Returning from Lao, I became unemployed. However, it gave me a chance to take a good rest and reflect on things that happened in my life.
Three days ago, while watching an episode of A Bit Personal with Jodi Shelton—the interview with Jensen Huang—I suddenly found his words hitting home:
“I would relive in our day… And the reason for that is because I thought that our 20s was happier than these 20s.. and um… I think everyone deserves some time to be oblivious and not to have… not to wear all of the world’s problems on day one. I just don’t think it is necessary.
“They’re cynical because they just see too much stuff…”
Source: Youtube
What it means to be a GenZ
For anyone who doesn’t know me: I’m from Hong Kong 🇭🇰, a tiny but intense city.
Before returning from Laos, I assumed my six-month UN 🇺🇳 experience would open doors here. Reality hit hard—I got zero responses from the job market.
Seeing the situation, I changed my strategy. reached out on LinkedIn to people in specific roles at target companies, asking for advice or inspiration.
Messages sent. Zero replies. 🤪
Change in mindset
Finally, I understood that I have already done everything I could have done to get a job. Although blaming the environment seemed to be an excuse, the environment and the resources I have really limited my options and opportunities.
I checked the data: Hong Kong’s youth unemployment rate (ages 15-29) has hovered around 6-11% in recent periods (e.g., around 6.2% overall for 15-29 in 2024, with seasonal fluctuations into 2025-2026 showing similar challenges for young job seekers per Census and Statistics Department reports). Knowing it’s not just me helps me stay calm—the external environment is genuinely tough.
Knowing it wasn’t my fault, I adopted another mindset: Try my best and let go of my expectation. I felt like worrying about my future and career prospect was too much for me.
Changes in action
I will still apply to 1-2 jobs every day, but after that, I would rest and do anything I love. I no longer care about when can I get a job or move out, given that I had saved enough money to survive for at least 2-3 months without a job.
For the first time in my life, I have the chance to learn how to live with the flow and enjoy my life.
What changed my mind?
I finally realized that many things are beyond my control after living and working in Laos for six months. I tried extremely hard to a point that I got sick for many times. Unfortunately, things still didn’t work out. At last, I realized that not everything in life is under my control. 😚
So, let’s chill and live with the flow.
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