What song do you think everyone should listen to once in their life ?
OUTTA MY MIND - Monsune
What book is a must read ?
Shake Hands With The Devil – Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire
Written by Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire of the Canadian forces, this autobiography frames his experiences during the Rwandan genocide as the Force Commander of the failed United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR).
Not many are aware of the Rwandan genocide– nor do they know that the United Nations Security Council were well aware of tensions rising before the massacre and failed to intervene despite repeated calls to do so from on-ground personnel. The result was disastrous, leaving hundreds of thousands massacred. Throughout his term, Lt-Gen. Dallaire attempted to keep the peace. He eventually disobeyed the command to withdraw UNAMIR peacekeeping forces from Rwanda, instead electing to remain in attempt to shelter those seeking refuge with the UN forces. His experiences are haunting and remind us that when history will undoubtedly relive itself (Myanmar’s Rohingya comes to mind), we cannot let ourselves be bystanders. We must hold ourselves and our governments accountable.
What film is a must see ?
The Martian – Ridley Scott
Sure, the beginning is most likely impossible (Mars has an extremely thin atmosphere, making sandstorms and winds with a speed of 100mph very improbable), and they sent Jessica Chastain out to save Matt Damon even though her character is not an EVA specialist (going against all NASA protocols), but it’s a great movie! Most of the movie is based on hard science (they’re one of the few movies that have consulted NASA!), and that just makes me happy. Also, Mars is cool. Seriously, more space movies need to consult NASA to get their science right.
What are you most grateful for ?
As cliché as it is, I’m most grateful for my parents. They have always been my support system, and they are what have gotten me here to where I am today (literally!). No matter how much I roast them (and they, me), I will always love them. Dad, you need to stop eating instant noodles for every meal mum doesn’t cook though.
When the pandemic first hit, my life didn’t change in the way it did for most. In many ways, I was lucky. The core of my busy daily routine remained the same – I attended my lectures and attempted to study, I went to work at the clinic, I ate, I slept. Rinse and repeat. The difference was that I ended up working my job twice as much as I did before the pandemic, all while trying to finish up the last semester of my degree online. Come autumn, I started my new veterinary degree, and subsequently moved to Edinburgh. Still, life didn’t change all that much. Instead of work, my schedule was populated with an increased amount of lectures. There was no time for reflection – there was only moving forward. No room for dilly-dallying. So it’s only now while writing this – a year deep into the pandemic - that I’ve realised… throughout my life, I’ve had no time for myself.
I’ve spent my entire life running from one thing to the next, with little to no breaks. Every step I took was calculated and deliberate, constantly thinking ahead. How will this experience benefit me in the future? What will I stand to gain from working here? Where do I go from here? What’s the next step? All these years, I’ve put my mental health and personal life on the backburner, solely focusing on my career. I had somehow convinced myself that I didn’t need time for myself.
Yet somewhere in the back of my head, I know I’ll burn out soon if I don’t take time for myself.
So I suppose that’s the logical next step – learning how to take time for myself. Thankfully, I have a great support system with friends, both old and new. It’s still a calculated and deliberate step, but I’m learning. I’ll get there. Perhaps I’ll learn how to be more laissez-faire next.
