The sun was shining brightly through the window as I woke up from my deep slumber on the couch in my friend's basement. The house was thankfully still intact after a crazy night of college students coming and going, partying like we wouldn't live to see 2017. It was a wonderful event, filled with laughter and camaraderie; a perfect way to usher in the new year.
The change from one year to another is an exciting event for a variety of reasons, but the change from 2016 to 2017 was met with such a degree of happiness I have never witnessed before, as often the change to a new year is met with bittersweet emotions. 2016 was a tumultuous year, not only for the world in its entirety but even for myself as an individual. My father told me life occurs in down and up cycles, and 2016 was the epitome of a year with a cyclic nature.
To highlight the range of emotions that occurred over this year, I started the year off at a high point, and soon things plummeted. I lost my girlfriend of a year and two months and my grades started suffering. Having to see her everyday was a pain I never thought I would have to understand. This being my last year of high school, some of her friends who I had become close to throughout the years were lost, too. Thankfully I pushed through, realizing that self destruction was not the way to heal. And as things were beginning to get better during the last month of school, I had a horrible mindset after the break up: I thought nothing really mattered, and that's when I was hit with three tickets in two weeks - one for speeding, and the other two for possession of alcohol.
Long story short, graduation was super cringe-worthy and I began my construction job. The summer was a beautiful period in life, filled with work, weight training at the gym, and constant contact with friends. And then the transition into college began, and the first semester was an incredible experience. Not only was it liberating to be among others who were hungry for knowledge, but it was an escape from the horrible beginning of the year. I no longer thought about my ex-girlfriend, and I had solved all the legal issues regarding my tickets.
Even now, life is still on the upward cycle, and I am looking forward to the journey ahead.
I have an odd hope for 2017, though. The tumultuous nature of 2016 caused me to mature in many ways I hadn't expected, and it molded me into a different person from the beginning to the end of the year. I am hoping for another year filled with highs and lows, as I hope for another year of growth and change. I want to embrace change, as change is the ever-constant factor in life.
I look forward to the lessons I'm currently learning and to the lessons I'm about to learn. I have a long way to go. Cheers to a year filled with incredible potential and possibilities.
Thank you for reading!
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