Oh my god!
Since the inception of this blog, I have written over 130 posts.
Here is a collection of my favourites, categorised by year, which I feel best captures her spirit.
2019: the big bang era
[26 posts]
11/6: hello, losers
- The post that started it all. Reading this again makes me laugh because it demonstrates my point that people fundamentally don’t change. I mean, look at these iconic quotes from 2019 me:
- “I enjoy oversharing about my life to the discomfort of others, though I should really know better. Either way, you’ll get my irrelevant opinions on all sorts of issues.”
- “If you think I don’t have any [haters], you’d be surprised — I am so popular it pains me. I can’t even sin in good conscience anymore.”
3/8: my NTU URECA experience: a review
- This post was the first example of what I would become most well-known for among my juniors — reviews and advice relating to my academic pursuits. And my wit, of course.
5/11: meta on oversharing
- One of my purer self-expressions at the time related to the paradox of online authenticity — a recurring issue in my life. The dilemma in summary: being “real” online necessitates sharing negative experiences and potentially controversial opinions because that’s real life. However, doing so could lead to adverse consequences, mainly: (1) it might not be good for your reputation in a hypercurated online environment and (2) your disclosure could be weaponised against you.
- (1) is more rooted in insecurity than anything else, but (2) is a real concern. Someone reported me to my superiors when I was a student leader because I allegedly made an inflammatory comment online.
- The only thing I learned from that affair then, unfortunately for the instigator, is that some people have such uninteresting lives that they can only spend it attempting (and failing) to drag others down. But I’ll admit that the experience helped me learn to criticise in a way that convinces audiences while the targets can’t do jackshit to me. (-:
- I only resolved the dilemma after going through therapy: now, I share whatever I want without concern for others’ opinions. The value that I create and the way I treat others is testament enough to my character. If you can’t see it, that’s on you and not me x
2020: the liberal feminist (ironic) era
[16 posts]
8/1: penis envy
- Self-explanatory. Interesting in the sense that men do not only represent an outlet of emotional and sexual fulfilment for me (god, if only I could choose otherwise), but because the concept of manhood defined my psychic development as a woman. Freud would be proud.
12/3: my time at mcgill: a mid-term review
- Went to McGill University in Montreal, Canada to expand liberal brain.
24/3: carte blanche
- Still relevant. Will always be. My lover must understand this.
8/5: virgin crisis
- A chauvinist triggered me to write this. The post is noteworthy because it demonstrated my propensity for conflict and polemics. I’m more selective with my battles now because I’m better able to distinguish what’s worth my time.
- But my desire and ability to put men in their place will never die.
- Trivia: named after a popular shoujo manga I read when I was younger.
14/8: reflections of a “student leader”
- Babygirl does politics, and gets her way (you’re welcome to read and decide for yourself if I did).
2021: the pareto principle era
[11 posts]
1/6: gwyn’s guide to NTU psych modules (or: PSYCCESS)
- This is the post I am most well-known for. I wrote it because it is what I would have wanted to read as a junior. The support I received motivated me to keep writing; it might be part of the reason I am still posting today.
22/12: gwyn reviews: the NTU counselling centre
- This post marked a breakthrough for me because it was the first time I actively sought help for my depressive symptoms. It was formative in terms of my journey as a mental health advocate.
- Trivia: did you guys know I got into trouble for this series (the mental health logs), because someone didn’t like what I said and reported it to someone with authority over me? I got away again, of course (see the pattern here?), because 1) I can and 2) people are delusional to think that they can police my non-political opinions in our fair and free society.
2022: the lowkey era
[8 posts]
28/6: geneva, a girl, and a reckoning
- I went to Switzerland, Geneva, and got to meet my research idol. I will never forget my time there. Their melted cheese fondue was pretty good, too.
6/7: on sleeping (with) disorders
- I have had a long troubled history of insomnia since I was an adolescent (it’s gotten a lot better in 2024, though). I paid doctors hundreds of dollars to confirm what I already knew. Speaking from experience: if you have a sleep issue, also get your mental health checked out — the two are inextricable from one another.
2023: the comeback era
[3 posts]
4/10: confessions of an ex-NTUSU exco
- More political commentary. The feelings I experienced when I posted this and when I saw the response to it solidified my commitment to write until I die.
5/12: 25
- To celebrate the end of my first quarter of life. Also to celebrate something I had neglected for a long time: myself.
2024: the generative babygirl era
[60+ posts(!), so far]
26/2: discipline and punish
- Marked another transformation where I realised I didn’t have to play by the rules anymore.
31/3: to my dearest
- Tl;dr I realised my friends loved me immensely, perhaps more than any man ever loved me.
12/4: golden age
- More thoughts on freedom following discipline and punish.
17/4: gwyn’s lay theory of relationships series
- Being single and encountering a bunch of men made me have Many Thoughts about the nature of love, dating, and marriage. So where better to organise all these thoughts creatively than here?
- I would like to thank the men who inspired me because, hell, I was compulsively putting out banger after banger LOL. Sublimation is real, and I have lived it.
10/5: how to counteract love bombers
- Sums up my philosophy towards relationships: if they really wanted right, they would. I will accept nothing less.
16/5: the little things
- I just like how soft this post is. I wrote it with the wind on my face and the rain pouring in the background.
1/6: the no man june logs
- Embarked on this because I love self-improvement projects and gamifying my life. It’s not working out great because I clearly have impulsivity issues, but I’d be damned if I wasn’t having fun.
7/6: gwyn’s theory of interpersonal interest series
- Another banger of a series (a little bit of disclosure: I was lovesick. I might still be. But I wouldn’t worry, because it’ll all work out in the end.)
That was a sweet trip down memory lane. Happy 5th birthday, my darling blog! I love you.
baby g’s diary 