Happy New Year! Did 2023 fly by for anyone else? This year I wrote my thesis, got my masters, finished an internship, moved to Paris and even got engaged (more on that in my next post). I don't really have much to say this year, I'll let the resolutions speak for themselves!
(What I did and didn't accomplish)
⚠️ A work in progress
⭕ Success!
❌ Fail
⭕ Read 3 French books
I not only met my goal, I surpassed it by reading 4 books instead of 3. I also am halfway through a 5th book, but wasn't able to finish it before the end of the year.
This was the first book I read, and I had high expectations for this since it's so famous. To be honest, I didn't really enjoy this as much as I thought, and by the end of the book I was ready for it to be over. I actually read this book twice, once straight through while highlighting unknown words and the second time while using a dictionary for everything I highlighted.
This book was a nice read, but the main character was absolutely insufferable and I found myself actually feeling happy every time she had consequences for her actions (which sounds a bit mean as she was only about 5 years old). I also read this book twice, once while highlighting and the second time after looking up the words.
I found this book at my local library and it was such an awesome read. I picked it up in the 'Easy to Read' section, which is where I'm going to bookhunt from now on. I couldn't put it down and ended up finishing it in only 2 or 3 days, reading it on the bus while headed to work.
Feeling confident from my last Aki Shimazaki book, I decided to read this book and had a pretty similar experience. I got through it in about 3 days and was prepared to read the rest of the series, but I wasn't a fan of the next book and dropped it after getting halfway through. Oh well!
I bought this book in Lyon and wanted to finish it before the end of the year, but it's almost 400 pages so I wasn't able to. This book is really fun because Guillaume and I read it aloud before bed, taking turns reading different chapters. I think we will finish it before I move back to the States in April.
If you have any recommendation for books in French, please comment them below!
⭕ Get an HR/Diversity related job
I accomplished this goal! In May, I moved to Paris to work as an HR intern for 6 months. In the end, the work environment was very toxic and not conducive for learning, so I left at the 4 month mark once I validated the internship with my school. I'll start applying for full time work in January, and hope to get something in diversity!
⭕ Start building my dream wardrobe
This year, I jumped into the vintage aesthetic headfirst and collected so many new pieces that I love. I don't have a tally of how much I've spent, but the confidence and happiness I feel with my new clothes is priceless. I'll continue to get more vintage clothes, but probably with a stricter budget.
❌ Become A2 in Swahili
As much as I like the Swahili language, I didn't accomplish my goal. I was studying for about 2 months, but I quickly lost motivation and gave up early on in the year. Towards the end of the year I started looking into studying Spanish and testing out some apps, and this is something I'll touch on later.
⚠️ Find a form of movement that brings me joy.
In my defense, I tried but didn't find what I was hoping for. In 2023, I tried at-home yoga, speed walking, Pilates at-home and in a studio, HIIT, and the Chloe Ting 14 day abs challenge. I didn't really enjoy any of them, with the studio Pilates being the most excruciating of them all. I'm hopeful that I'll eventually find some exercise I like, but I guess that's for 2024 me to find out!
2024 Goals and Resolutions:
Reach A2 Level in Spanish
My language goal for this year is Spanish focused, and I have a couple of apps and programs I plan on using in order to get to an A2 level by this time next December. One of the programs I'll be using is Mango Languages, since I get the program for free through the New York Public Library system. I'll also be using some PDFs as well as a special blog partner I'll announce in the next two weeks!
Start tracking my finances
As I prepare to go back to work full-time, I'd like to start being more money conscious and tracking what comes in and out. Though my online banking app displays this information, I want to use a specific tracker and manually enter expenses there to get a breakdown of what I buy! If you have any trackers you like that are free, don't hesitate to comment them below.
Stop biting my lips
This is a pretty practical resolution and something I've struggled with for years! I have a habit of nervously biting my lip and I'd like to stop doing that in 2024. This is the one that will probably be the hardest to keep up with, but I hope I can stick with it.
Complete a sewing project with my Mom
My mom and I bought a ton of fabric 2 years ago before I left and we haven't had a chance to make anything. She's incredible at sewing and I'm pretty much a noob. That being said, I completed a sewing project with a friend in 2023, and it took about 14 hours of work to make a 70s inspired dress. In 2024, I'd like to do at least one sewing project with my mom!
I'm really excited for this next chapter and I have a lot of surprises in store for the beginning of 2024! I think 2024 will be more chill compared to the past two years. My goals are a bit smaller so I'm hoping that means they're attainable. Stay tuned for all my updates and as always, thank you so much for reading!
0 Comments
Post a Comment