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Birth of My Brother
Didn't like the idea that I had to share my parents or my food or toys. Our birthdays are also 2 days apart, and because my mum was scheduled for a C-section, I specifically did not want him to share the same birthday as me.
My parents told me that I had acted out in school and told my teacher that I hated my brother. -
First day of elementary school
Change in environment, loss of familiarity, loss of freedom and having to go to school everyday -
Ms Choi resigned as my homeroom teacher
My grade 3 homeroom teacher resigned in the middle of the school year after she was diagnosed with depression. She was one of my favorite teachers in elementary school, and it hit me very hard. Even though I still see her nowadays, back then it felt like she was abandoning us. -
Death of Hamburger and French Fry
First pet loss as a kid.
Hamburger was a fat goldfish while french fry was a skinny goldfish that I had as a pet since I was 3. -
Graduating elementary school
Change in identity, loss of teachers, classmates and friends -
Death of Max
Pet loss -
Switching schools
Loss of familiarity as I had been in the school for 7 years, growing up together with most of my classmates and friends -
My first ever friend leaves me for boarding school
I've know Jeannette since I was 2. We went to the same kindergarten and elementary school, and church. We swam together, had art class together, did many things together.
She left for boarding school and even though we still kept in contact, there was a sense of loss and a "break-up" of a friendship. From seeing her almost everyday to only seeing her twice a year. -
First actual break up
Breaking up with my first serious boyfriend because he had to leave Hong Kong and move to California.
Loss of a relationship -
Break up
Loss of a relationship -
Graduating high school
Loss of identity, loss of familiarity, teachers and friends that I see everyday weren't going to be there anymore -
Last sleepover before we all leave for college
One of my closest friend groups from swimming. We have known each other since we were 4 and have grown up together.
I was leaving for Canada while they went to the UK. -
Last swim training as a competitive swimmer
Loss of identity as a swimmer. Loss of a routine of waking up at 5am every single morning for the past 7 years of my life. Leaving my coach and team members, my family. Even though I still got to see them when I went home for the holidays, it was different. -
Leaving home for university
Loss of home, loss of idea of seeing my parents, brother and friends everyday, loss of familiarity and the loss of what I saw was "normal", my everyday life -
Death of my grandmother
Loss of loved one. I remember having that guilt because I was away for college and I didn't even know that she was that sick. Remember returning in December and seeing how much weight she lost and having to wear her oxygen everywhere she went.
She always brought joy to everyone with her smile, and I miss watching her put curlers in her hair every night and seeing her smile. -
Moving out of my freshman dorm
Leaving my freshman dorm and my first ever roommate -
Moving in with grandpa
Leaving my home that I had grown up in for the past 18 years into my grandfather's apartment so that we could take care of him -
Temporary loss of mobility
Fractured my wrist while playing rugby -
End of internship
Worked at a hospital for 3 months.
Leaving my coworkers, my friends, patients, and the job. -
End of internship
Worked as a research assistant at HKU for 4 months.
Leaving my work, the research and protocols behind, my coworkers, the familiarity of working till 10pm together in the conference room. -
Grandpa diagnosed with depression and dementia
Slow loss of my grandfather. Loss of his yelling that we were too noisy, him remembering my name, his laughter... -
End of internship
Loss of coworkers and the routine of the 3 hour commute of going back and forth from the university everyday -
Moving out of my apartment
The apartment that I stayed during my university years. -
Graduating from university
End of a chapter where laughter, sweat, tears and stress marked every step of the way to get my undergraduate degree -
Leaving Vancouver
Loss of a second home, friends, seeing my grandparents, uncle, aunt and cousins every week -
Beginning of a long distance relationship
Leaving my boyfriend of almost 7 years at the time, loss of connection, physical intimacy. Years of seeing each other at least 3 times a week to seeing each other on a screen and expressing ourselves through lines of text -
Last day as an ABA therapist
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Lost of my home, my city
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Last day as a tutor
Loss of students and the connection I had with other teachers and staff at the tutor center -
Resigning from job
I worked at 10T Tech, which is start-up company, for about 10 months. Built strong relationships with my colleagues, but had to leave as I was moving to Chicago.
Loss of employment, income, familiarity, routine and friendships -
Last swimming session before leaving for Chicago
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Leaving home for Master's
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Temporary loss of mobility
Fractured my right foot when I was running along the Chicago river -
Death of my uncle
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Beginning of a new "normal"
