niko

daily log. dark academia. cozy blog.

[mochanrain]

Wimbledon finals with me.

Got up super early and headed for tennis. Today was a special day as it was the Wimbledon finals too!

I played a couple of rallies in the rain which doesn't seem like the best idea.

Took a nap because I am literally running on 5 hours of sleep everyday. Ate a quick breakfast and got ready to head out.

We had a couple of chores to complete today and I wanted to be back on time for the final.

Wore a cute outfit today!

It was raining pretty heavily today but we did manage to complete all the chores and additionally do a little shopping :p

Headed down to a sports bar and we were all super excited to watch and eat.

All of us shared wings, a burger, quesadilla, salads, fries, wedges and drinks.

This yuzu drink was so good, I had two of them (also because the wings were too spicy for me)

Two really bad pictures from the initial one hour or so. By the two 2.5 hour point, we left the place to head back home and watch the game.

Home was pretty close by so I watched the live game on my dad's phone until we reached and then changed into pjs to watch the final sets.

God we were all yelling and so tensed.

Great game and a little sad. Cannot wait for it again next year of course.

Anyways, did my skincare and now headed to bed.

Goodnight.

Love,

Niko.

[mochanrain]

How I prepared for my final college exam

I had just returned from a surfing trip so I was really tired the entire week. How I managed to prepare for this exam is beyond me.

Day started off with a new flower blooming in my tiny garden! Make a wish upon this flower.

I was part of my work-band so I headed over to my colleague's place to work on a song. She was singing and I was playing the guitar.

(p.s- This did not work out as I was unable to participate as an intern)

Headed back home, cleaned my desk to start studying at 9 pm lol.

The desk was super messy within an hour somehow.

Did my nighttime routine and continued to prepare for the exam but I ended up falling asleep on my desk.

Here we have -

- skincare pouch, airpods, super soft claw clip, lip mask and a pretty sweater.

My dad (thank god for him) checked in on me late at night and had to put me back in bed.

Woke up, no new bloom yet. It was a cloudy and a super windy day.

Went over what was left from yesterday night and did a quick revision.

Got dressed up and surely picking a hairclip for the day was the toughest decision.

Packed my bag. This is basically what I carried -

- A pencil, airpods, claw clip, quick access bear pouch, planner, bookmark and my favorite nivea tinted lipbalm.

I did carry a couple of other obvious things but this was what was in my bag from the beginning. Maybe I will make a post on what I carry in my bag usually.

Headed to college and prepared a little on the way too. It was a super easy exam and we got our results the same day lol.

Anyways, that was my last exam ever in college. It was a little scary to think about the future but that is okay. One day at a time.

See you soon.

Love,

Niko.

[mochanrain]

Spend a rainy evening with me

Did absolutely nothing the entire day so I prepared some lunch and decided to meet my family at a mall since we had a bunch of chores and catching up to do.

Took an uber to the mall and listened to a good set of songs while it continued to pour outside.

Tried on some clothes but didn't like any. We literally could only complete one task because of a bunch of complications and ended up just grabbing dinner.

Came home to find 3 of my jasmines in complete bloom :) I love my flower garden so much. I bought this polka dot scarf recently. Posted a story on Instagram too for fun.

Did my skincare, arranged my perfumes and got ready for bed while the heavy clouds engulfed tall buildings outside my window. Good night :)

p.s. - I have so many things to share here but I am going through a tough time while dealing with some personal stuff. Thank you for the amazing community here, such a breath of fresh air every time I see people discussing art and academia. Sending good luck to all of you!

25th May, 2025.

Love,

Niko.

[mochanrain]

A little update

I have a job now?? It is an internship but my brain cannot comprehend that I have to work now lol. I think just 1-2 posts ago, I was freaking out about working and slowing transitioning out of college. Honestly, that existential crisis definitely hits while travelling to and from work but we make do.

Weekdays are super tiring. I Iive pretty far from my work so all my time and energy is spent on the commute. I plan my week using my planner and wear fun outfts to keep myself motivated.

Fortunately I am still a college student so I get called to the campus for meetings and submissions. Worked from home to visit college last week and was very happy to be able to go through some research work. Packed a sundae for my mom.

I got a fitbit to track my health. I try to go for morning runs and night walks as often as possible. Mom comes along for the walk and we discuss a wide range of topics.

I have been visiting various cafes and restaurants. A fun little side quest.

The moon remains pretty. Heart remains happy.

Some other things that have happened lately -

1. Got an award at my college for my research work.

2. Carrying a heavy sweater to work because the building's temperature is super low.

3. Found Carl Sagan's original documentary in a bookshop that I visit frequently. They shut the bookstore last week.

4. Pet so many cats.

5. Played tennis for the first time in months.

6. Went to a jazz show after work and ate good pizza.

7. Visited art galleries and fell in love.

I feel like tumblr has been a important part of my journey since highschool. I am soon graduating college. Life got super busy and I got super sick, it took time to settle back. I hope I can continue sharing some fun and raw aspects.

Love,

Niko.

[mochanrain]

Finals week. Spend a week with me.

Left my house in the evening to buy myself a new sketchbook. Was gifted this super cozy sweater too, paired it up with this pretty ring that I bought from a flea market.

Went shopping with my mom the next day. Bought some super cute earrings and a top. We ended the day with visits to galleries.

Had some yummy fruits this week and tried my best to clean my room.

Prepared some kimchi and had really good dinners. It is nice to have some time in the evenings.

Spending my days reading a lot, from academic journals to novels. Walks after dinner late at night are super cold and lovely.

