Clinical Research Associate Viral Joshi on Finding Love, Success, and More!
Clinical research associate and star of Netflix’s hit show Indian Matchmaking Season 2, Viral Joshi is interviewed on the 33rd episode of The Homework Help Show. We’ve watched Viral find love on our screens and now we learn more about her professional life and how she has succeeded in finding both love and career! Find out on this blog about a possible new season for Viral on the show, learn what a CRA is and answers to your questions like ‘how do i become a clinical research professional?’
Viral Joshi: Early Life
Viral Joshi was born and raised in North Carolina. Her family is originally from the Gujarat Region in India and immigrated to the US before Viral was born. The Joshi family was also featured in the Netflix show Indian Matchmaking and supported Viral throughout her search for love. What wasn’t highlighted much in the show however was Viral’s career. She portrayed herself as the strong, independent woman she is who was looking for her perfect pair but little is known about her professional life.
Graduate from The University of North Carolina Wilmington, Viral Joshi took a double major in psychology with a minor in chemistry and a major in biology with a concentration in cellular and molecular physiology. She tells on The Homework Help Show podcast that her goal was to find a career where she was able to find the perfect work life balance. She started working during her undergraduate years at an endocrinology clinic and she did a few different jobs to figure out her perfect match until she finally did.
Viral Joshi as we see on the show and as we speak to her more in the interview really portrays a woman who knows what she wants and won’t stop until she gets it. A great inspiration to everyone who knows her.
Viral on Finding Out The Best Career Match For Her As A Clinical Research Associate
One of Viral’s first jobs as an undergrad was as a clinical research coordinator at an endocrinology clinic. The clinic worked on helping patients with thyroid cancer through clinical trials. Her inspiration in being in the medical field came from working with the endocrinologist who expanded his knowledge and used it for the betterment of people’s quality of life.
After she graduated from The University of North Carolina Wilmington, Viral went on to work as an EMT. However, as she was figuring out what she wanted to do, she realized being an EMT wasn’t it. After that, she worked as a high school science teacher. Viral says it was nice at the time teaching students but ultimately, it still wasn’t quite what she was looking for.
It took another career opportunity to work in the research industry before it clicked for Viral what she really wanted to do. She remembers how much she enjoyed working as a clinical researcher in her undergrad years and seized the opportunity. She cited clinical research associate skills like critical thinking and problem solving which she enjoyed doing. Her career as a CRA has since taken off.
What Is The Role Of A Research Associate?
After a few years of trying out different matches, Viral finally found her career calling. She explains that as a clinical research associate, she basically helps pharmaceutical companies bring their drugs into the market for consumers. More specifically Viral is a site clinical manager who does a lot of hands-on work. Some of her responsibilities include reviewing clinical data and ensuring data integrity and quality.
What Is A CRA?
At base level, training for clinical research associate positions require a life-science or health-related discipline which Viral was eligible for as a double major in psychology and biology. In a nutshell, a CRA oversees and monitors clinical trials. A clinical research associate job requirements include being certified from The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) and following training courses. If you must enroll in a clinical research associate training program, make sure you follow the ones accredited by the ACRP.
How Do You Get A CRA Job?
It’s always best to have experience when wanting to become a CRA exactly like Viral Joshi. She had her experience in the industry early on working during her undergraduate years. She even went on to do different jobs before she decided to really pursue becoming a CRA. It’s best and advised to start out as a clinical trial assistant training in the industry to really get those connections that lead to CRA jobs.
Viral Joshi was able to land opportunities to become a CRA, mostly thanks to her initial experience but also because she was vocal about wanting to be one. She initially applied as a medical assistant to someone who was also doing clinical trials so she was more outspoken about her goals and she was able to make an easy transition.
Viral Joshi manages at least 5 to 10 clinics at a time so in order to stay on top of her game, she’s made organization the “key” to her success. Viral is still able to travel a lot which was one of her main goals in finding the right career for her. She makes sure she is able to use her organizing apps of choice like Microsoft One Note and makes sure it’s accessible even on her phone. Even as she travels for work, she is able to review patient data and other relevant files as she makes her clinic visits.
Another great tip to stay organized according to Viral is having a good calendar. There are actually plenty of benefits having a good calendar is like keeping track of due dates, you’re able to see your availability quicker, it keeps you organized, you are able to plan better, and it can even reduce your stress and anxiety!
Also, as a travel fanatic, Viral Joshi advocates finding really good booking services. Ultimately, finding a routine that allows your responsibilities to be broken down individually and more manageable is the key to staying organized!
Viral Joshi On Being Cast In Netflix’s Show Indian Matchmaking
Even before Viral Joshi was on Netflix screens, she had actually already had some experience being on the big screen as an extra in the movie Iron Man 3! After that experience, she was looking for castings on Google and came across one looking for single individuals. While the casting details didn’t explicitly say the show was Indian Matchmaking, as someone who has seen the first season, Viral said she had put two and two together and figured it out. It so happened that she was really looking to date so it was another perfect match in the making for her. Looking back she says in the interview that “I’m glad I did it. It worked out.”
Working as a clinical research associate, Viral says the production team was very accommodating and understood her primary job wasn’t just being on the unscripted reality TV show. The show allowed her to be comfortable and she remembers not looking directly at the cameras while filming was the only thing that took getting used to. The filming process took about nine months.
Finding The Courage To Never Settle
Finding love for Viral Joshi wasn’t going to be any different as her path to finding the perfect career. Viral was very particular about the right career for her lifestyle and she was definitely the same about finding her perfect partner in the Indian Matchmaking show.
During her experience dating a few prospects, Viral called one of her dates “80% there”. This scene parallels her career journey like when she was a science teacher. It was nice but not quite what Viral was looking for. Spoilers ahead, just as Viral never settled in finding the right career and succeeded, she also found her perfect match.
We asked her where she got that strength and confidence to not be afraid to go after exactly what she wants and never settling, she says it’s from her father. She recalls confidence being instilled and taught to her by her parents even at a young age. Not only did she learn confidence from her family, they also showed her how to stay motivated to achieve her goals. “Impossible” was definitely not her vocabulary and that was all thanks to her parents as well.
Listen In To Viral Joshi’s Full Interview On The Homework Help Show
There’s more to learn about Viral Joshi besides her success in finding her perfect match in career and love! Viral Joshi who is also an avid reader shares her favorite books and tells us why she doesn’t like consuming short form content and why long form reading is still the best! We also discuss her favorite study habits and even gives us insight on a possible season 3 of Indian Matchmaking!
The 33rd episode of The Homework Help Show Podcast is available to watch on YouTube and can be heard on the top streaming platforms like Spotify, Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts!
Don’t forget that for all your student needs, Homework Help Global is always here! From custom essays to PhD dissertations, we’ve got you covered! We even have blogs where you can learn the best tips and tutorials for how to write your next essay assignment!
FULL TRANSCRIPT FROM OUR PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH VIRAL JOSHI BELOW
Viral [00:00:02] Always think about your future because you never, you know. Like one one of the things I said in the show, will I be okay at 50 with the decisions that I made at 30? And you have to think about things like that. When you go into something like a reality TV show it.
