Obligatory New Years Post

Happy New Years everyone!!

I can't believe how fast 2012 flew by! It feels like just yesterday that I was posting about my resolutions for this pat year.

2012 recap:

*I worked my dream job as a barista and watched little booger covered children at an after school program.
*I took and passed endless tests including: All three math categories CSET's, CBEST, and GRE's (actually i think that was 2011)
*I submitted my application and interviewed for UCLA's teacher ed program, got accepted and began the program.
*I traveled internationally and alone for the first time.
*I went to Japan!
*My great grandma passed away at age 106 (what a fighter!)
*I attended Darius's 3324623 hour long graduation.
*I got braces (invisalign!!)
*and above all, i realized again and again how wonderful God is and how perfectly my life is laid out.

I think the greatest thing I learned this year is that no matter how challenging and uncertain times may be, God always has the perfect plan.  I started 2012 with no solid plans and full of fear that i would end up no where. What if i got into nowhere for grad school? At times, the only thing i felt i was certain of was that i wasn't certain of anything. Luckily, with some well planted people in my life, some old, some new, some reappearances and with difficult faith placed in God, I made it through and I feel so blessed to be where i am now.  I love my family, friends and boyfriend for being there every step of the way.

Now begins a new near filled with new uncertainty and challenges.  I feel that there are ever appearing challenges being presented at the most inopportune times.  But I know from last year that God always has a plan.  I feel renewed for this new year and am excited to see what will happen. My new years resolutions include:

1.) Blogging at least once a week! Yes this one again! I did this resolution a few years ago and it was more or less successful.  I loved it and it made me a more reflective creature.  It also reminded me to count my blessings which brings me to my next resolution

2.) Living in the present.  It sounds silly but I realized last year how much i lived for the future.  I would always think, "I just need to make it to this date and i'll know if I'm in the program". Or "when I'm married and have my own house, I will have this and this and this!" Or, "I just need to make it through this year and then i'll get a real job!" I noticed this mostly when i was applying for grad schools.  I would dream about getting in and the life i would have as a grad student. But i noticed that now that I'm actually living my graduate student life, I keep thinking about life after grad school.  So i resolve to appreciate what i have now and to enjoy the present rather than thinking so much about the future.

3.) Be able to finish one drink (and still be okay).  HE HE HE. Allow me to explain.  Once i entered into Grad school, naturally I've been hanging out with older people. I've realized that older people's favorite down time activity is to drink.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm making this resolution for myself an no one else.  I find it frustrating that I'm always getting other people to finish my drinks. Something else i'd like to note is that I will still be drinking on my own terms.  If i don't feel like a drink that day, I will still abide by that.  Anyways, one year to build my tolerance up from half a beer to a whole one isn't unreasonable right?

4.) Gym at least once a week!!! I want to make it more but I've been thinking that pact is coming up as well as my master thesis so I've got to be reasonable right? A few months ago, the TEP people at UCLA was required to attend a talk about stress. The speaker emphasized that a human body only NEEDS 3 things: food, sleep, exercise.  I was surprised that exercise was essential but then the speaker clarified that he really meant that movement is essential.  So I to ensure that include movement in my daily routine, i will force myself to go to the gym rather than sit around like a lump in front of the TV.

Cheers everyone to making it to the new year!!! I'm excited for this year and will try my best to post about it regularly (: