Graduation Party | Personal

A big thank you to everyone who came out for my graduation party! And a really big thank you to my parents for setting it all up :) Last Sunday, we packed our little home with 50+ friends and family to celebrate my graduation. The food was and is always the best part. My relatives feed your face like it's a buffet. Even if you're not hungry, they'll fix you a huge plate of food. It was also the first time some of my friends tried Cambodian food (which isn't too different from other Southeast Asian dishes). There was a roasted pig, fresh spring rolls and eggrolls, num pa'chok (a kind of Cambodian noodle soup), cabbage pickles, rice (and more food I can't remember)...I could have died eating.

I have a huge family so our family get togethers are really special to me. I can't even believe how much everyone has grown up. I still remember my younger cousins running around when they were 5 - and now they're 12! and as tall as me! A lot has changed over the years: graduations, engagements, babies...so these events are always the perfect time to catch up. I love my family :) and I only hope we stay as close as we are now.

Graduation Day | Personal

I GRADUATED! It went by so fast! It didn't even phase me until I was standing in line and my name was called out. I was on that stage for 5 seconds and off faster than I could realize what was happening. But even in those 5 seconds, it was my time, and it was amazing :)

Professor Lawrence Rowe from UC Berkeley gave a great speech at Ryan's graduation. Two things he mentioned really stuck to me:

"Failure is not a disaster" and "The journey is the reward"

I've always feared failure. It's prevented me from trying new things. But everything happens for a reason. My failure will lead me somewhere: to learning something new, improving at a skill, or leading me in another direction. I have to understand that it's all part of the journey. I'm a proud UCI graduate, but it was the 4 years there that really meant the most: the skills and lessons I learned, the new places I explored, and the people I met. There will be no other time like college.

Graduation Announcement | Personal

I'M GRADUATING! After 4 years, I'll be graduating from the University of California, Irvine with a bachelors degree in Sociology and Psychology.

...so where am I going from here? I have no idea. I've been saying that a lot and it's probably something I've been trying to avoid thinking about. So although it's an exciting time, it has also been overwhelming and stressful. I have no clear direction I want to take, but Ryan tells me to just go out there and try anything...and to not be scared to fail. I think that's the best advice anyone could give me. So wish me luck as I wander into life after college..

Photo credit: Chris Schultz