Bucket List

This is a document that contains my "bucket-list", a list of everything I want out of life. This list may be old, outdated, not represent what I want right now, but I think taking a peak into this would be interesting.

Bucket List

Take lsd and watch those "real size of the universe" videos and see what happens
status: "not yet"
motivation: "When I watch this type of media it makes me feel very small and aware of my place in the universe. It makes me feel much more conscious and I feel my ego dissolving."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "breaking-social-norms"]

Go sky diving
status: "completed"
motivation: "It is something that a lot of people say they want to do but don't commit. I want to do this so I can conquer a genuine fear I become braver."
completed: "yes"
completed_on: "2025-06-29"
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "achievements", "health"]

Going to a nude beach in France (Plage de Tahiti)
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I remember learning that France has a different cultural perspective on nudity compared to the US. I feel uncomfortable with nudity, and I would like to challenge that feeling of discomfort"
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["travel", "breaking-social-norms", "experiences", "challenge"]

Go to a Don't Die meet up
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["events", "experiences", "health"]

Meet Bryan Johnson
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["people-i-want-to-meet", "health", "technology"]

Meet Andrew Huberman
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["people-i-want-to-meet", "health"]

Celebrate Chinese New Year in China
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["travel", "experiences", "events"]

Take my mom to an Enej/Kwiat Jabłoni concert
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["family", "experiences", "events"]

Visit Kazakhstan and meet Sanzhar's younger brother
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["travel", "experiences", "people-i-want-to-meet"]

Shake a president's hand
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["people-i-want-to-meet", "achievements"]

Live in the wilderness for a few days
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["experiences", "health", "breaking-social-norms", "challenge"]

Go into space
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "lifetime"
tags: ["travel", "achievements"]

Go to North Korea
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["travel", "breaking-social-norms", "experiences", "challenge"]

Go to South Korea
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["travel", "experiences"]

Go bald
status: "completed"
motivation: ""
completed: "yes"
completed_on: "2024-06-16"
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["breaking-social-norms", "achievements", "challenge"]

Visit Sapporo Snow Festival, Japan
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["travel", "events", "experiences"]

Visit The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["travel", "experiences", "health"]

Visit Antarctica
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "lifetime"
tags: ["travel", "experiences"]

Celebrate Diwali in India
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["travel", "events", "experiences"]

Travel in Japan
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["travel", "experiences"]

Go to a maker's festival
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["events", "experiences", "technology"]

Learn Fake ID as good as the dancers in this video status: status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdi8yqDWmCk&feature=youtu.be]
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["skills", "challenge", "play"]

Visit South America
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["travel", "experiences"]

Go paintballing
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["experiences", "health", "play"]

Skiing in the Alps
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["travel", "experiences", "health"]

Go cliff jumping
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "health", "achievements", "challenge"]

Go to Valencia, Spain
status: "completed"
motivation: "It was on a list of places to go to, and it seems cool"
completed: "yes"
completed_on: 2025-09-22 media: []
importance: 3
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["travel", "experiences"] details: "I theoretically completed this, because on my way to Longevity Biotech Fellowship 7 kickoff, I was in Valencia, but I didn't explore the city"

Travel to San Francisco
status: "completed"
motivation: ""
completed: "yes"
completed_on: "2025-08-06"
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["travel", "experiences"]

Go to a strip club in Thailand
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I met someone on my first trip to San Francisco in August 2025, he told me that 'everyone needs to go there at least once'"
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["travel", "breaking-social-norms", "experiences", "play", "challenge"]

Go to a Polish karaoke bar and sing
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I've been doing Kareoke on average once per week for the past 5 weeks (as of 2026-02-22). I am no longer uncomfortable doing Kareoke in front of strangers"
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "play"]

Go to Burning Man
status: "not yet"
motivation: "there are quite a few people I have met in the bay area that are burners, and it seems like it is a great community"
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["travel", "events", "experiences", "breaking-social-norms", "play"]

Meet Derek Sivers
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["people-i-want-to-meet", "creation"]

Become a household name
status: "not yet"
motivation: "When I visited Harvard, it made me think about legacy. Depending on how I live my life, what I accomplish, what risks I take, people will recognize my name. In some sense, I get to choose this future."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["achievements"]

Become a 2x better person than I am on 2025-08-29 (fitness, kindness, intelligence, creativity)
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Have a family
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "lifetime"
tags: ["achievements", "family"]

500k in income for a given year
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I did a back-of-the--envelope calculation and at 500k a year I cannot think of anything else to buy that would significantly improve my quality of life. I think this is a good target to aim for." completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["achievements", "finance"]

Learn shorthand
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["skills"]

Design and build my dream house
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["creation"]

