I can’t believe I’m writing one of these again. My previous birthday simultaneously feels like it was just yesterday and like it was ages ago. The former because time flies (!!!), a truth that becomes more evident the older you become, and the latter because my life has changed so much in the last 365 days.
The major change is that I moved to Philadelphia to start grad school, and i am shocked that my first year of that is (nearly) done already. We had our last officially scheduled class yesterday but as Ph.D. programs go, they don’t really care about the official schedule, so our last class is next week (our first class of the semester was also before the official start date of the semester). We also have finals next week. Here’s my first official day of class picture taken on August 30 with my cohort mates Jeffrey & Cindy, the best cohort mates ever!!
I’ll try and put down as much stuff as I can in this post, because it’s been a big year. (Side note: I am making the first draft of this post while I’m sitting in a comedy club waiting for Michael Rap(aport) to get on stage! He’s been in a bunch of movies and tv shows, but for all the Friends™️ superfans out there, he’s the guy who played Pheobe’s cop boyfriend back in season 4). Where to start with this year:
Well, I celebrated my 25th birthday surrounded by people I love in New Haven and here are some pictures from then:
The actual day of my birthday was a workday, but i wore a birthday sash all day and there was a predoc happy hour at the end of the day which was a great conincidence! On the weekend the sash was joined by a crown! Joe, Nardie, Phillo, and I made spam musubi at home in the afternoon then in the evening we had dinner at Via Gastro joined by Arthur, Eric, Kevin, Naima, & Rose, followed by post-dinner dinner at Yorkside! To my New Haven people, I just want to say I love you guys so much and I miss you all dearly.
And I got a new baby niece aaaaahh!! pics later in post! And also one of my best friends had a baby 😍😍 spot baby birdsall somewhere in this post 😉
And then 2 weeks later we had our make-up graduation! What a time!! Here are a few pictures from then:
And here is my absolute favourite picture from that weekend with one of my absolute favourite people. this picture so accurately represents a big part of me and nardie’s relationship:
As predice go, the goal is to move on to doctoral programs and we had to say goodbye to Flint as he left to go to his fancy program at Stanford! After a week of lots of arepa-eating, this was our final evening together!
Then I went to the dentist for the first time in a while and found out i’d been doing poorly with taking care of my teeth since my last appointment. here’s one pic of me at the dentist.
i have not missed a single brush/day of flossing since that appointment!
Then in July my parents took their first trip to the US to see where I’ve been since moving away from home. We spent a week between New York, New Haven, and Philadelphia before making our way to Canada for two weeks. Here are US pics:
Here are Canada pics:
Once I got back from Canada on July 24 it was pretty much time to get packing and get moving since I was starting Summer Math Camp at Penn on August 05, so that was a tumultuous time. I met my friend Eric’s family while I was helping him and his roommates (also my friends) move to their new place. Nardos, Joe, Sam, Phyllis and I had some good times eating and going to the beach just enjoying the last of our days together.
then august 03(??) was one of the saddest moments in me and nardie’s friendship. tears were shed, but i am happy to say we have seen each other since!
Then Philly happened! And it’s been a ride and a half. School has been so so challenging but in many ways rewarding, and I am just reminding myself that the goal is worth it, because I do need the reminders sometimes.
Not pictured here are the countless happy hours and dinners with my wonderful wonderful program-mates and friends over in the Accounting department. Best group of people ever!
I’m getting tired so i’m going to wrap this up… all in all i am incredibly grateful for the people that have been in my life this past year. SO MANY i did not get to mention in this post, but honestly, I am just so so grateful. My time in New Haven has been one of the most fulfilling times of my life and that’s all because of the people I met there through God’s grace.
Lots of pictures now, all with their own stories which I won’t bore you with 😝
Year 26 was awesome! Now it’s time for year 27 to begin! (omg saying that just terrified me) ah ha ha
What a time to be alive!
Other pics
So many memories, so much to be thankful for, and I think I want to conclude this post with one of my all time favourite Bible verses which always encourages me to be patient. I require lots of patience because 1) I am not a naturally patient person, and 2) I have yearned for so much in the last year that God has been faithful in reminding my heart to be still, wait, and know He is God.
“Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”
Habakkuk 2:2-3 NIV
CANDID SHAR'N 