why creative?
i have always been a creative person. paper crafts, origami, stickers, drawing, painting, duck tape creations, knitting. but as the world became more technically inclined, i noticed myself gravitating towards it too. all of a sudden creativity outlets were getting replaced by doomscrolling, graphic design became possible with a couple words and the click of a button, and everyone was falling further and further from the creative parts of themselves that make them human. i truly believe we all have aspects of our personality, things we loved doing when we were younger, that are worth rediscovering. that's why i've tapped back into all of my creative sides, even when it doesn't necessarily align with my professional goals. it keeps me grounded, keeps me human, and helps me hold onto what makes me unique and special as a person.
i started chug of matcha in march 2025 almost by accident. i realized i had already been visiting every new cafe that opened in la, dragging friends across the city to try the latest matcha, and forming very strong opinions about all of it. i figured, why not share my findings with the world. what started as simple cafe reviews turned into something much bigger than i ever expected. i made my own handwriting into a font, designed a review format that felt personal and honest, and built a whole system for rating matcha, study vibes, outlets, and wifi.
from there i started making reels. i wanted to capture what a cafe actually feels like beyond just the drink — the light, the furniture, the music, the people. this was my first real introduction to video editing, learning to shoot aesthetic clips on the fly, think about how they would cut together, and sync everything to a beat. it was harder than i expected and more rewarding than i anticipated.
voyage la reached out to feature me in an article about my matcha journey. writing that piece reminded me how much this account is about more than matcha. it is about who i am and what i care about. i have also started filming myself making matcha at home, reviewing powders, and documenting the quiet ritual of it — how it can be so therapeutic and calming.
matcha for me is not just a drink. it is the thing that gets me out of bed, the excuse to explore a new neighborhood, and the one part of my day that is just mine. chug of matcha taught me how to create in public, how to have a voice, and how to hold onto the parts of myself that have nothing to do with productivity or career goals.
it is the most human thing i do.
growing up, public speaking was one of my greatest passions. leadership programs, speech and debate, giving speeches to my whole school. going into college i was terrified of losing that part of myself, something i did purely for the love of it.
i tried starting a podcast, then a tiktok, but fear of judgment and lack of direction kept getting in the way. turning 21 and starting 2026 felt like a reset. i finally built a real brand and image i believed in before ever posting anything.
i have been creating since january 1, 2026 and already had my first viral moment. this has taught me so much about what it means to put yourself out there and go after your dreams. even though progress is slow, i feel passionate to create every single day. chugoflife is me reclaiming the part of myself that has always loved having a voice.
writing is a muscle i hadn't used in a while. substack gave me a reason to pick it back up, turning spoken thoughts into something more intentional and lasting. it is a different kind of creative challenge than video. there is no tone of voice to rely on, no facial expression to fill in the gaps. just words on a page. i have found a lot of peace in that, and it has made me a sharper thinker.
over quarantine i wanted to start a business. i was always drawn to entrepreneurship and the free time felt like a sign. i wanted it to mean something, so i thought about causes close to my heart and landed on children's hospitals. growing up i had a condition called 4th nerve palsy that had me in and out of hospitals, and the sticker at the end of every visit always put a smile on my face. i wanted to give that back, especially to teenagers who had outgrown the disney and cartoon stickers. that is where first ray designs was born.
it wasn't easy. i taught myself to digitally hand draw every design on my ipad, cut them at home using a cricut machine, and package them myself. getting sales was its own challenge, which pushed me to think creatively about marketing. that led to firstraycustom, an account where i drew celebrities in sticker form, gaining real traction and attention from some big names.
all net proceeds went directly to children's hospitals across the country, with 50% benefiting the recreational therapy fun fund at lucile packard children's hospital stanford and the rest going to st. jude's children's hospital. i also reached out directly to hospitals to donate 200k stickers, hoping to bring a small moment of joy to kids who needed it most. i am grateful to the 20+ hospitals nationwide who responded with kind words, pictures, and testimonials that reminded me exactly why i started.
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