A good thing I personally like to do at the end of the year is to take a long walk and reflect on the highs and lows of my year. This is a great way to think about what you accomplished and the struggles you overcame. As for me, 2018 has been the year of change mostly for the better.
January.
This month was the month of traveling. I spent two weeks on the beautiful island of Aruba with my family soaking up the sun and enjoying our holidays on the beach. To continue with the joy, I got to then travel to the most magical place on earth, Disney World. Getting to try the Amusement park food and going on roller coaster rides with my family all to feel like a kid again was definitely the perfect start to 2018.
February.
Better known as the month of love, we'll to start out the month with my trip to New York City with my mother. I saw my first ever fashion show and got to try amazing food in the city that never sleeps. On the topic of love, I got to celebrate my first ever Valentine's Day with my boyfriend. Although Valentine's Day can be viewed as overrated, it was definitely a romantic experience not being single on the most dreaded single holiday of the year. February taught me how to love and open my heart to someone.
March.
March was a wild one with more adventures to come. I got to attend my first ever concert, Lana Del Ray, who by the way is super talented and definitely deserves a listen. Along with the fun of concerts, I attended a marketing competition for a project my friends and I worked super hard on which was a wonderful experience! Lastly, I got to enjoy one last spring break vacation with my family by traveling to the beautiful resorts of Cancun.
April.
A transitional month of the year as a senior in high school when things were finally starting to wrap up academically. Friends were starting to realize that our time of all being in the place we grew up was about to end. This month was very emotional as you realized that all good things have to come to an end. On a more positive note, I got to go to one of two senior proms which were a blast.
May.
As spring came in full effect, so did the emotions of saying goodbye to high school. Whether you loved school or hated it, saying goodbye is never easy. I took my first round of AP Exams, then finals, and that was it for the month of May. With the extra time, I also got to travel with my best friends and enjoy some of our last moments home together as high school students. Lastly, I got to enjoy my second round of prom!
June.
All good things have to come to an end. During the month of June, I said goodbye to high school and walked across the stage for my diploma. I remember waking up bright and early for this day, having it be one of the last times I'll ever be a high schooler there. Moments after graduation, I packed my bags to head to Maui, Hawaii!
July.
One of my favorite months of the year with the fun of Fourth of July fireworks on the beach, getting to explore Hawaii and its beauty and spending quality time with my family before heading off to college. July was also the month where I started a personal blog and truly realized my passion for writing. In July, I learned that change is meant to happen. Prior to starting a blog, I always thought I wanted to be a Business major in college. Well, boy did I make the right choice by switching my major to Communication Studies with a concentration in Public Relations. I learned that change is good, and it's okay not to have everything figured out.
August.
With my Hawaii trip sadly having to come to an end, I packed my bags and headed home with less than two weeks before I had to go to college. Coming home was rather difficult because it meant I had to say goodbye to my hometown for good. I made the most of my two weeks home by spending quality time with friends, adventuring, and saying goodbye to the places I loved the most back at home. I also got my wisdom teeth out which I was deathly afraid of, but ended up being better than I expected. Lastly, I packed up and headed to Longwood.
September.
September was definitely an adjustment month. Having to get used to college-level coursework, being in a dorm, and being surrounded by new people was rather difficult. Through elementary to high school, I had the same best friends to grow up with. I was not used to meeting new people or having to get adjusted to being away from my family. I was also not used to college-level work, I had taken a few AP courses in high school, but college is a different setting. Lastly, I joined the Odyssey!
 October.
As the time I spent in college continued, I started to feel more comfortable at school. I felt more adjusted and I started loving dorm life and getting along great with my roommates. One of the highlights of my year was Oktoberfest at Longwood where I got to meet Chris Lane. This month was a fun one as the temperature started cooling down and I felt more adjusted to college.
 November.
November was a fun one with the semester coming to a wrap, temperatures cooling down, and the joy of Thanksgiving. I felt very comfortable at college at this point and I was starting to really get the hang of things, academic-wise. Everything was starting to click which is a wonderful feeling. I also got to go home for a couple days to see friends and visit family, all before having to come back for two weeks for finals.
 December.
I took my finals for the first time. Being extremely nervous, I learned how to study and properly prepare for a test. In the past, I had always crammed the night before, but college taught me how to prepare better for a test. I then packed my bags and headed home. I started an online winter-intersession class. I enjoyed the comfort of my home and being reunited with friends and family. Most importantly, I turned 19 and got to celebrate the holidays and the New Year with my family in Aruba.
Overall, 2018 was a year of personal growth. I learned lots of life lessons throughout the year. I said goodbye to my friends and my hometown. I graduated high school, got used to college and met some wonderful people. Lastly, I got to travel to beautiful places. All I have to say is 2019, please be kind.
