With that, we're more than halfway through September and even more than halfway through the year. The last time I checked in with real-time updates on my life back home post-exchange was in March - well where did all that time go? Of course I'm still dreaming about exchange. It's no wonder people warned me about these withdrawal symptoms. Few months after coming home I started to miss my alone time. The time I spent lying on my bed with a Spotify playlist on repeat, staring at the ceiling, thinking about nothing and everything at the same time (honestly I did that for hours whenever I didn't feel like going to class).

Back to counting the days in weeks as the school semester rumbles along. Five modules and already quite a lot of pressure as we enter Week 5 but then I think of my transcript and ask myself why I'm stressing myself out. A change in expected grades will probably only affect the cumulative score by a teeny bit, and even if that happens, so what? Already in my fifth year and not having really learnt what studying smart means but at least I chose the modules I'm doing now. So yes, Year 5 and damn the grades. Didn't matter to me before and probably wouldn't make a different now. I've also started looking for a job though, hmu with any lobangs please.

Speaking of which, ugh life !! !! !! !! !! Do I really want to go through the notion of getting a job after graduating??? I'm not tied down by anything and I'm extremely, extremely fortunate I don't have loans to pay (thank you for this mom and dad). I'm turning 23, and really life is only getting started. Do I want to be immediately sucked into this... this corporate uphill climb? There are so many other options I could explore but am I limiting my options and narrowing them down to just routinely sending applications and cover letters? Should I just let everything go and leave to travel for a few months? I could. WHAT IS LIFE ABOUT? I hate mundanity, and I hate the idea of following the straight track of completing an education, finding a job, settling down, yada yada yada... Do I have the courage to drop everything and pursue whatever I want to do at the expense of breaking the norm? Wait but what are my dreams exactly? My ambition? 23 years and I'm still trying to figure myself out (is this normal?). I actually gave myself a period of 6-7 months to think about this while on exchange but came back with nothing but more yearning to go back.

Time is ticking -- 10 more weeks till the end of university and a deadline for me to make a decision on how I want 2018 to turn out. I think what makes life the most exciting is also how you never know where you'll be. Who knows what I'll be doing a year from today? Daunting but something I look forward to knowing at the same time.

Shall end off with a picture of my favourite temple in Japan -- Senso-ji. Seeing people rush to light their incense sticks even when it was pouring was quite a sight. Despite not being religious, I sometimes believe that there is a higher power somewhere, watching over all of this. Is he or she helping us fulfil our wishes? All those hopes and dreams placed onto the incense sticks and talisman papers exchanged -- sometimes it's comforting to think that someone is listening. Stay tuned for more on Japan!!