A Year In Review: 2022
In this blog, I explore the 5 key themes that made 2022 the year that it was.
Here are my thoughts:
- on the pace of life
Even the speedy New York City express metros pale in comparison to how fast life currently seems to be moving. Everything is all part of one giant blurry montage of memories as I inevitably propel towards graduation. Just to think that I’m part of the Class of 2024 is Terrifying with a capital T. Soon, I’ll be working full-time or continuing my education in graduate school. Whether I’ll still be in the States or pursuing another degree in Europe or working full-time in Myanmar is also yet to be known — however, it is a decision that needs to be made soon. 2022 has bombarded me with a barrage of questions, but I’ve had no time to form a coherent response.
If I have one wish for 2023, it is that I can do what I enjoy, enjoy what I do, and most importantly have the time to reflect every once in a while.
- on the hustle
2022 was a year of increased responsibilities on all fronts. Having been promoted to more leadership positions in Baja and BE, I found myself spending more time with the clubs. Simply working on the goofy arm (one of the many suspension components) and its fixtures took around 100 hours of effort. There were days over the summer when I was back home where I stayed up all night to take a meeting. For our Alumni Design Review, I flew back home from Thailand just to present the slides for suspension. Then, when I got to the States, my co-lead and I disappeared to our Racing workshop for hours on end fixing the goofy fixtures. For Baja, long workdays and nights aren’t uncommon anymore. This has been the way of life since the summer, and it will most definitely continue to be this way through 2023.
For Bruin Entrepreneurs, Startup Labs: Bootcamp is well on its way. When I took on the role of co-director, I was excited by the opportunity to help develop UCLA’s next best startups. This winter, I can’t wait to meet our new cohort and see what exciting startups they have up their sleeves. From what I’ve seen so far, the future is bright.
With so much to do, there will certainly be more all nighters this year. But that’s okay, because that’s part of the grind; the end result will be worth it :)) Let’s just hope Solidworks doesn’t crash on me.
- on the importance of company
Mark Zuckerberg once said who you spend time with in college is “the most important decision” any student can make in college — and I couldn’t agree more. Ultimately, you become the people you surround yourself with.
Here at UCLA, I am incredibly privileged to be a part of the Startup Labs and Suspension teams. Although unique in their own right, they are a bunch of incredibly motivated students who are passionate about what they do. Their energy is infectious, perpetually inspiring me to give it my all. They are the people with whom I work the closest, and I am proud to call them my team.
How I ended up with two amazing co-directors/leads also never ceases to amaze me. @AustinWuthrich and @ChenweiLiu, you guys are absolute rockstars and the very definition of a great partner-in-crime. All the progress that we’ve made in BE and Baja would not have been possible without you guys.
To my teams, thank you for all the work you’ve done; it’s been a true pleasure. To my Co’s, thank you for your invaluable advice and support in all matters. I can’t wait to see what 2023 brings us.
- on faith and hope
It’s extremely easy to be a pessimist as a Burmese person right now. The country is in turmoil, plagued by war and economic downfall. It’s easy for me to be homesick. After all, I am 15,000 miles from the place I call home. I feel guilt in being safe when my family lives in constant danger. With everything going on, it’s easy for me to feel dejected. In fact, some nights I do feel hopeless, thinking about the uncertainty of the future.
2022 required a certain resilience, faith, and hope to not let these emotions dominate my daily life. I turned to faith, letting the world unfold as it should; I can only control what I do. I tell myself, the Burmese people possess a special resilience and will always come out on top. Though the future looks bleak for Burma, I chose to keep my faith intact.
But having hope doesn’t mean simply sitting on the sidelines, wishing for the best. As President Obama said, “Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it. Hope is the belief that destiny will not be written for us, but by us, by the men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is, who have the courage to remake the world as it should be.”
I would gladly give up my personal goals and wishes if this one wish were to come true in 2023: true lasting peace for Burma.
မြန်မာပြည်ကြီးငြိမ်းချမ်းပါစေ။
- on the future
Uncertain would be the best word to describe my future. While often associated with a negative connotation, there is much to be excited about uncertainty. In fact, I cherish it. With uncertainty comes an abundance of opportunities that allows me to break away from the norm to pursue my true goals. It’s scary, sure; but I can also make so much out of it.
I know vaguely what I want to do and where I want to be in 10 years, but I haven’t solved the most important part: how I’m going to get there. I want to get industry experience, grow my network, expand my education, travel the world, but how exactly am I going to achieve all that in the next 3–4 years?
Who knows.
But I’m ready, fully strapped in, prepared for the journey ahead.
an honorary mention
- on love
This review of 2022 would not be complete without mentioning what I learned about love. Truthfully, I’m not ready to write it all down, as I haven’t even unpacked it all myself.
Let’s just say this…
Love gives, but it also takes.
Love requires effort and maintenance.
Love is a powerful hallucinogen, but also a very deadly venom.
Love must be cherished, or it’ll be gone in the blink of an eye.
2023, I’m ready. Bring it on.
