2012 in review

2012 was a big year with big adventures. I learned a new language. I started running. I got my first apartment. I turned 21.

A year ago today, I began living in France. In my six months I was there I ate new food and mastered the art of the French walk. I met best friends. We went on trips. We ate pain au chocolate and sat on blankets under trees. We listened to a poet in Morocco and watched the sun rise in the Sahara Desert.  I visited Ireland, France, Italy, Morocco and places in-between.

I saw the Atlantic ocean for the first time standing on the Cliffs of Moher. I ran around Italy during Spring Break. I saw Julia Child's house in Marseilles and walked down the street where she lived in Paris. I ate Beignets until I couldn't breath, with no regret. I found comfort in tea and emails. I cried watching "You've Got Mail" on a long train ride. I got tired. I fell in love with the old buildings and a local wine bar. I wanted to stay forever.

I embarrassed myself often and felt humbled by my surroundings. I relished being an adventurer. I became independent. I sat in solidarity and thought about my future. I fell in every country I visited, and even giving myself a black-eye, further proving the fact that I am completely lacking coordination.

I watched my little brother graduate high school, turn 18, and enlist in the United States Army. I felt scared and upset and proud.

I worked a summer for my parents. Some girls just shouldn't work construction.

I rented a small house with a new friend. I paid my first utility bill. I filled jars with flowers and rooms with candles. I started my junior year of college and declared a double major in Political Studies and French.

I struggled with depression in the fall. I reached a dark place and when I found myself laying on the floor, numb, I sought help. I am doing something I never though I would. I am seeing a therapist. Her name is Ashley, and she is helping me pick up my pieces and put myself together again.

I began jogging. I jog a lot. I started Yoga. Something I never thought I would be into. I went to a jazz club where I got blisters and ruined a new dress. I had dinner parties with friends. I danced New Years' Eve away with my best friends.

I felt happy and confused and lost and excited. When my heart hurt I ran away to the beach with my mom. I came home and felt peace. I have decided that my dreams are too important to ignore, so I will spend the rest of my life running after them. My dreams include travel, education, adventure.

I baked. I wrote. I napped.

This year taught me a lot. How to love myself and how to actually live. I accomplished so much. I did things that I know I will never forget. I thought hard about what I want to do and how I am going to accomplish it. I am both sad and excited to see this year go. 

Resolutions: 21 edition.

I've been thinking alot about beginnings lately. New beginnings. Newly twenty-one and trying to grow up. Even if that means looking hard at my life and the many paths I have to take soon. As soon as I finish with one chapter, another appears and sometimes they are harder to get through than the last, but any good book is like that. Here I am twenty-one and the whole of life is just beginning to open up to me. The future is fresh with possibility.

1/ Smile more
2/ Take more pictures
3/ Stop waisting all my money on Starbucks lattes
4/ Turn this year into my best year at school
5/ Spend every sunny day outside. Explore the City. Live like a Tourist (kinda)
6/ Live on a budget. Save, save, save and make, make, make Money.
7/ Throw away my scale.
8/ Get off the computer an hour before bedtime.
9/ Read one book a month.
10/ Continue running, try to run a race.

2012 Resolutions

I love resolutions. I know that some people hate them, but I love lists, especially checklists, so this to me is just like a year long list. Love it.

2012 to do list: 

- Enjoy France: Live every moment in the present when I am France. Do everything I can, travel everywhere I can, take it all in.

- Run a half marathon: Seattle Marathon, November 27, 2012.

- Become fluent in French: see goal one. I will be there for 6 months. I will speak French everyday, all day. No excuses.

- Pay off a student loan: This will be hard since I will be paying rent for an apartment next fall, but I need to start paying them off. I still have law school to get through after undergrad.

There are a couple more personal resolutions but you don't need to know them yet. You have to buy me dinner first.