2015 marked a lot of big steps for me.
First, I spent the middle of the year in sunny, warm California. Moving across the country was quite a daunting task but I am very grateful that I was able to do so with my partner-in-crime by my side. I wonder if I’ll ever look back and wish I’d done that summer on my own but I know that I wouldn’t have been able to sail right through that transition into adulthood alone. I think summer 2016 will serve me well in that I will get my experience living more “alone” and being in the city “by myself,” with all of these being relative terms.
My brief foray into adulthood also included paying rent, dealing with moving in and out, being partially responsible for a car, and going to Costco and buying weekly groceries. I’m very proud of all the things I accomplished and think that I actually look forward to domestic, adult life. Maybe I’m growing up too fast and will wish I still had more childhood left in a few years.
Second, I had my second real internship. I soon figured out that it was not the kind of job I envisioned for my post-college life. It took a lot to voice that and communicate it without thinking that I was squandering a precious opportunity. I’m grateful that along this process, I met lots of mentors and friends who encouraged me to follow my instincts and try as much as I could.
Third, I switched majors at school. Applying for linguistics with urban studies proved to be a bureaucratic process but nothing unreasonable and it went smoothly enough. I’m glad to have found an academic topic in which I’m actually quite interested. I hope that I can keep up the steam and explore it in depth over the next year and a bit.
Fourth, I made it past the year mark in my relationship. I am quite happy and can’t wait to see what the next year holds. We did our cross country road trip, Puerto Rico vacation, and Iceland vacation in 2015. 2016 will be a year of European traveling although we are yet to figure out what the second half of the year will entail. Perhaps a cross country train trip?
Other random tidbits of 2015 include acquiring a new phone, a few new credit cards, a new bank account, new phone plan…and my Langham Supper Club membership! I saw Book of Mormon as well as a few other concerts, though perhaps not as much culture as I would have liked.
Overall, I think I did a lot of learning. I think I’m getting better at being wise – I did grow all four wisdom teeth! I had lots of fun and tried my best to be grateful and appreciative. Lots to continue to work on.
Goals for 2016 include:
- Embracing loneliness and the unknown – in particular, by studying abroad and then living in San Francisco alone this summer
- Continuing to work hard and learn as much as I can
- Travel plenty – beginning the year in Taiwan has gotten me off to a good start
- Continue to de-clutter my life and simplify
- Blog more than I did in 2015
- Keep my heart open to friends, both old and new