Blank Perception

Welcome to the second iteration of Blank Psychology where our hosts delve into various topics sometimes loosely based on psychology. This week Ankur and Harsha discuss the optimal way to build an argument, why there is so much burnout in science, how to use mindfulness to fight procrastination, and the view of "gaming gear" in society. We hope to see you continue these conversations in the comments below and we will be responding to everyone down there as well.  

The Dilution Effect - Niro Sivanathan: https://www.ted.com/talks/niro_sivanathan_the_counterintuitive_way_to_be_more_persuasive

How burnout and imposter syndrome blight scientific careers: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-03042-z

Mindfulness Can Reduce Procrastination: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/dont-delay/202204/how-mindfulness-can-reduce-procrastination 

The TSA made fun of my Steam deck: https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/steam-deck-tsa/ 

"Stay grinding, don't take no for an answer, and surround yourself with good people"

This week I sat down with rapper and father, Ace Boogie. Watch or listen as Ace Boogie shares his story, from growing up in foster homes, to providing for his family while pursuing his life long passion as an artist and entertainer. In addition to sharing information on his next album and mixtape, Ace Boogie gets into the nitty gritty of what it takes to be successful, not just in music but all aspects of life.

Welcome to a brand new format as Harsha and I take a break from our regular show to catch up, and discuss what's going on in the world of psychology. This week we cover a variety of topics ranging from the benefits of being an introvert to why Russian athletes might have a bit of an advantage👀. 

Articles Referenced In the Episode:  

Why Do Introverts Bounce Back Better?

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fulfillment-any-age/202202/why-introverts-may-be-more-resilient-everyone-else?eml 

Too Many Meetings? How to Avoid this Common Waste of Time 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/funny-bone-pick/202202/too-many-meetings-how-avoid-common-waste-time 

Why Can’t Achievers Take a Break? 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/anxiety-in-high-achievers/202202/why-cant-achievers-take-break

"Take Things At Your Own Pace"

This week I reconnected with one of my best friends from childhood, Raye Yi Chiang. After having not spoken in almost a decade, Raye shared what he has been up to, attending UC Davis, working as a bartender, working on cars and so much more. We talk about being self-aware and when it goes from being good for u to being self-critical and bad. Watch or listen as Raye and I discuss the hurdles of life and how we got over them to where we are today. 

"Confidence is key, everybody has their purpose"  

This week I had the privilege of talking with up and coming Rapper and Producer, Youngdub. Youngdub shares his vision of what he wants from his career in music, He shares the influence his family and friends have on his creative process as well as his drive to motivate the people around him through his music. Youngdub and his music truly help us understand what it means to follow our dreams and overcome adversity.

"Go with the flow, roll with the punches, learn to be adaptive"

This week, I sat down to get to know Sarah Jackson, a friend I have known for many years but have learned very little about until now. This week, Sarah shared her life story, from having ADHD, to finding her place socially, and how all those experiences have led up to where she is now. In addition to that, I got to hear the first-hand experiences of a woman in tech and how she is currently on her way to becoming the first woman to graduate her program at her University. 

"Don't take anything too seriously, life moves quickly so take time to slow down and enjoy the present"
This week I had the chance to talk with Samyak Sawale who recently got back from a semester abroad in Spain. In addition to talking about his love of travel and experiences around the world, we discussed the importance of spreading joy and doing what you love. Watch or listen as I learn what drives Samyak to pursue his passions and the path he took to get to where he is today.

“Don’t be scared of the shit, go through the experience but when it’s time, build yourself back up and use what you learned“ This week I sat down with my good friend Tom G-N, as we look back at the memories, good and bad, from our time together in high school. In addition to revisiting our past, we discuss Tom's passion for environmentalism and activism and how he is building himself up for a career to further pursue both avenues. Lastly, we get to hear his story of losing his father at an early age, and the experiences that have helped grow his resiliency not only to cope with the loss but also the many challenges life has thrown at him since.

Welcome back to a brand new season of Blank Perception. This week I was joined by my fearless editor Harsha as we sat down to kick off the new season. Harsha and I got a chance to reflect on the past couple months of the show as well as discuss our plans for the future. In addition to talking shop, we had a chance to catch up and even discuss how life has changed for us since Harsha was last on the show at the beginning of last season.

"Whatever you have on your mind, give it a try, even if you fail you will have learned something new"
After relatively minimal contact over the past 2 years, I finally had the opportunity to sit down and catch up with one of my longtime childhood friends, Yash Talwar. He shares his experience of switching majors and how rewarding that decision has been in his life as well as the motivation and drive he has with every task; and how he plans to use that drive in his new endeavor to improve his physical health over the coming year. Most importantly, we talked about mental health and how so many people go on without acknowledging the issue and letting it control their lives.

