Hi there!
Happy New Year! I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been into New Year’s resolutions. It seems to me they’re underpinned by thinking that whatever I did in 2022 just wasn’t good enough. Of course, there are some things I would change about the last yea and some habits (*ahem* TikTok *ahem*) I wish I wasn’t quite so attached to, but overall, I’m happy about what I accomplished in 2022.
I’m not just talking about the major accomplishments. It’s the little wins too. For example, in 2022, I discovered a new interest in Art History, spent way more time with my friends, and tried not to spend too much time on smaller assignments. If, like me, you’re not too fond of New Year’s resolutions, I’d encourage you to reflect on 2022 not for what you could have done differently, but for what you accomplished. Make a list of your greatest achievements, no matter how small! I find this exercise helpful in terms of reminding myself that I don’t need to make any radical changes just because it’s January. I am—and you are—already enough.
That said, there are some things I would like to try this year. These aren’t so much New Year’s resolutions as they are things I’m thinking about right now. On the non-academic side, I’m hoping to get back to swimming in the new year. I used to swim quite a lot, but I haven’t been in the pool in a while. I’m looking forward to diving back in (pun intended) in the year ahead.
When it comes to academics, this semester I’m taking a course in Queer Theory as part of my English major. Although I’ve taken theory courses before, I haven’t read a ton of Queer Theory. Though it’s a little nerve-wracking to start something new in my last semester as an undergrad, I’m excited to see what this course has to offer. Plus, I’m hopeful that this course will help me build up my theoretical knowledge in advance of grad school.
Speaking of grad school, I’m awaiting my application results and feeling a little nervous. If you’re in a similar position, know that you’re not alone, and that I’m rooting for you! I try to lessen my nerves is by reminding myself that it will all work out—somehow, sometime, even if in a way I don’t expect. Maybe that means I get accepted to my dream program, or maybe I end up doing something I haven’t even thought of yet. This approach doesn’t work for everyone, but I encourage you to find one that does. Sometimes, even just repeating “It’ll all work out” is a helpful way to block some negative or anxious application-related thoughts until they pass. Oh, and try to avoid re-reading your submitted application. I made that mistake once already and it just made me more nervous.
Speaking of the year ahead, I cannot believe it’s my final semester as an undergraduate student. If you know me, you’ll know I found the first year of university challenging. I struggled with homesickness. I’m lucky to have a great relationship with my mum and dad, which made living apart from them in that first year especially hard. There were moments in my first semester when I thought about dropping out of school and moving back home. But some of the best advice I received around this time was to think about Kingston as my home. Slowly, I began to explore my new city: I drank chai lattes at all the local spots, bought too many books at Novel Idea, and went to some great concerts. Plus, I have family in the city who made Kingston feel like home.
Somewhat ironically, just when my homesickness had waned, we all received an email asking us to leave campus because of COVID-19. I remember thinking, “Really? Now I can go home?” So much has happened since that first year that makes me glad I stuck it out despite my homesickness. Queen’s and Kingston have truly become my home, so the thought of graduating and moving elsewhere is bittersweet. But, before that, I have four more months of studying, Cogro-ing (is that a verb?), and blogging to do, and I hope you’ll keep reading!
See you soon!
Emma