2020 was most definitely the craziest year of my life. The pandemic hit, I lost my job, I had to learn how to navigate school, appointments, and internships remotely, and my mental health suffered at times. I started dating my current boyfriend two weeks before we got sent home in March of 2020, and we spent the first three months of our relationship doing long distance because we live in different states. I had to learn how to be okay with staying at home because that was the reality that we were living in. With all of that being said, I also grew a lot in 2020. Aside from being in a happy and healthy relationship, I became more confident in myself, I found remote internships so I could continue to learn over the summer, and I was forced to do a lot of thinking. The pandemic put everything in perspective, and I learned to let go of a lot of unnecessary stress. When 2021 was approaching, I felt very hopeful. The vaccine had started to be distributed, school was going to be a little bit more normal, and our new POTUS was going to be inaugurated soon. Instead of making a New Year’s resolution, I made more of a thought-out plan to set myself up for success in the new year. These plans include budgeting my money, eating healthier, trying new recipes, waking up earlier, a workout routine, and journaling. My therapist recommended that I try journaling, and to be honest, I did not think it was going to stick. However, I went to TJ Maxx, bought a basic journal, and just started to write.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter.