Whew. So, it's over. 2018--the year of...well, there are really too many adjectives, verbs and hyperbolic phrases that could be inserted there, so that's where I think we should start.
I am a huge fan of moving forward--I don't even like to put my car in reverse if I can help it--true story--but I also recognize the value of taking a backward glance from time to time. I mean, how else can you see:
1) how far you've gone
2) how much you've left to go
3) where the twists, turns and pot holes in the roads were
Now, for me, of all of those, #3 means the most. Like I said, I am a fan of moving forward, but most of the time, the natural enemy to forward thinking or really any kind of positive progression, is repetition. The repetition of a mistake is the most obvious deterrant to progression because it usually means going backward, but even repeating things that worked out for you can be detrimental to progress because it could mean that you are comfortable and not taking any more risks, and then, consequently, you can't "really" progress. Personally, I like to see where things went bananas for me, or where I made a wrong turn, or how taking the shortcut would've helped me had I only listened to someone else.
So, usually right around now, I allow me the time I need to take stock of my personal and professional situations.
I should do this more often than just the start of a new year, I know this, but something about the symbolism of starting at 1 just speaks to me, so here I am.
What I noticed I did way too much last year was to let things that were either out of my control, or not really fixable in the first place, define who I was. As a result, I spent too much of 2018 feeling like a colossal failure. Thus, for 2019, I have decided to form BOTH an interpretation and a life plan from something I read by accident over break.
It was a quote from a long-dead German author named Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (that G name is actually pronounced "Gert-A), and it states:
"Things that matter most should never be at the mercy of things that matter least."
I am trying to find a sign that says that, but so far, no luck.
Now, its your turn.
First--I want you to fill in that sentence I started at the beginning: "2018--the year of ____________". Explain your choice.
Second, of the three reasons I listed for why looking back is good, which one do you see the most value in and why? Explain in detail.
Finally, moving forward in whatever area of life you want to focus on, how would you like to proceed that is AT LEAST marginally different then whatever you did last year?
2018 the year of due dates and mental breakdowns. The reason I say this is that this is my junior year and I am taking four AP classes. Therefore every night is a due date and some nights are multiple. Thus where the mental breakdowns come from. I believe that of your three reasons the most important is number three. I believe that the third reason is the most important because it is paramount to life that you do not make the same mistakes over and over again but instead learn from them and learn not to make them again but to make solutions to those problems. Finally I would like to move forward academically by not procrastinating(that is much greater then a marginal difference) and by using sources outside of school to learn.
ReplyDelete2018, the year of learning experiences. I was looking at photos and videos from snapchat from the beginning of 2018 that would bring me back to that time. Looking back on those times, I grew so much, I matured, I had so many bad times, low points, but gained lessons. 2018 I was really sad, I made dumb decisions but I don't regret anything from 2018. I say this because that year wouldn't have put me in the mindset I am in now. Looking back on anything you did in your personal life will always benefit you. You can view situations and reactions, by doing that you can learn and analyze to mature or better yourself. I like doing this for that reason and to reminisce the good in your life. I believe its so important to count your blessings. It reminds you of the good and how lucky you can be. On top of all that, looking back on your year can influence how you want your next year to look like. Set goals and make changes to benefit your life. I'm moving forward this year. I truly believe this year will be a good one. Already I have accomplished goals. I've been so happy and my mindset has been so much healthier. I'm ending procrastination, I'm influencing others and focusing on what I really want done this year. Making the best out of things and living to the fullest. I'm praying I continue this path and make this year successful. :)
ReplyDelete2018, the year of stress. I chose to use this word because I feel like in 2018 I was overwhelmed with a lot of things. I tend to care too much about things, which causes me to stress over them a lot more than I should. That’s why this year I’m trying to not do that as much, so I don’t have so many mental breakdowns. I think that the third reason for why looking back is good, is the most important. This is because, looking at everything that you’ve gone through allows you to see the lessons that you learned from them. Moving forward, I would like to focus on myself more because I feel like last year I forgot to do that. I was so focused on school and other people’s happiness that I forgot to take care of myself. I’ve already started doing this and it has made me a happier person overall because I don’t feel like I’m stressed as much.