Patricia [00:00:25] Hi, everyone. Welcome back to The Homework Help Show. I’m your host, Patricia, and this podcast is your one stop shop for advice, motivation and inspiration. So whether you’re in the journey of your educational career or have finished that season in your life, there’s always a lesson we hope to impart. Today, I’m so excited to introduce our guest. You might know her from the Netflix series Indian Matchmaking. She’s not only a hit reality TV past, she’s also a professional in the medical field. Please welcome the lovely Miss Viral Joshi.
Patricia [00:00:58] Hi, welcome to the show!
Viral [00:00:59] Hi, thank you so much for having me.
Patricia [00:01:01] I just want to start off by saying we at
Patricia [00:01:03] Homework Help Global are huge fans. Our founder actually watched you on the show
Patricia [00:01:08] on the show and we’re like, I’m really starstruck. Actually, I’m so thankful that you graced us our little podcast. So thank you so much.
Viral [00:01:19] Yeah, for sure, absolutely. I’m doing well. You know, I just I’m in the middle of the work day, so juggling that, juggling this, but it’s all good.
Patricia [00:01:28] Okay, so there’s so much I want to ask. Obviously, we’re going to talk about the show and I really like something we that wasn’t really showcased in the show was your professional career. So I have a lot of questions to ask about that. Sure. For starters, we wanted to ask like, where you’re from. Like, I know you’re from the Gujarat region and you’re still currently in North Carolina.
Patricia [00:01:51] So how was that move? Did you grow up there? Were you born there? Could you tell us about that?
Viral [00:01:54] So my parents actually immigrated from there before I was born. So I wasn’t born there. I was actually born right here in Durham, North Carolina. And then I went to school for I went to undergrad about 2 hours away at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. It’s just a it’s a coastal university not far from home, far enough that I felt like I got an experience away from home, but not so far that, you know, if I needed something, I could just run home real quick, Right? And then I just I’ve stayed here. I work in the RTP area. It is the research capital of the world. Every large pharmaceutical CRO contract research organization, which I work for, is headquartered here. So it a perfect place to be.
Patricia [00:02:36] I feel like everything is just so convenient. Like everything just like, worked out for you. Like being close, close to home, even in college. I wanted to ask, like, what do you take at university? Like, what courses you take?
Viral [00:02:49] So I did a double major. I majored in psychology with a minor in chemistry, and then I did biology with a concentration in cellular and molecular physiology. It gets down to the nitty gritty of cell science, just how proteins are made. Just everything that happens at a very, like, intracellular level. And it was just very interesting to see how these, like micro actions in our body can affect us to such a macro situation. And it was just I had the best professors, they stimulated great discussion. So that just kept me more interested. And then I just was like, you know what? This is what I want to be in.
Patricia [00:03:28] I did read that you’re a trained endocrinologist, is that correct?
Viral [00:03:32] That is not correct. I’m not sure where that is from.
Patricia [00:03:34] There was an article that I read, but you’re in the pharmaceutical industry and you’re a researcher. Could you tell us more about your career, how you got into the lab? Like, was that always like the dream or the goal? Like.
Viral [00:03:47] So one goal I always had was that I, I did not want to take on graduate school debt. And my goal was to just I wanted to find a solid career that allowed me to have a work life balance and allowed me to explore things that I genuinely enjoy doing, like travel. And then so when I so in undergrad I worked as a clinical research coordinator at an endocrinology clinic. So this could be where that came from. Okay. You know, and so we worked on a clinical trial for thyroid cancer. And the endocrinologist at the clinic I was working at, he was actually the first person to connect thyroid peroxidase to thyroid cancer rather than other people were looking at 4354. So just seeing cool things about just him expanding his knowledge and applying it to just the betterment of the quality of life for people. That was very inspiring. And then so after I graduated college, I was still kind of figuring out what I wanted to do. I was an EMT because I wanted to see if hands on patient care was something that I wanted to do. It was not. I worked as, I worked as a high school science teacher, and that was nice, but it still wasn’t what I was quite looking for. I did not have a lot of work life balance, and then the opportunity came to fall back into my research career and I was like, You know what? I had a really good time doing this. I enjoy critical thinking. I enjoy problem solving. So this somewhere I really wanted to be in. So when the opportunity came up, I seized it and then. It just took off from there.
Patricia [00:05:26] And that’s still where you’re currently doing. So you’re basically like in the research pharmaceutical industry.
Viral [00:05:32] Yes. So I am a CRC clinical research associate and what I do a high level overview of what I do is I help pharmaceutical companies bring their drugs to the market for consumer. Well, first you have to become an expert on the protocol, which is just going to outline. These are all the procedures we need. This is like our final endpoint. This is going to be our statistical analysis, etc., etc.. You have to evaluate the clinics. You have to evaluate the physicians to make sure they have adequate experience training. They will prioritize patient care because ultimately these drugs are not FDA approved. So there needs to be a lot of hands on involvement. Then as the study goes on, my job is to review clinical data, make sure the data integrity and the data quality is up to par. As the FDA. You know, I know when COVID came out, there was a lot of criticism by the FDA and how fast or like they were taking too long and then sometimes they were moving too fast and then people having this little bit of mistrust. And I thought that was really unfortunate because the FDA is very, very hard to get them to approve any thing. What a lot of people actually don’t know is that 90% of drugs fail before they ever get to the market. And any drug that you see on market was researched probably about 15 years ago. So you’re used to that. So it’s nice to be on the cutting edge of new therapies that are coming out. And then at the end, when the trial is over, my job is to close down the clinics, make sure all the drug is accounted for because it’s not FDA approved. We don’t want this getting into the wrong hands and then submitting for FDA approval. And then from there, the FDA says, we love this, we’re going to approve it, or majority of the time they come back asking for something more.
Patricia [00:07:17] Well, so you’re really like from the start of like the development of these, like medicines, like the drug basically from the research up to like being because obviously you do you test them on patients to see if they work and all of that. So you’re in that whole like a whole process. Basically, you oversee that?
Viral [00:07:35] Yes, I basically describe it as I’m basically the site clinical manager and then you get like depending on how big your study is, you can have like 5 to 10 clinics that you oversee. So you have to just it’s a lot of managing people management and a lot of document management.
Patricia [00:07:53] How do you balance how do you not get confused with all of this? Do you have like a gel, like a set like way of doing things like your own personal process of working?
Viral [00:08:03] I think the key is to be as organized as possible. What’s nice is, you know, I use Microsoft, OneNote. I actually think it’s laid out very well. It’s very user friendly, too. Once you can get over the initial, like learning the software, I use that a lot of apps on my phone. Like I travel a lot for work. You know, when I do go review patient data and things like that, that does require me to go to the clinics. Having a really good calendar, having a really good travel booking service, these are all really important software that help me stay organized. And I think once you stay organized and you just approach every everything one day at a time, like I have about five clinic visits between now and mid October. But, you know, instead of letting that mountain kind of overwhelm me, I just kind of break it down. So I’m like, okay, let’s just focus on the one I have to go to on Friday. And then it slowly, you know, it’s a lot more manageable when you are organized and can break it down.
