A year in review | 2018

Hello Internet,

This is 2018, a year in review. Last year, I have done a similar blog post and I felt like it has given me a  sense of direction so I think it would nice to do this again and revisit the events of this year. To begin, going into this year, I had no major resolutions/goals as my intention was to live everyday and in the moment without stressing out too much. I was taking a gap year so I spent a lot of time working on my UCAS personal statement and portfolio. There were also other unforeseen events that impacted me indirectly so I spent a lot of time at home, but everything worked out fine in the end. Around mid-spring, I had my portfolio interview and I got unconditional offer so I was very relieved. Later on, I started working on an essay for a community scholarship offered by the university.

My chances were very slim but since I had a lot of free time, I thought what could I lose?  Besides that, I continued exploring. London is pretty boring if you ask me but I have been to every other corner. My visit to the seaside was probably one of the best experiences I have had this summer. My main focus was primarily was to work on my mental health and grow and develop as an individual. I started practicing elemental healing. This can be different for everyone because we take a lot of this for granted. For me personally, it was focusing on water, fire, earth, and air. So, drink a lot of water, get good sunlight and fresh air and be connected to nature. Go to the park, walk more and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. Take a moment to reflect and show gratitude everyday. This is simple and a lot of people get bored of it very easily, but it's something that has helped me so much.

Before summer ended I sorted out my student finances and around September 20th, I started university. I had some issues at the beginning, but as of now, I'm really happy and well adjusted. It's very fast paced we do a lot of work that is mostly self-study, but I guess that's just life. Also, at the beginning of October, I found out that I got the scholarship that I applied for during the summer so I was really happy with that. I met amazing people through that event and I hope my journey from here on goes well.

Ok, let's rewind. This year was not so bad but you know what made it even better?  The new Years and Years album, Palo Santo. I have so many good memories about me and my friends obsessing about this album and Y&Y. I also discovered new and upcoming talents and continued supporting independent filmmakers. Some of the movies I enjoy this year include mid90s from tiff 2018, eighth grade, closet monster and lilting. I also think the neighborhood is so underrated and half.alive has so much potential.

Now, as for 2019, I want to develop a lot of interpersonal skills. I want to get out of my comfort zone and amazing people and collaborate with others more. Create more content whether it is editorial and collaborative photoshoots, creating quality videos or writing more blogposts or continuing with my script writing for a short film. I also want to pass my theory test and learn British sign language.

Over the past year, I have drifted away from fast fashion and plastic usage since the National Geographic issue Planet or Plastic came out. Learning about the impacts of plastic pollution has really opened my eyes has completely changed me as a person. Going forward, sustainability is a must and I feel like this is something that I can discuss further with others in 2019. Besides these, I just want to be an open minded, kind and decent human being and that's the least that you and I can do.