"Do not be the one that one day regrets not trying. It is better to fail than to live your life wondering what if"

Actor, Writer, Editor, Producer, and Director, this week I had the pleasure of getting some time with Robert L. Butler Jr. as he works on his latest film. I got the opportunity to better understand the creative process of film making as well as the lack of diversity that still plagues the industry. Butler explains his motivations as an actor and what drives him to create the most diverse filmset in the north west. In addition to filmmaking we talk about his experiences in the Marines and how the military has changed over the last 30 years between when he joined and my time now.

"People are gonna judge what I do and dislike what I do regardless of how I act, so its a lot more fun to act like myself"

I had the absolute pleasure this week of talking to up and coming artist Aiden Smith. Aiden shared her inspiration for her art as well as gave me much needed insight on how to use social media to more effectively grow my own brand. In addition to her artistic abilities, Aiden shared her journey of discovering she is autistic and how liberating it was for her to finally have answers as to why she always felt slightly disconnected from the average neurotypical. She shows how through her art and her platform she is able to bring awareness to such a variety of topics that are otherwise avoided by traditional media. Check out her art and life at www.aidenmarina.com.

"Be curious. Be like a little kid and always ask why"

This week I sat down with Sathvik to talk about what drives him to be where he is today. He breaks down his life and how one of his heroes, Kobe Bryant, has shaped him today, not only from his relentless need to succeed but also his influence on those around him. He shows that being on top does not mean putting others down but bringing those around you up as well.

"Visualizing a scenario before you go into it allows you to prepare for what's to come" An analytical person, Jack Myers shared his philosophies in life and aspirations to be a computer scientist. We got the chance to reminisce on our childhoods as well as discussing modern issues such as the vast divide currently so prominent in the US. 

"Stop stressing over things you cant control, and if you can control it you shouldn't be stressing over it"

Only having met him for 2 weeks, Vaughn and I created a lasting friendship and after many months of trying to have him on the show, I was able to sit down and get to know him better. We talked about our mutual love of travel as well as reflecting on the changes he has seen in himself since becoming a father. Talking to him as inspired me to be a more positive person, and I hope it inspires you all as well. 

For the opening episode of the season, it was only appropriate to have the man editing the show to come on first. Harsha and I reminisce on fun experiences from our childhood as well as discussing some of the more important struggles we have had to face. Harsha talks about how he overcame the mental obstacles so many face today. He reflects on how he has changed, but understands that the work on ourselves is never done. He shares the importance of continuing to work on yourself and helping those around you that may be going through similar situations. 

Welcome to Season 2! After a very long break, our Blank Perception returns with a lot of new changes. From starting a YouTube channel to some changes with the show as a whole, this season will be be filled with entertaining conversation as we hear from a variety of guests. Stay tuned for weekly episodes and see you next time!

For this season finale, I decided to turn the tables and allow my previous guests submit questions to ask me. I talk about some of the challenges I have faced throughout my journey to where I am today as well as talking about the future, and how I approach life today. I put myself through the topic and quality lists that I have had every guest do and learned just how difficult it really is to analyze yourself.

This week I talked to my good friend Gautam as we discussed how he has changed moving to the east coast. He shares his love for meeting new people and how he takes some wisdom from every individual he meets. We talk music and reminisce about our childhood and the group of friends we grew up with. Lastly, he shared insight on how he has overcome issues such as overthinking and finding out who he truly is.  

This week I sat down with my friend Mike as we discussed our shared aspirations for law enforcement and how current events have effected and eventually strengthened our motivations to succeed. Mike shares his story of moving to America alone as a teenager, and the struggles he faced in finding his place. We shared insight on how to cope with stress and learning to dictate our own lives. 

This week I was able to get some time with Sankalp as he celebrated graduating college. We talked about how he has mentally prepared himself for the challenges of med school as well as his perspective on being a twin.

This week, Spencer Hoover and I took a deep dive into our social lives and understanding the reasons they take the shapes that they do. We discuss our experiences in the Army and how we plan on applying them to our futures. Most importantly, we find the benefits of not shying away from complex social and political issues and how people can find common ground simply by having those conversations. 

This week I sat down with my longtime childhood friend Dhruv. While we have known each other for over a decade, i was able to discover so much about him that I did not know. We discussed his ambitions to one day put humans on Mars and inspire future engineers. You will also get to see as he opens up about the social hurdles he endured in his early years, and how those challenges have shaped his success as a student and more importantly as a friend.

Nishu Chakrapani is a music producer, a student at Purdue University, and a soon to be intern at Amazon. We get to talk to him about his struggles with motivation and self confidence as well as how he overcame those challenges and has since used what he has learned to fuel his journey into the world of computer science and music. We also get to see how he reacts to finding out how his longtime friend's perception of him compares to his own perspective. 

Here is a quick mini-episode for you all to get to know what this show is all about. I move a little quick but I hope you get a good idea of what is going on and I look forward to hearing what you think. Follow @blankperception on Instagram to stay up to date with future episodes as well as general communication from me.