2012 in Review

As 2012 comes to a close, so many people find themselves analyzing the past year.  Although I did not keep (or remember) the resolutions I made almost a year ago, I have learned more this year than I expected I would learn.  I feel that my two biggest discoveries are very important lessons for someone on the cusp of their twenties to understand.

The first thing I realized is that having ambitions is not necessarily the same as having a plan for the future.  Goals are imperative.  They are the things that keep us driven to want more, they keep us motivated to work hard.  However, trying to plan out every minute detail for the rest of your life is pretty silly.  Who can honestly say that know for certain where they will be in 5, 10, 20 years?  So much happens in such a short amount of time, especially when we are young.  Instead of trying to manipulate our lives to fit the mold of where we see ourselves going, we should enjoy the ride and trust that we will end up where we are supposed to end up.

I also learned this year who my true friends are, cliché as that sounds.  Who you surround yourself with on a daily basis is extremely important.  They are essentially your moral compasses, acting as your guide when you freak out at 3 AM not knowing how to handle situations that you exaggerate in your head.  As difficult as it may be, ridding your life of unhealthy friendships has positive consequences in the long run.  Everyone changes from high school to college; you and your friends.  Just because you enjoy someone in high school does not guarantee that friendship’s endurance.  Recognizing long-term friends is important.  Those are the people who can guarantee that no matter how much time elapses between talking, it’s as if nothing has changed.  Tell people you appreciate them, especially friends who have proven their love and loyalty to you.