ReplyDelete2018, the year of change. 2018 was a year of change for me not because every year comes with something new but because it was both negative, and beneficial. 2018 was the year I challenged myself with harder classes such as AP, became closer to people I would've never imagined and lost people I would've never imagined, grew as a person who has realized so much but turned it around to value herself more, lost my grandmother who was my last grandparent, traveled/experienced 6 new states, and other changing experiences. I think #3 is the most valuable to me because I always refer to this as being the cause to move forward. If I move along a straight path without the bumps and turns then how do I learn or overcome the hardest things? I accept change but want a different type of change than the one last year. I need to focus on how my mindset is maintained with all sorts of unexpected events. We are little to over a week into the new year and I've already seen change within me but I'm seeking bigger and more positive changes (not because I have to write this blog or start the new year with a resolution) Last year included changes that I had learned from, mourned from and felt new feelings. I understand that with a new year comes new challenges, high points, low points and accomplishments but with the change I am expecting, I hope to tackle those changes better than last year!
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ReplyDelete2018, the year of no worries. Personally, I didn't stress half as much last year than I do now. Academically, things were a lot easier and not as pressuring. I also mean "no worries" in the way that I took some things for granted. I feel as though I was so much happier last year. I was always hanging out with my best friend, going different places, trying new things, and just living. Going into the new year, I practically had a "break-up" with my best friend and everything went downhill from there. I couldn't exactly focus as much or for as long, I became so stressed that everything was my fault, and I let things bring me down. With this, I'd have to say that the third choice is most important to me. After recognizing what went wrong and why, I came to find that all the things that I thought were my fault, were just excuses I had to blame myself for the other person not caring as much as I did. I've always been there for my friends and stuck by their side no matter what. Some people aren't as loyal and it's hard to except but sometimes it's the truth. Also, by looking back I saw who was there for me. I still have close friends who had helped me through hard times, and I've formed stronger bonds through what happened. Going forward I'd like to regain confidence and be more gratefully and happy with what I have. I definitely could use confidence in myself because I've come to the point where I have such low expectations for myself. If I could just start with being more sure of myself and eliminate my doubts, it'll make me feel that much better. Also, being truly happy is a huge goal for me. I can't fix everything for everyone, I can only control myself. So, I'd like to just make the most of things and enjoy what I have while I have it.
ReplyDelete2018, the year of drama and stress. This year helped bring my stress to another level and the group of people that I hung out with didn’t really help. There was constant drama, especially towards the end of the year, and a ton of anger directed at multiple people. The most value I see in looking back is realizing how far I have left to go because it motivates me to try harder or be better. Yes, there is still a lot of time, but you only live once so might as well make something out of it. It could also help you prepare for the challenges you may or may not face in the future if you plan ahead. Moving forward, I would love to focus more on me and making new experiences. For example, sometimes I really need to cut myself some slack while other times I need to work harder. Also, I want to travel out of my comfort zone and do things even if I lose or don’t get exactly what I wanted.
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ReplyDelete2018 was the year of challenges and stress. I like challenging myself and sometimes it could become very stressful because I go over the top. From your list I think looking at how much you have left to go is important. I constantly do that in order to understand that my goal does not end here and there is a lot left to do and a long road to go. This year I want to stop being lazy and also pick up a book and finish it. I was reading a book, but when the year got harder I stopped reading and I want to pick it up again.I also want to go easy on myself. I put a lot of pressure on myself that I feel like i am going to explode. I want to understand myself more. Sounds stupid I know, but I always felt that I am the person that people want me to be and I wanna know who I actually am. Most importantly, I want to tick with what I am passionate about and have the courage to use to in order to help people.
ReplyDelete2018--the year of growth. I can definitely say that the beginning of 2018 was really rocky for me. As the year went by it slowly would get better then go back to its old ways. Now thinking about it I realized how much I grew as a person. I’m glad 2018 happened but I definitely don’t want to go back and do it all over again. It also made me realize that I took freshman year for granted, I use to think the “homework” I was given was the hardest thing ever. Now when I’m about to go to sleep and see the clock says 1 am I get so happy because I’ll be getting more sleep than I usually do. 2019 is definitely gonna be a wild ride but honestly I’m here for that jawn! I’m gonna focus on school 10 times harder and accomplish the things I said I couldn’t…..hopefully:).