Patricia [00:09:03] Yeah, it’s like it’s so easy to like overwhelm yourself. So it’s nice to just like it is one thing at a time because, you know, when you think of all the things that you need to get done, it’s like, Oh my God, where do I find the time? Or How do I do this? Right?
Viral [00:09:17] Right.
Patricia [00:09:18] On what’s most important. Then you know, everything falls into place. What would you say to students who want to pursue, like, something that you’re doing currently, like something in the pharmaceutical industry? Is it like because you said you were trying to find like a career that had like the work life balance that you were looking for? Have you found that and what advice would you say to students who eventually want to, like, pursue a career like yours?
Viral [00:09:43] I definitely think I’ve achieved work life balance. The company I work for, they have a great PTO policy and anytime I needed to take time off, for example, for filming for the show, it was granted. They also understand that I have a life outside of my job and I think it’s also nice to work for a company that realizes that if my employee is happy outside of work, they’ll be happy at work, right? So it’s nice that my company acknowledges that. So it allows me to do a lot of things for people who want to go into this industry. I would say get as much exposure as early as possible. What helped me when the opportunity came up to become a CPA was how. Having that clinical research coordinator experience while I was an undergrad, and you don’t even have to necessarily apply immediately for that job. It actually I applied as an as a medical assistant, and then when I saw that he was doing clinical trials, I just expressed interest. And then I was I was starting to do a little bit of both and then completely transitioned over. So even if it’s not an immediate thing you can apply for, you can definitely find a way to make things happen. And I will say that I find a lot of people are more supportive than you would think. You just have to be a little bit outspoken about it.
Patricia [00:10:59] I do get that vibe from you because you did mention the show. I wanted to like do a little segue way to that because it was really inspiring to see you, because you just exuded this like really self-made, really inspiring. Like at such a young age, you’re like really successful and it seems like you really know what you want and you got that. So I think that’s like really inspiring for like young women to watch. I feel like we can talk about the show a little bit. It’s a great thing actually, that you said your company allowed you to have a little off time to film the show. I wanted to ask like, how did you even, like, get cast on the show? Like, what was that process like? How did you like it? Well, you were in the second season of the show already, So did you know about the show already? Tell us the whole process. How did you into it?
Viral [00:11:47] So I being someone who is looking for someone so specific, right. I was looking for him to be from the same region of India as me. I wanted him to be like, speak the language. I wanted him to be the same religion. And these are things you can just determine about somebody from across the room. So I knew I needed a targeted approach and my luck with the dating apps, my friend network. Nothing I was doing was working. I even I travel across the country and even then like I would just was not running into people who were potentially good matches for me. I was sitting in the parking lot one day waiting for my friend to come to a restaurant. We were going to go eat out and I was really hungry and I just during my undergrad years I was also an extra in Iron Man three and they had crates on set that were very, very good. And at the time I was like, you know, it’s Robert Downey, It’s full of Paltrow, it’s Don Cheadle. This guy must travel with them. There’s no way that this is just like a local person. So I was like, I really want those grapes. And so I just like I was sitting in the parking lot, I just Googled casting near me and it was the first thing that came up and I was like, You know, I am single. I am looking for someone. I need that targeted approach. It didn’t explicitly say Indian Matchmaking on the website, but I can kind of put two and two together that I was like, This has to be that. This has to be her, her as in Smriti. And I was like, you know, I think in season one she gave people really good matches. Of course, she can determine physical attraction, she can’t determine chemistry, but I think on paper everyone looked pretty okay. So I was like, You know what, she, Everything I’m doing isn’t working, so I need to do something different. And that was the motivation to kind of apply and recruit her help. And and I’m glad I did. It worked out.
Patricia [00:13:39] I love that. What was the filming process like? Because like, obviously, like us as a viewer, like, we feel like there’s, like this fourth wall, right, where we’re just like seeing from that behind the scenes. But when you’re actually filming, when you’re actually in the set, like it’s like producers and like camera crews, was it like hectic? What was the filmmaking process like for you?
Viral [00:14:01] You know, the producers are very professional. They also understand that my primary job is not being on an unscripted reality TV show, so they’re very accommodating to like a busy work schedule. So I felt very heard all the time. So this allowed me to be more comfortable. So then when I was going on these dates and the cameras were like literally this close to your face recording everything you’re saying, like basically everything you’re thinking, you don’t feel as awkward because you just have a they’ve established such a level of comfortability with you. So it wasn’t as awkward as one might think. It does take some getting used to. So in the beginning I was like, Oh, okay. And you have to you can’t, you know, acknowledge them, right? You have to look okay in the moment. Right? And so like when I would say something, I would notice them like come closer. And I was like, Oh God, like, what did I say? What is it that they zoomed in like, came so close to me on that they wanted to get. And so I would try and continue that conversation. So it’s a little bit of an it’s a little bit you’ll get used to it, though. You know, it’s it’s it’s getting used to it. That’s it.
Patricia [00:15:14] What was it like? How long was the filming process was like a few months. How long was it?
Viral [00:15:20] For me, it was nine months. Oh, wow.
Patricia [00:15:23] Because, like, we don’t we don’t really know how long it is because, you know, it’s only like a few episodes. We don’t really realize it’s like nine months. I’m just like, Yes. Wow. And nine months. Why? Eventually you got used to it? Because, like, maybe the first few months you were, like
Viral [00:15:40] a little weirded out by all the cameras out you. But then for, like, almost a year of filming, I guess that’s why you kind of got used to it. What were you like favorite moments on the show when you were like looking back and watching yourself? What was your like highlights?
Viral [00:15:58] Aside from the obvious being with me and Aashey of course that’s always going to be a favorite. But I actually really like the moments where Smriti is face timing the cast members, because I think she gives really good advice and it’s hard to hear in the moment. But I think if you take your emotions out of it and look at it purely objectively, I think you can see that she’s giving constructive criticism rather than it can feel like you’re being attacked in the moment. But if that’s not the case, she means well. So I like all the advice. It was nice to hear all the advice she gave everyone.
Patricia [00:16:35] It’s amazing that you brought that up, because honestly, one of my favorite parts from this show that I got from you was that scene. I think it was after that second date that you had and you were like, he’s like 80% there. And Smriti was like, Some people don’t even get 81%. And you were like, That’s for them. And I feel like if I was such a boss move for me because like you, you really embody this like new generation of women who just don’t take no for an answer. I know what I want, right?
Patricia [00:17:05] I’m getting I’m not settling. I think that was, like, really inspiring. Where do you where do you where do you get that strength? Like, where do you feel like you got?
