I took you with me to California for my first big physics conference in about five years—and not just any conference, but the APS Global Physics Summit. I was traveling alone (bus rides, Google Maps, and me just putting my full trust in it), trying to figure out Anaheim vs Fullerton, and squeezing in real PhD life in between: finalizing my slides, emailing my adviser, and attempting to practice even when I was already running on fumes. I also had my first dinner out by myself, and honestly? It was kind of liberating to eat at my own pace, even if I was super sleepy. The heart of this vlog is me attending a massive conference as an introvert: the highs of pushing myself to network, and the lows of feeling overwhelmed and straight-up defeated. One night I challenged myself to go to a rooftop reception alone, found a spot, started a conversation with two girls, and somehow ended up roaming around downtown Disneyland with a group—including meeting another Filipino PhD, which made me so happy. Then the next day, imposter syndrome hit hard after talks made me feel “so dumb,” and I had to reset, recharge, and prioritize preparing for my own talk. My biggest takeaway: I’m proud of myself for showing up, but I’m also learning when to rest and protect my energy.