2024, a recap

Looking back at 2024 feels like flipping through a novel filled with twists, challenges, and moments that tested my resilience. Writing this post is challenging, mainly because the personal experiences of 2024 are hard to put into words. There’s so much that’s happened that’s not as easy to explain as I'd like.

Just like last year, if I had to choose a keyword for the year 2024, it would be endurance and/or growth.

Things that were good

Brief stay in Toronto. Although things didn’t work out as planned, I had the chance to move and stay in Toronto. Despite the challenges of unemployment, the Canadian economy and moments of (depressing) loneliness, I cherished my time there.

One highlight was my family visiting me in Toronto. We had an amazing time exploring downtown Toronto, dining atop the CN Tower, and taking in the breathtaking views. Walking through the city’s parks, greenery, and trails for hours on end was a peaceful escape, and those moments will always hold a special place in my memory.

Making art. I returned to making art, but in a way I’d always dreamed of—through the use of code. Exploring code as an art medium feels incredibly fulfilling, like discovering a whole new canvas to bring ideas to life. It’s exciting to see my creativity take shape in a space I’ve long wanted to explore.

Getting off socials. This year, I’ve spent less and less time on social media (in terms of both posting and lurking), and it’s been incredibly liberating. With the extra time, I’ve been able to focus more on myself, and it’s a change I’m eager to carry into next year. While I plan to keep sharing my art on various platforms, my thoughts and reflections will find a home either here on my blog or in a personal journal.

Mentoring. This year, I signed up to become a mentor on ADPlist—it was great to connect with many like-minded folks. I’ve had the opportunity to share insights about all things related to writing and presenting case studies, interviewing, as well as help up and coming graduate designers navigate their career paths. I’d like to make more time for mentoring next year and expand my circle. We shall see.

Reading. This has been the media I’ve consumed most this year, and it’s been incredibly fulfilling. I read 30 books (with plans to finish 2 more by tomorrow), mostly in the fantasy and sci-fi genres—a habit I’m keen to carry into the next year.

Strangely, I no longer have the patience to sit through a series of late, but I’m perfectly content reading a book. There’s something about sitting down to savor a story, letting my imagination conjure up the scenes and ideas, that makes it so rewarding.

Keeping up with workouts. While I’ve slowed down my fitness routine this year, I’ve managed to stay consistent when I can. I feel a bit out of shape compared to last year, but I’m motivated to return to my 2023 fitness levels—or better—next year.

Rebuilding and growing. Although I've mostly faced losses and spent a major quarter of this year unemployed, either focusing on personal projects or freelancing, I’m glad to have found a job last month. With the economy being rough, I feel immensely fortunate to be able to move forward. The downtime gave me a tremendous push to explore other mediums intersecting art, design, and programming, turning this challenging period into a valuable learning opportunity—a win-win situation, in my opinion.

Gratitudes

The real ones. I am super grateful for those who checked in on me, especially during the times when I felt rough and lost. This year taught me a lot about who truly shows up when things get tough, both in terms of friends and family. Thank you, all. I love you.

Learnings

Storytelling. This year, much of my time was spent interviewing, which gave me plenty of opportunities to hone my storytelling skills. Presenting my design case studies to various people at different companies has made me better at highlighting the key focus areas of problems and solutions. It’s been a completely organic (if not, sometimes frustrating) learning process.

Generative art. I’ve dabbled in creative coding for a couple of years, but this year I’m especially proud of how I’ve learned by doing—bringing real art to life through code. It still feels like magic to me.

Things I look forward to

Driving. I’m ready to stop feeling like a nomad. It’s time to settle down with a mode of transport—maybe a car, maybe a motorcycle. (cough cough, a Triumph bike, maybe... cough cough)

Generative art. I'm excited to keep learning and expanding my artistic practice. One of my goals for the near future is to create a pen plotter piece using an AxiDraw machine—something I can frame and display, either in my bedroom or in my office.

Staying more in the present. I want to live in the here and now, keeping my ego in check, having a laugh, radiating warmth, staying open-minded, and not getting lost in my head. No dwelling on the past, no giving in to cynicism. Most importantly, I want to continue cultivating courage—but without being reckless.

Finding meaningful connections and building deeper, steadfast friendships. I promise—I will remain open-minded, approachable, and easy to talk to, and ready for whatever cool, unexpected people and experiences come my way.