October newsletter
Hey there, I'm backkk! For those of you who are new, a big welcome to you. And to those who've been here before, oh my gosh, I’m glad you’re back. I've got so much to share, so let's dive right in because October was no joke, and I mean that in every sense of the word.
Rejection is redirection
As I mentioned in my last newsletter. I ran for the position of head girl in my school but unfortunately, I didn’t win the elections. While it felt like a setback at the time, it turns out it was a blessing in disguise. Two weeks later, I'm starting to see the depth of the saying "everything happens for a reason." With everything on my plate, juggling it all would have been a challenge. Fortunately, I was appointed as the academic prefect, a role I believe I can make the most of. Oh, and did I mention that the election results were announced on my birthday? Crazy, right? But let's talk about that.
7teen🥳
I turned 17 on the 13th of October, and looking back at this year, I'm proud of how much I've grown in various aspects of my life. I’ve lost attachments and connections to certain people, but I've also met some amazing new friends. The major lesson I’m taking from this year is that I need to make myself a priority and understand that there’s only one me in this world so why not flaunt it. I'm learning to express my uniqueness and seize opportunities with conviction because, hey, you really do only live once, and I plan to make this year count. Who knows what's in store!
My first ever hackathon!
I had the opportunity to participate in an explore hackathon with TKS. We were given the prompt, “Using an existing technology that has come out in the last 3-5 years: create a solution that solves a problem or creates an interesting future” and it was such a fun and insightful experience. From the three-hour-long meetings with my team to the final presentation, it's definitely one to remember. While we didn't win, I walked away with some valuable lessons. The most important one? It's all about teamwork. You can read more about my takeaways here.
2 of 10🦄
Well, that’s month 2 down at TKS and I must say I’m shocked more and more each time. Entering this program, I believed it was more of a science and technology venture and as much as it was, it was also far more. We recently had a session where we dived deep into life and success where we discussed what success means to us, how we can get there, what’s holding us back and so much more. Coming out of that session I realize that we tend to be our own biggest haters sometimes focusing too much on the “monkey mind” instead of the “monk mind”. The mindset of that of week was courage>confidence which led me to taking part in the pitch practice.
This is where we’re given the chance to present a topic of our choice in front of our cohort after which we receive feedback. With the fear I have for such activities, the best way to actively take on the mindset was do it. For my first presentation I chose to discuss how we can utilize piezoelectricity to create self-powered pace makers which I wrote about in article here. I received such amazing feedback from my peers and here are a few:
- Always try to explain technical topics in a way that's easy to understand.
- Don't rush your speech; make it feel like a conversation.
- Use slides to support your presentation, but don't overcrowd them.
Overall, I'm glad I faced my fears, and though I’m not a perfect presenter yet, I’ll keep trying until I get there.
Velocity🚀
This is a separate program within TKS for those ready to give it their all. When I first saw the requirements, I was a bit intimidated, but ultimately, I knew that it was all with a motive of bettering my habits and routine. Remember how I mentioned wanting to get consistent with working out? Well, it was one of the commitments we had to make, and I definitely don't regret it (though my sore muscles are screaming) . Another requirement I've fallen in love with is the weekly podcast. The two that we've listened to by The Knowledge Project with Jerry Colona and Naval Ravikant have forced me to tap into thoughts I'd been avoiding for a while. Highly recommend giving them a listen. Generally, being a part of velocity that placed me in the uncomfortable positions I’ve been needing in order to grow so I can only imagine how much I will have grown by the end of this.
That’s a wrap!
After all the realizations, uncomfortable situations and disappointments, I can say October has been good to me. But here’s a few things that really stuck with me
You have to do things you love because without that passion for something you’ll constantly see it as part of your to do list other than something you get to do.
Discipline > motivation
It really is about how you bring yourself back from setbacks
What’s next huh?!
Ya October was great but that’s not it, as I said I’ll be making the absolute most of this year so what’s in store for November:
Completing my apply on regenerative medicine
Organize a YYAS information session at my school
Meeting with organizations that foster street children in my country
Fixing my sleep schedule (because jeez, it speaks for itself)
Thanks for tuning in to this month’s way abouts. Be sure to subscribe and I’ll see you next month!