artifacts from my 2025

twelve objects to look back on the year

Jan 01, 2026

Is this thing still on?

Reflecting on the past twelve months, 2025 has genuinely been the year I’ve felt the most personal growth, and by growth, I mean stress intermittently laced with feelings of discomfort and inadequacy. That said, I have also never felt more confident in myself and eager to connect with the people around me. I feel like I say this (and will say this) every year, but there’s so much I’ve novelly learned and experienced that will shape my character going forward.

I love consuming other people’s videos and articles recapping the year (their lives, viral music, fashion trends, etc.), and many people have called 2025 a “transition year” for the world. Not sure if I agree, though it does seem like nothing too substantial happened this year—every event felt kind of like a fever dream, to be honest. I deleted Instagram from my phone in an attempt to be less chronically online, only to find myself surrounded by a Labubu craze, people drinking matcha as a joke (and, to be honest, I have not seen that many performative males), and worst of all, “six-seven”s. Please let this trend die.

I believe yearly reflections are always good to do; since I’m sort of in a rut right now, I wanted to keep it simple this year. So here are twelve mementos from the past months, either dug out from the mess of my camera roll or found around my bedroom, each of great sentimental value to me. (In random order!)

i. shakshuka

Whenever I go to a new café or restaurant, I look for shakshuka on the menu. (To be honest, I’ve only been to three restaurants that serve it…) But seriously. Shakshuka is one of my comfort foods. It is essentially a conglomerate of my favorite ingredients—poached eggs, tomatoes, olive oil, onions, garlic, feta cheese, parsley—into a delicious sauce, served with a form of bread on the side. The first time I tried it was in middle school, and I immediately fell in love. When I eat it now, the smooth tomato sauce mixed with the sharp, earthy notes of the cumin still brings me back to that (wonderful) time.

This picture holds a special place in my heart because I’ve gone to that particular café three times this year, with different friends, and tried something new each time. This meal was the only one I remember as notably good. Though I do hope that, the next time I go to this café, I can have another meal that’s to my liking (and maybe order that delicious dish again).

ii. phoebe bridgers shirt

i think this is the first time i’ve ever gotten merch from an artist.

I say this every year, but I truly believe that 2025 was the best year yet for my music taste. My Spotify Wrapped was actually good! As I expected, my top artist was Phoebe Bridgers, followed by Clairo and TV Girl. I can’t count the times I let Phoebe’s album Punisher (my top album, of course) play while taking a night walk or melancholically staring at my ceiling. I love this album so, so much.

I keep hearing rumors about Phoebe’s plan to release a new album in 2026, so I’m very much looking forward to that.

iii. water figure

In my opinion, abstract art gets too much hate. (Seperate think piece about that soon, hopefully?) I understand where critics are coming from, and I do have to agree sometimes. However, I find myself perpetually drawn towards abstract expressionism. In particular, I admire Pollock’s art and how his seemingly meaningless paint splatters form coherent shapes against the canvas. I came to the conclusion that trying to discern the artist’s singular intent is futile—we are drawn towards it because of the ambiguity, so part of the meaning of the art is that there is no satisfactory conclusion. But I digress.

I saw a surprising amount of his art this year, especially while in New York City. While walking around my favorite museum for the nth time, Water Figure by Pollock captured my eye. I didn’t know it was Pollock’s at first, since its style (and degree of abstraction) seems different from his signature paintings. Something about the struggle and pain of the creature in the painting speaks to me, and I spent a considerable amount of time admiring it.

iv. hong kong tea

Travelling to Hong Kong alone was such a transformative experience for me. Two red-eye flights, countless taxi drives, and a month living with family friends were enough to make me fall in love with the region, despite the sweltering summer humidity. My favorite memory was taking the MTR in the evening to Causeway Bay, just a few days before my flight back home, and going solo shopping for stationery supplies. I also enjoyed trying out all the snacks from 7-Eleven at questionable times. Though I can barely speak Cantonese, I was grateful for the opportunity to practice my Mandarin and connect with culture (and food). I mostly spent my free days doing work or hanging out with family friends, but evenings of solitude (and unstable Wi-Fi) gave me time to think, reflect, and read.

v. navy beats

I received these lovely wireless headphones as a birthday gift from my dad. It’s been a nice change from previously only using wired earphones (no AirPods, unfortunately). Apart from allowing me to listen to music, I think they make great accessories and earmuffs on cold winter days! They also, strangely enough, helped me get over my fear of using stickers. I have put over 10 mini stickers on them, and I’m pretty sure each one is a little (or a lot) crooked. But who’s checking?

vi. my cameras

If you’ve seen the Substack note that went semi-viral (at least for my standards), you’d know that I loved taking pictures as a child. I never really lost that inner photographer, but of course, I now only use my phone. This year, I resolved to bring my camera everywhere. The change in my walks from taking my phone to using a simple point-and-shoot was immense. I noticed a difference in how I observe and frame my surroundings, and, of course, not having a phone on me was a nice break from all the distractions.

