, and learning. In Public Health and Psychology, there is a theory called Social …

13 years

At my high school, we have a tradition called Encounter in which graduating students spend a weekend together to share their deepest and darkest secrets in the “Naked Room”. It’s to show that vulnerability can be a leadership skill of its own, and that everyone goes through different struggles. For someone who only knew like …