As always, I start my reflection journey by reading past years reflections. Linked here: 2023, 2022 & 2021
2024, you were kind of a lot. The year started off slow. To be quite honest, I had no idea what the second half of the year was going to look like. I didn’t know which school I was going to, or where I was going to be living. After a couple months of spiraling, I decided to focus on myself, my career and my friendships.
Between January and July, I spent a ton of time being active. Going to F45 was a really satisfying part of my routine, and one that completely flip flopped once I got into school (sorry, spoiler!). I also spent a lot of time in the beginning of the year practicing ceramics, which is something that kept me grounded and happy.
In the beginning of this year, I started going into the office more regularly, which to my surprise, actually helped my mental health a lot. Seeing the same people on a regular basis kept me sane. At work, I spent the majority of the year on the same project, met a lot of people, and felt like I got to do meaningful work (with a little bit of travel blended in).
My life was pretty quiet until the end of May, when I got into grad school and simultaneously found a new apartment. The second half of my year felt like a completely different beast. Starting my MBA was a difficult transition, all while living in a completely new neighborhood. I found myself missing the routines I had carefully cultivated over the past few years. I struggled to get back into studying and homework. Sometimes, I felt like the people I was meeting weren’t exactly my type of people, and that sent me spiraling (luckily I have figured this out). On top of all of this, I was (still am) searching for a new internship in the summer. I forgot how stressful school could be, even though my schedule has been more relaxed.
Socially, starting school was a little difficult. As an introvert, I felt pretty burnt out at the end of every school day. I have met a lot of wonderful people and I feel really grateful for all of them. I feel like I’m finding my groove and my new friends have a lot to do with it. My past friendships have also really carried me throughout this year. I feel so grateful to have made so many good friends in high school, college, and even post grad in New York. The transition to grad school was definitely hard and I felt like I had a great community to stand on even when grad school felt tough.
This reflection article has been a good way for me to process my year and better understand what I want in the next year, so let’s dig in!
What I wanted to work on in 2023
- travel to new places — This year I traveled to Madrid, Knoxville, Breckenridge, Ireland, Vietnam & saw the solar eclipse. This is a non-negotiable yearly goal for me. I had a lot of fun this year going on trips with different groups of people.
- leave things that don’t serve me anymore — I don’t know that I fully embraced this goal in the way I wanted to. Part of this goal was to be more authentic and it is something I am continuing to work on. I did reduce some of my routines (my weekly medium articles), and I don’t know if this was actually something that wasn’t serving me. This particular goal is something I am reflecting on for next year.
- celebrate love (in all forms) — I got to spend a lot of time with my friends and partner this year and I really appreciated it. As I grow older, I feel so grateful for the people in my life that have been in my life for a long time. It feels so comfortable to be around people who really know you.
- surround myself with art and creativity — I went to a couple of museums this year, but not as many as I wanted to: museo del prado in madrid, spain, and the whitney in nyc. Additionally, I went to the Georgia O’Keeffe exhibit at the MFA and it was really incredible. I love her colors and forms, and would love to go back to her museum in Santa Fe. I took my third ceramics class this year, and it was a big step up for me. I learned so much in this class and it really opened my eyes to how many different ways there are to make simple pots! Towards the second half of the year I definitely fell off my creative bandwagon, but I’m hoping to get back in touch with it in 2025.
- incorporate spontaneity into my life — kind of a flop? I am not a spontaneous person and I don’t know if I need to be? Something else I’ve learned about myself this year is that I don’t need to morph myself into doing things that I feel like I “should” be doing. There were moments this year when I did feel like being spontaneous, and I capitalized on those moments.
- be more proactive — Overall, this was a pretty proactive year for me. I reached out to people and made myself open to new challenges and adventures. I did things that pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I am better for doing those things. This year gave me confidence that I am a proactive person and that it is a skill that needs to be continously worked on.
Moments when I felt present
- superiority burger — started off the year having a birthday dinner here and it was really fun. A really memorable night filled with yummy food in one of my favorite neighborhoods of new york. I felt really grateful for my friends that night.
- cliffs of moher — we watched the fog slowly uncover the cliffs on a beautiful morning in Ireland. It felt so nice to be outside on the water, and I learned, for the millionth time, that I feel so present when I’m around a body of water.
- statue of liberty — on a hot summer’s day in june, I climbed up to the crown of the statue of liberty with my friends. Between the climbing, and the views, I felt very present. A very neat experience and I’m glad I did it.