Sorting out the cameras’ malfunctions always gives me a sense of amusement. The top one changes from photo to video to panorama spontaneously, and the middle one’s battery cover just doesn’t close (hence the green tape). In today’s consumerist world, it feels nice to continue using something for its sentimental (and monetary) value, despite the imperfections. (Why are people charging exorbitant prices for used digital cameras nowadays??) The bottom one is a film camera, and I’ve never used it before! I absolutely adore the look and texture of film photos, so I hope to finally figure out that camera next year.

vii. onitsuka tigers

There’s nothing more to say than that I wore these shoes a lot this year. I also added a little moon charm (taken from a necklace) to the shoelace. Super cute, I think!

viii. the book of goose

I read 25 books in 2025, and The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li was a novel that stuck with me. I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. It primarily centers around the deep, somewhat exploitative friendship between two girls—Agnès and Fabienne—in a post-WWII French countryside. The girls, living mundane lives marked by poverty, philosophize and tell stories together, one of which propels Agnès to fame, leaving Fabienne in the countryside by her own choice. Li’s prose makes the book feel uniquely fabulistic. Through the story, she questions the very nature of stories and their relationship to reality. Would highly recommend!

ix. substack... lol

Of course, I also started Substack this year. I kind of went MIA from June onward, but we can overlook that! I’ve made so many amazing friends on here (shoutout anam's thoughts, tnz, pierce 📰, elsieee, aster, and so many more amazing people). Everyone on here is so talented and inspirational, and I’ve loved reading all the essays, articles, stories, and poems in the past year. I really hope that, even when life gets busier, I can still browse around and discover new publications.

I’ve also tried to read more slowly and more consciously, rather than glaze over a random article and not glean any information from it. I came across various essays on Aeon and Psyche that offered perspectives on politics, philosophy, and the human mind I’d never thought about before. They also address such intriguing and relevant topics in the world. Some of my favorites are A cure for individualism, Hume the humane, and Is goodness natural?. Every essayist and writer on there has such a compelling style that I want to strive towards in my own writing.

x. snoopy

Snoopy followed me around this year across different places and states of mind. I bought the book The Philosophy of Snoopy as a gift for my friend, which was such an adorable little book. A Hong Kong convenience store gave me Snoopy stickers upon checkout, which are now on my headphones. I also read a really fun article on Substack about how Snoopy is a cynic. And my friend drew a Snoopy Christmas card for me! To me, this cute little dog, apart from being a joy to look at, represents boundless optimism and serves as a reminder to face life’s struggles with inquisitiveness and a carefree spirit.

xi. smiski blowing balloon

Yes, I know, I’m a hypocrite and feeding into the consumerist collectibles craze. But I only have one!

I feel like Smiskis were viral in late 2024/early 2025, but I never felt the urge to get one until recently. Something nice about being “late” to trends is that you know that you actually want it, and not just because it’s popular. But look at the little guy! He’s absolutely adorable with his little balloon. I hate the gamble that is blind boxes, but I may try my luck a few more times…

xii. mini projector

I read somewhere that before the age of 18, you spend over 90% of the time you will ever have with your parents. That thought terrifies me.

Realizing just how little time I have left with my family before I go off to college and do adult stuff, this year, I made an effort to cherish every moment I have with them. I realized last year that I’m not as close to my mom as I can be. However, we spent a lot of memorable time together this year, from getting milkshakes from In-N-Out in LA to walks in the city to watching the new season of Stranger Things in our living room. I want to be grateful for the time I still have with her, and notice the moments while they’re happening, not only once they’ve passed.

and finally, some lessons i learned this year

Taking breaks and sleeping are very important, even if you don’t want to.
Happiness can’t come to you if you treat yourself terribly!
Being grateful for/content with who you are is key to letting go of jealousy, and letting go of jealousy is key to forming closer connections.
Don’t be afraid to hurt people’s feelings.
Be self-reliant; trust your own thoughts.

So yeah, that’s it! Hope you enjoyed reading about my year, and have a Happy New Year :)