So the New Year is here, and I only have one request for it. Please be good. 2016 was definitely not my year. It had ups and downs, but my downs seemed to be way lower, and my ups were not as high. I always try to look to the positive side, but this year really got me!

At the beginning of the year I changed my major, and then in the middle I switched back to my hometown. Now I have no idea what I want to do and I am taking a break from school altogether. I went from having everything figured out to not. Sure, it isn’t the year’s fault, but still. We also lost a lot of celebrities that meant a lot to me. George Michael, Prince, Alan Rickman, Gene Wilder, Debbie Reynolds, and Carrie Fisher, just to name a few. Each time I saw one of them in the headlines, my heart broke a little bit.

I learned a lot in 2016. I had my first real relationship, and became the most vulnerable I have ever been. Looking back now, I can say that my relationship taught me a lot. I may be more guarded now, but that is okay. Getting broken up with taught me a lot about myself, and how strong I really am.

This year has tested me a lot. My patience, my friendships, my trust, and some other things. It was a year that I worked two jobs, and went weeks at a time without a day off. I moved into my first apartment in 2016, which was really good. 2016 gave me my baby niece, who I love with every ounce of my heart. So while this year gave me some great things, it did have some lows.

I have never been a “New Year, New Me” type of person, and I personally don’t do resolutions. I am the same person I was last year, I just changed a little bit. I also hate making resolutions because I know good and well I will never fall through with them. I mean, who has the time for all of that? I do hope that this New Year brings me more joy, and more time to spend with my family. I hope that this year I can find out what I want to do for the rest of my life, and grow more as a person.

I have high hopes for 2017, and I am excited to spend the year just like I always do, surrounded by the ones I love.