With December right around the corner and the New Year promising sweet relief, I am finally brave enough to think and reflect on how the past year has been. When I started writing I took an oath that I will forever remain honest, which is why I can’t leave out the truth by feigning how well 2018 has been. For it has been the longest, most stressful year of my life, and according to the social media world, countless others share in my perspective. Now, I have contemplated the reasons leading up to the fail that was this year- and achieved no success but in driving myself completely mad. I mean how could a year bring so many grievances? And how on earth do we all share the same sentiments? Is it the social media? Is it the school systems world wide? What about the parental units? Okay, it must have something to do with the stars…right? See what I’m talking about? You are now privy to the thought process that occupied my scarce free time. Alas, lest I scramble on with no valid point- this article will look at a few of the highlights, good or bad (but mostly bad) that have marked the year 2018!
The realm of social media is more like a home than a platform. It’s a place where everyone not only feels safe but deems it necessary to proclaim their inner and most despairing thoughts. As such I have come across a swarming amount of posts that depict the inner-workings of an adolescent mind. They paint pictures using oil pastels of dark humour on a canvas of broken hearts and minds corrupt. The posts in which I am describing are those that iterate the horridness of this year and the traumatic effect it has had on all’s souls. The posts say stuff like: “So I found a grey hair today…”(second-year commerce student from queensuconfesses). Or “’What a f***ing week’ -me at 9:15 on a Tuesday” (@SammieParks3). One of my favourites: “Next week has been exhausting” (@Jnardino). Another classic: “People said the world ending in 2012 was fake but has anyone felt alive since then” (Anon). These happen to be perfect representations of the mutual in falling apart that has been 2018. Perhaps like the Ebola virus or the plague, 2018 has fallen ill on most every person out there. However, just like any disease, 2018 shall pass as well. The antidote (2019) will hopefully bring our solidarity of suffering to an end… Or so I hope *gulp*!
As I mentioned earlier, this year has been one of the longest years of my life, yet it has somehow gone by so fast; probing the days to all blend into one huge mess of a smoothie (a green one too- yuck). What I’m trying to say is this: how the heck has this year lasted for so long- yet where did all the time go? Real talk, I could perhaps pinpoint a few memorable occasions that have defined 2018; a handful of moments in the span of twelve looong months. However, I cannot give you a time frame for time is jumbled in my head. Yesterday seems like April, May was ages ago and June is right around the corner. Yet somehow it’s almost December and then boom you will be bombarded with “New Year, New Me” posts! So I guess what I’m trying to say is: this year- the year of 2018- has been one heck of a rollercoaster ride- the kind where time is suspended and it feels as though it’ll never come to an end. When in reality the ride only lasts 4 minutes and 30 seconds long. Alas, this year may not have been the easiest, but I truly could only recall iconic times- which goes to show that the horrid obstacles placed by life are mere hurdles that shouldn’t hinder the race (AKA the good-times) and in the long run, life.
In conclusion 2018 shall be coming to an end soon, and for once I will grant myself permission to iterate the following sentence: I intend to start off 2019 on the right foot and hope for the world’s sake that it won’t be as challenging (and I mean how could I fight a year kinda challenge) as it’s soon to be late brother (sister?)! In final terms: allow stress the chance to ebb away, and start contorting a list of goals that will inevitably dissipate when the glow of the new year fades- which will probably near the end of the first week of January (not gonna lie).