The Jen Behind ‘lil’ thoughts with jen’

Hello! Every since I started this journey of blogging, I wanted to connect with my readers on a friend-to-friend basis. Who is the Jen behind lil’ thoughts with jen? As time has gone on, our community has grown and I wanted to re-introduce myself to the newest readers via answering some common questions about myself. I took to Instagram stories (they have too many handy-dandy tools) to have people submit questions they want to know me. I have rounded up my top asked ones and hope that you enjoy getting to learn a little more about me!

how old are you

I am 22 years old! Although mentally I feel like I am still 18…

where are you from

I am originally from upstate New York, near Syracuse — the actual town is named Central Square. It’s a very small town compared to NYC but it’s the place where I called home for so long and my parents are still there! I try to go home as often as I can because there is nothing that beats being with family.

what ethnicity are you

I actually get asked this all the time. I assume I look Chinese myself because both of my parents are, but apparently I look everything BUT Chinese to people. Everyone always assume I am Filipino, Malaysian or mixed. But I am Chinese!

why did you start a blog

I have answered this question a lil’ in my ABOUT ME page, but to sum it up here, writing is one of my life’s passions – I love story-telling, but I didn’t know how to let that aspect of my life flow until I created this blog. Creating a home online for myself and my readers is what I have since been so motivated by. This community has allowed me to be ME all the time and has been with me through the ups and downs of this past year. To be able to freely write, create content that I love and to connect with others has been the best outcomes of this blog.

did you go to college / what college did you attend

Yes I did attend college. I went to New York University and graduated this past May so I have officially entered the adult world haha. I double majored in Economics and Politics and minored in Chinese. It was the best 4 years and I have grown so much through this period. If you want to learn more about my experience, let me know and I will do a post on it!

what do you do for a living

So up until my graduation this May, I have had internships at different companies to help pay the bills and get valuable experiences. After graduating college, I had been on the hunt for the perfect role and one that I would actually enjoy going to work at. It’s been such a long journey in my mind to narrow down to what I wanted and have finally secured a position as a compliance analyst!

why New York City / do you like living in new york city

Attending college in the city with no real campus has made me fall in love with this city more. I think I have talked a lil’ about this before but being amidst the chaos is something I’ve come to love. There is always something going on and there is always something new to be discovered, whether it be a place, person or restaurant. I genuinely do like living here, but as with all good things, there are hidden faults. The bustling and constant rush of life does get tiring and overwhelming at time, which leads me to get out of the city and go home at times.

New York City can be hard to live in – but I was able to carve out my own identity and create my own story within it. Pushing asides others paths to create my own hasn’t been easy when all I am surrounded with are people doing above and beyond. Instead, I have taken these as inspiration to do better and to do more. I think I also got lucky with all the people around me. I seriously think I got the best family, friend and readers! Everyone has been so supportive of my every decision. I would totally tell everyone to live in NYC at some point in their life if they could.

how would you describe your style / what is your style

I would say my style is very feminine. I asked this to people around me and I got answers from chic to everything haha so it’s kinda hard to pinpoint. Like everything else, I don’t like to be confined to one thing and want to be open to trying new trends and work them to my body type. As you guys know, I am quite petite and most trends don’t work. Lately, I have been buying pieces that are more classic and wardrobe staples to make sure that I am investing in quality pieces and ones that can work casually or dressed-up. What do you guys think is my style?

what is your favorite food / cuisine

I am definitely someone who strays more towards the salty than sweet side! So snack-wise, I would definitely say I reach for those hot cheetos and salt & vinegar chips. I also am someone who is constantly snacking. Cuisine-wise, it has to be Chinese! From xiao-long-bao to hand pulled noodles, I eat it all and can do so everyday. Everyone also knows that I am obsessed with rice and will go crazy if I go too long without eating it. Other honorable mentions would be: ice cream, fried chicken, watermelon, sour candies and ramen!

what are your favorite restaurants in nyc

I have a dedicated section on this blog for all the restaurant reviews I have created. Check out those and I will soon be creating a post that outlines my all-time favorite spots! As of now, to give you a lil’ taste, my faves have been Lombardi’s, Empanada Mama, Bonchon….the rest you will have to wait and see hehe

what inspires you

So many things inspire me! My family has always inspired me in more ways than I can count – from showing me the power of determination and hard work to realizing the importance and power of love and being united. My parents immigrated here with nothing and were able to build a living and become as successful as they could be. My siblings who are far older than their age and give the best advice and tips to better myself and everything I do. They are all inspirations behind the work I put into my blog.

Alex, my boyfriend, inspires me to go after what I want. He is always inspiring to do more. He believes in me like no other and always pushes us both to be the best that we can be. From establishing new habits to mundane activities like taiga a walk, he absolutely loves taking in every moment.

I also seek so much inspiration from my readers, which means you! I see photos that other bloggers create and my readers and I am always in awe at all the pure talent being shown. This community has allowed me to push beyond my limits and get out of my comfort zone. Even when I am idea-less, you guys always come to my aid and give me amazing suggestion on content you wish to see or what you guys would do in my place.

Lastly, I am inspired by the people that surrounds me. Like I said, NYC is filled with so many talented people and people who are always achieving above and beyond. Just taking a simple walk puts so many news ideas into my mind. Exploring the endless amount of streets to explore really inspires me to constantly create more!

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If you want to know some random facts about me, I had previously written a blog posts on the top five randomest facts about me. I hope you enjoyed this blog post and if you have any more questions about me, let me know! Let me know one fact about you in the comments below!

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A million and one thanks for reading — until my next lil’ thought then!

xx jen