A love letter to my 20yr old self
So that was 20.
The amount of life I have lived in the last 12 months could have been enough to be spread out across 5 years. And because I’m still processing it all, I figured I would put it in writing.
In the the last year, I have lived in 5 different places. I kicked off the start of 20 moving to NW DC where I lived in an apartment for 8 weeks. After that, I moved back to Salt Lake and into a new house for my last semester of college. When I wrapped up college, I headed back home to Washington State for a few months and lived in my childhood bedroom. In April, I moved back out to DC, but before finding a permanent residence, I lived out of my suitcase on a couch bed in Arlington, VA for about a month. This last year was hectic, but it has turned me into a minimalist. As I write this, I am sitting on my mattress, no bed frame, no dresser, no nightstand. Just my comforter and a little light that glistens through the basement.
Not only have I physically been all over the place, but I have witnessed SO MUCH. Heres a list of 20 of the highlights:
Moved to the East coast for the first time!
Moved back a few months later!
Stood in front of the US Supreme Court on one of the most historic days in American history
Went through my last semester of college :(
Got accepted into the PEACE CORPS — Then politely declined
Went to Vegas, swore I would never go back, went back 3 weeks later
Went to the ROSE BOWL! #goutes
Surprised one of my best gal’s for her 21st birthday in Salt Lake
Literally drove myself 3,000 miles across the entire country.
Saw Nebraska? Too much of it to be honest.
Casually said “I did a Cap Lap last night” like it was just an average day
Went to NYC! TWICE! I used to dream of living in that city. It is beautiful.
SWAM IN THE ATLANTIC! (In Delaware)
Walked in my college graduation. So bittersweet.
Worked at a gym? And actually built a workout routine
Saw my brother marry his best friend — this was definitely a highlight.
Finally got Spotify premium
Saw my high school best friends together for the first time in way too long
Almost blew up an AirBnB in Mesa Verde, CO
Got on a plane SIXTEEN times.
This list barely scratches the surface of what this last year held for me. I will say, it was a very hard year. Between making so many sweet friends out East and then having to leave them in August, to leaving my college life in December, to leaving my home for the opposite side of the country in April, the tears were many and the goodbyes were hard.
Sometimes I think the tallest hurdles in life bear the sweetest fruit. This current moment is the happiest I have ever been. That doesn’t mean life is perfect — if you have ever met me, I am the depiction of pure chaos. But to see the life I am living, I can’t help but notice the miracles.
What a blessing this past year has been. I am finally at the point where I don’t regret a single thing that has happened in my past. I am proud to be who I am because of who I was. I know there is so much more to experience, but for the time being, I am just so happy to be here.
