Today is December 31st. It's 11:15 PM as I finish writing this, and soon I'll be heading into a new year. Like my birthday, I don't quite see the significance of an arbitrary date on the calendar, yet I think it's a great way to reflect and look forward to something. So here's what 2025 looked like for me.

I began this year graduating from my bachelor's degree. I didn't attend a graduation ceremony. I just collected my degree from the office. While I did somewhat decent, graduating with a good GPA, there are opportunities I wish I had taken. But I don't regret what I chose to do instead. I also received my acceptance letter to King's College London for my master's in January. This was exciting news, even though it wasn't my dream school. I got accepted to pretty much every university I applied to except that one, but nonetheless, I got into a good place and I hope to make the best of it as I graduate in August. March was quite exciting as I roamed around New York. It's probably my favorite place I've been to. I've visited a lot of countries, but I've never had as much fun as I had in New York from the food to the iconic shots I captured. May saw a lot of anime and Japanese content in general as I started learning Japanese. It's a new and unique experience, one I wish I had taken more seriously. I knew it would stop once I started university, however I intend to be more serious about it now. I feel as though it will be a good skill for me in the future, one I must find time for. June was an exciting month. I saw a lot of movies, anime, and bought some manga. Out of all the manga I bought, "No Longer Human" by Usamaru Furuya was a phenomenal read. I could see myself in the character. Brad Pitt's F1 on IMAX was truly a one of a kind experience. With the Steam sale going on, I convinced my friends to try something I think everyone should experience: Elden Ring. I wouldn't have ever dared to play the game alone as I'm not a fan of the genre, but with friends it became one of the most fun gaming experiences I've had. While I condemn Bandai Namco for not giving us a proper co-op mode and forcing us to rely on someone's mod, I still would recommend that experience. In August I visited Thailand, and it made me realize how much I would love to own a home there. It's such an exciting yet calm place to live in. There isn't much stress, the locals seem to be moving through life with a smile on their faces. The cultural sites, local markets, malls, and greenery made it a complete package. In September I traveled to Dundee, Scotland before moving to London to start my master's at UCL. While it's a small city without too many people around and not a lot to do, it is magnificent. There's a certain type of peace there, however me being in my twenties, I don't think I can truly appreciate it until I'm older. September to October was really hectic for me getting used to walking 14km every day and keeping up with school while giving interviews for jobs and volunteering. November was more relaxed. I got to play some games, faced a lot of rejections from every place I applied to, and started going to the gym again. Currently in December we're in the middle of a Baldur's Gate 3 campaign. The game started out with a steep learning curve, but once we got used to it, it got fun really quickly.

I have a lot of things I want to achieve in 2026, beginning with graduating with my master's and getting a good PhD position to continue doing research. It's hard getting funded as an international student if you're not extraordinary. However, I remain determined. The hope to contribute to humanity's knowledge and society keeps me going. I want to get serious with my Japanese too. I would like to take my N5 in September or October if possible. I'll continue my gym efforts although I don't see much progress yet, I hope being consistent with it will pay off. Lastly, I would like to post more on the blog and my Instagram in general. I hope to travel to some countries I've always wanted to visit. 2025 has been a great year for me in terms of professional growth, and I've had the chance to watch, read, and reflect on so many different things. Looking back, I see a year of movement. A year of beginnings that felt like endings and endings that opened into beginnings. Here's to 2026.

"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self"