New Year Reflections, Looking Back on 2016

As I sit here with less than 15 minutes until 2017, I can't help but wonder what the next year will bring. I am not one of those people who get emotional at things, but there's just something about New Year's day that makes the entire world super meta. I look back at 2016 and my first thought is that I haven't accomplished anything of worth or done anything interesting enough to warrant something as banal as a blog post. However, upon further reflection, I realize that I'm just being cruel to myself. 




In 2016, I did these things: 

  1. Successfully completed my first year of graduate school with a 4.0 GPA (still going strong) AND a much more desirable resume.
  2. I managed to get through my first semester as a Teacher of Record at my university with minimal damages. 
  3. I visited two new countries and revisited another one on my second cruise with my family (Belize, Honduras, and Mexico). 
  4. My family adopted TWO adorable puppies!!!
  5. I completed my 50 book challenged on Goodreads, something that I've been doing since 2014. 
  6. I was a bridesmaid in a best friend's wedding and went on a super fun girl's trip/bachlorette party to Nashville, TN. 
  7. My sister and I went on our own girl's trip to Memphis, TN and were able to explore more of the city together. This trip was a godsend because I was so stressed and overworked the few months prior. It made me remember that hard comes first, but it needs to be counterbalanced with some fun.
  8. My sister and I planned and successfully have book (almost) all of our trip to Europe in summer 2017. I know that this isn't a 2016 goal, but I think seeing long term plans to fruition is a big deal. 
  9. 2016 has probably been THE most productive academic year of my life. I won't go into details, as they WILL make you fall asleep, however, let's just say that my work went beyond the classroom and I am much more confident in my prowess as a student. 
  10. I went into something of a funk for the first time in 2 years but, thanks to a friend and the trip to Memphis, managed to get out of it and got a fresher outlook as a result. This funk occurred because I tend to internalize stress rather than confront it head on. In fact, I was so stressed that the nerve on the bottom of my right eye began to twitch! Needless to say, I learned a valuable life lesson about dealing with stress and have a much more positive outlook as a result. 
 What did you learn in 2016?

Best Wishes, 
The Pseduo Southerner

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