New Year or Just Another Day?

As if this phrase weren't already overused... 'another year over, a new one just begun'.

A few days ago we waved 'farewell' to 2017 and said 'hey there' to 2018.
As with every year, 2017 had its high points and its low points - most of which have already been documented on this blog! I'm sure that the year ahead too will come with its blessings and its battles.

I'm never quite sure how I feel about the whole 'New Year' thing. I think it just depends where my head is at at the time. For example, about three years ago, I was feeling incredibly low and so found myself feeling frustrated by people with the attitude that New Years meant a fresh start, a clean slate, the end of the previous year's problems. I wanted to yell 'but life is still as hard as it was yesterday!!!' and 'I wish I could leave my damn problems in last year but it doesn't work like that!!!!'. Yet some years it feels a lot more positive. This year I've found it nice to reflect on 2017 (both the good and the bad) and everything I have learnt, and to look to the coming year with hope and also preparation for everything that may be about to come my way.

At the end of January last year I publish a post entitled 'Memories in a Jar' in which I talked about the concept of a Memory Jar and how I intended to make one for 2017. Please feel free to check it out here. (It's only a short one and will give some context to this post). A year on and that jar is now full to the brim of happy memories from the past year! On 1st January 2018 I thoroughly enjoyed emptying the contents and looking back on all the good times of this past year. I was, however, a little apprehensive about opening certain memories that were happy at the time but have sadly become tainted. These were due to the two relationships I had in 2017 which didn't work out. My friend Ray has suggested that for my 2018 jar I use a specific colour of paper for memories of the romantic kind so that I can chuck them out without reading them if it all goes to pot haha!

I thought it would be nice to share a few of my favourite gems from the jar...

"Watching 'Lion' at New Wine, bawling my eyes out. Beth: 'you do everything at level 10, don't you" 04/07/17

This one cracked me up because I'd forgotten about this time that my friend Beth summed me up so well... we watched the film 'Lion' on holiday at New Wine and it BROKE. MY. HEART. I couldn't stop crying for ages lol. As I was sobbing, Beth said "You do everything at level 10, don't you". She is so right. I am so dramatic! I don't mean to be - like that film really did upset me - but I do seem to do all emotions at the extreme oops.

"Getting very wine drunk and performing 'Ebony and Ivory' including rap verse with Grace for the girls on holiday!" 27/07/17

This is a classic. One of the best nights of my life. We did indeed get drunk but in the best way. We sung and danced around the apartment all night and had all the fun. Writing a rap with Grace and performing it whilst tipsy was indeed a highlight of the night. There is a video of it but that is something which I hope will never see the light of day...

"The MYCOs. Winning players player and the Rebecca Allison award" 17/06/17

This was an amazing day. As I said a lot on this blog, MYCO was one of the best parts of my gap year and I miss it very much. The MYCO awards was just the cherry on what was a fabulous cake. Everyone was dressed to the nines, it was all my favourite people together, and I won two awards which was such an honour and something I will never forget.

"Uncle Mick rang me and said 'Stick to your convictions, you are lovely, you are very special, I feel so lucky to have you" 05/10/17

Another very special moment. I had only been at Uni for about two weeks when one of my uncles rang me just to check in and see how I was getting on. He also offered some advice and words of encouragement and, as he is someone I love and respect very much, I treasure these words.

"Total Adventure. Dancing around to 'Lighthouse' and 'Lean on me' with Millie" 07/08/17

I wrote on here a little bit about my week working with Millie, a girl who is blind and partially deaf on an adventure holiday camp. One of the best parts of the week was the time of music at the end of everyday. All the other kids felt self conscious or 'too cool' to dance along to the songs. But not Millie. I guess its because she can't see what everyone else is doing; as far as she's concerned, music is meant to be danced to. I must say, I fully agree. She held my hands and we danced around like madwomen. I would highly recommend, I believe dancing is good for the soul.

"Finding my claddagh ring in a shop on Grafton Street!" 29/12/17

For my 18th birthday, my parents bought me a claddagh ring (a traditional item of Irish jewelry but sadly the band split not long after. I was heartbroken and have been mourning it ever since! However, whilst we were in Dublin last week, I found the perfect one in a jewelers on Grafton Street (you may recognise this road name as it features in Ed Sheeran's song 'Galway Girl'). I am so happy to have a claddagh back in my life! Here's a cheeky pic of it...

The two hands represent friendship, the crown is for loyalty and the heart is for love.

"FRICKEN BATS! Realising I proper love Sarah and Alicia. Night out with coursemates" 27/10/17

As I keep saying, I am so lucky to have so many amazing people come into my life in Brighton. This note was about my two bffs on my course but there was also one in my jar about how much I love my flatmates.

"Katie and Ollie remembering me after 3 months away. Most precious moment ever." 18/12/17

Being away from the twins I looked after throughout my last few months of school and the entirety of my gap year was so hard for me. I had convinced myself that they would have forgotten who I was by the time I got back for Christmas, seen as they are so little but I needn't have worried. As soon as I was in the room they were fighting to get out of their highchairs for a cuddle with huge grins on their faces! I just wanted to cry!


There were way over 100 memories in that jar so I could go on forever but I don't want to bore you!
I would highly recommend keeping a memory jar for yourself this year. It really does help you to look for the positives in your day-to-day life. It also helps to put your year into perspective when you reach the end of it. It can be easy to look back on a year and to only focus on the negatives as they usually feel so much bigger, yet reading through your jar reminds you that there has also been plenty of good - however small those moments may have been.

My jar for this year (owls, of course.)

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you have a wonderful 2018.

Love,
Katie xxx