Make my own website
status: "completed"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on: "2025-08-22"
media: ["https://matthandzel.com/"]
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["creation", "technology"]

Publish an article on my blog
status: "completed"
motivation: ""
completed: "yes"
completed_on: "2025-10-21" media: [link]
importance: 2
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["creation"]

Create a product of my own, making $1000
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["creation", "finance"]

Run a Marathon
status: "completed"
motivation: ""
completed: "yes"
completed_on: "2025-04-24"
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Climb a mountain
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["travel", "experiences", "health"]

Build my own desktop PC
status: "completed"
motivation: ""
completed: "yes"
completed_on: "2025-07-21"
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["creation", "technology"]

Learn Polish, go back to Poland, and speak with my family there
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["skills", "languages", "family", "travel"]

Learn Chinese to some level of fluency so others think I speak Chinese
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["skills", "languages", "travel"]

Bench 250 lbs
status: "completed"
motivation: ""
completed: "yes"
completed_on: "2025-07-30"
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Publish a book
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["creation", "achievements"]

Write and publish a personal manifesto — my North Star
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["creation", "achievements"]

Climb a mountain
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["experiences", "health", "travel"]

Complete an Ironman
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["achievements", "health", "challenge"]

Work with a life coach
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["creation", "health"]

Spend a week completely offline and alone
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "health", "breaking-social-norms", "challenge"]

Do a muscle up
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Master a dance style and perform publicly
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["skills", "play", "health"]

Sail a boat
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["skills", "experiences", "travel"]

Bench 1.75× my body weight (≈315 lbs)
status: "in progress"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Squat 2.25× my body weight (≈405 lbs)
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Deadlift 2.5× my body weight (≈450 lbs)
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Shoulder press 1.1× my body weight (≈200 lbs)
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Do 25 pull-ups in one set
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Leg press 4× my body weight (≈720 lbs seated)
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Use a Flipper Zero to hack into something
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["technology", "creation", "skills", "play"]

Document my family
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["creation", "family"]

Have a 6-pack
status: "in progress"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Learn to Ballroom Dance
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["skills", "play", "experiences"]

Speak at a major event/conference
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["creation", "events", "achievements"]

Own a pair of smart glasses
status: "completed"
motivation: "I think these are going to be super cool technology and I can imagine the personal growth/productivity gains from these can be enormous"
completed: "yes"
completed_on: 2026-02-23 media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["technology", "creation", "experiences"]

Become a thought leader
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["achievements", "creation"]

Document my life for my future self
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["creation", "experiences", "health"]

Get a brain implant and control things with my mind
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "lifetime"
tags: ["technology", "experiences", "breaking-social-norms"]

Start lifelogging
status: "planned"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["creation", "technology", "health"]

Host a dinner for my closest friends every year for my birthday
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "play", "family"]

Salsa in Spain
status: "planned"
motivation: "I have taken a few Salsa classes at UIUC, I love dancing, I think it could be a great way to meet people and get an authentic experience"
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["travel", "experiences", "play"]

Do the "no English for X" challenge like Scott Young
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["experiences", "languages", "breaking-social-norms", "challenge"]

Swim with dolphins
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "travel", "health"]

Volunteer for a homeless shelter for ~10 hours and interact with people there
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I want to gain a perspective on how others live. I've been blessed to have a comfortable life and I want to be reminded of how grateful I should be."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 1
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["experiences"]

Go on a meditation/silence retreat
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "health", "breaking-social-norms", "challenge"]

Give a TED talk
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["creation", "achievements", "events"]

Learn to surf
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["skills", "health", "experiences"]

Learn to sail
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["skills", "experiences", "travel"]

Achieve 15% body fat
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Host a 2 degrees of separation dinner
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["creation", "play", "people-i-want-to-meet"]

Learn to pick locks
status: "completed"
motivation: "Somewhat of a useful skill to have, also a fun thing to do" completed: "yes" completed_on: "2026-02-21" media: [] importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["skills", "play", "challenge"]

Learn how to play Ostatnia Nocka
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: [chords]
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["skills", "play", "family"]

Create a time capsule/book to be opened in 50 years
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["experiences", "creation", "family"]

Create and bury a treasure for others to find
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["creation", "play", "experiences", "challenge"]

Take a pole dance class
status: "completed"
motivation: "It looks fun, I like to dance"
completed: "yes" completed_on: 2025-10-27 media: [inspiration]
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "play", "breaking-social-norms", "challenge"]

During a given year, spend more time abroad then at home
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "lifetime"
tags: ["travel", "experiences", "challenge"]

Start a company, be self-employed
status: "completed"
motivation: "By starting a formal legal organization, it opens up options for me to sell my own work."
completed: "yes"
completed_on: 2026-01-06 media: []
importance: 10
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["creation", "finance", "technology"]

