To 2014 & Beyond

Happy (late) New Year, everyone! (epecially those who got smooches at midnight. You go, Glenn Coco!)

This a special post for two reasons:

• It's the first post of 2014! Yay!
• It's my last post as a 20 year-old! 

So, 2013 was actually a very shitty year for me. I cried a lot. Shit, I'm still crying. Despite the many blessings I found last year, there is no denying the fact that 2013 brought many challenges and strenuous situations to my door. I'm very good at pretending that things are okay or ignoring the fact that sometimes I just need to walk away. I'm just a bit too stubborn to keep myself from doing those things, though. This past year gave me so many new experiences and new knowledge of life and the people around me. I figured out where my loyalties lie, where my love is able to grow, and to what lengths I'll go for those I love and care about no matter where they may be. I made a lot of mistakes that, in the end, in my opinion, gave me greater successes than just sitting back would. I discovered that I have greater and more powerful skills, talents, and ambitions than I thought. I learned that I'm a lot stronger and loving.

In 2013, I . . .

• Met my favorite band
• Had my first "real" job
• Took a big step toward my dream of having a writing career
• Learned how to help massive hickey's heal
• Learned I never want to have any massive hickey's ever again
• Successfully kept a blog for an entire year
• Learned to love like beer
• Ate way too many bags of Sour Patch Kids
• Kissed faces, hugged bodies
• Learned too many things about penises
• Cooked things that were edible (not penises)
• Smelled a lot like sweat and sweet&sour chicken

I have a lot of people to thank for giving me the tools and inspiration to make 2013 such a captivating year; a year that I'll never forget and a year that may go down in history (okay, okay, maybe just my lengthy and repetitive autobiography) as the most exhausting year of all years. From my own family (for never asking too many questions about things I'd rather them not know too much about) to the amazing writers I get to go to school with (for always giving me inspiration and letting me know I'm totally batshit crazy for putting a dead baby in a freezer), I'm so thankful for everyone who has touched my life. Julia - for never shutting up about anything; Bruce - for never leaving my side even after I've said something out of line or when things are too numb to touch; Tori - for just being you, doll (and always agreeing with my crazy ideas about boys and how stupid they are); Hannah - for meowing at my door at times when you didn't even know I needed it; Mel - for telling me my story plots are completely useless. Switchfoot - for making good music that eases the pain of all wounds. There are a lot of others out there, but I don't really feel like listing all of you.

So, here's to 2014: a year of new horizons and wide pastures to explore. From turning 21 (and finally being able to not go to bars as a personal choice) and seeing Panic! At The Disco in a few weeks to starting my last year as an undergraduate, I hope that 2014 brings things I want to remember; not just things I'll never forget.

So, here we go….