Friday, January 1, 2010

2009? 2010?

I meant to post yesterday, when it was still 2009, but I was a bit busy (ie. 3 trips to the Verizon store, which ultimately resulted in getting a new phone!). 2009 was a year of drama, frustration and stress, but also happiness, fun, and change, both good and bad. I was planning on writing down my memories of 2009, but, honestly, there are too many things I'd prefer to forget. Now I am putting all that behind me and moving in to 2010. So here, in the most clichéd way possible, are my hopes and plans for 2010 (in, like always, no particular order).

Natanya's New Year's Resolutions
  1. Find an extracurricular I really enjoy: I know, the first semester of college is supposed to be hard. But as I watched everyone around me struggle academically, I realized that academics aren't my problem. Sure, it was hard (astronomy was awful), but what was harder was trying to find other things I enjoyed. I suppose I could have tried everything--clubs, parties, athletics--but most of it was unappealing. I'm a member of two clubs, but do I really enjoy them? Most of the time they feel like an extra burden. Not to say I didn't like anything I did--strangely, work (at the Annual Fund, calling alumni) has become enjoyable because I get to take my mind off everything else, because I have to be so focused, suppressing all other stresses. It's what sports used to give me. This year was the first year since 6th grade that I didn't have volleyball. It was weird. But anyway, I don't know if work really counts. I feel like I'm supposed to be finding other things I like. I'm hoping to join a publication. I don't really want to have more writing assignments (between comp lit, French and soc, I think I have enough of those...I don't need more writing obligations), but I'd like to edit...so...that's my goal...
  2. Post on here: I used to have a blog. And before that I had a different blog. Then I stopped posting on them. I don't want that to happen again. It would be nice to really stick with something I have no real obligation to--something that I'm not doing for college applications (not that I didn't enjoy my clubs in high school, but there was so much pressure) or for class or for someone else. Something I'm just doing for the sake of doing it.
  3. Be friendlier: I know I can be mean, but that's not actually what I'm talking about. Whenever I pass by someone I sort of know, I always wonder whether I should say hi to them, or whether they'd think I was weird for doing so. But I've realized that when someone says hi to me, that feels nice, and it probably subconsciously improves my opinion of that person. I want to be friendlier, more outgoing. Maybe it's not in my nature, but maybe it's something I can change. Silence gets lonely.
  4. Write a story: I come up with new story lines practically every week, but I'm too lazy to actually start writing. I know I said I don't want any more writing obligations, but I hoping I'll be able to treat this as something enjoyable, like it's supposed to be. I'm not planning on writing a book. Just a story. Just something complete.
  5. Read...a lot: I'm planning on taking part in the spring/summer book challenge for an online group I'm in, but it's a lot of books, especially since I already have so many books to read for school. I also want to keep up with the group's "group reads." (This month is Catch- 22 and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I'm excited to read both.) Not to mention the zillion other books on my to-read list. Hopefully I'll be able to incorporate some of those into the reading challenge.
  6. Write more letters: I wrote a couple letters (letters as in snail mail...email's no fun) to people last semester, and I want to write more this semester. Getting mail is fun. And I have a pack of 2000 animal stickers ($3 at Target? Yessss), and stickers make everything so much more fun!
  7. Get out more: I spend so much time cooped up in my room. Unfortunately, since I'm not interested in partying, "getting out more" means, for the most part, spending more money on things like movies and plays. But based on the little getting out I did towards the end of last semester, I think it's worth it. Even just watching my movies on my computer with other people would be a step in the right direction. I don't mind being alone (frankly, it's easier), but I should probably mix things up a bit (because life isn't supposed to be easy).
  8. Avoid having stupid panic reactions: My poor reactions resulted in frost bite. That was stupid. And painful. I'm going to avoid that in the future. To go with this, I want to avoid other stupid things I did this year. Make better decisions. Etc.
That's all. Now I just have to work at them... :)

1 comments:

Jamie said...

I love your resolutions!!

I graduated college last year and one of the things I regret is not getting plugged into a really great extracurricular activity. Sure, I did alot of things with friends and what not but I didn't have an activity that I did related to school. So I especially would encourage you in this resolution as someone who wishes that they did that!

I also totally am with you on the "be friendlier" thing. It's not that I'm mean but sometimes I think I'm not as friendly as I could be in situations that you described. It's not that hard to say hello to someone that you kind of know..and you are so right..it always improves my opinion of someone and makes me feel good!

And I love the read more resolution..obviously! :)

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