I just gave myself a spot-on reminder on my academic life, or my life in general. I admit I am still striving to become a devoted academic, but there have been signs reminding what my career should be like.

• Apart from my ethusiasm about music, my life has been academic-related. From a department admin to a learning resource developer, from a research assistant to a lecturer, why shouldn’t I be more focused on becoming an academic?

I’m sure many readers out there have a very clear career path and goal; at the same time I would see the following as a very good test to myself for an immediate picture of my career.

• If I’m given a blank sheet of paper, the first thing I would do is grabbing a pen and write. My favourite way of writing is bullet points, lists, mind maps and tables. I wouldn’t be the one who would draw or, more creatively, fold an origami crane with the paper. This pretty much sums up my career: I’m the kind of person who writes – who likes writing – and sees writing as the major means of expression, creation and reflection. I may still sing and play instruments, but blogging, tweeting, writing articles are totally my thing.

I told myself, ‘I should make progress every day.’ Sorting my thoughts out is a very good mental workout. I’ll keep reminding myself this.