6/1/2024 … 25 – this simple error has always served as a go-to reminder that another year has arrived.
You rise with the first light on December 31st, perhaps engage in a little meditation to get into positive spirits, enjoy breakfast, go about your day, and then suddenly notice the clock striking midnight. If you’re someone like me, you might find yourself out in the streets, watching the fireworks light up the night sky, and just like that you’re magically teleported into a new year. You wish your loved ones a “Happy New Year” with hopes of good things to come, you let go of your past strifes and most importantly, you make that all-too-familiar promise to yourself – “2025 is gonna be my year!!”
I’ve often pondered, “Does a person actually change right as a new year knocks at the door? Does one mystically transform into the best version of themselves as the clock resets? Does one truly say goodbye to their inner demons?”
In all honesty, I find it to be wishful thinking. But, then, why do people embrace the idea of “New Year, New Me” with such enthusiasm? At the heart of it, human beings thrive on hope. We relish the idea of surviving against all odds, resolving to be a bit better than we were yesterday.
So, did I change for the better as 2024 went by like a breeze? Maybe, maybe not, I’ll let you make that judgement. But wait! How will you judge? After all, most of you don’t really know me, do you? Let’s take a trip down memory lane together.
To begin, 2024 marked a year of new experiences for me, as I believe it was for many of you, too. I found inspiration from a couple of Instagram accounts and decided to start cooking. Alright, I know it might not seem significant to most, but for someone who had never cooked a day in the entirety of her lifetime, it was certainly a milestone. I discovered cooking to be quite therapeutic and enjoyable. Additionally, living on my own gave me the chance to go out and explore more. There’s a certain thrill in hopping onto a public transport and letting it lead you to places unfamiliar.
On top of that, I boarded a 19-hour-long flight completely alone during the summer. This year, our long-awaited trip also made it out of the friends’ group chat. However, the highlight of the year was joining HerCampus. Collaborating with such dedicated individuals and being able to share a range of stories – from personal to professional – has been incredibly rewarding, as it made me fall in love with writing again.
Apart from a year of firsts, 2024 was also a year of lessons. I learned to be more patient, even when I didn’t see eye to eye with someone. I consciously worked on keeping my voice at a lower decibel, as it is important to treat people with kindness even during moments of frustration. The past year also encouraged me to love myself a little more. At the end of the day, you are the one person that you can count on unequivocally. With that in mind, I’ve been striving to become self-sufficient, emotionally, but of course I’ve still got a long way to go. Furthermore, I felt like I finally established a sense of stability in my classes and embraced a part of my former self who tried to organize the coursework for everyone present. I also allowed myself to be more spontaneous, made peace with the absence of some significant people in my life, and chose to take life one day at a time instead of foresighting way ahead into the future.
If you’ve stuck with me until now, I appreciate it a lot. I also want to say, I am proud of you for surviving another year under the sun. I believe in you, and I believe that 2025 has a lot more in store – some surprises, and a bit of hardship, but mostly an abundance of goodness. I wish you all the luck and light this world has to offer; believe me, we are going to make 2025 our year and the years coming ahead, too. Oh, I nearly forgot, a belated HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and your loved ones!!