trinity term 2025

last term at Oxford

overall thoughts & observations

• I completed my final MSc module: Translational Science and Global Health. It was the perfect module to finish off everything, tying up lessons from all my previous modules.

• I miss studying the biological and anatomical sciences. I love the social sciences (which my programme focusses on). However, being fully immersed in social sciences can be difficult for me sometimes. Social sciences are a lot of nuance and complexity and context; biological sciences have more clear-cut answers. I went to a conference a few weeks ago and loved hearing about the research being done. Some projects were investigating sex differences in immune responses and using the fact that cells age faster in space to create aged cell models for drug discovery. It makes me realize how much I miss and enjoy learning biological science.

• Organizing the Geneva trip with the Ox Global Health Society has given me front-line exposure to the irony of global health. It is incredibly difficult to bring a global audience to global organizations, with all the barriers posed by travel visas.

• It’s hard to believe it’s been less than 2 years since I moved to the UK. Feels like I’ve been here for so long.

• There’s been a lot of people leaving Oxford now that the year is done. I don’t see them as goodbyes, but see you laters. I’m excited to see where (and how) we’ll cross paths again.

• On a similar note: You can really revive a friendship at any time. This term, I reunited with a high school friend who I hadn’t seen (nor really spoken with) in over six years. That happened because she texted me that she was visiting Oxford and asked to meet up. Friendships don’t have to stay distant. Most people are only one text away.

• We’re halfway through the year, and I’m grateful that a lot of domains in my life have seen progress: my fitness, my cooking, my writing, my relationships, my happiness overall. Makes me realize that I’m not that far away from the person I want to be.

• This term helped me ease a lot of my feelings of post-grad uncertainty. I wrote a whole essay about this. Now, I catch myself having fun when imagining all the different life paths that I could take.

• I finished my term as MCR social secretary. I loved having an official title for a role where I get to host events for fun. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made at Oxford, and something I’ll recommend for all incoming students to do. I’m grateful that my Michaelmas 2024 self bet on herself to run for the election. I hosted six events this term, all inter-college events!

• I went to Dublin for the first time! Ireland has much overlap with England (especially with food), but I loved how friendly people were. I also love the amount of live music in pubs.

things I’ve been enjoying recently

• Places to study with AC… Damascus Rose Kitchen is one of my favourite places

• Learning how my friends live their lives according to their values. I think that’s the most admirable trait I seek in friendships: seeing people act with authenticity and.in alignment with their values. More specifically, people who have the audacity to live their values in a world that promotes conformity.

• Documenting more things on LinkedIn. I’m way past the fear of being cringe or being perceived online. Posting on LinkedIn is not just for me to document my life. I have seen that a lot of people gain value from what I share, and want to continue doing that.

• Being back on Instagram. I was off of Instagram for the entirety of Hilary term, which was much needed. But I loved being back on Instagram for Trinity, curating my weekly life. I also think regularly posting is a good starting point for starting new conversations with new people.

• Death Note (anime). It’s been on my watch list forever and I took way too long to start it. I see its hype.

• Running in the heat? The UK has had two heat waves now and I’ve gone running in both of them… while they are insufferable, they also feel super good? I didn’t find them as difficult as I thought. Maybe because my body is so warm so it feels more mobile for running. Or maybe because the endorphins seem higher when you sweat more.

• Getting messages from people telling me that they’ve been accepted to my MSc programme!

• Cooking with friends: Hainanese chicken rice, spicy salmon, elevated shin ramen, pesto pasta, homemade burgers, congee.

• More flowers. The gestures of gifting flowers and receiving flowers as gifts. Flowers are decently affordable (and widely available) in the UK. The return on happiness and joy is exponential compared to its financial cost.

• Exploring more of the English countryside. Photos are on @photobysachii. I love seeing miles of greens and blues. The scenery is calming. A change of scene is good for a change of mind.

looking ahead

• Trying to have a draft of my entire dissertation written by mid-August 😵‍💫. Will be spending lots of time in the library this summer.

• Job searching. My indecisiveness reveals itself with my job search approach. I keep changing the sector I target. I switch from consulting to research to communications to global health. Something should stick, right?

• I’m doing another paid social media gig. Can I call myself a communications specialist / freelancer now?

• Hiking! Both in UK and Europe! I invested in some hiking shoes. I’ve learned that mountain warehouse is the place to go (and they also have student discounts!)

• Sharing my last interviews of Invite Health. I’ve decided that this is the last summer I’ll be doing interviews. I am ready to build something new, and apply everything I’ve learned from Invite Health.

• Geneva with Ox Global Health Society— it’s finally coming to fruition (fingers crossed).

• Some more special reunions this summer.

• Picnics in the park, sunset walks, ranking ice cream spots, running, new photos in the camera roll, and everything else that comes with summer.

• I feel that I’m putting a few components of my life on hold until I submit this dissertation (likely including this Substack). I am someone who enjoys having multiple commitments, so this is going to be difficult for me to cut down. But all these things I’m putting on hold are just that: on hold. Only 11 weeks to go…

Cheers, and see you in the next update,

Sachi

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