2020

Four numbers. One year. And ultimately some the most challenging months that we as college students could've ever experienced. From my own personal struggles to local and global events, 2020 has been a wild ride from start to finish. The start of an amazing fourth semester at school did not end as planned and even the start of my junior year kind of crumbled. But, despite almost everything not working out as I hoped, I'm forever grateful for the health and well-being of my friends and family. And with how this pandemic is going, its all I could ever ask for.

As I've stayed at home, there have been more moments of sadness and weakness than I would've liked. But, I've learned that you don't have to let these stay with you. These past few months, I've come to the realization that there are things that I truly need to let go. I need to be able to reflect on what is happening in my own life in order to be able to set intentions and goals for my future. To do so, I purchased a daily intentions and reflections journal with prompts to help me stay motivated throughout the day; focusing on my goals and feelings, its meant to help me reflect on how I can do better moving forward with each passing day or whenever I feel like filling out the pages.

Set up across two full pages, the journal is meant to be filled out in the morning and before bed in order to complete the routine. I've decided to model this post after the morning prompts to help set up my intentions for 2021 to make sure that I feel healthy, mentally and physically, and am able to thrive despite everything happening in the world and in my life.

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GOALS FOR THE YEAR

1. To focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle that makes me happy and feel at ease. I want to focus on my body and doing what is best for me on all levels

2. There are only three more semesters of my undergraduate career left and I want to end strong. I want to be focused and productive throughout each semester and work towards procrastinating less on studying for exams and working on projects.

3. A simple, college goal of getting an internship for this summer (that is hopefully paid!!)

HOW CAN I MAKE THIS YEAR ENJOYABLE?

I think this most important things to do is focus on myself and live in the moment. While I understand the need to be cautious and remain mindful of others, I cannot let it stand in the way of my life. I want to be able to look back and be proud of the memories that I've made with my friends and family. But, I also need to be aware of myself and what I need. I want to live a happy life and ensure that this happiness helps me enjoy the year as it comes and goes.

THIS YEAR I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO:

Learning new recipes that I can enjoy. Although I can be a picky eater, I love food and enjoy sharing meals (or snacks) with those I love. At the moment, I am very limited in the kitchen but I love looking at photos and inspiration on social media. This year I am looking forward to being in the kitchen, but am also hoping to find myself at my favorite restaurants soon like dim sum with my family.

WHAT CAN I DO TO BE MY BEST SELF THIS YEAR?

To be my best self, I want to better the relationships that I have with my family and friends. 2020 has shown me how precious life is and the importance of maintaining the relationships that you have. However, I want to be able to remain open with those around me, rather than keeping everything to myself. This is something that I struggle with and would love to be able to be more carefree to truly enjoy memories and moments with everyone.