It is New Year’s Eve and I am sitting in my airbnb room in Ushuaia with an incredible view of the Beagle Channel and the Fuegian -Chilean Andes. As today is the last day of 2018, I cannot help but reflect on my year and my aspirations for 2019.

2018 has truly been one of the most incredible years of my life. It flew by quicker than any year yet. It began in, literally to this day, in Portugal-The Azores Islands, when my childhood best friends, Kelley and Nicole and I found a GroupOn for an 8 day trip for $500 thinking we were going to get scammed.

It then continued with me making new incredible friends-Sabrina, Emily, Julia, Ruby and Margeaux, Jenna and Kendall. To rethinking toxic friendships. I reconnected with old friends – Alexis, Natalie, Dione, Gen and continued forward with my best friends Bailey, Meghan, and Simran. As well as Giulia, who continually pushes me and inspires me to be the best version of myself. I am so grateful for my friendships as well as other people in my life who inspire me, such as Michael and Nancy and my brother. Oh and all the Facebook moms that tell me they are proud of me…and Mr. Hallihan haha! I am grateful for all the Argentinians I met-Sil, Lulu, and Ceci to name a few. As well as IGP members who together we helped-eachother- Lee, Sarah, Elena, Jocelyn and Kyndra. I am incredibly grateful for my family and all they do for me and the love, encouragement, and support they give me-Mama, Papi, Sebastian, Yadira and Jill.

This year has brought me to new worlds and has allowed me to reflect on old ones. I went to California with one of my best friends for my 21st birthday, Portugal, Argentina, Uruguay, Patagonia, and heading to Ecuador in 2019 and who knows where else that will lead me! I was able to have my first experience in research and learned a whole new side of Geology. I struggled though some of the hardest academic semesters of my life, but found success at the end of them, and was in the hospital 2x in 1 week my first month in Argentina (don’t worry nothing super serious). But, 2018 taught me that what you give is what you get. 2018 taught me that self-love after surgeries over the summer, also highlighting to me real-friends and new discoveries with my mom. I went on dates with guys for the first-time in my life and found myself unable to make a connection with any of them. Perhaps I was just not ready for love in 2018, but I feel more prepared for it in 2019 as I love myself more than ever before.

2018 has taught me what makes a good friend, partner and family. 2018 has taught me the importance of mindfulness and meditation. It has also taught me to be kind to others with no expectations of receiving it back. It has taught me the importance of learning about other humans, nature, countries, cultures, and myself. It taught me the importance of living in the present and the power of gratitude. 2018 taught me that it is okay to feel other emotions besides happiness in order to revel in it when it comes.

And now, because of all of this new cultivated awareness, I am excited to run with it in 2019. I look forward to love, presence, perceptions, hard-work with benefits, new people, new places, new successes, new lessons, graduation, grad school/PhD, continuous friendships, relationships, family, education, happiness, goals, being more minimalistic and gratitude. From the bottom of my heart, thank you 2018! For the hardships and incredible moments. 2019, I am so excited to meet you and for all the new captured instances!!