YEAR 3:
Embracing Transiency
The best way to sum up this past year is the theme of embracing transiency. 2 cross-country coops done, 1 international vacation, multiple trips to Cincinnati and back, countless moves, and numerous vacations. I've been so fortunate this year to have had the opportunity to travel both for school and pleasure, embracing the hectic airport trips, forgotten toothbrushes, and missing home feeling. What I've learned from not having a locational home base is the importance of finding those unique comforts in loved ones, smells and sounds, and photographs.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
In my fall semester co-op in Livermore, California working at Finis, I’ve had the opportunity to explore Northern California while working at an amazing company. Not only was I able to work alongside a great mentor, but I was also able to develop products for the 2024 Olympics including a racing goggle, a technical swimsuit, and various packaging and assets for Finis athletes. While not at work, I fixed my dad’s old Specialized bike from the 80s. Every opportunity I had, I biked. Trips range from a 7-mile loop around the wineries after work to a 40-mile trip across multiple cities. Never have I felt more free and more powerful than when I was on that rickety bike. But boy, did I love that feeling of the wind in my hair and a burn in my legs.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
During winter break, I was able to go to Taiwan with my parents to see Asia for the first time and reconnect with distant relatives. This is an especially emotional healing trip where I was able to connect with my family after a very personal passing and explore a side of my identity I hadn’t touched. Being in Taiwan felt so familiar yet different. Everyone looked like me, but I couldn’t understand what they were saying. Talk about a cultured mind bend. We traveled by bus and train and explored all corners of the country. From the bluest waters I’ve seen, to the plentiful night markets, and an unfortunate incident with a monkey, this trip has been life-changing. Not to mention, because of my connections at Finis, I was able to tour a manufacturing facility in Tai Chung and connect face-to-face with a colleague.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Returning to Cincinnati for the winter was brutal yet it felt comforting. I’ve counted, this was my 14th move in or out. Suffice it to say, I’ve got my moving-in routine set in stone. 2 bins, 1 duffle, and a backpack. Give me a good 2 hours. As a California girl, winter still holds a bit of wonder in my West Coast heart. I can still find joy in the double pants, brown icy sludge, and the constantly chapped nose. This semester school-wise has been the most challenging however, I’ve been grounded in my weekly climbing routine with friends, dinners with my partner, and occasional weekend trips.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
As much as I like Cincinnati, San Francisco will also be home. I’ve gotten in the habit of writing these years in reviews on the plane flying back home. While bittersweet to leave my life in Cincinnati, I always yearn for the adventure of a new place, the return of a familiar one, and the comforts I hold wherever I go. So, here’s to another wonderful year of embracing transiency and I’m excited for my upcoming adventures in Baltimore and London!
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
