3 weeks have gone by since I moved to NYC for a 10-week internship program with JPMorgan & Chase. It feels like I just flew in to LaGuardia Airport not more than a couple days ago, yet we’re already beginning to near the halfway marker - crazy! Which brings me to the purpose of this blog post - a brief but very necessary
~reflection~. It’s time to stop for a moment, rethink, and gain more self-awareness.

We’ll start off with things that are going well

• Been working out consistently for the entire summer and it feels damn great 💪
• Vlogs have been improving through positive and constructive feedback. Shameless plug I’m currently documenting my experience in NYC on Youtube (just recently dropped a GovBall Vlog. Subscribe here for new videos every week! 📹
• Gotten into a rhythm of listening to informative/inspiring podcasts during my subway rides - perfect for those pesky PATH trains and their lack of cellular service…. 🎧
• Only taken cold showers for the past two weeks, which are shown to have various positive benefits 🚿
• A healthy and growing relationship with my team and manager.
• Not being afraid of asking questions at work, however “dumb” they may seem.
• More in touch with reality. I’ve had less time to disconnect from the real world and mindlessly browse social media. Instead, I’m thinking about my surrounding environment and the ways I can capture experiences.
• I’ve been keeping a daily journal to help with self-awareness even more

On to challenges I’ve run into and how I’ve approached them

• I had to pick up React.js, a JavaScript framework for building UIs. I had never used React.js, and my experience with JavaScript was limited. However, by systematically learning JavaScript through primers and tutorials I was able to efficiently get up to speed
• Budgeting budgeting budgeting. The cost of living in NYC is greater than the suburbs. I, having never spent so much time in a city, failed to budget correctly for the first two weeks and was left with little money before payday. I realized proper planning was key to surviving the city and promptly bought ingredients for making more affordable meals. Ask me about my Cajun Turkey Spinach Egg Provalone Chipotle Mayo Sandwich recipe … it’s flames 🔥.

What I still need to work on

• Set aside more time for family. It’s easy to get caught up in life away from home. I haven’t proactively called my parents in a minute.
• Put away the damn Phone - I get distracted too easily. Social media is a Time Sink 🙅‍♂️
• Setting SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) goals.
• Picking up a book. Back in middle school, I used to be a reading FIEND, consuming books as if they were my sustenance. I still read a lot of articles and listen to podcasts, but I still think reading physical books has its merits. 📚
• Finding a balance between work, social life, and content creation.
• Getting more sleep (I’m literally typing this at 1:39 AM) 💤
• Tapping into networking opportunities in NYC
• Remembering people’s names (it’s a lost cause, if I rememeber your name after I meet you, consider yourself special)
• Getting faster and better at editing video and blogging. I’d rather take my time and produce quality content than rush some half-baked content out, but it seriously takes me way too long.

What I’m looking forward to before I head back to Farmington Hills

• Having such an ingrained morning and night routine I don’t even think about it
• Growing Youtube Channel. Goal is 1000 subscribers by the end of the summer (current subscriber count: 64 😂)
• Blogging more on anthonyshui.me. (current pageviews count: 1841)
• JPMC Global Hackathon
• Amazing restaurants. NYC restaurant week, smorgasburg, etc etc. 🌭
• Hamilton on Broadway 🎭 (just looked at the prices it’s 500 dollars per ticket nvmmmmm)
• Seattle Weekend Visit to see some strictly EECS friends 💻
• Seeing Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and yes even you and your forced laughter Jimmy Fallon
• Touring NY’s wide variety of musuems (many of which are free access with JPMC card 😌)
• Other generic attractions (high line, central park, brooklyn bridge, etc) 🌉
• Pick up basketball and soccer at scenic facilities 🏀⚽️