I'm north of half a year at my new lab now. The transition from student to working adult--among other events--has been a catalyst for a lot of personal growth for me. I don't think the me of a year ago would quite recognize myself now, but I don't say that negatively; I feel myself mellowing out into the comfort and maturity of adulthood.
The lack of an obvious path forward in my immediate future has been an uneasy reality to get used to. I've felt myself lose some of the whimsy I had--bolstered by the brightest minds in their fields'--during grad school. To maintain a sense of academic rigor in my life, I've been taking professional education courses and preparing papers regarding my research (fingers crossed they'll be accepted!). Doing a Ph.D. is an idea I've been volleying back and forth in my mind as well--one that feels unnervingly similar to Pippin's self-immolation. I hope I don't lose sight of the goals that led me down this path. I truly do love it.
Romance has been in the forefront of my mind as of late. I'm 25 now and have been much more conscious of finding another to share my life with. Dipping my toes into the dating pool earlier this year was one of the other aforementioned catalysts of personal growth for me. It's helped me learn a lot about not just who I am but who I want to be in a more holistic sense than I ever have before (id est, despite the lack of academic focus in my life bothering me, it's broadened my view of myself in a very positive way). I'm still not quite sure of who that person is yet, but he's coming more into focus in my mind's eye. The same is true for the aforementioned other person.