Thursday, December 16, 2010

Thanks, 2010!

So it's only a couple of weeks until the New Year and I thought it's time for Year-Ender posts (Yes, there is an S because I won't be able to remember everything in 2010 in a single entry). I guess 2010 has been a good year. I don't really know how to tell if it's been good or not because hey, I'm still alive. Nothing life-changing (other that the usual expected things I'm really supposed to go through) has happened to me so I can't say. I will say that I am thankful for this year and this post is a Top Ten Best Things That Happened To Me This Year (that's a mouthful).

10. Graduating High School. I guess this is the least important because we all knew it was going to happen eventually. It was so great to be finally out of there! No more stupid rules and stupid teachers. No more Catholic practices. It's just wonderful to finally be free of the place.

9. Blogging. This 2010 I committed myself to finally blogging. I used to write in a diary religiously everyday, but I ran out of diaries and grew up and became too busy. My professor says it's a very helpful writing exercise to keep a diary/journal. I thought why not a blog (since I am on the computer so much)? I actually use this more for personal and more sensible writing while I use my Tumblr for fangirling. It's actually a helpful and I'm glad I get to practice more writing.

8. Getting my hair coloured. It seems pretty shallow, but it actually means a lot more to me than it seems. You see for the longest time, probably since I was 13, I have wanted to colour my hair. My mother has always discouraged it and I've always been to scared to do it. I always made excuses like "My hair might die" or "What if it doesn't look good?" and "I'm broke". Okay that last one was a valid excuse. Well, this sembreak I finally grabbed a pack of Prettia and shampooed like 'dry damaged hair' was a myth! It turned out pretty great actually. The color is a light shade of chestnut brown and it isn't too drastic, but it's a stepping stone to what I really want which is ginger! Colouring my hair was kind of an indication that I am now, I wouldn't say comfortable, but less afraid of change and risks. Maybe, if I succeed in convincing my parents, a tattoo is in the works!

7. Going back to Hong Kong. During the semester break, I went to Hong Kong with my Dad and a few relatives. It was 4 straight days of nothing but shopping and food! I had some much needed retail therapy after a stressful first semester of college. It was great to bond with my Dad and I realized that he is the perfect shopping buddy!

6. Dorm Life. Living in a dorm was such a scary concept to me. I am very dependent on my family and househelp (who happens to be my best friend in the world and keeps me sane). When I started dorming (this is a term I'm going to use from now on) I was surprise by how normal it was. It just felt like home, except with a lot of people and I can't walk around in underwear (Oddly enough people still stare when I walk around in clothes that could pass for underwear. This is supposed to be my house and in my house I walk around wearing things like these). Sure it's really a hassle because I need to save money and I have to walk or trike to school, but it's great because I'm learning responsibility.

5. Learning to commute. Public transportation and I are not best friends yet, but we're getting there. Because I now live in a dorm, I've had to take a trike to school everyday. Believe it or not, a year ago this would have been a really outrageous idea to me, but now I do it everyday! I have learned to take the train. I've even ridden it alone and had to transfer stations. It's extremely stressful and tiring, but very cheap and fast. I hope I get to be a commuting savant soon because I am sick of needing to ask my parents to bring me places.

4. Re-uniting with Cara. I still remember the last time I saw her before she moved to Canada back when we were 14. I gave her a hug and left. No long teary goodbyes, no emotional hugs, nothing. It was as if I would see her the week after. I was never really good at goodbyes. I guess we didn't realize how much we would miss each other. I saw her again this summer when she came back to the Philippines. We had a great few weeks together and it's great to know that even after those years of being apart, we're still as close as ever and we still remember all the crazy memories.

3. Learning to drive. I've recently been taking driving lessons and they've been going great. I've been scared of driving since my Mom, the panicky paranoid driver, learned. It's always seemed like such a scary thing from her point of view. When I was finally behind the wheel, it felt so normal. I'm very very excited to be able to drive myself to wherever I want to go. I just know this will very much help my social life and probably my sanity since I won't be home so much anymore.

2. Meeting and becoming close to new wonderful people. Actually making friends is a big deal to me. I don't mix well with people. I don't have that natural charm that makes everyone want to befriend me. I am not just saying this. I find it physically exhausting to connect with another human being when things like physical appearance, politeness and manners get in the way. This is why it is such a big deal to me that I have actually managed to make good friends. They're all great and wonderful and I'm happy to have met them.

1. Getting into my dream school! Ateneo has been my [realistic] dream since I started considering college prospects. I'm so glad that I am currently going to this university. Even though it took some work and a long and agonizing wait, it was very well worth it. I'm getting quality education and, though I complain a lot, I am really enjoying actually learning and being challenged. I am very excited to see the look on the face of the person who will interview me for a job when he/she sees that I graduated from ADMU.

Well, that's it. Wait for more installments of my 2010 Year Ender Posts!

No comments:

Post a Comment