In UX design, a 'happy path' is the ideal journey without errors. In my life, the happy path isn't always a straight line, it involves hiking trails, lines of code, and the occasional burnt baking. Here is what keeps me grounded when I'm away from the keyboard.
There is no better reset button than fresh air. While I love the logic of code, I need the chaos of nature to feel balanced. My boyfriend and I spend our free time camping, trading our screens for campfires.
Sunday mornings are usually covered in flour. Baking with my boyfriend is my favorite way to disconnect from the screen. We’re currently obsessed with tiramisu and pound cake. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s the best part of my week.
I love the challenge of construction, such as understanding how pieces fit together to make a garment flow. I really enjoy modifying thrifted dresses to give them a new life. It teaches me patience in a way that coding never could. (Currently searching for a repair shop for my beloved, broken machine!)
Some of my best thinking happens when I’m not actually trying to think at all. Usually, it hits me when I’m on autopilot, such as when stuck in the morning rush on the subway or just zoned out with music while I walking down the street. In these pockets of solitude, my mind tends to wander toward questions that are a bit more daring—topics that feel too complex to casually toss into a dinner conversation. My thoughts tend to wander into territory that feels too raw or provocative. I spend this time to see where the logic holds, trying to find my own stance on issues I’m still figuring out. These are the questions I am currently pondering...
The me-brand analysis that I conducted in Psychology of Branding class provided insights on how these layers of personality interact across different social contexts and closure, revealing patterns of my self-presentation. By examining the varied types of relations displayed to intimate partners, close friends, casual acquaintances, and even strangers, this project helped me understand the complex architecture of myself. I conducted a survey of 21 people with different levels of closure. I discovered something expected and unexpected.
Hover over the rings to see the data on the right.
What strangers & acquaintances see.
The energy shared with friends.
The deep traits unlocked by intimacy.
Most people typically mentioned positive traits in the first few words, and some of them with higher levels of closeness mentioned negative traits. While I already see myself as clumsy, sensitive, and a perfectionist, being described as moody was something I had not considered before. Initially, this surprised me, as I do not consciously perceive myself that way. However, reflecting on it further, I realized that my indecisiveness, especially when friends ask to make spontaneous plans, might come across as moodiness. In those moments, my uncertainty often reflects my fluctuating energy rather than a clear yes or no. This insight helped me understand how others might interpret my behavior differently from how I experience it internally.