Year of Change 2016

The year of 2016 is over. It has been a year with a lot of changes that were both good and bad for me. It is normal for lots of things to change in a year, but sometimes they are not always noticeable and sometimes they are not intentional. This year held a lot of intentional changes. In honor of the new year, I am going to reminisce about 2016; the good changes.

Many of you may know or maybe you do not, but in the beginning of 2016 I was living in Europe from January 20^th until May 22^nd. It was the best 5 months of my life. During that time, I traveled a lot around Europe and I gained a new best friend named Taylor. I also became a victim of the travel bug. A disease I have no desire to cure unless it is giving into traveling more. I became so at home in a foreign place and became so confident I could do anything while I was in Europe.

Coming back to the states was hard for me. I hated being back in my regular routine. After walking past the Ponte Vecchio, seeing il Duomo almost every day and being able to plan a trip to a new place in a whim, the city of Rochester felt boring and more like a prison than home. So, I bought a plane ticket to see my best friend Taylor who lives in North Carolina. After spending a week with her and remembering that I can still do anything even if I’m not in Europe, I cut an unhealthy relationship out of my life. That was one of the best decisions of my life. I allowed this person to make me feel so miserable and sad for so long. It was hard to do it, but it was worth it.

Another great addition to my life that was a change was my parents agreeing to get a puppy! After puppy-sitting for my friend’s dog for a week and my parents falling in love with her dog, my sister convinced them to agree to a dog of our own. What an incredible change of my life. I couldn’t love a creature more! I love being a mommy to my dog and I have a greater respect for dog people.

I have also enjoyed having my older sister being only 14 minutes away from me! For the past few years (pretty much when she started college), she’s always been so far away from me. Now I can see her almost whenever I want and it’s great! I love having my big sister around. She makes my life better.

Speaking of people being home, my New York best friend Micaela has also been home for the school year. I’ve enjoyed being able to swing by her house after school, getting coffee with her, and hanging out more. I think we have become closer than we’ve ever been. Her and I also plan to have our own YouTube channel where we sing cover songs and make videos for them. A plan of 2016 that will be accomplished this year.

My father made a major life change in May by becoming a vegan to lower his blood pressure and get off his blood pressure medicine. Because of his life change, he has amazing blood pressure and no longer takes the medicine. I couldn’t do the vegan life, but I did become a vegetarian. I love not eating meat. I also eat a lot of things and not just salads, although salad is delicious.

I got a new job in July at Jim’s on Main. I still love working there and am so grateful for all the wonderful customers I have met there. The people I work with are great too. I hope to work there for a few years.

Last but not least, I got involved at Fisher and added a minor. I am a part of the acappella group Drastic Measures and I am a finance minor. But school changes are not that exciting so I have very little to say about them. (=P)

Well I am more open to change now. I know that change can be good and I know that even though some change sucks, sometimes it is for the better. So, I welcome the change to come in 2017. Let’s have a great year, everybody!