- ha giang loop — I was overcoming a cold, but this loop was really magical and being on a motorbike in Vietnam was a bucket list experience. Since we had an easy rider, I felt like I could fully take in the views and be in the moment.
- reading at prospect park — After moving to the park slope area, I decided I wanted to make the most of the park in the summer & fall. I went to the park to read and just lay in the grass on my lovely picnic blanket. These were some of my favorite moments in the fall.
- storm king — I always feel so present here. It’s one of my favorite places in the world and I love wandering around the well curated grounds.
- watching my friend try on wedding dresses — This almost brought me to tears but how special is it to see your friend of many years wear a wedding dress!!!
Moments when I struggled
- rejection/the unknown — The beginning of the year was filled with a lot of rejections. I didn’t know what was going to happen in a lot of parts of my life. I felt a bit lost and unsure of myself and what I wanted. This was a really tough time and I did my best to be kind to myself since a lot of it wasn’t in my control. I’m glad I’m not in this place anymore but I also know that there is still a lot more that I don’t know.
- moving into a new space in nyc — Moving! Is! Hard! Making my first move by myself was very difficult. Unpacking by yourself is no easy feat. I enjoyed setting up my space but it also took a lot out of me. I was so tired at the end of every day and readjusting to a new neighborhood was also very time consuming.
- being sick in Vietnam — This was the first time in a while I had gotten pretty sick during a trip. The first few days in Vietnam were really difficult on my body. My brain felt like it was in a thick fog and I felt disappointed in myself for not being able to do the things I wanted to do. I’m lucky that I have such a great partner who was able to support me through the first few days of sickness, and we ended up having a great trip.
- starting school — Going back to school is also hard. I did a lot of hard, big things this year. I came into the first day of orientation not really knowing people. I felt like a fish out of water, gasping to take a breath. The days were long and tiring. I came home every day and promptly fell asleep. Learning how to do homework, study, and meet new people again was challenging but also rewarding. School has been a big adjustment but I love learning new things.
- figuring out new routines — People don’t talk about how difficult it is to figure out a new routine when you move, or when you start a new job/school. I was so used to my Trader Joe’s and my local hardware store. My routines had been down pat. Starting all of these from scratch felt like a huge challenge on top of starting school. Figuring out where to eat and which grocery store is the cheapest, or where to work out. I realized that a lot of the smaller parts of my routine that I had done for years, I definitely took for granted. This year has made me have a little bit more patience with myself for finding new routines.
Moments when I felt proud
- my ceramics class — This class I took at choplet was the third ceramics class I’ve taken and it was truly life changing. My instructor taught me wheel throwing in a very different way and I felt like learning a few styles of an art form is so important for personal growth. I learned so much from this instructor and felt like I leveled up in ceramics.
- getting into grad school — I got into school this year! A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into the process but I came out on the other side. I felt so much joy getting the phone call and it has been a fun ride ever since.
- finishing projects at work — This was the first year I travelled for work, and got to be part of a true design team with a client. It was rewarding to see some of my work come to life and I’m so excited to work on more product teams in the future ❤
- moving by myself — I can’t believe I moved and furnished my apartment pretty much on my own. I had a really great moving company, but the process was really rewarding and I feel super proud of the space I’ve created. A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this process as well.
- running a 5k — A small but mighty win. Keeping up with movement in the fall once I started school was really hard. I’m really proud of myself for sticking with running and finishing out the 5k on one of the coldest days of the year.
- having more open convos in my personal life — This was a year of a lot of difficult conversations with family. I’m proud of myself for opening up and sharing the things that are important to me. It’s definitely going to be a long journey but I’m glad I’ve opened up some conversations.
Favorite purchases of the year
- adidas sl72 — God I love these shoes so much. They are wider than they look and they make me feel cool (even though I’m not).
- first aid beauty exfoliation pads — I use these twice a week and they have made my skin more radiant.
- ll bean outdoor blanket — My favorite blanket to sit on at the park. This thing has a waterproof bottom and has kept my butt dry this summer & fall.
- wash and fold laundry — This is a recent development. I started doing wash & fold and it has made my life so much easier. It is definitely a premium to pay but has saved me countless hours. Shoutout apple laundry ❤
- anything on fb marketplace — After moving, I spent hours on fb marketplace hunting down deals for furniture. It is one of my favorite platforms to find unique things and most of my apartment is from fb marketplace!!
