May’s Moments of the Month: November // I’m Getting By, I Guess

Well unfortunately, nothing is different: I’m still busy with school.

BUT I’m saying that as a 1-year-older version of myself so that’s different!!!!

Sorry. I’m just trying to get creative with these monthly recap intros because it consists of pretty much the same thing every month at this point. School, lack of reading, lack of blogging, burnout, etc. Everything is blurring all together at this point and I’m just trying to make it until the end of the year.

I read 2 books, and I’m kind of sad because I honestly expected to read at least 4… but oh well! I’ve officially changed my reading challenge from 100 books to 80, and while one part of me is disappointed that I’m breaking my 4-year tradition of reading 100 books every year, the other part of me is like “it literally doesn’t matter you have other things to worry about.”

Something I started doing was tabbing as I read, and I actually really like it! I’m perfectionistic so it takes me like a whole minute to stick the tab on, which is why I never wanted to do it before. But I’ve always hated never being able to flip back to certain pages in physical books, so I’m happy to have these tabs now. And not to be cheesy but it does make me feel closer to the book I’m reading, like I’m leaving a bit of myself behind in the pages… but also it’s pretty. :p

I also decided to start reading a poem a day and recording the titles + a small quote in a little notepad! So even if I’m not reading that much in terms of number of books, I’m still getting to read words at least a little every day, and it’s been a very enjoyable experience.

 

• Our Violent Ends Chloe Gong // unfortunately felt no emotional connection whatsoever, but there were some other aspects I liked! ★★★☆☆ [2.5] [read my review]
• No Longer Human Dazai Osamu // although of course sad, super introspective and interesting and I liked it because of that ★★★★☆ [3.5]

UPDATES

Guys. I know I keep saying I’ll post again and then never do. BUT THIS TIME I REALLY MEAN IT!!! It’ll be the end of my semester so I actually will have time, and since it’s December, it means end-of-year content. So I SWEAR!!! I will beat this blogging/reading/life burnout so I can stop being a LIAR!!!!

THIS MONTH’S POSTS

 

I was really sad that I couldn’t participate in NaNoWriMo this year, especially because I had such a great experience last year, but I just knew I couldn’t do it because of lack of time! But I did revisit a poem I’ve been working on on and off since July, and it’s reminded me that 1) writing is so hard, but 2) working at my own pace is a really truly okay thing to do, and valuing the process of writing makes it so much easier to not be disappointed with hardly completing things or churning things out regularly. I think this poem is going to take forever for me to finish but I’m really excited to see where it heads.

• It was my birthday!! I didn’t do much to celebrate because neither I nor my family are big celebrators of birthdays, but I did eat cake and some Thai street food, and my friend baked me cookies and got me a book! Felt a lot of existential dread about it, to be honest, but I’m all good now. I think.
• Again, surprise surprise, school has just been making me suffer! I think I underestimated how burnt out I was because when my school break came, I literally couldn’t make myself do a single thing each day that wasn’t scrolling on my phone, eating a couple of snacks, and watching some Youtube. I just can’t wait for this semester to be over because I’m truly just dead inside.
• I started watching Miraculous Ladybug season 4 and here are my thoughts so far: 1) Why did they change the music… The old versions were so much better!! Bring them back!!!! 2) My god this show is terrible but also the best thing I’ve ever seen. Also spoilers for season 3 I guess but 3) love how the couples got together at the end of season 3 and then broke up in literally the first two episodes of season 4.
• Other fun things were: Thanksgiving feast with my dance team, revisiting MARINA’s excellent discography, and being slightly more active on book social media again! (Still deciding whether or not the latter is fun. But if it isn’t I will simply just log off. <3)

THE END OF THE SEMESTER!!!! I know the end of the semester means exams and yes I’m going to die studying for those, but FREEDOM!!! SO NEAR!!!!! Genuinely can’t wait for this nightmare to be over for two and a half weeks (which isn’t nearly enough time).

This is truly one of my favorite times of the year (even though it’s felt slightly off ever since the pandemic started), and the start of it has already made me happy. I can’t believe that also means it’s the end of 2021—the fact that we’re about go into a third year of this pandemic is just so… [incoherent yelling]

Even though I’ll still have some academic stuff to finish after the end of my semester, I’m refusing to spend too much time on them because I need a break. An actual break of not doing anything but recharging and doing the things that bring me joy!! So my main goals are: do well (enough) on my exams, then read, write, blog, and sleeeep :D

---

how was your november? are you feeling burnt out? what did you read? how was NaNoWriMo, if you participated!!