Dear 2016,

You've provided huge changes for me. I graduated high school, started my first job, and moved out of my parent's house into my dorm and even began college. This year you've taught me many lessons and offered a lot memories, and I just wanted to reflect and thank you for the most important ones.

The World Does Not Revolve Around You.

This was one of the very first lessons you taught me. What I considered having confidence was actually me being blinded in my self-righteousness. It wasn't that I thought I was above everyone or that they were below me but rather I didn't tolerate the behaviors and opinions of those around me just because they were not the things I personally thought were correct. I was overachieving after having not found success and this went straight to my ego, and though I was stubborn, throughout the year you made me slowly let go of this and face the fact that I was not everything.

Forgiving Those Who Do Not Deserve It.

You presented me with various awful circumstances where some of those who I loved and admired completely and utterly ruined my trust. But after many angry group chats and late night calls crying to a friend, I realized that being hurt and unforgiving was only making my life worst and didn't affect them at all. So while it did take many months, I moved on and focused on bettering my future and my happiness and trying to be the best friend within my abilities.

Becoming Political.

Not only was the 2016 Presidential Race the craziest in American history, but it was also the first election I was able to vote. This election forced me to research and learn about subjects such as immigration, abortion, whether racism and sexism are still prevalent in American society, and the economy in order to choose my opinions and stances on these topics. I learned how to discuss politics with people who have different views than myself and also how to react when people would rather argue childishly. Most importantly, I had to decide what kind of leader I wanted for my country, and then when none of the candidates met this image or anything close to it, which person I thought would be able to keep the country together the next four years. Just as it was for America, the election this year was a very important event in my life and will continuing relevant going into 2017.

Live For Your Dreams Not Their Expectations.

This was perhaps the most important lesson you taught me this year. In learning how to live for my dream and not other people's expectations, I was able to cut away almost all of the influences that were holding me back and began to accomplish one dream right after another. However, while choosing my dreams over people's expectations meant that I I could finally aim my life towards becoming the best version of myself, it also meant upsetting and disappointing some of those around me. What they wanted of me didn't match up with what I was willing to give them, and this ended with a lot discourse and rearranging of the heart in order to move on with my pursuit of success. By the end of this year some friendships and relationships didn't finish where they first started, but I found enough happiness along the way to make up for any losses.

Sincerely,

Nostalgia