Love,

Niko.

[mochanrain]

Some fun meals during exam season

It is finals season! I have learnt that it is important to stay energised especially since a very bad start to 2025 where I was super sick for a week.

So here are some meals that I loved eating

1. Stir fried vegetables, kimchi, rice, lemon-garlic fish and green sauce.

2. Runny egg, rice, kimchi and green sauce.

3. Seasoned runny egg, rice and chilli kimchi.

4. Tofu curry,rice, kimchi, veggie soup.

Please excuse my very chaotic plating and I think I will put up a day with me during finals post up soon, this week has been very productive.

Love,

Niko.

[mochanrain]

25th December 2024, wednesday.

Last christmas in college. Graduating is really starting to scare me. This year I prepared a big dinner for my family and baked some lemon cookies, it all tasted really good. I turned 21 last week, so a lot of change is suddenly overwhelming. Anyways, back to christmas! My mom gifted me a really cute sweater and my dad bought me the complete works of shakespeare. As the night ends, I will warm up in star pjs and remind myself that time will pass but it will bring these moments along forever.

[wartips]

Death is a natural part of life. Not your death though. Your death is gonna be super fucked up.

[mochanrain]

Is this about hamsters???

[mochanrain]

Spend a day with me in college.

A warm sweater, a water bottle and a beautiful drive to college.

Take a lot of messy notes.

Post lecture soup is a must, it happens almost everyday. We discussed about various breakthroughs recently, the job market, philosophies, poetry and more for hours.

Had some tasty lunch and worked on a research project.

Had the best fresh fruit juice prepared by mom and continued working. The weather has been slowly getting colder, so I made some warm soup for my family.

Prepared the outline of my speech for an event regarding my R&D astrophysics team. The dress code was red so I made a matching bracelet too!

Tumblr only lets me add 10 pictures but the rest of the day included some more work and updating my journals. So this is what a basic day looks like. Personally I love days with a lot of tasks as it keeps me active!

Love,

Niko.

[mochanrain]

My boyfriend now knows the words 'brat', 'demure' and 'coquette', now he describes every incident with these 3 words.

[mochanrain]

When you are 10, everything is so lovable. You love pink, animals, glitter, diaries and people. Then you turn 16 and convince yourself that nothing is worth being fond of anymore and then one day you turn 20, so in love with everything but it seems like the universe is ready to punish you by trying to convince you that love is wrong. I dont know why but the love I hid is the love that dangles in front of me and dissappears right before I feel it. 20 is a funny age, let me 16 again because I know what to do this time.

[mochanrain]

16th August 2024, friday.

I think I'd like to share some essentials that help me get through uni everyday and helped me through my internships too!

Warm sweaters and cardigans

A good waterbottle. (So important)

Shirts (for random presentations, interviews, meetings and work)

Fountain pens (they are cool and reduce the waste produced a.k.a avoid single use plastic pens.)

My kindle

A handbag, tote bag and a backpack. The only 3 bags you'll need.

Highlighters (this is not an essential, but helps me when I go over my notes later on)

One clawclip

And here are some additional tips !

Eat homecooked meals whenever you can.

Stay warm, carry a sweater with you.

Collect memories. Polaroids, postcards, letters and more.

Write. Both for work and for yourself!

Make soup often.

These habits worked very well for me but you might have different workstyles so do what is the best for you! Share your tips and essentials too if you'd like!

Love,

Niko.

[mochanrain]

13th August 2024, Tuesday.

Can you guys believe that I finally could go on a vacation after 4 years? I did not realise how much I missed sitting by the beach and watching the waves. My brother and I jogged to the beach at 6 am in the rain along with so many stray dogs jogging along. My mom lately loves korean food, so we take her to a familiar restaurant everytime we are home. Tomatoes and scrambled eggs are my go to meal during exam weeks. Maybe I should post some recipes someday? I spend most of my days coding, reading, writing and scrolling on my phone. It is a slow life but I like it sometimes.

Love,

Niko.

[mochanrain]

My wishlist

Hey guys, I have been extremely busy this past 2-3 years but i LOVE sharing thoughts here so here's just a random post about what I am currently hoping to buy!

p.s - I maintain my things very well and use them to their complete potential for a number of years. I usually buy timeless pieces to avoid buying things unnecessarily. I really do not like to "over consume" (excuse me, I am not sure what the right term to use is here). So if you guys have any suggestions please drop them below!

For travel/uni -

Warm muffler

Thermos (To carry a snack, maybe soup)

New sneakers

Keyboard for my laptop

Staedtler sharper box

Body care -

Body scrub

Blueberry jam

Hobbies -

Sports jacket, tops and sets for tennis or general workout

Cookbook

Novels

Sports cap

I guess that's what is currently on my list. If you guys think i should invest in some other essentials do let me know!

Love,

Niko.

[mochanrain]

28th July 2024, Sunday.

Summer is now gone. There are constant showers of rain now. I wake up early for tennis every morning and make a filling breakfast for myself. I do feel anxious, but i forget why most days. So spending time looking at cats and flowing water is insanely calming. Hope days have been kind to everyone reading.

Love,

Niko.

[mochanrain]

Isn't it lovely to be loved?

A pretty necklace from my pretty boyfriend.

[mochanrain]

My boyfriend is the sweetest person I know. He told me that 7 years from now he will be seeing this. So, when you do I hope you know I write about you in my journals. Your bracelet is what I'll be wearing 7 years from now while you read this. Can't wait for you to taste my home-made tacos on monday.