When I started to think about how I wanted to recap this year in a blog post I looked through past reflections to get some inspiration. Reading through last year's post on the year was really wild. I had the craziest year from graduating high school, to starting college, to hating where I was at and completely not knowing what was in store for me this year. I set a major goal for myself to try to whatever it would take to make myself the happiest as possible, and I have to admit, that may have been a little too ambitious.
Looking back on my life twelve months ago, I wasn't in a sorority yet, I was still a freshman at Lehigh, and I had no idea where I would be finding myself at the end of this calendar year. Here we are, and I have to say that I really didn't expect this! Like I talked about in last year's reflection, I wanted to go back to Lehigh, love it, and stay there forever and love college like everyone else. However, as I talked about in my transfer experience vlog, I knew I couldn't see myself going back, so I made the decision to transfer this year. You guys have been absolutely the sweetest, always keeping up with me and telling me how happy you are that I'm happier at my school this year. It's so touching and incredible how kind you all are!! It means the world. This past semester at Wisconsin has been nothing short of different, and although I miss Lehigh sometimes, I am definitely in a better place at UW.
This year didn't go as expected. I probably sound like a broken record with how much I talk about the whole transferring thing, but it really was a huge decision for me. I was so conflicted. It was such a hard choice to make. There are still times when I see pictures of my Alpha Phi girls at Lehigh on Insta and I miss them and feel so much FOMO, and I wish I was in the sorority house living with all of them. But, there are also times when I'm just hanging out at our apartment on campus in Madison (UW) and I'm so happy to be close to home and in a bigger city.
Like I said, my goal this year was to make myself happy. I definitely tried, but at the end of the day I think 2017 was more about transition and accepting what is, rather than trying to make it an amazing year. I think I need to take this year with a grain of salt and know that I did the most that I could, but that there is always next year to make ~moves!
Next year I will be applying to the business school at Wisconsin, living with 3 of my friends in a four-bedroom apartment. Three of us went to the same high school, one of them is my current roomie, Elizabeth, and both Elizabeth, me, and one of the other girls all transferred to UW this year. 2018 will be be my "first second year" on campus, and I'll hopefully start to get my bearings and get my life together a little!
At the end of the day, 2017 was kind of what I needed in order to step back and think. In the last few weeks alone I've caught myself in small moments just thinking about how I am grateful for the good and the bad, and the experiences, small and large, that have shaped me this year.
There has been so much change and so much unexpected, and there is only more to come. In high school I guess I was so used to knowing what was ahead, and I'm not yet quite used to this crazy all-over-the place life that I've had at college. I've said it over and over again, but I just never expected this, and I think 2017 was a year for me to realize that that's okay. There is always going to be a lot of "unexpected" and it's how we handle it that matters most.
***
I'll be popping back in tomorrow with the highlights from my year, so stay tuned to see some of my big moments from 2017!
How did you year go? If you wrote a similar reflection I would love to check it out!
xoxo
This year didn't go as expected. I probably sound like a broken record with how much I talk about the whole transferring thing, but it really was a huge decision for me. I was so conflicted. It was such a hard choice to make. There are still times when I see pictures of my Alpha Phi girls at Lehigh on Insta and I miss them and feel so much FOMO, and I wish I was in the sorority house living with all of them. But, there are also times when I'm just hanging out at our apartment on campus in Madison (UW) and I'm so happy to be close to home and in a bigger city.
Like I said, my goal this year was to make myself happy. I definitely tried, but at the end of the day I think 2017 was more about transition and accepting what is, rather than trying to make it an amazing year. I think I need to take this year with a grain of salt and know that I did the most that I could, but that there is always next year to make ~moves!
Next year I will be applying to the business school at Wisconsin, living with 3 of my friends in a four-bedroom apartment. Three of us went to the same high school, one of them is my current roomie, Elizabeth, and both Elizabeth, me, and one of the other girls all transferred to UW this year. 2018 will be be my "first second year" on campus, and I'll hopefully start to get my bearings and get my life together a little!
At the end of the day, 2017 was kind of what I needed in order to step back and think. In the last few weeks alone I've caught myself in small moments just thinking about how I am grateful for the good and the bad, and the experiences, small and large, that have shaped me this year.
There has been so much change and so much unexpected, and there is only more to come. In high school I guess I was so used to knowing what was ahead, and I'm not yet quite used to this crazy all-over-the place life that I've had at college. I've said it over and over again, but I just never expected this, and I think 2017 was a year for me to realize that that's okay. There is always going to be a lot of "unexpected" and it's how we handle it that matters most.
***
I'll be popping back in tomorrow with the highlights from my year, so stay tuned to see some of my big moments from 2017!
How did you year go? If you wrote a similar reflection I would love to check it out!
xoxo
I have enjoyed following along with your transfer experience! I hope your 2018 is great!
ReplyDeletexo,
Bailey
baileysbulletin.blogspot.com
Thank you, Bailey! xo
DeleteI loved this post because I totally relate to it! Even though, I didn't end up transferring this year, I did spend a lot of time considering it because, like you, I was also really unhappy finishing my first semester of freshman year last year. I think it's really important to take a step back and not only realize how much has changed, but also look at how far you have come. Each semester, I post a little story on the blog about how my semester went and what I liked or didn't like, and I totally relate to everything you are saying! I really hope you have a great 2018 though, and feel free to reach out if you ever want to talk about anything because I definitely know what it feels like to not be sure where you are going to go or what is going to happen next.
ReplyDeleteAlexa
northeastpreppy.blogspot.com
Aw, thank you Alexa. I am so glad you can relate, although I am sorry to hear you didn't love your freshman year like me. Best of luck in 2018 for you as well!
Deletexoxo