- massages — Got a couple of massages this year and they ALWAYS make me feel better. Now that I am a student, it feels harder to justify these massages but I might get one in a couple of months.
- ClassPass — It has gotten so much more expensive over the years but ClassPass has offered me a lot of flexibility in terms of location to take classes I really love. F45 has gotten me through some hard times and I love being able to take classes through the app!
Things that inspired me or excited me
- dublin, ireland — I loved Ireland so much. 3 days was not enough. The people, the nature, the history, everything was honestly fantastic. It felt very comforting and I want to go back.
- pinterest — ok, I think I rediscovered my love for pinterest this year. I never really went on it other than to make my vision boards, but something about pinterest really drew me back in. I’ve been using it kind of like how I used to use tumblr and it’s been fun to find fashion inspo and room decor inspo. It has given me a way to tap into my creative side and figure out what I like/don’t like in fashion & design.
- the tunnels in vietnam — the cu chi tunnels were absolutely crazy to me. I don’t know if they necessarily inspired me, but the people who built them and lived in them throughout the war did inspire me.
- east village cookbook — a really awesome cookbook highlighting popular recipes from restaurants in the east village. An homage to the neighborhood I lived in for 3 years and the lovely community that exists there. All profits go towards feeding people who need food!
- speakers at NYU — one of my favorite parts of being a student is being able to attend talks/lectures by professors, alumni and industry professionals. I’ve gotten to listen to so many this past semester and they are always a good reminder of the world that exists outside of school and why we are doing what we are doing in the first place.
- moving to park slope— I really love brooklyn and I’m so happy I moved. The east village always has a warm place in my heart, but the calmness of park slope has made me feel sane during this chaotic period of change.
Biggest lessons I learned
- the physical effects of stress are REAL — There were a lot of ups and downs this year in terms of stress. From rejections to acceptances to travel to moves to starting school and exams, there were infinite stressors in my life. Learning how to manage my stress is something that has always been important to me, and is going to be even more important going forward. This year, I got sick more, and wasn’t taking care of myself in the way that I wanted because of my stress.
- everyone should live alone, but it’s also hard — Living by myself has been an exciting journey. I’ve loved having my own space and the comfort that my home provides me. However, it is also hard. There are times I miss the presence of my roommates and the casual chit chat that happens when you live with people. Overall, it has been a really rewarding experience and I’ve learned so much about myself.
- getting older and getting jaded — The election really threw off my year. It was already a chaotic year, but something about the results of the election threw me back into 2016 and made me feel so jaded. The past few years of my life have felt quite difficult and I don’t want to be jaded!
- moments of reflection are so important to me — Slowing down, and taking a second to breathe and reflect, have been so crucial for me. The last few months have felt very back to back. I think that is a product of being in school, but I want to carve out more time for reflection this next year. It is something that I love doing and helps me become a better version of myself.
- I am capable of making good friends — Starting school and making friends was intimidating to me at first. I felt like I didn’t fit in and I had to remind myself that I have made friends before and I am pretty good at it! This affirmation has been really important to me because it has given me a positive mindset to draw from, and has reminded me of all the wonderful friendships I already have, and the ones that I am yet to make!
What I want to work on in the new year
- going on more adventures (this is a permanent goal)
- creating moments for reflection
- being my full self in the present
- celebrating friendship
- embracing togetherness
- charting a career path
What’s one word you would use to describe 2024?
Liminal — according to google, “liminal spaces are transitional or transformative spaces, and such places are often associated with a forlorn atmosphere, a disconnection from the concept of reality, and a fluid or sometimes neglected aesthetic. They are the waiting areas between one point in time and space and the next.”
Perhaps it is the fact that I started school, but this year felt very transitory for me. It felt a bit disjointed and uncomfortable. My body is getting better at dealing with change, but it was a tough year for me. I’m feeling more excited about next year and trying to put my impostor syndrome to the side for now.
What word do you want to define your 2025?
Authentic —One of my goals this year is to work on my people pleasing mentality. I want to do things for myself and be myself throughout all parts of my life. For me, this might be saying no to more things, learning to listen to my inner voice, and speaking up when I feel like there’s something important to say. I’d say I am an authentic person, but I struggle showing up authentically for myself sometimes, and that’s what I really want to work on. I’m really excited to see where this word takes me this year ❤
As always, thank you to everyone who has been following my writing journey for the past ~6 years. I hope everyone takes time to reflect on their year and wishing everyone a safe, and happy new years!! ❤
