20 reflections from 20
I was sitting down on my small apartment couch last night making some updates to my website, hopefully making it look more professional, and I ended up reading through my blog series from my life in Florence last year. For any new readers, I am currently a junior graphic design major at school in San Diego attending Point Loma Nazarene, and last spring I was abroad in Italy. I decided to blog parts of the experience as a digital notebook to look back on and it was honestly so fun, and now 9 months later I have a whole new appreciation for them.
Well, this is not an abroad lifestyle, bakery recommendation entry, sadly, but I wanted to sit down and reflect on 20 things that were great about my 20th year. February 15th will be the beginning of 21 and I have honestly never been huge on reflecting on momentous cultural holidays like birthdays and new years, but this has been a big year and I thought it could be fun to write down a random assortment of moments, life changes and travels that built my year, and maybe 9 months from now I can look back and reminisce on my 20th year.
Twenty reflections from twenty: I think it is good to break these up into categories: personal, educational, health, work, and just life. some of them are moments, other hardships and some are just random muzings.
Personal: Starting off strong, twenty began in Florence, with a bunch of friends, lots of coffee and some travel. One of my biggest reflections from this last year was the breaking of my comfort zone. Moving to Florence, traveling alone for the first time and navigating life abroad without family.
Education: I finished another year of school. Seems like it should be a given, given the fact that I am a student and you kinda have to finish more school to graduate, but honestly this last year felt like it was a struggle. There were lots of thoughts regarding staying abroad, dropping out, and just living in my van instead of getting a degree. But I did it and am glad that I can say that.
Health: Lots of different health hurdles this year, lots of navigation and unresolved answers but it has also been a year of prioritizing health and appreciating my body’s ability to function and heal.
Work: Graphic Design this year has really taken a turn in my life. For the first two years of school my desire to create and work outside school walls was always hindered by general education classes or busy schedules. But this has been a pretty phenomenal year with both learning more about the degree and having a passion for just doing more design!! I worked on a mug project with my local coffee shop, started a design centered club on campus, have been actively working with my sister on her podcast, along with some other random side gigs.
Travel: This was the year I spent alot of time on planes and trains. I spent my first night alone in a hostel which I know seems crazy, but I feel like this single act encompasses a lot. I was in Lake Como alone, navigating public transport, finding food, walking the streets and it was phenomenal. It gave me the encouragement that I can do things, big things, alone.
Personal: I became a reader. Never in my life prior to this year would I claim the title of a reader. But I sit here today now as an individual who craves the day where she has nothing to do, but read. I demolished the whole ACOTAR series, Throne of Glass, and Crescent city while also investigating other narratives such as Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and other romance novels by Emily Henry.
Travel and physical: I hiked nine days in the Italian Dolomites, which I honestly can say is the hardest physical challenge I have ever done. One of the most radical experiences and a serious confidence boost. Hiking with the family, seeing goats and mountains while stopping at refugios for coffee and eggs, was pretty insane.
Personal: I biked around Mallorca with a really cool friend, this was just a fun memory I want to remember. We popped on some electric bikes and made our way through the local national park, stopping for coffee and beach spots while getting yelled at by non-electric bikers.
Personal: I went on some pretty fun van trips. This year I was trying to find more ways to use my built out camper van and it resulted in a great trip to Morro Bay, some fun nights in San Elijo and many more trips to come.
Family: This was the year that I lost my first grandparent. Prior to this I had never really had to navigate grief and it taught me to find new ways to appreciate and support the people I love, and also see the people I have lost in new places, like a really good sunset or on a walk.
Work: I moved to Spokane for the summer, was really challenged with my leadership skills as I worked with a series of campers at Camp Spalding, but also met so many new people and had an absolute blast.
Education: I moved back to school, started junior year, finished 2.5 out of four years in undergrad. I know it's super impressive.
Travel: I went on a spontaneous trip to Mexico with a bunch of really cool graphic designers from the AIGA. This trip gave me so much perspective about life beyond college walls and encouraged me to start a club on campus!
Work: I realized I love graphic design. With the classes I took last semester paired with my trip to Mexico I feel like I had the classic college kid Ah Ha moment where you realize you actually love what you are studying.
Travel: I went on some really fun family trips to the Oregon coast, Hawaii, some local ski trips. I also had the chance to go on trips with each family member when I was abroad, too Paris and Portugal with Grace, Assis with my mom, and Gargano with my Dad.
Life: I finally found my routine, realized I really enjoy routine, and found that I thrive with routine. Last semester I started going to yoga classes, having daily walks and finding rhythm in my somewhat boring school life.
Life: I voted this year, nothing crazy with this one, but it does feel like a milestone. Its funny how when you turn eighteen it feels like there should be an election right after you have your birthday, but it turns out that is not the case.
Life: I survived a lightning and thunderstorm on top of a mountain. Just a fun fact.
Work: A became a person who centers her weeks around meetings. Man, 20 was the year that meetings became a big thing. And I honestly love it. Makes me feel like a real woman, it also means my Gcal is pretty elite.
Lastly, overall greatfullness. This has been a pretty insane year and I want to remind myself to slow down, enjoy each moment and to continue seeing life for the gift that it is. We only get it as long as we get it.
Sitting by the arno
