Hi there! Happy Thinking Out Loud Thursday – and New Year’s Eve! Do you have fun plans for tonight? I have a low-key night planned with lots of games and football-watching and food. It’s my family’s New Year’s tradition and I love it. I’m not one for huge parties, anyway 🙂
So, I think this is the perfect day to do a little recap of the year via some random thoughts. Obviously, I can’t really summarize all of 2015 in this one post, but I can hit some of the highlights. It’s also the perfect format to do a little looking forward at 2016. Thanks for the link-up, Amanda!
1.) I finished my first year of college in June! It was crazy and amazing and really hard, and I grew so much. I learned how to live away from my family and live with strangers. I learned how to do what’s best for me, and I also just learned a lot of things. Taking 11 classes over three quarters will do that to you. 😉
2.) I spent part of my spring break doing an externship in New York at a big bank. Basically, I job-shadowed for three days and interviewed people for three days and left feeling enriched. And pretty sure that I didn’t want to work there.
3.) I got my first job ever. (Well, I guess I was also a fit model in elementary school. But let’s not count that.) I was a bank teller over the summer. While I wouldn’t say that’s what I want to be in the future, it was a great experience and, uh… they let me handle a lot of money. That was pretty cool.
4.) The fact that my job was in Columbus allowed me to explore the city a little bit. I ate at a lot of different (delicious) places, and I got to check out the North Market and Short North. Oh, and I saw Idina Menzel.
5.) I told you all about a very real and unglamorous part of my life: chronic pain.
I also mentioned some of the ways I deal with it. I plan to talk more about that side of life in the coming year, since it’s very close to my heart. Is there anything you would want to know?
6.) I opened up about how college isn’t always the big party everyone seems to expect it to be. It is hard, and I don’t think people talk about that enough. I am all for admitting when life is tough and not painting life as picture perfect when it isn’t, and I want more people to be okay with that.
7.) I explained that I’m really skinny and that it’s actually not as fun as you might expect.
It’s a thing I am always working on changing, and professionals haven’t been all that helpful. Let’s just say I eat a lot.
8.) I visited San Francisco and Napa.
I had wanted to go to San Francisco for a while, and we threw in Napa while we were out there. To my surprise, I enjoyed Napa a lot more than San Francisco, though it was still a really cool city. It was on vacation I really realized how much I love taking pictures. I plan to take a lot more in 2016, and work on my photography skills.
9.) I started posting a few recipes.
That’s something I really want to do more of next year. It can be a bit challenging when I’m away at school to be creative in the kitchen and have time to photograph recipes, but I’m going to see what I can do. What types of recipes are most valuable to you?
10.) I realized that it’s very possible to maintain wonderful relationships across long distances. My family and my high school friends are wonderful.
11.) I was an Orientation Aide and I started my second year at UChicago.
My first quarter was, as expected, challenging, but it was so much better than fall quarter last year. I’m more accepting of myself than I was at the beginning of college, and I’m more conscious of who I spend my time with. Honestly, I’m just happier.
12.) I’ve connected with a bunch of awesome bloggers and readers and continued to work on this space, which is one of my favorite things ever. Is there any sort of content you would like to see? Feel free to comment or email me at myuncommoneveryday@gmail.com!
Love the recap. It’s been quite a year for you. I’m so proud of how you’ve grown and of the wonderful young women you have developed into. Here’s to 2016 and to an even better 2017! ??
Thanks, Daddy ❤️ Love you!
Pretty sure I meant to use the singular, but maybe there’s an element of multiple personalities there?
Pretty sure I meant to use the singular, although one could argue about your tendency toward multiple personalities. Also I think I meant 2015 and 2016. Sheesh.
What a great year! I say, who cares if you’re skinny as long as you’re happy and love life! Living with chronic pain must be so terrible! I know one of the reasons I don’t lift weights is because I hate being sore. I hope 2016 brings healing for you ?
Thanks for reading, Ellie! 😀
Finishing your first year in college is SUCH a big milestone. Gosh, you just learn so much about yourself and the world once you break through your comfort zone and meet new people/experience new things. Proud of you, girlie :). I can’t wait to see what 2016 brings you!
You so do. You go to college to learn things, obviously, but I think you expect mostly classroom learning. There’s so much more to it than that! Thanks so much for the support Christine! I’m excited to see what’s in store for you in 2016! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your life with us here on the blog! It has been such a pleasure to watch you grow and thrive in 2015, and I cannot wait to see what is in store for you as we enter 2016! Happy New Year, Ellen!
Thanks so much for reading, Julia! Happy New Year to you, as well!
I LOVE that you are growing and learning. I know the skinny struggle because I have friends who people make assumptions about who don’t have eating disorders, but are just naturally thin. God makes everyone different, and we have to appreciate and LOVE that individuality.
Definitely! Loving what makes you different is so, so important!
It was lovely to get to know you this year Ellen 🙂 A friend of my mum suffers with chronic pain so I have an idea of how debilitating it can be but I hope you continue to achieve your ambitions and enjoy even more exciting adventures in 2016.
xx
I’ve loved getting to know you, too, Charlie! Thanks for reading and thanks for all your support 🙂
I am so glad that you had an amazing year. Finishing your first year of college is always great! It’s liking starting high school all over again but completely different – if that makes any sense at all! I hope you continue coming up with amazing posts and can’t wait to see all the new journey’s you have in 2016.
Haha it makes perfect sense – it’s definitely an exciting time. Thanks so much for reading!
What an awesome year 🙂 cheers to 2016!! xo
Thanks, Christina! 🙂 Happy New Year!
Sounds like such a year of growth!! Happy new year!!
It was a great one! Happy New Year to you, too!
It’s been awesome to connect with you via the blogosphere! I’m so glad I stumbled upon your blog and get to come along for the journey. Thanks for taking us all along, sharing your life, doings and personal struggles and letting us all be virtual internet friends. You are such an awesome person, and your sweet, thoughtful spirit shines through your writing!! Happy 2016, and here’s to an amazing, year of growth! ?
Aww, I’m so glad we’ve connected this year, too! Thanks for continuing to read and thanks for all your support ? Happy 2016 to you, too!
sounds like you had a great year! glad i found your blog too and cannot wait to read more and see what 2016 has in store for you! 🙂 xoxo
Thanks so much for reading, Alyssa! 🙂