Looking Back At: 2013

We’re officially into a New Year! The prospect is both exciting and daunting to me. I have a whole year that is completely blank and waiting for me to write my memories across but I also have a whole year that already have my memories on it and I want to share some of those things with you guys.

You might have seen this around but basically, last year I bought this jar and from January to December I’e kept sticky notes by it where I write my memories and put it into the jar so I can open it up at the end of the year and look at what I’ve done. A lot of the time I tend to forget what actually went on that year and it leaves me feeling a little upset since it felt like I’ve just wasted a year but when I properly sit there and think about it there’s actually a lot of stuff that I have done but just got clogged up with some of the other events during the year. 

So, here we go!

The first post-it-note, which I think is probably one of the most important of the year says that I’ve started to realise the toxic people in my life. It’s true. 2013 was really a year that I started to realise the people in my life who weren’t really treating me great. I really re-evaluated the people that were in my life and whether or not they were doing more harm than good and took some action about it!

I went to go and see The Script live in March, which was absolutely fantastic! It was the first ever concert I’ve been to and I went with my sister. We had an amazing time there, the atmosphere there was something that I’m never going to be able to forget.

I’ve felt a lot more confident within myself this year. I’ve felt as though I’m able to do a lot more and haven’t put myself down so much. The whole confidence thing has really helped do a lot of other things and it makes me feel as though it’s going to help me do a lot more things during 2014. 

This was the year I was finally allowed to re-style my hair. I think that was a huge boost in my confidence as well. I’m not a shallow person and I don’t believe that looks matter in a person at all. But being able to have my hair the way I wanted it just made me feel a lot more comfortable within myself. 

I got onto the Duke of Edinburgh award in my school! That was a huge accomplishment for me, since 165 people applied to do it and only 30 were able to get through. It was such a good feeling when I saw my name up on that list with everyone else’s. I was so nervous after my interview that I really didn’t think I was going to get on. So, that is probably one of the things I am most proud about.

I had the amazing chance to go to Italy with my school was fantastic. Italy has always wanted to be one of the places where I have wanted to go. I have so many memories from there. It was unforgettable and completely and utterly amazing. The country is so beautiful and I was so glad I had the chance to go out there and see what it really was like.

I’m officially a grade four violinist! Which means I’m half way through all of my grades. I was surprised I wasn’t shaken as much as I usually do during my violin exams. So that was something I definitely was extremely happy with. 

My sister and I went to TFIOS Live where we met John and Hank Green and they signed my sister’s books and a book for me. As well as that, Maureen Johnson asked them a question that I had submitted. I was basically jumping up and down in my seat and everyone just went “Awwww” when she asked the question as well. 

I also had the honour of being one of the three student speakers to present the Children’s University Awards. The awards basically go out to young people who have done a lot of volunteer work and/or have done a lot of hours of after school. They always ask three pupils from one school to help present all the awards. My school was picked this year and I got asked to help out. It was really nice to be asked to do it and then see all these young people go up to get their awards. 

Some of the awesome
cosplayers at LeakyCon

The final thing but one of the best things of the year was the fact that I got the chance to attend the very first London Leakycon! I went with my sister and we had such a laugh there It was unbelievable. I got the chance to take part in so many different workshops and panels. Some of which just made me laugh and some of which taught me some really important things. While I was at LeakyCon, I also got the chance to attend the very first concert Starkid have done in Britain, I got autographs from the Starkid cast, some of the Harry Potter cast and from Hank Green. It was such an amazing experience and I made so many friends there! 

So that was my 2013. To say it was a good year is an understatement. It is a year that I’m upset to see leave but I know that I’m going to make this year just as memorable, if not more! So here’s to a great 2013 an even better 2014.