I always enjoy this time of year. Aside from the obvious family time and Christmas cheer, December serves as a reflection on what has happened over the course of the year. Last year I posted some fun things around this time, and this year I plan on doing the same. Over the next 12 days, I’ll post some of my favorite albums, songs and sporting events, along with some of my favorite days of 2014. The year has been good to me, as it has given me a pet chicken. Sadly, Fabio will probably die during this winter break, but he’ll be remembered forever.
I remember coming home from school in October 2010. There had been a wide package near my mailbox. It was my acceptance into St. Bonaventure. For some reason, Bonaventure was the only school I wanted to go to. I don’t really remember why, but something inside told me it was the place for me to go well before I even visited campus. Inside the package was a t-shirt with Class of 2015 written on the back. Once December is over, it’ll be 2015– the same year written on the back of that t-shirt. It’s weird, you know, thinking there’s only January, February, March, April and then graduation, and then it’s over. Forever. Most of the memories I have had over the course of this year took place in western New York. Far away from my parents, my siblings and my childhood friends. Those memories happened in academic buildings, dining halls, apartments, gyms, radio stations and with 2015 less than two weeks away it’s easy to reflect on all of the happy times, but it’s also important to embrace the final days of college.
Whenever a year ends, looking back comes second nature. You want to highlight the most memorable albums, movies or moments. It’s important to replay what you just experienced that year– the good (relationships, accepting a job, birth) and the bad (deaths, break-ups) to show the joy you’ve felt or the adversity you overcame.
Although it’s been a great year for me, there have been some really bad parts to it. Losing my dear Nana in May was heartbreaking. Having a company give me an internship, and then change their minds last minute sucked. But those things happened, and you learn from them. I remember how kind and compassionate my lovely grandmother was, and I’ll do my best to use her patience and kindness to better the lives of others just the way she did.
At the end of each year, there’s an obligation to look back and see what went right and what went wrong. There’s a real opportunity to correct mistakes to make your life better. 2015 will bring a college degree, a job (hopefully) and the unknown, and I’ll do my best to apply what 2014 taught me to better myself.
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