About This Site
About This Site
Welcome to my website!
The functionality of this site is very, very simple. It’s currently not linked to a personal server, just a static website.
In the future, I will make it “come alive”!
What is this blog’s content?
This blog post is, overall, an introduction! If you want to quickly get to know me and my website, reading this article is enough!
Hello! 🥳 Who am I?
I’m Jia Tang, a first-year Master’s student studying abroad in the field of HCI × well-being~
What kind of person am I?
- I really love music!
In terms of instruments, I used to study piano and guitar for a while. The time, energy, and cost of regular piano practice are still too expensive for me right now, so it’s temporarily on hold… But the good news is, I now practice guitar in the lab for about half an hour almost every day! As for drums, harp, and other instruments, I hope my future self has the chance to learn them!
I hope one day I can pick them up again! (Goal: Save money for a digital piano)
I have more instruments that I treat as toys: harmonica, kalimba, flute, hulusi, melodica… I can only play simple tunes on them (playing the flute is not as easy as it sounds!). Special thanks to my older brother for the annual birthday gifts of musical instruments!
Sad update! The gift for ‘25 was missing 😭
By the way, does whistling count as an instrument? It took me about a month to master this skill!
I’m still proud of this to this day.
- I really love sports!
At first, it was to focus on health and help relieve academic stress~ But after mastering push-ups and a 5km run, I started to fall in love with it and gradually got closer to pull-ups and 10km! (As of 2024)
[2025 Update!]
At the end of ‘24, I started getting into Calisthenics. Calisthenics is such a great thing, almost any time, any where! I strongly recommend it to everyone I pass by!
In July ‘25, after watching countless bouldering competition videos and being amazed by the figures of those spider-men, I finally stepped into a bouldering gym–Tokyo is truly a bouldering paradise!
Note 2025.5.1:
Push-ups: 10+ per set
Pull-ups (Chin-ups): 5+
Handstand: Wall Handstand √ Free Handstand: Goal to unlock this year!!!!
Note 2025.10.23:
My push-ups and pull-ups are still at the same level as half a year ago… But starting in August, bouldering once a week has become my new source of joy~
And the FLAG for ‘25:
Push-ups: 15+
Pull-ups (Overhand): 5+
Freestanding Handstand
- I used to love reading… I will try to pick up this habit again!
I used to read a lot of miscellaneous books and was a frequent visitor to the library. However, now I mainly go to the library to study… a bit embarrassing… 😭
But thanks to my past reading, if it weren’t for those books on cognitive science, philosophy of mind, sociology, and political science, I wouldn’t be on the path I am today~
Note 25.10: Picking it back up with “An Introduction to Ethics,” it shouldn’t be too late, right?
What am I doing now
2025 Update:
Overall, I’m exploring whether I can embark on the path of scientific research!
Started the first project with my incredible advisor!
First, I just have to express my gratitude for my own luck, being able to meet such a nice advisor, lab, and peers 😭…
Right now, I’m working with my advisor on a project using PMS data to predict the risk of depression in perinatal women. And “LAE,” as a personal interest project, is also under continuous development. If procrastination doesn’t defeat me, it might officially become a research topic before my second year of Master’s and become one of the main themes during my PhD!
[25.10 Progress Update!]
At the end of May, we (mainly my advisor carrying me T T) submitted a poster paper to Ubicomp! The next biiiig goal is a full paper for IMWUT!!!
And! In October ‘25, I finally embarked on my great adventure in Finland!
For someone who had never been abroad a year ago, this is a huge adventure!!! (Yep, a year later, I still feel the same way!)
Moment of Decision: PhD vs. Employment
(Originally scheduled for an update at the end of May, I’m now back with the answer!)
In early June, I made my decision: I’m going for a PhD!
The situation in Japan is quite special; whether you want to find a job after graduation or continue with a PhD, you need to start preparing as soon as possible. Unfortunately, as someone who hasn’t even fully formed their self-identity, what I need most is time to explore and think 😭
Forced by reality, and also to avoid overthinking, I decided to make this first major choice—PhD or employment—this May.
This time and this environment are exactly the time for adventure and making mistakes! I found that for a PhD, I want to but don’t dare to; for employment, I don’t want to but don’t dare not to…
Well, the answer is clear then! Keep pushing forward!!!
[Time Capsule] Records from 2024.5
(Looking back after a year, I’m filled with emotion)
Overall, I am working hard to achieve my academic ideals!
Applying for further studies
Although protected in an ivory tower, my current state feels very difficult…
Anxiety, confusion, procrastination, and other problems frequently appear, bombarding me. Looking around, I feel that everyone is under a lot of pressure and very tired…
This is just the statement of a student who is still protected by the school’s ivory tower! So, there are many people in the world who are in worse conditions and more unfortunate… What should they do?
I used to be tormented by this question. On one hand, I felt I had to do something, but on the other hand, I felt powerless and too small.
Later, I gradually realized that this problem is very complex, and what I can do and how much I can do is also a question that needs to be explored slowly! I can’t figure it out now due to lack of information and practical experience! I can’t stupidly lose hope, mentally exhaust myself without taking practical action, and waste time!
So, if my academic ability is still sufficient, if I am lucky enough, maybe I can do research? Continue to study and explore, and at the same time do something useful for everyone?
It is relatively difficult to pursue the direction I want for further studies in China, and most places abroad are very expensive… So, I am currently trying to apply to Japan!
This opportunity is really delightful: When I was a junior, in order to play games, I gritted my teeth and started self-learning Japanese. Then one thing led to another… If I went back two years and told myself I would be studying in Japan, I definitely wouldn’t believe it.
I was very, very lucky to find a program in Japan that perfectly matches my interests! But due to the problem of academic span, I might be eliminated… Thinking of this, I can’t help but feel stressed 😭
But I would rather regret trying, than regret not trying back then! Keep moving forward! After all, I really want to learn how to promote well-being for myself and others! Jia You!!!
Learning & Exploring
- LAE Project - A Grand Plan!
When I was a junior, I gradually established my goal, I wanted to LIVE AND ENJOY!!!Later, I realized that the ‘A’ in LAE stands for AND 😭… It’s okay! AND is also very important! If others don’t value you, I value you!
Then I started writing some programs in Python to help me achieve this goal (later I found that the function of the LAE program is actually to assist self-regulation).
Currently, the PC version of the program has more functions. It can record what I do every day, how much time I spend, generate markdown notes (linked with Obsidian), and perform summaries and analyses. It can also remind me to stand up and rest when I use it for too long.
But this is far from enough! So, I am developing the mobile version (LAE_kivy), with the ultimate goal of connecting all personal electronic devices! And I am trying to develop this website, from a one-person show to going live!
- Github - Is this the open-source ideology?!
I started using Github a long time ago to download and use software and code from various masters.
But it wasn’t until this March that I had the idea of using Github to host LAE!
Although my current level is very amateur, I hope that one day I can also contribute to this big family!
Keep moving forward!!!
Blog Directory
This is the classified directory of all blogs on the website~
Still in the process of moving, so the links are invalid right now 😭
Since the number of blogs moved over is too small, the directory is actually unnecessary 😓 So I’ll update it when the number increases…
