New Year

Well, 2012 has come to a close. It seems like just yesterday I was ringing in 2012 at Yuletide with new friends, yet so much has changed in the last year it seems like it drug on. I thought I would take this opportunity to review 2012 to see what has or hasn't changed or what events took place in the last year.

Let's start with last January- I brought in the new year in a new place with new friends. I think that was a precursor for the year to come. I celebrated 2012 at Guthrie Grove for the Yuletide Senior High Church Retreat, somewhere I had never been. I only knew three or four other people so it was an experience to make new friends. That set the tone for the majority of the year and made me look at my faith in a different light.

 February- If I remember right, February wasn't all that significant of a month for me. According to my calendar, literally nothing happened and I'm okay with that. The months following February went in a fast succession that they're mostly a blur so I'm so glad to remember the break I had in February. February included a lot of preparation for State Leadership Conference which was in March so it's a good thing I had this break.

March- Oh March. One of my favorite months of the past year. The conclusion of my term on the Iowa FCCLA State Executive Council came at the end of March. I still feel like it was yesterday that we were elected so to think that so long ago we gave up our positions is beyond me. This experience is one of my favorite of 2012 because I got to spend three-four days with seven of the greatest people I know. Many of us haven't seen each other since, but I can't wait for a reunion (hopefully soon!)

April- April was crazy. My last full month of high school, my first part-time job, my eighteenth birthday (my mom's 40th!). This was a long month of waiting and stress. I remember being so excited for graduation come May, but being completely freaked out about graduating and not wanting it to come so fast. Some of my favorite high school memories with my class come from this last month and the week before graduation. My first job was kind of a big deal. I still work there on occasional breaks but its not something I would ever want to do for the rest of my life. My birthday was somewhat exciting, but really wasn't a big deal because what can you do when you turn 18? There is nothing special about it. Just another birthday.

May- May was such a bittersweet month. Bitter because it marked the end of my high school career. Sweet because it marked the beginning of the rest of my life. Graduation was such a ridiculous time that I don't even remember a lot of it and it's a shame. I wish those days would have gone by slower so that I could remember more of them. A highlight of the month prior to graduation was a class bonfire we had where we reminisced about high school and had a great time. That bonfire was one of my favorite high school memories.

June- June was the first time in my life that I didn't have anything to do. I worked and prepared for a conference I attended in July, but I was completely on my own to decide what to do and when to do it. It was glorious. I helped teach at the Ecumenical Bible School that my hometown puts on each year which I really enjoyed.

July- My favorite part of July was attending the FCCLA National Leadership Conference. I had the opportunity to present a workshop on Positivity and I got to meet so many great leaders and watch some of my best friends become National Officers. A great experience overall. Plus, I got to go to Harry Potter World and nothing can really beat such an experience. Buying a wand at Olivander's, drinking Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks, etc...was incredible.

August- This marked the beginning of my college career. I didn't like August when it was among us. I actually despised most of it. The beginning was terrible because my friends from high school were going to college and yet mine didn't start until the end of the month so the wait was terrible. When I got to college I was incredibly homesick until I was able to meet people and I didn't know many people in August. It was a hard month, but I'm glad I got through it as strongly as I did.

September- This is when college really got started. I met so many great people and had such a great time. Overall, an uneventful month, but was necessary obviously to get to where I am today...

October- In October I spent a week at home while my mom had surgery. During that time I was able to attend the District 13-South FCCLA Conference in my hometown which was great. It was also homecoming week which was an interesting experience in college versus high school.

November- November flew by. I spent the beginning of November incredibly ill, but as the month progressed it was a great month. A stressful month towards the end with the realization of only a few weeks left in the semester, but I loved November. I really got into my groove.

December- Well here we are. Ending 2012. The last two weeks of first semester were fantastic. I rocked my finals and overall it was just a great month. I'm so grateful for my first semester being as wonderful as it was. I absolutely loved each and every class and I learned much more than I ever would have expected. Christmas break has been incredible. I don't think I have ever needed a break as badly as I needed this one.

Overall 2012 was a roller coaster. I had a blast and I can't wait to see what 2013 brings. I learned a lot about myself over the course of the last year and I don't think I would change a thing about the year.

Happy 2013!