Savana Rinjani

This year, my new age is celebrated not in my homeland, but far far away. In a territory where everything is new and unfamiliar. But, at the same time, it creates some kind of space to contemplate and redefine perspectives. At this point, I'm truly grateful for everything I've been through. Cheers to 34! 1. Acknowledge your privilege. 2. A change in life is extremely uncomfortable. But that's the only way to move forward. 3. Never forget your roots, where you come from, and what principles remain relevant for you. 4. Be yourself. Even in the most unfamiliar circumstances. 5. Protect your energy. Spend it wisely. 6. Never too late to learn something. What stops us is mostly our own imaginary fear. 7. A little progress is progress. (context: me working on my term papers) 8. Be with people who are happy when you are happy, and support you when you are down. 9. In the context of human relationships, not knowing is a blessing for me. 10. There's one sentence my bf always sai...

2025 has been a CRAZY year for me, both good and bad. Looking back, I realize that all of them became valuable lessons to absorb, process, and eventually grow from. 1. Traumatic events Yep, I started the year with traumatic events. It was mentally draining. What I felt was a heaviness in my chest, humiliation, and a deep sense of disrespect. Day after day, I found myself questioning my values. Do people really treat others like this? Do I still belong here? Is it just me, or is it the post-colonial mindset that happened very subtly? As I moved through each day, one thing became clear: some of my values no longer align here, the place where I grew up. 2. Going to therapy One of the best decisions I made this year was going to therapy. Nowadays, people in my country are more aware of mental health issues, especially among younger generations. They are more open to talking about it, and some no longer feel ashamed to seek professional help. But still, deciding to seek one on my own requir...

My 33 was both painful and delightful. Life pushed me to grow into an adult without ever having read the handbook. Yet, I feel deeply grateful for the presence of my closest people, who have given me endless support. Cheers to the twin age! 1. I broke my phone while traveling. Thankfully, I had a second one with me, but the WhatsApp chat was empty, like a blank sheet of paper. Strangely, I felt light and peaceful, as if it was an unexpected reset I didn’t know I needed. 2. A lesson I learned while sorting my travel photos: I wish I had taken more videos than pictures. That was a gem. 3. Acne scars are taking longer to fade away :( plus more wrinkles. 4. Also, I can't do a 2-day overseas trip anymore. It's too short and my body cant' keep up.  5. There was a moment when I got so pissed I couldn’t even complain anymore. I think that was my highest level of being pissed. 6. Decision fatigue is real. So many things to remember. 7. I’m thankful for all the advice I receive, but ...

This year, I felt I grew as a person and saw the world a little differently than before. Despite the unpleasant things that happened, I’m grateful for the presence of love in my life.   Health journey In February, I got hospitalized for 5 days due to ISPA (upper respiratory tract infection). It started when I felt pain all over my body, especially nerves, and after that, fever came. The symptoms were a bit confusing at first. I guessed it was typhoid, as I had been hospitalized sooo many times for it when I was a kid. However, the lab results confirmed ISPA. Never ever in my life I got this illness. But I tell you, it was awful! I still had no idea where I caught the virus. My assumption is from a work visit to BSD a few weeks before. They said BSD is the most polluted city in Jabodetabek, but who knows. Another health issues I faced was my wisdom teeth. One of them was not in a good position; really deep and difficult to remove. After 3 hours of extraction, my dentist decided to s...

It has been a week after my birthday, and I haven’t started my birthday reflection yet. Normally, I list the points throughout the year, not in a bulk in the end. I put it on my phone notes every time I got something to tell or how I felt about certain things. But, this year felt tight. And it finished 1,5 months later. But, doesn't matter. So here it is! My 32! 1. My first point is always about health. Please take care of our health. 2. Listen to our body, we are what we eat and consume. 3. I got wisdom teeth removal for the first time, but it turned out not good. 4. A wisdom I really like: We don’t need to explain ourselves to the world. 5. My biggest change this year: Speak more straightforwardly and blatantly. And it feels good. 6. So, always be true to yourself. 7. Groceries are becoming more and more expensive! 8. Life might seem unfair, it’s just how the world runs. 9. Every time I got rejected from scholarships, I wished I was rich enough to pay for my edu...

I was looking for some intro for this post when I read my 2022 reflection and found this sentence at the end of the post, “I hope 2023 can be more joyful, relaxed, and full of love.” I got shivered suddenly, because yes, I found love in 2023 :) A long battlefield I was about to bury my dream of pursuing a master’s program scholarship after six years of trying. I feel like I have given my best on each attempt, but the results said differently. It was a truly long and exhausting process. At some points, I was thinking that everyone should have an equal access to affordable education. We could study anything we want to study, without worrying much about the cost. After a long battlefield since 2018, I was ready to give up and think about chasing my other goals. But then, I met someone who changed my mind, someone who believed in me and my capability. And all this energy feels enough to keep me going. So, here I am, proving my resilience and trying those opportunities again, in the middle ...

