Riddhi Laijawala

It seems that my social media feed is full of the word ‘whimsy’ at the moment. Move over nonchalance, welcome whimsy. It’s being covered on Instagram and Tiktok. It’s being picked up by podcasters. But what is it really? According to the Cambridge English dictionary, the word whimsy refers to ‘unusual, funny, and pleasant ideas or qualities.’ It ties in well with imaginative, playful ideas that aren’t particularly serious or profound.

It seems that I do have a trend of finding life lessons from my hobbies and interests. Two years ago, I wrote a piece on how ballet taught me life lessons. Then, I wrote about the deep symbolism of children’s movies, and finally, Taylor Swift. These are just some of my hobbies and interests alongside my full-time job as a researcher, and part time PhD.

As a researcher working at the intersection of digital technologies and women’s health, it is always so empowering to see the latest advancements in FemTech (tech-driven products like apps and wearable devices to address female health, like pregnancy and menopause) such as menstrual blood being discovered as a valuable biomarker, and wearable products for menopause detection. It empowers me, as a South Asian woman in science, to do the work I do.