2023: a brutally draining, drawn out year… and im actually grateful for every second of it i graduated college. i had my first solo art exhibition. i traveled to europe for the first time. i got a job. i also moved back home. but to my surprise, this has been the biggest hurdle of the year. i’d always been comforted by my hometown. it’s the epitome of a cookie cutter suburbia, clean and quiet, friendly and sweet. but returning here indefinitely has made me feel like i’ve taken a step backwards. every street is a reminder of who i was in my adolescent years, reflecting a time when i felt trapped and completely unaware of who i really was. the ‘bubble’ can do that a person—compelling submission and assimilation. but… despite the feelings of isolation from friends and the suffocating pathos of post-grad limbo, i also know how fortunate i am to live under the same roof as my parents one last time. i get to celebrate their birthdays in person and hug them when my days are hard. i get to see my younger brother every day after school; my sister is only a short drive away. i get to go on long walks with my two dogs, savoring every minute i get to spend with them before they get too old. my days consist of home cooked meals, family time, and the best sleep of my life. and though i’m itching to move to a new city and eager to start the next chapter of my life, i know i’ll yearn for these moments when i no longer have them, so i intend to enjoy every fleeting minute. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — like life, a new year is bittersweet. it means getting older. it means drifting further from childhood. it means one less year with your pets and loved ones. but it also means more memories like these. through the many ups and many downs, i am grateful for the people who surround me. i am fueled by the time you give me, i get full off your laughter, i bask in your love. you make me crave life. so here’s to another year of birthdays, growing pains, milestones, and lots and lots of love. #2024 #fyp #newyear #memories