Re: Life / On Reflections, Catalysts, and Lemurs
My life condensed into variably interesting posts on the internet
Welcome to Re: Life. I’m Aaryan, a high schooler based in Sudbury, Canada.
This is the weird place on the internet where I chronicle my projects, thoughts, and things I’m creating (from software to wind turbines to medical devices).
In every post, I share three updates about my life, two things I’ve learned this week, and one quote to get you thinking.
Let’s begin.
(P.S. Sorry for going MIA. Traveling around so much definitely threw a wrench in this newsletter. I’ll do my best to make sure that doesn’t happen as frequently).
What I’m Up To
:// This May, I had the opportunity to present LightIR at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Edmonton, Alberta (learn more here).
Beyond the honor of a silver medal, it was just refreshing to meet other students from across the country who were building interesting things and doing good in the world.
(Huge shoutout to Youth Science Canada for spearheading this awesome initiative, plus Team UV and the CWSF ambassadors for making this real. You’re the best!)
:// High school is wrapping up in a few weeks (which is legitimately bonkers). Fortunately, now that exams are over, everything’s mellowed out. Right now, I’m just trying to be as present as possible and make sure I look back on these times with a smile on my face :)
:// Currently building out a biocatalysis project. As much as I want to share more, I’d rather show you than tell. Watch out for June 21st, 2023.
Aaryan Being Overly Philosophical
Since I’m at something of an inflection point in my life, I’ve found myself reflecting a lot on what I’ve learned so far.
Here are three thoughts from me:
:// Learn to listen: as a rule, we’re far better at speaking at people than speaking with them. Make the person in front of you feel genuinely heard and they’ll open up to you. It’s not a matter of nodding your head. It’s a feeling.
:// Own what you do: if you’ve decided that something’s worth your time, don’t settle for mediocrity. If it takes you even 10% more time and attention to feel proud of your work, do it. Treat your work like art, and it becomes art.
:// Don’t lie to yourself: the first step of change is to look hard at yourself and notice what’s ugly. Maybe that’s why it’s so uncomfortable. If you never acknowledge your mistakes, you’ll never fix them. If you accept them, at least you stand a chance.
Those were some reflections out of the many I’ve sporadically had this month. Think of them as my little gift to you for bearing with my abysmal posting schedule lately.
Oh, and now that summer’s approaching, look forward to more from me. I have more than a few interesting plans percolating (hint hint) and want you to be a part of my journey.
Thought of the Week
Following the theme of sentimental high-school fare, here’s one from Dr. Seuss:
"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
Everything ends, but you get to decide how.
Easter Egg?!
For those who made it this far….
With digital regards,
Aaryan
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