ReplyDelete2018 was the year of stress, drama, and friendship. This year has been really stressful for me, not just academically, but socially as well. On top of all these AP classes, I had to deal with a lot of drama in my group of “friends” as well. Starting this year I didn’t really have a big group of friends and I was and still am perfectly fine with that. I have my 3-4 close friends that I know will always have my back and that is all I need. This year I somehow got thrown into my best friends group of friends. It was awkward for me, especially at lunch because I didn’t really know most of these people and didn’t have any classes with them. I kinda felt invisible and ignored, as noone there besides my one close friend actually cared about me. There was all this drama in that friend group and it was causing unnecessary stress on me. I finally had to just tell my friend, that although I love her, being in that ‘group’ was too much for me. On the bright side, I made some new friends and now talk to people that I feel way more comfortable with. I still have my close friends that I love dearly and am happy always have my back through all this (Paulina <3). I also got the chance to get closer with people who I didn’t see much last year (Naadah and Charisse). In all, while it was stressful, 2018 wasn’t too bad. I learned some things about myself and feel more confident. I also did some travelling to Boston, Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, and California. I strengthened the friendships and relationships that are important to me and let go of those who were causing my life too much stress and anxiety.
ReplyDelete2018 was the year of growth. I feel that I have grown more this year then I have my whole life. Tall mountains have been put in front of me but I was able to preserver and grow from the experience. I grew by realizing my worth, knowing the difference between being loved and being an asset. It was the year of growing up. Sure I’m still a kid but since the year started I’ve become a different person mentally and physically. I have grown my skills when dealing with my mental health, which took me a while to even come to terms with (I still have the days when I’m angry with the world). I took advantage of the chances I was given this year and I am ever so grateful for them. I think that out of the three things you’ve listed the most important one is to realize how far you’ve come. Remembering where you last were to where you are now is just that bit of encouragement that you need for that day. Sure you’re not where you want to be but at least you’ve gotten better from where you first started, and that is what I feel is the most valuable thing to reflect on in the year. In this next year I’d like to evaluate my life and try to figure out who I what to be after high school. Which really seems like A LOT of pressure for a kid, to know what you want to do for the rest of your life at 18 is just crazy. But I’d like to at least get an idea of what and who I want to be. Hopefully that’s not too much of a stretch.
ReplyDelete2018- the year of new challenges. Starting from the top, I started out with my tennis season in the spring when I was playing my first varsity sport. It was different from my freshman season because my game actually mattered towards our overall team score and record. So there was definitely more on my shoulders. In the summer, I got my first job and that was new to me. In the fall, school started and I had to juggle soccer, marching band, and 5 AP classes at the same time. That was probably my biggest challenge of the year but it wasn't as bad as I expected. Number 3 on the list is the most important to me because I can see all the things I struggle with and how I can learn from them. To make this year different, I want to enjoy myself more. Although junior year is supposed to be filled with hard work in preparation for college, I still want to be happy and do what I want to do, even if it means sacrificing something.
ReplyDelete2018 was the year of challenges for me. In previous school years, I didn't get a fraction of the amount of work as I do this year. I pretty much coasted through each day relaxing ad not worrying about much. My life was stress free and pretty easy. That all changed when I began my junior year. It's been filled with loads of history packets and other work and has been pretty stressful. Some nights I literally won't sleep at all. I also had to manage all that while at the same time doing sports and actually having a social life so I didn't go completely insane. I believe that number three on the list is the most important because learning from mistakes and getting better is a major part to moving forward. This year I want to improve myself and stop procrastinating as much and getting better time management skills. This way, I can be way less stressed, and find time to do other things I actually enjoy.
ReplyDelete2018- the year of change and challenges. In the beginning, I thought 2018 would be a terrible year for me, but it turned out to be completely different. I started off the year with tennis. I faced many challenges playing the sport I loved. Throughout the season I played on the #2 spot and sometimes the #1 spot. Things changed when I won my first match playing at the #1 spot. I knew I was capable of doing more things than what I thought I can do. One thing was holding me down was fear of change. But I was able to overcome that fear. This year was also the year where my sister left college to go to the Philippines. It was something different. I've spent my whole life living with her and seeing her everyday, but it hit me that life was moving and things will change. It was my first summer without her and I didn't know what to do. But when August came, I've met new friends that I got a long with very quickly. I was very happy with how my summer turned out. The soccer team placed second in the Stockton tournament. Honestly although we placed second, it was a sign that things were getting better and going well for the program. During the last two months of 2018, one big change that I had to make a decision on was quitting the sport I loved and played growing up which was basketball. Things will change when we grow up and we have to start focusing on things we know we can excel on. I believe that at this stage of my life, tennis is the right sport for me and it is something that can take me far. This year, I will definitely face more challenges and change, but one important thing I would like to do is to just enjoy the rest of my high school years. I know junior year can be very stressful but this is the last year and a half being in this school and living the high school life. After this stage of our lives, things will never be the same. My goal for 2019 is to definitely spend time and enjoy life with friends but most importantly with family.
