The Darn Diaries

Double F*** I was not only humbled once but twice: first by my potential job and second by my could've-been-date (not her fault, though). Keep Swinging All we need is one homerun, one perfect swing, to send it all the way. The problem is, not everyone swings until they hit a home run. Dating Standards I've kept mine pretty high since my last relationship and there's a reason why I neve...

Mini Update I recently caught the flu, so pardon my voice, but otherwise, I am still in the job hunt despite having a few interviews in my pocket. Dating Life Revived It's been almost six years since I last dated, until this coming Saturday. She seems nice, but we'll see where it goes. Discussing Dating Strategy You're in for a treat on this one. I learned a few things from my past rel...

Planning Mechanisms "When a man/woman plans, God laughs." We can't always foresee every outcome's success, but we can always prepare and plan for the ideal and worst-case scenarios. Once you have, just run the plan and stick to it, and suddenly, you're in control. It Works Out Eventually It's a series of ups and downs, but somehow, everything seemingly pieces together in...

I'm officially on month 2 of the job search and have received a handful of rejections, and a phone interview call-up that led to a final interview this coming Thursday (LFG!) It's easy to get easily swayed by rejections but I was reminded of a past lesson that got me an unforgettable co-op job that I now rave about.

Finder's Keepers As you grow up, you'll realize that some people are meant to be background characters, while others become the side, loyal characters to this day. We call them lovers, family, and friends. Make the Time As a college student, I was so caught up with my studies, personal projects, and side hustle that I'd often turn down hangouts with friends, calls from my family, and p...

Never Forget Them To this day, I still have no clue how I met my social circle, whom I'm proud to call friends (especially when you're an introvert). How suddenly, this random kid became someone I could bounce around ideas with and sit in the mud with through my darkest times. You can't put a price on that. Creating Thyself Life post-college is strange. There's no manual or handboo...

I was finishing up a novel at the local bookstore I went to on Sundays and came across a kind stranger who struck up a conversation with me. He worked in digital marketing (specifically in sales and lead acquisitions), and we talked for a good 30 minutes or so (a nice fella). Here are some takeaways on networking the proper way: Get them in a one-on-one setting (gatherings or events can be distrac...

Perfect form As perfectionists, we tend always to want to be at our best at the best moment to produce the best outcome. But in reality, perfection often comes as imperfection (a cliche, I know). It's a lot like how two right-angled triangles meet and form a rectangle. It's not the same as a sole rectangle, but it's just as beautiful. Endurance Play the long game, whether it be in runn...

Systemizing Success Nick Bare once said: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." I have a project management tool called Notion, and oh my gosh, it has saved my life. (Unsponsored, sadly) Playing Off-Position Every decision on prospects involves risk. The question is: How do you manage risk effectively, and when do you play the trump card? Micro Progression We often underestimate the po...

Cherishing Glory Sometimes, we forget how far we've come when we've been so stuck up on our current hurdles. I'm currently on a mission to get employed and went through some of my past work, and boy, did I create some amazing pieces. Cherish your glory days, but never dwell. Clean Slate When a new season or challenge arises, always start off with a clean slate mentality. Appreciate you...

The Block It truly is a taxing task to ideate, script, produce, edit, and publish content with your purpose or vision as the intention of each piece. But that's where intentionality can become the anchor to get you to stick through it anyway. Career Prospects I am finally clear to apply for jobs now. I recently stumbled across a few job openings in communications and got a little sauce for tho...

Adapting to Novelty It's been pretty rough the past few days, but I know these times are often the most necessary to prepare you for what is to come. It's hard to be unproductively productive, but I guess we all need a break at some point, right? Job x Identity Nothing against the people I've met and known, but I realize whenever you introduce yourself, the norm is always a) Name and b...

*Message to Future Me: A Follower-Exclusive Series I sat on New Year's Day and wrote these 3 words for 2024: Just Show Up. There will be lows, hardships, heartbreak, or all of the above at once, but if you just keep at it, and keep showing up despite the circumstances, you start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel you might be in.

Grad Jitters I've waited five long years for this moment, but now that it is, it's a weird feeling from having a semester to look forward to every quarter to none at all anymore. Maintaining momentum College taught structure and workflow, so I'd be a fool if I didn't carry this on to my next chapter. Balance defined A subjective term. That's what it is. What it means to person...

It's Official Your boy's officially done with college (woohoo!) Remember this There's one thing that my teachers and instructors tell me from time to time, as I'm sure most of you have, that I now truly understand what they were saying.

*Message to Future Me: A Follower-Exclusive Series De-exaggerating We often overestimate the problem when, really, it's not as bad as you think it is until you've resolved it. One step at a time. The Life update A sneak peek to future projects Pre-college-ending feels A major college takeaway that I would do if I could do it all over again

Chapter closure As my academic campaign comes to an end, it's bittersweet after reflecting on how far you've come, and I can safely say I have no regrets taking my business degree. The Climb 2 To every mountain peak and its glorious beauty, there lies the climb it took to get there. And this is where it will mold you. Cherish it You will never truly realize the value of something until it...

*Message to Future Me - A Followers Exclusive Series Thank you To each and every single one of you for tuning in. You're the reason why I kept going, and I wish you nothing but the best in whatever life stage you're in :) Deciding Factor Even the world's best analyst will have to make a decision; no matter how perfect you want a decision to be, it's just not realistically feasible....

Get it overwith The magic you're looking for is in the work you're avoiding (cr: Modern Wisdom). I'll leave it there. Going hybrid A few episodes back, I decided to try out this hybrid athlete thing - lift heavy while being able to run like a gazelle. It was hard, but damn was it worth it. Exploration Being an avid runner now opens the option to explore the city I reside in, some route...

*Message to Future Me - A Followers Exclusive Series The Lonely Game At some point, you'll reach the stage where you're doing a set of tasks, endeavors, and pursuits that no one else is. And it gets lonely, but how do you define lonely(?) Max Effort Sometimes, overcommitting to things gets you to places you never knew were possible to reach. Questioning Faith I was born a Christian, but I&...

Before you come rampaging at me, hear me out. I went over: Why Darnell disappeared in thin air Why you can't be your "best self" How to NOT crash and burn - 2 simple tips Enjoy! And I'm glad we're back :) If you like what you heard, rate it or hit the follow so you won't miss a beat. Cheers! (BONUS: Sneak peak to my upcoming newsletter content )

At some point, we all get lost in search of what and who we truly want to be. Life gets in the way, but, like all of us, we figure it out (somehow), and that’s the beauty of it. Think of all the problems you resolved through, ever wondered how capable you actually were and are? Me neither. I heard a saying that goes: “None of us are ever on the same journey.” Everyone is on a different trek, but w...

There's that cliche that goes: "You never meet people in your life by accident." And I can now attest to that. I tend to be a very picky person when it comes to who I let into my social circle; some may argue it's good, while others, not so much. But, it has led me to the right, and genuine people - after all, it is the quality of friends that matters. So, I hope you find those p...

There's a saying that goes: "Take your time, but don't waste your time." While everything around us may be hassling here and there, find your center before making those moves.

Much of what we are already capable of often goes unnoticed until you take on a challenging course that you end up doing well at (that was me). People may have varied opinions when it comes to the necessity of college, but there's something about the routine and workflow college teaches you that's, well, applicable.