Move to San Francisco
status: "complete"
motivation: ""
completed: "yes"
completed_on: 2026-01-10 media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["travel", "creation", "finance"]

Post my nudes online
status: "not yet"
motivation: "At this point, no blackmail can ever be done. Also, like, I am technically always naked but with clothes on. Wearing clothes is a choice by society"
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "breaking-social-norms", "challenge"]

Get a gene therapy / become genetically engineered
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["technology", "health", "experiences"]

Do "proper" biohacking (80/20 of Bryan Johnson)
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["health", "technology", "creation"]

Go whole-food plant-based diet for a month (How Not to Die)
status: "completed"
motivation: "I want to see how it will affect my biomarkers"
completed: "yes"
completed_on: 2025-11-14 media: []
importance: 5
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["health", "skills", "challenge"]

Run an ultra marathon status: "in progress" motivation: "Goal is to run the San Jose 1-day" completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 10 time_frame: "short-term" tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Run the San Jose 100 miler status: "not yet" motivation: "The ultimate endurance challenge. 100 miles in a single effort." completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 5 time_frame: "mid-term" tags: ["achievements", "health"]

Be invited to a meeting/discussion with influential people (CEOs, founders, scientists, etc.)
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["experiences", "people-i-want-to-meet"]

Be invited to a podcast / talk by someone I admire
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["achievements", "events"]

Be a woman for a day
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I anticipate either my mind being blown and thus being able to relate to women more, or, I will find it completely underwhelming and then tell people to stop complaining about the differences between the sexes." completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 2
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "breaking-social-norms", "challenge"]

Start a research lab
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["creation", "technology"]

Host strangers in my home for Couch Surfing
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "breaking-social-norms", "travel", "challenge"]

Start a scholarship / fund to support high-agency and wise children
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "long-term"
tags: ["creation", "finance", "family"]

Genetically engineer my children
status: "not yet"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "lifetime"
tags: ["technology", "family", "creation"]

Spend the night in a stranger's home in 5 countries
status: "in progress"
motivation: ""
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["travel", "experiences", "breaking-social-norms", "challenge"]

Speak French at a C1 level
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I want to be able to go to any French-speaking country and be able to make friends and have meaningful conversations."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["skills", "languages", "travel"]

Speak Polish at a C1 level
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I am ethnically Polish, my family is Polish, I want to be able to participate in the family banter. I also (might) want my children to speak Polish."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["skills", "languages", "family", "travel"]

Speak Russian at a B2 level
status: "not yet"
motivation: "Learning Russian from Polish would not be that hard, I always find myself communicating with and surrounded by Russians."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["skills", "languages", "travel"]

Speak Spanish at a B2 level
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I have some experience with Spanish, I live in America where Spanish is widely spoken, and I want to be able to speak with my friend Pablo in Spanish."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["skills", "languages", "travel"]

Speak Chinese at an HSK 4 level
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I have some very very basic Chinese knowledge from my Epic internship and I have a lot of friends who speak Chinese."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "mid-term"
tags: ["skills", "languages", "travel"]

Speak Arabic at an A2 level
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I know a few people that speak Arabic and it would be cool to show them that I respect their culture."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["skills", "languages", "travel"]

Speak Hindi at an A1 level
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I know a lot of Indians and it would be cool to be able to pull it off."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["skills", "languages", "travel"]

Speak Portuguese at an A1 level
status: "not yet"
motivation: "This should be easy to learn and Portuguese is spoken in South America."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["skills", "languages", "travel"]

Speak German at an A1 level
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I know a few Germans."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["skills", "languages", "travel"]

Speak Japanese at an A1 level
status: "not yet"
motivation: "Japanese is widely spoken."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["skills", "languages", "travel"]

Become a male stripper
status: "not yet"
motivation: "This would be crazy dad lore."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["skills", "play", "breaking-social-norms", "challenge"]

Visit a prison
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I have this intuition that the prison system in the United States is immoral. I want to go to a prison to understand firsthand and meet prisoners."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "breaking-social-norms", "challenge"]

Do 1 week of radical honesty
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I want to remove some of my people-pleasing tendencies. I have a hunch that having 1 week of radical honesty is better than the current mode I live my life."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 0
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "breaking-social-norms", "challenge"]

Learn to skate as a form of transportation
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I see people skating to class and think: that's a very cool idea. You are getting to your destination faster, you don't need a lock, and you are improving a skill other than walking."
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 1
time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["breaking-social-norms", "challenge"]

Spend a week alone, unplugged from society
status: "not yet"
motivation: "I want to take time to myself to detox from social media, technology, the hustle and bustle of society"
completed: "no"
completed_on:
media: []
importance: 1 time_frame: "short-term"
tags: ["experiences", "health", "challenge"]