One day on my 30th, I realized I should prepare 31 things to share and I think it is too much! LOL. So, starting this year, I will just share 20, or any number I want to. Talking about the last year, so many moments happened. Also, the emotional ones. But, I think my main reflection would be how I found love and believe in love again. Happy 31! 1. Be happy on our own. 2. Listen to our body. 3. Choose our priorities. We can’t please everyone (and we don’t need to!). 4. Groceries are getting expensive :’) 5. Be comfortable in our skin. Be bold of our true colors. 6. Just remember that text/chat has no sound/intonation. 7. Work-life balance is important for me. Then I realized, for now, a side hustle is not suitable for me. 8. Live our own life, not someone else's. 9. If it hurts, observe. If things change, let them go. 10. Surround ourselves with people who can keep their promises, even for small things. 11. Assertiveness is the new sexy. 12. At this age, I realized I sometimes overt...

I want to begin with “2022 was a roller coaster for me” before I realize I have the same opening for the 2021 reflection post, LOL. But maybe it’s true, each year has its own roller coaster, its ups and downs, its laughs and tears. For me, the roller coaster was my skin breakout. But, despite the hard moments, I still experienced many good things in 2022 which makes me smile every time I reminisce about it. So, thanks 2022! Skin Breakout I started the year by having the worst breakout on my face, ever, and I wouldn’t lie that it brought me down at that time. My confidence level dropped drastically. It felt like it was not easy to be my own self. I googled my skin condition and tried many skincare products. Some worked, but most did not. Long story short, I visited a professional and my skin improved. The problem was when I no longer used the topical medicine from the doctor, the tiny bumps came back. I was truly confused, didn’t know what to do anymore. Sometimes I was thinking tha...

I'm official “kepala tiga”! It is exciting and scary at the same time. Responsibility is getting bigger, while our energy is getting more limited. But, most of all, I was so grateful and happy to spend my special day vacation with close friends, surrounded by people I love and love me too. Ok, as usual, I want to share some points that sum up my life in the past year. IT IS NOT advice, wisdom, or life hacks, just a note of what I have been going through, so I can remember what it’s like on the way to 30. Here it is. 1.        Black dress never goes wrong. 2.        Fine dining always makes me delightfully fine. 3.        Ask our best friend once in a lifetime: Mau kado apa? It is very fulfilling. 4.        "Setiap manusia di dunia. Pasti punya kesalahan. Tapi hanya yang pemberani. Yang mau mengakui." – Sherina 5.        Yep, the hardest pa...

2021 was a true definition of a roller coaster for me. It was lots of surprises, from the biggest laugh to the silent tears. But, most of all, I’m so grateful I’m still breathing until this time. Quick update, the pandemic is still here and I'm still practicing WFH. Okay, so here’s my highlight for 2021. I wrote it in order of time. 1.        Getting out of my comfort zone: A speaker One of my friends from a college organization asked me to be a speaker on his online talk show. At first, I softly denied it because public speaking is something I dislike since a long time ago. I just don’t feel confident talking in front of people, it makes me anxious. But, eventually, I accepted it. It was an online event so I thought I can handle it.   The event was live via Instagram for around an hour. I talked about trail running, the mandatory gear, and some tips for beginners. I was so nervous at first, but it went smoothly later. I started enjoying the talk and d...

Twenty-nine! One last year to thirties. First, the pandemic still happens. Second, I realize listing 29 things or lessons is just too many. I might consider cutting it next year. 1. Do not take health for granted. Take care of your body while you are healthy. 2. Do not take for granted, anything and anyone. 3. Sleep is underrated. Please get enough sleep, 7 to 8 hours per day. 4. Drink enough water, eat fruits and veggies, do a regular workout, and go vaccinated. 5. DECLUTTER everything: stuff, minds, people. 6. Before buying an item, go check the preloved first. There are many preloved items of good quality out there. 7. JANGAN BARBAR. Save as much as you can, then invest it. 8. But, first, learn the products carefully. 9. And do invest in your brain, too. 10. Make a priority. We’re not here to please all people. 11. There are always some people who cannot accept who we are, let them be. 12. Circles are getting smaller in quantity, but richer in quality. 13. ...

“Kalender 2020: Januari, Februari, Pandemi, Desember.” @Fahrrur_ on Twitter That tweet is funny yet quite precise to describe how time flies so fast in 2020, a year when the COVID-19 pandemic began. And I could say it’s probably true. It’s the new year already. Thus, I want to leave notes on how I went through 2020.   1.        Stay alive I used to think that we, as human beings, must do better than the previous year, and must achieve more and more in life. The pandemic struck and changed the way I perceive life. It’s a bit hard to sum up this year into one conclusion; Are we doing better? Doing worse? Or going nowhere? Well, 2020 had its ups and downs, a year of uncertainty and absurdity. All we got to do was save ourselves first. Thus, I decided to direct myself to do only one thing in this crazy year: Survive . I put aside the definitions of so-called “improvement”, “achievement”, "resolution", you name it, and just keep in mind to stay healthy, both ...

It's an unusual birthday as the pandemic occurred, but on the other hand, it’s like a break for me, giving me time and space to think about what truly matters in life. Here are 28 things I learned from one last year.   About earth: We are a part of the ecosystem 1. This pandemic is a good momentum to restart our relationship with nature and rethink our behavior. 2. Let’s start by being more responsible humans. Our small decision might have a big impact on the environment. 3. Before buying an item, think wisely about the waste it will produce. Choose sustainable products or less-waste options, if possible. 4. Start planting our own food, maybe? 5. We only have one earth, let’s make it a better place for living.   About others: Live not to compare, but to make it as motivation 6. Do not control something we cannot, e.g. people’s expectations, opinions, and behavior. Things we can control is only our response. (I learned a lot about stoicism from Filosofi Tera...