New Year's Eve 2011

Another year has passed and with it, both happy and sad memories and experiences. I've lost both my grandfather and my aunt, but I have gained countless friends. I have traveled, I have tried many new things, I have gained many new skills, and I have learned much. This year has been amazing and I cannot wait for another year to begin.

With the ringing in of 2012 comes my last year of college. I have less than a year at Virginia Tech, which has been my home for nearly three years. While this makes me sad, it also makes me realize how far I have come and what I have to look forward to when I graduate. I am excited for what I still have to learn and what I will have to do to prepare myself for "the real world". I feel very fortunate to begin my GIS job at Virginia Tech, which will be a nice sort of training ground for what a GIS job will really be like.

I also feel that while I am away from both my immediate and extended family for the majority of the time, this year has brought us closer together. I'm not sure if we all just had the urge to keep better contact or if social networking has made it easier, but just the love that I have felt from my family this year has been amazing and has provided tremendous support for what has been a very challenging school year.

Well, as I have found it tradition to do, I have made my annual list of New Year's Resolutions. I know that I am not the best at keeping them (then again, who really is?), but I know that I need to make some changes, both in a gradual and immediate sense. So, here it goes:

1) Better monitor what I eat (lay off the sweets!)

2) Exercise at least twice a week

3) Get my Driver's License (for goodness sake!)

4) Stay organized; don't let messes build up

5) Speak up more often

6) Ask; the worst they can say is "no"

I know, pretty general goals, but I really need to improve on these things. I realize that not have my license can be a hassle for others as well as myself. Having a job during the summer will be great, but only if I can get to it and I can't always rely on the bus.

I also gained a bit of weight this year and it is in part because I do not eat very well when I am at school and I do not exercise nearly enough. I am going to try to prepare more home-made meals instead of eating out so much and I am going to try to cook more often with meats, as horrifying as that thought is to me.

What are some of your New Year's Resolutions? Did you accomplish any from last year?

I hope that everyone has a Happy New Year, ringing it in with a new hope and an optimistic outlook for 2012.