1. Something new

• Adopt a cat

  • Adopting Morty has been one of the most important things for me this year, even though it only began in October. It reflects a profound shift within me—an acceptance of responsibility, even if it’s for a cat.
  • I know myself well, and I’ve always tended to avoid responsibility whenever possible. While I’ve lived with cats before, this is the first time I’ve truly felt the weight of being solely responsible for a living being. Providing Morty with a stable life—ensuring his food, environment, and companionship—is now my duty, and I’ve embraced this reality. I even feel guilty if I go out too often in a week, which used to be natural for me. 🙃

• Buy a house

  • After returning from Malta, I began house viewings and got sale agreed within two weeks—remarkably quick. Navigating the mortgage and insurance process went smoothly, but moving in May was overwhelming. Managing utilities, internet, furniture purchases and assembly, packing, and unpacking felt like an endless task.
  • I’m still unsure if this marks a significant milestone for me. The decision was driven by financial considerations, yet I feel no emotional attachment to owning a home. My lifestyle remains unchanged—I still live with housemates, socialize with friends, and occasionally date. It hasn’t impacted my cash flow or consumption habits.
  • However, many view homeownership as a hallmark of adulthood—so perhaps it is.

• Climbing, scuba diving, swimming, dancing

  • Last year, I wasn’t obsessed with anything in particular—just exploring outside my comfort zone. Having spent years doing lower-body-intensive sports like running, cycling, and hiking, I decided to focus on water sports this year. That’s why I took up swimming and scuba diving. While I’m far from an expert, the goal was to feel more at ease in water and to unlock the experience of exploring an underwater world.
  • I also try dancing for a similar reason, as it’s a way to express emotions physically rather than through words or thoughts. I tried salsa and swing, finding swing suit me better—though it clearly requires more practice.
  • Climbing has been a bigger focus, heavily influenced by friends like West, Alexis, Valerie, and Josh. I love outdoor rope climbing, as it immerses me in nature in a unique way. Feeling the texture of the rocks and being grounded in the moment has become deeply fulfilling. It’s also a interesting way for travel and make friends.

  

• Experience, Connection, Love

  • This year has been filled with memorable trips that deepened my bonds with friends. In Spain, Qingyue and I grew close for the first time after three years of knowing each other. In the UK, I shared in Ruoxi’s milestone moment at her PhD graduation. In the USA, I reconnected with Michael, reliving memories from our graduation eight years ago and making new memories.
  • These journeys stirred profound emotions, prompting me to write heartfelt reflections on Instagram after each trip, expressing gratitude for the people and moments shared. I even updated my status to include “Experience, Connection, Love” alongside “Cosmopolitanism, localism, culture, and history.”
  • In my younger years, I focused on achievement—not for recognition, but to push myself forward. Recent years, however, I start to value deep, meaningful connections with people.
  • At my funeral, I hope people remember not just the remarkable things I achieved but the joy and laughter I brought into their lives.
  • Get more feedback about I’m supportive and how I influence them in a good way 😬

• Get less avoidant and become more safe

  • Thank God, I no longer attract anxious types, nor am I drawn to broken people anymore.
  • From April to July, I had 12 sessions with the therapist I saw two years ago. Initially, it was to address being triggered by a dating experience, but our discussions soon delved into childhood trauma. I came to realize how challenging life was from ages 8 to nearly 25, with lingering scars still present. Confronting these wounds, reminding myself “I am different now, my life has changed, I can choose new behaviors, and I am safe,” was incredibly hard.
  • I’m deeply grateful for undertaking this inner work, even though it’s been difficult. In return, I become more sensitive to people’s emotions as well as mine. “Pay money to therapist and learn how to be angry at my friends” 🤣

2. Something old

• keep traveling:

  • January: Hungary - Budapest, Slovakia - Bratislava, Malta (9 days)
  • March: Netherlands - Amsterdam, Leiden
  • May: Spain - Santander, Mallorca (10 days) w/ Qingyue
  • June: Galway (2 days) w/ Kenzie
  • July: UK - London, Cambridge (6 days) w/ Ruoxi
  • September: Greece - Athens, Geogeria, Armenia (14 days) w/ Damon, Hanyang, Matthew, Diane
  • November: USA - New York, Chicago (9 days) w/ Michael, West, Alexis
  • December: Egypt - Alexsanderia, Cairo, Dahab (17 days)

• physical health

  • This year i’ve exercised for 213 days compared to 207 last year. feel good about the data.
  • It’s surprised to compare data and see how much i get stronger. The end of last year, i could only do 2 pull-up, in 2024, once i could do 10 pull-up in a row (now drop to 6). And push-up is easy 20 compare to 15. I don’t pay much attention to calisthenics because i’m more interested in performance on climbing.
  • I’m satified on my current state related to strength, cardio and flexibility…
  • next year: improve performance on climbing, target is 6A, and more water sports.

• dinner party: 3rd year

  • host 9 dinner party the whole year
  • This year the permanent seat belongs to Hanyang, Yangyang and Damon. Matthew moved to Berlin after March, Damon will move to London next year. Have more once-a-while guests. And because the dinning table in my house becomes smaller, the crew becomes smaller too.
  • Hanyang hosts lots of memorable dinner party, I gave her “host of the year"🫡
  • Need to think make more close friends in Dublin 😂

3. Something borrowed

Reflecting on 2024, I’m surprised that how I’ve almost forgotten the challenges I faced at the start of the year. I feel quite lost in early spring after three years of full-time work. A dating experience triggered me and led me back to therapy, while the stress of moving to a new home weighed heavily on me. I even found myself angry at close friends for not helping — then realize I hadn’t asked for their support.

My therapist once said, “How people emerge from difficulties isn’t shaped solely by their experiences, but by the support they receive during those times.” Perhaps that’s why these struggles haven’t left scars—because my friends stood by me, turning pain into fleeting moments rather than lasting wounds.

4. Something blue

nothing worth writing here XD

5. a silver sixpence

• In summary, this year has felt calm—continuing along familiar paths with no extreme highs or unexpected lows. Perhaps learning to embrace a steady, uneventful year is part of the rhythm of middle-aged life. 😊

• I hope this year I could follow my plans to achieve retire early and this requires some time and efforts, let’s see 🤞🏻

• Wishes are the same as last year, hope to live

a psychologically rich life with “interesting experiences in which novelty and/or complexity are accompanied by profound changes in perspective.”

• Happy and Healthy, me and my loved ones.