2013 – A year of lows, A year of highs, A YEAR TO REMEMBER!

I sit here wondering how Christmas could fly by so quickly this year that I didn’t even feel the Christmas vibes at all. Then suddenly, it’s just a few hours before the start of the new year then it’s already the new year, yet how did I spend this day and the last few days at that? Glued to my laptop, drafting up essay after essay in search for the perfect combination of words that would encapsulate my first 18 years of living as I wrote my personal statements for college applications.

I guess that as this year comes to a close and another new year starts, it’s just right that I actually take a break first from finishing all my College applications and pause for a moment to look back at what an incredible year it has been.

A year of extreme lows and extreme highs, a year like no other indeed 🙂

Who would’ve imagined that my lowest moment would catapult me into a much bigger world where I got to venture into new countries and exchange stories with newfound friends?

Honestly, the year 2013 has been my most memorable year so far. From experiencing a right of passage in Prom to attending the Ateneo Chemistry Camp to all the SAT review sessions to tearing my ACL to joining Debate to writing for Inquirer to starting my own business to all the other experiences and moments that I enjoyed with both new and old friends alike, this year truly has been a year like no other and I’m glad, I can one day look back at my blog thankful for every single moment of this year.

2013 truly has been one hell of a ride. As I scroll down right now and look through my blog posts, I can’t help but feel nostalgic as I remember all the laughter and the tears this year has brought me.

Yet in all these moments were silver linings that have ultimately made me realize that anything is possible in this world for life is what we make it – something I will keep in mind in the new year, which will hopefully be just as memorable or even more. Ultimately, no matter how dim and hopeless a moment can be, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel for things do work out for the better!

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

18th Birthday – A Reminder That I’m Not Just Another Year Older

Birthdays represent a lot of things. It can mean you’re a year older. It can mean that you’re still alive after said years. It can mean a passing of time. And it can also mean that you can now do certain things, I mean, I’m legal now!! But more than that, it can also mean that it’s time to make a bigger ripple in the world. For me, my birthday this year meant all that plus so much more.

I’m really happy that I got to spend these last few days, including my birthday, with friends who made the last few days such surreal experience. There’s just nothing like eating in a buffet, watching a suspense movie, talking about life, playing basketball with your friends on your birthday. I mean, no matter how absurd or nonsensical we get in our conversations, it’s always a good and euphoric time when you’re with your friends. You can’t help but feel invigorated as you laugh your heart out in almost every single word. I definitely couldn’t have asked for anything more especially after the tiring past few weeks. Laughter with friends truly is the best medicine to anything!

There’s no dull moment with these guys! Super thankful to have spent my birthday with them!

I honestly can’t believe I’m a year older already. Time really does fly by quickly. I’m finally 18 yet it feels as if I’m still a child. I was expecting to feel radically different on the day of my birthday. Yet I realized that change doesn’t happen in one day and that this 18th year of mine, I’ve already changed so much.