This year has been unexpected, shocking, and one of the weirdest, most random years I have ever experienced. I am so grateful for what has happened in the past four hundred and sixty days. It has been a very bittersweet experience, with both highs and lows and a lot in between. For my last blog post of the year, I would like to share some of the greatest experiences, things I learned, and tips that I have gotten out of this year.

1. Stop being afraid – Being afraid, shy, and/or scared is something that I could consider myself to be a pro in. There are so many experiences that I would have been able to experience if I wasn’t afraid, but also those I would’ve missed out on if I was. I never would have met the people that I did, or develop the relationships I have today if I was too afraid to speak to anyone. These past two months have been the happiest that I have felt in a long time because of the relationships that I have developed. I was reminded of the good that can come out of the world rather than the constant darkness that I felt around me for the past year in quarantine.
2. Persevere – There have been so many different areas of my life where I have been tempted to give up in. Wether it was my sport, choir, school, etc., I experienced highs as we’ll as many many lows. Though I’m not at the end of any of them, I still remember those highs and joy that I get when I accomplish something great in those categories. Almost nothing feels better than the pride and accomplishment you feel after pushing through some of the hardest times, both mentally and physically.
3. Reach Out – Lastly, one of the most important things that I have learned this past year is to reach out to others. Personally, I am an avoider when it comes to problems. This leads to me not responding to people, or not reaching out when I need help. Communication is a huge role in any relationship you have, no matter if it is your parents, friends, significant other, teachers, reaching out and talking to them is extremely important. I was not the best at communicating this year and that led to me feeling guilty, ashamed, and full of regret because I knew how beneficial it could have been. Therefore next year, I want to focus on reaching out to others and communicating.

These are just three things that I learned this year, but they have helped me realize a lot in my life. I am excited for the next few years I have left in high school and hope that I can take this advice and apply it to my future self.