2019 IN PHOTOS

What a year.  2019 seemed so long yet so fleeting.  It's fascinating to think about where I was at the beginning of the year and the beginning of the decade.  I was still in elementary school then--mindblowing!

I wanted to wrap up this year in a creative way, and I was inspired by a few of my favorite bloggers to create a "year in photos" post.  I hope you enjoy this peek into my hectic (as always) year.

JANUARY

During the first month of 2019, I started taking walks on the weekends.  It doesn't sound like much, but at the time, I was struggling with homesickness and negative thoughts.  The simple act of being outside in the fresh air, watching the beautiful sunrise and sharing little moments of camaraderie with other walkers, really improved my attitude.

COLLEGE STUDY TIPS

August is quickly approaching, and the beginning of the fall semester is following closely behind.  I know that many people are going to be starting college for the first time, so I wanted to round up a list of my favorite tricks for studying and doing well in college classes.

Since college classes typically require your study routine to be highly disciplined, I've had to slightly modify my studying habits from high school in order to stay on top of the material.  These tips are the result of that modification.  Without further ado:

1. Read your required materials before class.  Even if you just take five minutes to skim over the main ideas of a reading excerpt, you'll be more knowledgeable than if you do nothing.

SNAPSHOTS FROM NYC

I've always wanted to visit New York City, especially as an American citizen;  so much of the country's history is housed in the streets and waterways of that island.  I am extremely blessed to have an aunt and uncle who were willing to take me to see all of the sights there for a few days.

I think that the city has countless opportunities to see and experience new things, but it's too fast-paced for my liking.  Too many people, too much traffic, too much smoke:  it was a total sensory overload for someone like me.  That being said, it was an incredible place to visit, and I would gladly go back to see another Broadway production.

RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME

I've always been fairly open about myself and my life on the blog, but as I've matured and my blogging has become more sporadic, I've realized that there are some facts that have yet to surface.  Because some of these details constitute large parts of my personality and my interests, I thought that now would be as good a time as any to write about them.

1. I really enjoy listening to K-pop.  It all started about two years ago when I watched an interview with the K-pop group BTS (yes, that BTS), and as I learned more about the members and their music, I became hooked.  I wouldn't consider myself a connoisseur of K-pop by any means, but I particularly like listening to BTS, Blackpink, Red Velvet, Twice, and Got7.  I would love to know any recommendations that you have!

A COLLEGE DAY IN MY LIFE: FRESHMAN YEAR

Hello everyone!  My first year of college is coming to an end (I'm heading home in less than a week!), so this post is a bit late, but I want to share it while I still can.

If you're curious about what a pre-veterinary student's typical college day looks like, you've come to the right place!  This is a brief description of a pretty busy Thursday in my life.  Please enjoy!

6:00 AM - Rise and shine!  Get ready, eat breakfast, and watch some mindless YouTube.

8:00 AM - Leave for my first class of the day.

QUOTES ABOUT FEAR

Sometimes life is a scary venture.  Unfortunately, this is all too often due to harrowing or painful circumstances--but not always.  Sometimes life is scary because we make it so;  we dwell on our anxieties about the unknown, the future, and ourselves, and we allow anxieties to develop into all-consuming fears.

Before I started college, I never realized how afraid I truly was.  I never realized how much my small, insignificant fears deterred me from living.  For many years, I let general uneasiness and anxiety accumulate until they finally paralyzed me, barring me from doing so many things that I, deep down, wanted to do.

Now I try my best to regard fear in a different light.  I am still afraid--life will always be a bit scary--but I encourage myself to overcome fear rather than bow down to it.  The following quotes have been a major source of inspiration and encouragement for me, and I hope that they will be for you, too.

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." -- Helen Keller

"Sometimes, fear does not subside and one must choose to do it afraid." -- Elisabeth Elliot

MY GOALS FOR 2019

Like practically every other person on the planet, I usually fail to keep my New Year's resolutions.  A few weeks into January, they become swallowed in the chaos of everyday life, reduced to a few lofty statements on a piece of crumpled notebook paper.

However, goals are a different story.  When I take the time to create thoughtful and realistic goals for myself, and I think about the steps I should take to reach those goals, I usually make concrete progress--hence the title of this blog post.

During 2019, I want to focus on how my small, seemingly insignificant actions impact other people and things in significant ways.  I also want to master a few new concepts.  Hopefully my 2019 goals can give you some inspiration for what you want to achieve over the next twelve months and beyond!

1. Keep track of my daily habits.
Our little habits and daily rituals are what we spend the majority of our lives doing, so I want to focus on cultivating more mindful habits during 2019.  I recently started experimenting with a habit tracker, and so far I've really enjoyed using it to keep track of the small yet significant activities I want to accomplish each day.