Be an extra in a movie status: "not yet" motivation: "I think this is kinda fun--if it's a popular movie it would be fun if people were to see me and then ask me if I was an extra." completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 0 time_frame: "medium-term" tags: ["experiences", "challenge"]

Be a part of UIUC's promotional material (photos/videos) status: "don't want to do it anymore" motivation: "I want to be a part of UIUC's promotional material just for funsies, make my mark" completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 0 time_frame: "short-term" tags: ["experiences", "challenge"]

Relearn everything (important) I've learned in University status: "not yet" motivation: "I think it's a shame we forget what we learn in school. I want to relearn everything I've learned in University to solidify my knowledge and make it more permanent. Some notable examples: Adv. Topics in Robotics, ML for Bioinformatics, Algorithms, Systems Programming, Distributed Systems, Computer Security, Text Mining with LLMs" completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 5 time_frame: "mid-term" tags: ["skills", "challenge"]

Curate my fashion; have a wardrobe that entirely fits me status: "not yet" motivation: "I am trying to be more fashionable; this is motivated by my friend" completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 5 time_frame: "mid-term" tags: ["skills", "challenge"]

Do 100 instances of rejection therapy status: "in progress" motivation: "A friend of mine recommended me doing it, I have been avoiding doing the challenge because of the nature of it being every day, but I am going to modify it so it is 100 instances. Meaning, I can do multiple in a day or go a few days without doing it" completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 12 time_frame: "short-term" tags: ["breaking-social-norms", "challenge", "skills"]

100 Connections Challenge status: "planned" motivation: "I saw this on Substack and think it would be good and fun" completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 10 time_frame: "short-term" tags: ["people-i-want-to-meet", "challenge", "skills"]

Meet Barack Obama before Ella status: "not yet" motivation: "Me and Ella are both huge fans of Obama. While visiting Harvard, we talked about how cool he is and I told her I want to meet him. She said it is unlikely, and given her being a Harvard student and in Political Science, she has a better shot of meeting him. I told her that it is my mission now to meet him before she does." completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 5 "time_frame: "long-term" tags: ["people-i-want-to-meet"]

Shadow a nurse in a hospital for a week status: "not yet" motivation: "Reading this, it seems I would gain a lot of experience by being in this setting https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/uwmFSaDMprsFkpWet/explore-more-a-bag-of-tricks-to-keep-your-life-on-the-rails" completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 5 "time_frame: "short-term" tags: ["experiences", "challenge", "health"]

Get my friend Islam to Greenland status: "not yet" motivation: "theres something he greenland he needs to find" completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 5 time_frame: "short-term" tags: ["experiences", "challenge", "health"]

Go to a transformation retreat, like the one Alan mentioned status: "not yet" motivation: "it sounded like it is something that is my cup of tee, and I would meet interesting people there" completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 10 time_frame: "short-term" tags: ["experiences", "challenge", "health"]

Go to a San Francisco Friday Night Skate status: "not yet" motivation: "it sounded like it is something that is my cup of tee, and I would meet interesting people there" completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 10 time_frame: "short-term" tags: ["experiences", "challenge", "health"]

Meet a Billionaire status: "completed" motivation: "" completed: "yes" completed_on: 2026-01-31 media: [] importance: 1 time_frame: "short-term" tags: []

Bondage meditation status: "not yet" motivation: "someone from EAG told me to try it out" completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 0 time_frame: "medium-term" tags: ["experience", "challenge", "breaking-social-norms"]

Do Zen Buddhism at the SF Zen Center status: "not yet" motivation: "Aidan from EAG told me to check it out. Seems like it would be life-changing" completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 0 time_frame: "medium-term" tags: ["experience", "challenge", "health"]

Cure my food allergies with immunotherapy status: "not yet" motivation: "Someone at EAG told me that it worked very well for her and she can eat peanuts now. I want to try it out as well." completed: "no" completed_on: media: [] importance: 0 time_frame: "medium-term" tags: ["experience", "challenge", "health", "technology"]

Be written about on a national newspaper status: "completed" motivation: "It's a cool story" completed: "yes" completed_on: 2026-02-08 media: [] importance: 2 time_frame: "short-term" tags: ["events"]

Go to a cuddle party status: "completed" motivation: "This seems like a very mega Bay Area thing to do, so I must do it. Also, I want to know what it would have been like for humans to evolve from bonobos." completed: "yes" completed_on: 2026-02-20 media: [] importance: 10 time_frame: "short-term" tags: ["experience", "challenge", "breaking-social-norms", "play"]