Viral [00:17:15] Oh, man. I think it probably honestly started when I was younger because my dad was very encouraging. My dad built a lot of confidence in me from a young age. It starts small, right? Confidence takes many years to develop. It’s not something that happens overnight. But I think with my dad it was like small little goals, like, okay, he would my mom too actually they would make me write down a list from when I was very young. What are all the things you want to accomplish today? What are your what are all the things you want to accomplish this week? I would work out that list and then it was such an accomplished feeling after I would be able to check those boxes off and then, you know, I would get the pat on the back from my parents or we would go get ice cream or something like that. And then so achieving those little mini goals and having that like, Oh, okay, you know, I am capable of doing it. Look, I thought this list was so big, but you know what? I did it. And then so over the years, like, you know, when I was younger to probably middle school, they weren’t doing things like that. And then in high school, obviously a lot of things changed and you’re not need no procrastination. All that stuff that I had mind, I acknowledge that. And then I think just other confidence is surrounding yourself with like minded individuals. I think it’s nice to have like surround yourself with people who have similar goals of you. And then when you see them succeeding, hopefully, you know, I think it’s natural to compare yourself to others. But as long as you look at that comparison as motivation to do better versus, you know, internalizing some sort of dejected feelings, I think it’s good to have that little like, you know, not competition, but like like a good meter stick to kind of see how you are. So I think those things help having a good friend circle and then just building your confidence from a young age by starting with appreciating your small accomplishment.
Patricia [00:19:09] I love that. I feel like a lot of our listeners will really resonate with that. It’s like so important, like community is so important for our well-being, you know, like, and I feel like it’s so good on your parents. I mean, I saw them on the show too, they’re such good people. I would listen to them too. Because you’re an only child, too, right? Was that like hard growing up? Like, was it like lonely growing up or how was that like being an only child?
Viral [00:19:35] You know, my dad was always a big kid, so I never felt like I had someone I didn’t get to, like, hang out with or like, play games with. It was a little bit lonely because I would see so many people have like siblings and it’s like a best friend you are basically born with, right? And then you share all these memories. But as I got older, you know, I developed my friends circle very I curated my friend circle very well. And so I feel like they’re my friend, like they’re my siblings there. And it’s nice that I have that level of relationship with them because that I think, you know, this isn’t meant to like diminish the sibling relationship. But when two people are like, Yeah, you’re basically my sister. Or yeah, you’re basically like, we’re brother and sister. That’s a very special feeling that someone is, you know, basically you’re you started a total stranger and this person has basically adopted you as like, you know what, that’s like my big sister or that’s like, you know, my younger sister or whatever it is. So that’s pretty special.
Patricia [00:20:35] Like your blood family is one thing and then your chosen family is another. And that’s like equally as important. So besides those favorite moments of yours in the show, was there anything you regretted, like when you watched back, you were like, Oh, I wish I never said that. I wish you never said like, was there any anything like that?
Viral [00:20:55] You know, there were some moments that. When I look back, I was like, Oh, that’s a little hard for me to watch. But, you know, in unscripted reality TV, you do have to be your authentic self. And then you do also understand that you do sign over your rights to be portrayed. However, you know, the storyline wants you to be portrayed. So there are some things I said that when they stand alone as statements and there’s no context around it, it sounds, you know, a little bit harsh, but I don’t regret what was said. I do wish that the context was there, but it’s fine. I’m also someone who believes that what’s meant to be will be. So part of me was like, you know what, I. I gave it my best effort. Whatever was meant to come out of it will come out of it. And things worked out. So I don’t have any regrets.
Patricia [00:21:44] I love that. And you know, it is what it is, right? Like it’s it’s reality TV show, but it’s also just like, mainly like entertainment. So.
Viral [00:21:54] Yeah, it’s like. You can’t take it too seriously.
Patricia [00:21:56] Exactly. And not everyone’s going to understand your point of view of things no matter how you are
Viral [00:22:01] Right.
Patricia [00:22:02] Right? No matter how
Viral [00:22:04] For sure!
Patricia [00:22:04] you do things like people are always going to misconstrue, take it out of context. So all the end of the day, I don’t even really think that matters. You just as long as you know to yourself that you know, you know who you are. That’s all that really matters.
Viral [00:22:17] For sure! And you know, it’s a once in a lifetime experience. So I was just going to have fun with it and let the chips fall where they may.
Patricia [00:22:23] And would you do it again or would you advise anyone, you know to, like, sign up for a reality TV show?
Viral [00:22:29] I think my advice would be to understand that once you make all this footage with this company, they can edit it however they want it to be. And if depending on whatever what type of, you know, career or future you want for yourself, these could have future implications. So if you want to be a senator and you want to go on a reality TV show like Jersey Shore, that’s probably not a good idea, you know, So. So pick and choose. Always, always think about your future because you never, you know, like one of the things I said in the show, will I be okay at 50 with the decisions that I made at 30? And you have to think about things like that when you go into something like a reality TV show. So I would advise that. But I do think it’s a fun experience if it’s, you know, something that you can live with in the future, then I think you should totally go for it.
Patricia [00:23:23] Yeah. If it’s something that you won’t regret when you look back at it, I feel like it’s a right. You should give it a fair shot. One thing I also really loved, something you said about the word impossible on the show. Like we used to say, it’s impossible to go to the moon or it’s impossible to, you know, do this and that. But all those things are possible. Like, I think that’s so inspiring. Like, did you also get that from your family? Like, where do you get this like, mentality? You’re like, that’s like motivation because you’re like, really? Like watching you on the show was like really amazing because, you know, you really like from the first episode that you were on, like, you were like really established at a really young age. So where does that come from?
Viral [00:24:07] That comes from my dad. It it really does. You know, I don’t I’m trying to think if there was anything specific but that my dad always told me nothing’s impossible. And then also, when it comes to people who are, you know, for lack of a better term, kind of fickle, you know, where, you know, people can change their mind any second. Right? So it’s like when you have things in science like going to the moon, that takes a lot of planning. It’s more concrete, you know, if things like that are impossible, are like viewed as impossible, but that they are possible when it comes to people who, you know, change at any moment. Anything’s even possible there, too, right? I think it’s just like my dad always just telling me when I was younger, nothing is impossible. Even the word itself says “I’m possible”. You know, those motivational quotes and things from my dad were always just from a young age. It was very ingrained in. So it was very easy to keep that. I always hear his voice whenever I think something is challenging. And I’m like, Yeah, he’s alright. It’s not impossible. So just keep going.
Patricia [00:25:08] That is so amazing. Shout out to your dad. That sounds like a really great man. So I was like stalking you on Instagram. Obviously that is where I found you and I thought, You’re really avid reader, so yeah. Do you have any like, what’s your favorite genre or like, what is your favorite book?
Viral [00:25:27] This is a question that I get on Instagram all the time, which is what inspired me to do, like a book series, a post of like all my favorite books and stuff. But my favorite genre is historical fiction. I love reading books about like old war times and then just think thrown into a totally different world, right? And then I think you can also get some knowledgeable elements from those genres where it just paints. It just paint the totally different picture from what you learn in like a history class with just like facts and figures. My favorite book is Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner. And what’s awesome about that book is I actually stumbled upon it at the library. I was going on we were going on a family cruise for like a week, and I grew up reading. It’s something I get from my dad as well. And so I was like, you know, I can’t use the Internet at sea anyway, so I’m going to disconnect and find some books. And then I looked at some travel books because I thought I thought it’d be cool to read a book about traveling while I was traveling. And I’m so glad I did, because in that book he is you know, it’s that one is nonfiction. But in that book, he basically talks about what parameters define happiness. Is it like really good food? Is it like wealth? Is it health? Is it living in a beautiful place? And so what he does is he travels to all these places that are defined by that parameter. So, for example, like when he’s talking about is happiness the best food? So he he’ll go to Italy. Or is happiness like being super rich? And so he flies out to Dubai and then he just gets to know about happiness and what people are looking for there. And then at the end of all his travel, you find out where the most happy or the happiest place on earth is. And I think it’s such a great I’m not going to spoil it, but.
Patricia [00:27:29] I wanted you to spoil it.
Viral [00:27:31] It’s such a great book and I think everyone should read it.
Patricia [00:27:35] All right. You got me hooked. I’m definitely checking that out. But, like, how would you convince students or the younger generation to pick up the habit of reading? Because I feel like it’s just like something, you know, it’s not. A lot of people read, like, physical books anymore, you know? And like, I feel like especially for the younger generation, there’s like, you know, everyone’s so consumed with like short, like really easy to consume media, like short videos, like what they’re into. They’re no longer like into reading, like longform, you know, long form anything. Like they can’t do it, all right? Like, how would you convince, like, the young, the younger generation to, you know, try to try reading again?
Viral [00:28:24] One thing, one thing I don’t love about like this, like drive for like short consumption in media is it’s actually very unhealthy and well, I don’t think we see it yet, but I think in the future we will see that this is going to affect memory because I think if we like, if you read a book and it’s like 500 pages, you have to remember everything that’s happened by the time you get to the end. But if you’re just reading like short little media clips, I think retention is going to be a problem. And I think in life you want to remember things. And I think reading allows you to exercise that part of your brain. So if anyone takes it from help, like if the person who I’m trying to encourage encouraged to read takes it from a health perspective, I would say that. But I think just the general knowledge and perspective that comes with reading and just seeing another person’s point of view, I think just makes for your own opinions and your own experience of life to be more enriched. And I think just start small. You know, if you love sports, read something like read like a biography or an autobiography of one of your favorite athletes, because I think it starts with finding something thing that interests you. And then I think once you start getting into making it a little bit of a habit, it’s nicer to try something different. I also think physical books allow, like I’m very eco friendly. I try to be, but the one thing that I can’t give up is a hard book. Like a physical book. Yeah, because I think, you know, I think ebooks are great, but it’s I need time away from looking at a screen. You know, I look at a screen for work, I look at a screen on TV. So it’s just like I need something to, like properly shut down on my mind at the end of the day. And that’s a book.
Patricia [00:30:11] It’s almost like grounding, you know, like and there’s nothing like the smell of, like, the pages of a book.
Viral [00:30:18] Sure.
Patricia [00:30:19] It’s my, my mom really instilled in me like from a really young age because she’s a really, like, huge avid book reader. She has like huge library. So I always tried to, like, emulate that from her. I don’t have as, as, as an extensive library is hers. But, you know, it really got me into writing. I feel like that’s why I have like, you know, a good vocabulary. I would say so like, yeah, I don’t know how other people would would think so, but like, yeah, it’s like the retention. It really like it teaches you so much and it’s like it does learn it. Learning from just like being where you are, you know, because there’s like learning. When you travel, there’s learning in school when you’re just like you’re like transformed, you’re taken to a different world. When you read, it’s such, it’s it’s a different experience. I really feel completely agree. Yeah a lot of a lot of students because like or the younger generation could like put TikTok down and like.
Viral [00:31:16] Oh my God, you know.
Patricia [00:31:17] Yeah. I feel like we should, like, really advocate that more. But like, for, like, reading. What were you like as a student? Like, did you love it? Did you hate it?
Viral [00:31:29] You know, I, I didn’t fully I think in high school I didn’t fully appreciate the academic process because I always felt like there was a focus on just how to beat the standardized test. So I didn’t feel like I was the best high school student. I think when it came to college where I didn’t feel the pressure of having to succeed on like a final exam to the term because, like, I knew I didn’t want to go to grad school, so I wasn’t preparing for the grad or anything like that. So that allowed me to just, you know, it eased up the stress a little bit and allowed for like more free flow of thoughts. I was, you know, doing something that I was genuinely interested, interested in versus, you know, dealing with a lot of subjects that I just was not good at. I didn’t feel comfortable with as much. So I wasn’t the best high school student. I was definitely a better college student. But looking back, I missed the academic and educational environment so much that I wish I had just given it my all throughout high school and throughout college like both of them, instead of just, you know, resisting it as much as I did in high school.
Patricia [00:32:37] Yeah, a lot of adults say that like they say to like students, like high school students, Oh, you’re going to miss school so much. You don’t realize it now. But when you’re like a professional, when you’re working, you’re going to miss just like. Like your goal for the day is just to learn. Like, that is actually the best thing. I actually realized that to I’m. I’m pretty much the same. Like in high school I was just like skating by. I feel like you don’t get as much like you’re not as motivated because you feel like, oh, you just have to like, get good grades. But then, yeah, exactly. When you get to college and it’s like more, it’s more so what you want to do. Like you’re, you’re learning what you actually want to know. Like when you really get motivated, that’s when you really like, Oh, yeah, I really want to get to know more of this. And yeah, I mean, I was going to ask you, like if there was anything you would change about yours, would there be anything that you would change about your study habits in particular, like over your study habits? Like.
Viral [00:33:38] What worked for me was pen to paper. So when I would see a slide for me to really digest it, especially in things like organic chemistry, for example, just rewriting and redrawing all the formulas over and over and over again. So that’s something that really helped me, just that repetition and then pen to paper. But I think what else, I think I was always someone who did this, but I would encourage people to ask questions like ask questions because I miss having the direct access to an expert in the field now. You know, when I have a question, I have to consult Google. And, you know, not everything we read on the Internet is accurate. But when you have a question in class, you have a professor right there who is the expert and can guide you and lead better discussion for the whole group. And odds are someone else in the classroom already has the same question, but is too shy to bring it up. So keep asking questions. I think it’s something I did, but it’s something I would also I would have continued to do that.
Patricia [00:34:43] Yeah, I feel like, yeah, taking notes is really important because like now, I don’t know if it was the same for you, but like when I was in college, like whenever we did have slides in class, like instead of, like note taking, people would just like, take photos or they would just like, get, get, get the file. But then you’re not going to go home and like.
Viral [00:35:02] You know.
Patricia [00:35:03] Go to the slide again and like, you know, unless it’s like for a test or whatever, unless you really, really need it need to. But like, there’s something about just like reading a book and it’s like the retention of it, you know, it’s like one thing. Yes. When you’re writing it, it’s you’re you’re more likely to remember it. I feel like. Yes. But I feel like there’s just so much that has changed and like the way students are now because of social media, Because of, like, technology. Like, oh, yeah. Like it’s like everyone can just like, bring their laptops and just like, you know, type of way. It’s like, convenient. Yes, But there’s like, there’s, like the missing art of just like, doing things manually. I feel like I’m grading right now for sure. Right. I hope we can I don’t know how we’re going to break that back, but to all of our listeners out there, take it from us, try taking down notes. And yeah, you did bring up a good point there, asking questions because me as a student, I was like, I didn’t do that. I was like really shy. I would just like, you know, I would want to like, but like I’d be shy. So I feel like the the take away from this is to not even care. And just like ask now, ’cause you’re never going to have that, like, opportunity again, right?
Viral [00:36:23] No, for sure. And it’s like now looking back, do you remember that one person in class who asked the question? No, you know, but you need to ask that question because you’re there to learn. You know, you’re paying that tuition just as much as the person next to you. So if you have a question, you ask the question.
Patricia [00:36:41] Absolutely. So I wanted to ask, like if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, like in your career, is there anything else you would be doing?
Viral [00:36:52] So being in STEM is something that was always very important to me because it does help narrow the gender pay gap. And, you know, the STEM field is where a lot of products and services are made and developed and then ultimately brought to consumption to the consumer market. And so I think you need diverse perspectives. So it can’t just be all guys, you know. So I wanted to always be in STEM. So if I didn’t do pharma, I would 100% encourage people to go into tech. I like software developing software engineering, something like that, because I think that’s where the future is. It allows for a good work life balance. You have good pay depending on where in software you go to, almost always able to work in a different type of industry because your skill is always needed. If you’re in like retail, they’re always they’re going to need a software engineer. If you’re in pharma, they’re going to need a software engineer. So I think that’s what I would do.
Patricia [00:37:51] Okay. And you actually you brought up the gender pay gap in your career right now and in your industry. Was that a problem for you or like just being a woman and like in your industry, did you ever have any challenges or anything that you had to overcome?
Viral [00:38:06] I don’t think when it comes to salary for me, I noticed any large disparity. I think there were people who were in the same position as I was who had more or less experience, and I think their salary reflected that. I think we should talk about salary amongst ourselves more just because I think it’s something we don’t talk about. And I think companies get away with underpaying people because they know we’re not talking about this. And then I think it also allows you to understand how your company values you as an individual if you do openly have those discussions. So I had a really good friend and I was like, you know, I you know, I make X amount of money. I want to get promoted like you do the promotional, like you have the job title, the promotion that I want. What is the pay difference? And she was very candid with me. So then when I got promoted and it was it was the exact same amount, that’s when I knew that, you know, my company values me as an individual versus like, you know, nit picking about, you know, oh, she’s like this age or this experience level. Like, no, this was the promotion. This was like the experience that she had from us within the company to grow. And so we were going to pay her that fair amount. And I don’t think I see that as much in the pharmaceutical companies. From a serious side, I should say.
Patricia [00:39:29] Yeah, that’s really great. I feel like it’s good on your side that that doesn’t happen, but I feel like, yeah, it should be talked about more often because it’s still I feel like a problem in a lot of different countries. It’s still an issue and I feel like when we talk about it, that’s when we remove the stigma and that’s when we really like, make it better and
Viral [00:39:50] Yeah, bring about change.
Patricia [00:39:51] Yeah, bring about change and like really achieve equality. So yeah, so getting away from like career talk, I feel like we already know who you’re going to say, but I really wanted to ask you still. Yeah. Who inspires you and where do you get like that motivation to achieve your goals?
Viral [00:40:11] I think when it comes, I think for different things I have a different person when I need a book to read and I’m looking for a good recommendation, I turn to the Bill Gates website. I think he’s picked some really good books I’ve noticed over the years from reading from his book collection is that he and I have a lot of the same values in terms of philanthropy and in terms of climate change. So I was like, you know what? I’m like kind of I’m not as nerdy as Bill Gates, but I’m in the same you know, I’m in the same group a little bit. So I turn to him a lot for when I need an inspiration for a good book. Obviously, my parents, those are people I obviously turn to because, you know, they came here with hardly anything to their name. They didn’t really understand or they weren’t as fluent in English as they are now, yet they still made it and they still made a great life for themselves. And that allowed me to have a great life for myself. So then again, when I’m faced with something impossible, you know, I have like a living example in my house of how, you know, it’s not impossible. So they’re very inspiring. And then one thing that’s been a little interesting with the new public attention is, you know, there’s a lot of social media commentary. There’s there’s the good and the bad. But at pure face value, I do have to say politicians are actually pretty inspiring when it comes to bouncing off negative comments. So, you know, when I when I feel like a little bit down, I think about like, you know, like the presidents, you know, they’re probably one of the most polarizing figures in the entire country, you know, And then so regardless of what side you’re on, you know, you know, both parties have been presidents before. Their ability to just, you know, stay focused on what their agenda is and just block out the negative comments that come their way. They’re really good at it. So they’re pretty inspiring when sometimes I just see an overabundance of negative social media.
Patricia [00:42:14] I didn’t even realize the I, I didn’t even like it didn’t occur to me that you would be receiving like hate or negativity from social media. Like where does that even stem from? I can’t like, see people are just they’re always just going to like, find like something to not like about you, even if you’re not doing anything wrong? Like.
Viral [00:42:35] For sure.
Patricia [00:42:36] It’s such a crazy, like, space to be in social media.
Viral [00:42:40] Yeah.
Patricia [00:42:42] How do you navigate that, besides looking to, like, celebrities or like politicians for blocking out the hate? How else? You know.
Viral [00:42:53] I have one quote that I came across in high school that I think applies here and it’s you never meet a hater doing better than you. So I think that’s a really good quote because people who are very quick to like just start spouting whatever they want to say, they have so many of their own internal battles that they’re struggling with. So when they see another person who has, you know, jealousy, I think can make people do a lot of crazy things. And one of those things is going crazy on social media, on someone’s profile and just saying whatever comes to mind. But I think it’s also, you know, I remind myself. These are opinions of people that don’t matter. And you can’t you know, you live your life once. You can’t live it for other people.
Patricia [00:43:43] Absolutely. And like. Yeah. I mean, people are always going to say something. It doesn’t really matter at the end of the day. Yeah.
Viral [00:43:52] And like we talked about earlier, you know, everyone’s going to have an opinion on what you do, like, no matter what you do. So you just have to stay true to yourself and remember what your goal is. And my goal was obviously to find someone and I did. So that’s it.
Patricia [00:44:08] I love that. And like, honestly, sometimes I feel like people are just projecting. And like you said with jealousy, I feel like it could go two ways. Like, that could either, like, fuel you to just be a hateful person or it could like motivate you. Like if you’re jealousy, could be good to like, it could be a good motivational factor because like, if you see someone doing better than you, you can be like, they can do it. I can do it too. And like.
