2015 Resolutions - Looking Back.
A year ago, I wrote that 2013 had been a year of questions and hoped that 2014 would be a year of answers. It was, in so many ways. 2014 flew by, but also contained so many of my best and favorite moments. I spent four months in England, where I met my love and had countless adventures with an array of incredible friends. I spent my summer making a home for myself here in Carmel, and became friends with some wonderful people in the process. I completed my final autumn at Gettysburg College, where I not only finished my thesis, but came away with some of my best class experiences (and grades to prove it). 2014 was a year of friendship, adventure, love, and a couple of new tattoos.
2015 will be a year of changes; I will graduate from Gettysburg and hopefully begin graduate school in the fall. I will get to return to England and will also travel across the U.S. - to see old friends and make new memories with my family. Parts of my life will come to an end, and I will begin a new chapter. It’s nerve-wracking, but I am so looking forward to what God has in store for me this year.
As I’ve done for the past two years, I have made a list of goals for the next year. In 2015, I resolve to:
1. Keep a jar of happy memories on which to look back at the end of the year (inspired by my dear friend, Lauren). This has been such a worthwhile exercise; I can’t wait to look back on my memories from this past year!
2. Finish my final semester at Gettysburg with a solid GPA and no regrets. Proud to call myself a Gettysburg alum!
3. Spend a day in DC reunited with Lauren (planned for January 17/18). This was a freezing day, but it was so good to reconnect with one of my dearest friends.
4. Return to England (planned for March 7-14). Got to visit Leicester and Portsmouth with my love, and I got to see my dear friend Meg in Bath.
5. FINALLY see Maddie again (third year on this list; tentatively planned for May 9-15). We FINALLY did it and achieved another goal of getting matching tattoos.
6. Spend the summer preparing for graduate school, preferably in an internship in Chicago, Indianapolis, or DC. I had the honor of interning with the Youth Experience program at Conner Prairie this past summer, which ended up preparing me not for graduate school, but for a job at Conner Prairie, which I accepted in August.
7. Get accepted and attend graduate school for Public History/Museum Studies (I’ve applied to four programs). Though I was accepted to three programs, I’ve chosen to continue working at Conner Prairie for the foreseeable future and wait a year or two before pursuing my Masters.
8. Visit the American Southwest with my family as a post-graduation vacation. Our family trip to Mesa Verde and the Grand Canyon was absolutely incredible. Memories were definitely made!
9. Read for pleasure more regularly. This is something I’m looking forward to figuring out now that I’m not in school anymore!
10. Make a more regular habit of Bible reading (and listening to sermons whilst at school). This could always be better.
11. Write more (poetry, stories, journal entries, letters). I wrote a lot more cards and letters this year to my friends near and far, as well as a number of stories and poetry for school and for my own enjoyment.
12. Be more financially responsible (improve my credit score, keep more money saved, etc.) I’ve managed to improve my credit score (despite having my identity compromised by the federal government), saved a lot of money, and have even moved into my own apartment.
13. Find a place to call my own while attending graduate school. Didn’t exactly do this, since I didn’t go to grad school, but I do have a place that is just mine now. ☺
14. Practice humility, good listening, and anticipation to better care for my friends. I always want to do this more.
15. Love more, trust more, hope more. This one will always be on the list.
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