ReplyDelete2018- the year where I finally learned to say “screw it” and learn to focus on what I’m best at. For at least the second half of the year, I’ve learned that I need to let go sometimes. Actually, most of the time I have to just let go and keep going. I discovered through band and the beginning of junior year that there really is nothing to be afraid of, there is no reason why I need to stress myself out, and absolutely no reason why I shouldn’t be focusing on the things that actually matter to me. I’ve realized that while i shouldn’t slack off in anything I feel is less important than my main goals (mostly school), I need to stop spending so much time on them. Why do I do the most work I possibly can, or put all my effort and energy into a 10 point assignment that I’ll forget in two hours and never use again for the rest of my life? Of course, I know I still have to do my work correctly and at least pretend that I care about APUSH packets and math homework, but why do I continue to endlessly stress over it? And although my anxiety is still there and has affected me recently, it had overall gotten so much better, mostly because I’ve learned to say screw it. I shouldn’t be afraid of anything, and I know that when I move past my anxiety, only good things are to come.
ReplyDeleteOf the three reflections, how far I’ve come is probably the most important for me. Viewing my year after it’s all over and seeing where I have started and ended usually gives me some kind of confidence in the new year. If I have gone far and done many things, such as this year, I use it as motivation to keep that trend going and I hope to make the new year even better than the previous. If I felt it was a bad year, where I feel like I hit my lowest points, then I believe that the new year can only get better, even if it’s just by a little bit.
The biggest thing I’ve wanted to focus of since sixth grade was art, however, highschool generally made it harder to keep drawing and practicing outside of art class. The one thing I hated about 2018 is that I barely took time for myself to improve my artistic skills in any area, and that is the biggest thing I want to change this year. So far, i’m off to a bad start, but if I can stop procrastinating on homework and stick to my new “screw it” outlook, then I should be able to focus on the things that matter most.
2018, the year of learning. Last year, I encountered even more challenges that have allowed me to change my perspectives on things and shift my ordinary ways of thinking. I continued to educate myself when I felt like the school system was failing me. I continued to read about subjects that I felt were important to me. In 2018, I started to learn things about myself through therapy, why I do the things I do and think the way I think, and it is really eye opening. I think the most important reason for looking back is the first one. Looking back, I have had to face many adversities and I’m grateful that I’ve experienced some of those things. Personally, it’s helpful to try to say to myself “you’ve survived one hundred percent of your worst days.” In telling myself that, I am remembering how far I have came. Something I would like to change this year is to practice more self care and have more compassion for myself. I feel compassionate for everybody else in my life expect for myself. This year, I want to take care of myself more and put myself first.
ReplyDelete2018--the year of new challenges. Although I am faced with new challenges every year, junior year felt much different. During the summer, I played my second year of varsity doubles for the tennis team. Though it was demanding at times, we ended up having one of our greatest records in years, 17-8. Once junior year began, I found myself in 4 AP courses and an inconsistent sleep schedule. However, as the school year progresses, I find myself adapting better to the amount of homework and have improved some of my procrastination habits. Of the reasons mentioned, I find number 3 to be the most valuable because it is important to acknowledge mistakes and learn how to improve upon them rather than completely ignore them. After all, obstacles and failures are the best lessons in life, as much as we don’t enjoy them. This year, I would like to improve my time management in order to spend time with friends and family. An improvement in my time management will also reduce my stress and help my changing sleep habits since I will be able to finish assignments earlier.