Viral [00:44:31] Yeah.
Patricia [00:44:32] Like, you know, instead of just being a hater online, you know, use that as a fuel to better yourself, right? That’s for sure.
Viral [00:44:40] For sure.
Patricia [00:44:41] That’s what people should do. We love asking this question because we love to give tips to our listeners. But what are your favorite ways to practice self-care?
Viral [00:44:51] You know, I try and do a little bit of self-care in my routine, keep things lighthearted as I do them. So, for example, like, you know, I have an electric toothbrush with a two minute timer. During that time, I’ll just like, I’ll like dance or I’ll do squats, like, whatever it is, you know, just, you know, exercise is always good. Dancing is always mentally good. When I’m putting away dishes, I’ll listen to like an audio book. So I’m always incorporating these lighthearted moments. So no situation or no event feels too stressful. And I think building it into your routine makes it very helpful. And then self-care in terms of like, you know, massages and things to really help you relax. I think it’s important to try and schedule those pretty routinely as well, to keep you on track, because I think if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of like your loved ones, right? So it’s important to always kind of integrate it a little bit here and there.
Patricia [00:45:46] And I feel like you’re just also such a busy person and everyone has like things they need to get done in the day. But it’s like really important to like, take care of you and nurse you because like, you really can’t take care of anyone else if you’re not taking care of yourself. That’s really true.
Viral [00:46:03] For sure.
Patricia [00:46:05] And I remember you said on the show that you like doing Pilates. Is that something you still do? Is that something?
Viral [00:46:13] Yes. It is something I still do. I absolutely love it. I would encourage a lot of people to try it. What’s really nice about the classes is there is an intense focus on day to day mobility as well. So one thing we’ll do is we’ll take a tennis ball and just like roll it around on our feet to like hit pressure points. But it also helps work like stability. And I think in the future that’s helpful because, you know, if you build those, like if you exercise and build those stability, those tiny stability muscles that can help you in your future, also abilities is really good about like stretching and flexibility, especially like in the hip flexor area. And then again, when you’re older, you know, older people are, you know, they’re more prone to fall and that’s when, you know, hips break and things like that happen. But if you maintain that flexibility, there is studies that prove that, you know, if you have that mobility there, you can probably prevent a hip injury. It’s a very good exercise. I would encourage everyone to do it.
Patricia [00:47:14] I haven’t gotten around to trying it. I’ve heard so many good reviews from other people like Benefits of Pilates. So yeah, we should definitely or any sort of exercise really, because it like it brings out endorphins. There’s so many health benefits. And eventually when you when you get old, you’ll you’ll realize, oh, I wish I had focused more on my flexibility or like exercise more to feel better. So I think that’s just like a take away from here. Like it’s also part of the health care.
Viral [00:47:43] It is. It is. And you only regret the workout you did not do.
Patricia [00:47:48] Oh, that’s so true. You know, you should workout. You should go to the gym just like you’re just so tired. Like, do you ever write those days? And what do you say to yourself? Or are you just like you have to push yourself? Like, how did you get through that?
Viral [00:48:01] Yeah, I definitely have those days. But I remind myself, like the hardest part about a workout is putting the shoes on and getting out the door. That’s the hardest part. Once you actually get there, you know, once those endorphins are pumping, you feel good and then afterwards you feel very accomplished. Like, Hey, I did that. You know, my Pilates classes are instructor led. So if it’s like an instructor I really love, I’m like, oh, you know, I can’t let her down. I have to go to class. So that also very helpful. But I think. The biggest thing is knowing when I the feeling you get when you walk out having accomplished something, I think it’s worth it to just get through that tough moment. I’m just putting the shoes on.
Patricia [00:48:44] Yeah, that’s so true. And you’re. Yep. You’re going to be so happy that you went through it and like, you pushed. So on top of being an avid reader, you’re also a traveler. Right? I see that on your Instagram as well. You’ve been to so many places. What would you say are your favorite places you’ve been to or like top destinations?
Viral [00:49:04] So Belgium is very nice and I say that because it’s like you walk into a fairytale. They have a lot of history. So there’s castles and there’s canals surrounding these castles. I was in a park one time and just a bunch of swans were there and I was like, this, this can’t be real. And there they have like cobblestone pathways and it’s just you really feel thrown into like a Rapunzel situation. It’s it’s really great. And obviously Belgian chocolate, Belgian waffles. I mean, he can’t beat you can’t beat that. And the architecture is very beautiful as well. India is always great because it’s a culture shock. I like culture shocks because it makes you see different perspectives about how other people in the world live life without some of the same luxuries that you have and that, you know, we here in America might take for granted. So I think those culture shock moments and travel is very important. India also has a lot of rich history. So I think it’s nice to see those architectural structures as well. I think Jamaica is very nice too, if you want, just like something closer to America. I think they have the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen.
Patricia [00:50:20] How old were you when you went back to India to visit? Do you go there often or?
Viral [00:50:25] I went when I was nine and then I went when I was 22. So there was a really big gap there. And then I went when I was 30 again. So there was a big gap in the beginning because, you know, getting to India is pretty expensive. My parents were here and so building their life, so, you know, forking out that much money just wasn’t realistic. But then as I got older, you know, we went when I was 22, things were great. And then I went again at 30. And it’s nice to see how much changes over the years, but then also how much stays the same. For example, like you have like, you know, water buffalo, just walking the street. That’s something you have to get used to. Or just like, you know, there’s also a lot of monkeys walking around and you have to be conscientious of them because if you look like you have food in your hand, they’ll come up to you and like, slap it out of your hand. Yeah. And so it’s, you know, those are fun things to always encounter. But then it’s also nice to see, you know, new construction, new developments where you can see like progress, like windmills, for example. So that’s pretty cool.
Patricia [00:51:38] So how did you deal with that? Like culture shock? Because I kind of relate to you on that because I’m currently in the Philippines, but I didn’t grow up here either. So after college, I actually grew up in the Middle East. So when I came here, it was my first time moving back here to my home country. I had never lived in the city here in Manila, so it was like so difficult for me. Like I actually had to take a break from like college because it was just like the lifestyle was so different. Like everything.
Viral [00:52:08] For sure.
Patricia [00:52:09] Going from a, from like a developed country and going back to the Philippines, it was so insane. How is that like for you, like the culture shock? Like, how did you deal with that?
Viral [00:52:17] It’s tough to deal with that first because, you know, the climate is different, the food is different, the water, the air, like every your day to day life is totally different. But like everything in life, you take it one day at a time. You know, the culture shock isn’t going to kill you. Yeah. So I think it’s just reminding yourself to take it a day at a time, not putting a lot of pressure on yourself to adapt very quickly because each person is different. Each person is going to take time to get used to their new surroundings and you learn to adapt. So for example, when I went to India one time, we stayed at an ashram and they have no normal modern facilities. And so when it was time to take a shower, I was like, As someone who love to sleep in, I was always the last one to wake up. So all the hot water was gone. So I learned to take a cold shower. Or I could have learned to, you know, wake up a little bit earlier and have access to a hot shower. So it’s just learning to adapt to your environment and always having patience with yourself that it’s not a race. It is an adjustment to take piece by piece. And when it is such a big culture shock, I would say anyone who integrates like that in something is probably not right.
Patricia [00:53:34] It teaches you a lot, too. Like it takes you away from the life you’re so used to. Especially for us. Like we’re so used to, like the comforts that we have now. And not a lot of people actually have those privileges. So to see that complete opposite of what we’re used to, it just like teaches us like a whole new perspective. And I feel like at some point I feel like everyone should have that kind of like experience to just like, take them away from what they’re used to and like, teach them that there’s so much out there in the world that we’re not used to. I feel like we we just have to be like kind of open, keep an open mind and be willing to embrace those like changes.
Viral [00:54:18] You know, and I think if more people had those culture shocks, I think there would be more kindness in the world.
Patricia [00:54:25] Yeah, more empathy, because you learn to empathize with other people, with their challenges and stuff like that. That is so true. I really. So that’s why I feel like traveling is so important because it takes you out of where you’re used to.
Viral [00:54:41] It takes you out of what you know.
Patricia [00:54:43] Yeah. Besides all those, like, favorite places you’ve been to, is there anything on your, like, bucket list or some place you haven’t been to that’s like, on your, like, goal?
Viral [00:54:54] The next place I want to go is either the Maldives or Bora Bora. I need to. I need to experience that overwater bungalow, if I can. Yeah.
Patricia [00:55:05] Oh, yeah. Those those villas on on top of the ocean. Oh, my God. Those are so gorgeous.
Viral [00:55:12] I seen it so many times.
Patricia [00:55:14] Yeah. When you have time
Viral [00:55:16] Makes you want to go.
Patricia [00:55:19] definitely visit the Philippines. We have a lot of really amazing beaches here.
Viral [00:55:20] Oh, I would love to. I would love to. Oh, my goodness.
Patricia [00:55:25] Yeah, we we have like really top destination beaches. You should really give it a try and honestly, like India. Yeah. Like the countries I want to visit. Like I love the cuisine. Like I feel like it’s just going to be really amazing so we can, like, do a little switcheroo.
Viral [00:55:42] Yeah, that’d be exciting.
Patricia [00:55:45] Um, so this wasn’t like, the questions that I asked you, but how, how is your relationship right now? I mean, we’ve talked about this show and all of that, so how are you and Aashey? And I know you guys are doing long distance. Are you still doing that? Yeah.
Viral [00:55:59] We are still doing long distance, but it’s only an hour flight, so it’s it’s not bad at all. And the flight prices are pretty competitive. So that’s also not bad when I’m not traveling. I work from home, so I’m able to fly up to New York where he is and I can stay for like a week, a week and a half. No problem. Him coming to North Carolina isn’t as often because he has he’s an optometrist, so he has to actually go see patients. You can’t really do that virtually. So he’ll come only on weekends and it’s so short, but I’m just like, Oh, I’ll just come up there so we can hang out for longer. No, but things are going really well. We prob we’re basically in constant communication. Ever since Smriti matched him and I, we probably sometimes the schedule gets hectic, but we make it a point to face time probably every day. But again, sometimes, you know, it gets late, I’ll fall asleep, whatever. But we do try and communicate as much as possible.
Patricia [00:57:02] Yeah. I feel like communication is key, especially for like long distance relationships. Like.
Viral [00:57:08] Oh, yes.
Patricia [00:57:09] Well, I wish you guys the best of luck. I do want to ask you. Can we expect to see you on screen any time soon or is that an idea?
Viral [00:57:21] I don’t know. When season three comes out, but I will be in season three. You see, my journey with Aashey develop much more in that season. I’m hoping it won’t be another two years before I look like like the big gap there was between one and two. But some pretty monumental things happen and it’s so hard to keep it a secret. But I have to until it comes out. So hopefully it comes out soon and I’m really excited for you all to see it.
Patricia [00:57:48] Okay, So okay, no spoilers, but you’re actually in the filming process right now, or how does that how is that work?
Viral [00:57:56] It’s still underway. So there are moments of, you know, trying to figure out the next filming schedule and things like that.
Patricia [00:58:03] Okay. So that’s really exciting. I feel like I’ve learned so much about you today, and this is really such a starstruck moment because, you know, I was researching you and I was watching your episodes, so, to talk to you is such such an honor, and I can’t thank you enough.
Viral [00:58:19] Oh, thank you.
Patricia [00:58:21] Once again for like gracing our podcast. This really means a lot to us, and I’m sure a lot of our listeners are going to take away so many lessons from you and like, really be inspired and thank you. Thank you so much. Once again, like, is there anything
Viral [00:58:36] Yes.
Patricia [00:58:37] you’d like to tell our listeners? Like, do you have any parting words you’d like to say?
Viral [00:58:43] You know, one quote that I always live by is you only fail if you quit. Otherwise, if you try something and you don’t succeed at it ten times, you just found ten ways it didn’t work. You only, that’s not failure. That’s just, you’re still working on it. So I think, you know, for people who listen to this podcast, I think just don’t win. Don’t give up. Don’t quit. Never let anyone make you feel like you don’t deserve what you want. I think that’s another very important tidbit. Hopefully I get to come visit the Philippines soon. It’s definitely on my list now. I do get a lot of DMs and I do know there are a lot of fans in the Philippines, so hopefully I can get out there. Thank you so much for having me. It was truly a pleasure.
Patricia [00:59:30] Of course. And really we can’t thank you enough for such huge fans. This is this was an amazing experience. It was so nice to talk to you and honestly, thank you as well to our listeners. Do you have any things you want to plug like I think you’re on cameo? Do you want to plug your socials or anything like that?
Viral [00:59:52] Sure. So I am on Cameo, totally happy to talk to anyone about whatever they are going through. I have had some interesting and also some very touching requests. So definitely I’m all I’m all ears. I am only on one social media platform and that is Instagram. If you see something else on another platform, that is not me. And then my Instagram is my first and last name with an underscore at the end that’s on Instagram. That’s all I have.
Patricia [01:00:23] All right. So thank you once again for being on here. And thank you as well. To our amazing listeners, we will be sharing all the links to your social media and the description. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram. We’re @homeworkhelpglobal. We’re also on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok. That’s also @homeworkhelpglobal. Don’t forget to like comments and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more podcasts soon and thank you once again for coming on this show. This is such a pleasure to talk to you.
Viral [01:00:54] For sure! Thank you for having me.
Patricia [01:00:55] Have an amazing week. And if you haven’t, you know, you can always reach out. We will have a blog about this so soon. So we’ll keep you updated. And if ever you need us, we’re like a friend just like message us.
Viral [01:01:12] Alrighty, I’m looking forward to it.
Patricia [01:01:13] All right. It was great to talk to you again. Have an amazing week. Thank you so much
Viral [01:01:17] You two.
Patricia [01:01:18] for coming. Thank you.
Viral [01:01:20] Thank you. Bye.
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