As this year comes to an end, I can't help but reflect on everything that has happened. It's been a chaotic year, to say the least. I've met so many new people, found new hobbies, and have made so many new memories. With that being said, there's a lot more to look forward to in 2019, including having new experiences and changing the way I think.

Firstly, this year I learned that it is ok to not be ok all the time. Stress is a very real and legitimate thing. Sometimes you just need time to sulk and feel overwhelmed, because life can get hard sometimes. I've realized that it's ok for myself to feel this way... for a while. I have go through the pain to find the gain. The gains I've made from learning how I deal with tough situations and stress has made it possible for me to go through midterm season and other stressful periods with much more confidence. I know I've gotten through it before, so I'll get through it the next time too. In 2019, I hope to cope with stress as best as possible without letting myself get caught up in it and rather focusing on how I can get through it.

2018 also taught me to value people that actually care about me and leave the rest to find their people. It can be very easy to get caught up in friendships that are pretty surface-level and not going anywhere anytime soon. Rather, take more time to really pay attention to those closest to you. Despite being in college where distance plays a factor, next year I really want to make the distance seem non-existent. I want to be more present in these relationships and not take them for granted. I want to make sure that they know how much I care and want them in my life.

For the new year, I'd also like to challenge myself creatively. I want to pursue my passion for dance with more seriousness. I want to do it because I want to and not because I have to. It can be so easy, especially during exam season, to not care and do whatever time will allow. But I really want to make time to do something I've grown up loving. Rather than making it a chore, I want to develop my interest further and take it to places I've been reluctant to go to.

I want to travel! This past summer, after traveling for the first time outside the country to South Korea without parents, but with my best friends, was the best thing that could have happened this year. I gained confidence in myself, stepped outside my comfort zone, learned to appreciate and value the experience and the culture, and made some unforgettable memories with my best friends. The high that this trip put me on just makes me crave more, and I look forward to traveling to other destinations like Greece or Spain in the future.

So, rather than making a list of ways I could eat and exercise to maintain a more healthy lifestyle next year, which don't get me wrong is very much on my mind, I want to focus on these things more. I want to make memories and experience more life, whether that's through strengthening the bonds I have with my close friends and family, challenging my creativity, or traveling and learning.