ReplyDelete2018 the year of learning. In the beginning of sophomore year I thought I knew just about everything, but oh boy was I wrong. Throughout the year I learned who my real friends were, what my mental illnesses really were, and that school was no longer gonna be as easy as it was. It’s so important to look at how far I’ve come. I was in a really bad place last year and I found the light at the end of the tunnel. 2018 took my pop-pop from me and that was super rough. It was just rough because I was upset but to see my family so upset and my mom look so distraught. I also got my surgery and I thought that I would never dance again and that killed me. I drifted from a lot of people last year and I’m sad it happened but later realized it was for the better. School was also kicking my ass in the beginning of junior year. I was just really depressed and anxious last year and I still am but it’s much more mild now. I’ve come a long way. I almost dropped out of physics and I’m still in that class. I removed the toxic people out of my life and I’ve just become happier:) Last year I just sulked on the bad things and this year I’m trying to focus on the positives more. I know most humans tend to focus more on the negatives more than the positives but I feel like I have so much to be grateful for. lol I sobbed my eyes out while writing this
ReplyDelete2018 - The year of finding peace within myself. I felt like this year has been one of those years in which that I feel like I can finally say that my inner self is at peace and not raging like a storm. While yes, the assignment this year have been a pain in the &@!, they are something which I have learned to deal with and accept that I am not going to be this perfect assignment completing machine. That and my OP helped calmed the inner storm within me. For the second question, I value “how far you’ve gone” over the other two choices, because simply put it, I like looking back at the year and look over my achievements. Looking at life in a perspective of how much you have left is a pessimistic point of view, and that is one of the things which I try exactly not to be. And while yes, the trials and tribulations of the year are something which shaped you to be you, I would like to think that the reshaping of yourself would be an achievement in itself, belonging in the first category. For the area I would like to move forward in and actually put in effort is towards the wonderful world of college and education outside of Oakcrest High School. I have done research and things similar to that nature, but I have not done much else towards my “future”. And considering that I would love to build myself a future, I think that is what I want to strive on improving on this year, learning how to do all of the college things necessary to hopefully (I’m praying) have a good life after high school.
ReplyDelete2018--the year of chaos. Personally, 2018 was full of twists and turns. I experienced rough patches, losses in the family, troubled friendships, and a shit ton of stress. While I focus mainly on the negative things when answering questions like these, I certainly cannot deny the blessings that I’ve been fortunate to receive. I was able to visit my grandma in Paris for the third time, I worked throughout the summer, and I made amazing memories with some of my closest friends. Even though I have been fortunate to experience these positive things, they were nonetheless chaotic. I see unparallelled value in analyzing the course of your year, or “looking to see where the twists, turns, and potholes in the roads were”, as Bunje put it. We have to be willing to point ourselves out on certain things, as well as make improvements to ensure that they don’t occur again. It is also important to realize your blessings in life, understanding that just because something seems to throw your whole life off balance, it isn’t the end of the world. Life will move on, the Earth will still be the same, and you will keep doing your own thing. I would really like to find a new group of friends and open up to others more and more. Being sociable is extremely important to me, and I can’t expect anything from others that I am not able to personally follow up on. Like they say, “Practice what you preach”. I hope to stop procrastinating by coming to terms with myself in that, much like I’ve always been told, this year is not like the rest. I have to step up my game and focus if I want to be satisfied with myself, since a strong work ethic is something I highly value.
ReplyDeleteI know you probably won't read my blog response because it's late but I'm gonna do it anyways because blogs really help me to express my feelings so here we go. 2018-the year of-no...2018 the old chapter. I believe that every year is a new chapter and since books have chapters that teach us more about the book the more we get deeper into the chapters, life is exactly the same. My life is a book and the years are the chapters of my book and as the years pass by the more I learn about life. 2018 was an old chapter that will forever be unforgettable. I can't decide exactly what this year taught me because it did teach me A LOT of things. Yes, this year was challenging, stressful, caused a lot of mental breakdowns, chaos, learning, change, drama, growth, worrying and not worrying. Each person learned something different from this chapter and learning is not an easy thing. You know, it sucks when you learn new things (negative things) about the people that you thought you knew or the people that you wanted to know but now you wish you never knew them. 2018 taught me many things whether it's about people, friendships, family, or life. But actually 2018 surprised me with something that I didn't want to know or see, it showed me the real faces of the people close to me and yes they are still close to me but that's what they think because once I leave I never come back. I see the most value in #3 because I like looking back at the hard times I've been through and laugh at myself for not believing enough in it and for letting myself sink deeper into these holes even if they weren't deep at all. But, that's when one of my favorite characteristics show and it's lifting myself up. The one thing that will help me proceed to the future is having inner peace with myself. It will come one day. I wish.
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