I can say that without a doubt I am a very lucky person, in that my past year has consisted of more highs than lows. When I initially began thinking about this topic I was hesitant to admit any lows beyond leaving my friends and family when I moved abroad, mainly because I got the idea in my head that admitting anything else could be construed as "ungrateful" for my living abroad experience. Then I remembered that nothing is perfect and that even the luckiest person in the world will have bad days or bad experiences. Very few good things in this world can make someone immune to all of the bad. So yes, I am a very lucky person with such a supportive network of family and friends, but that does not mean that everything in my life is hunky-dory.
For the most part, my "highs" of this past year have been documented on this blog. Graduating college was a big deal for me, even though I chose not to participate in the ceremony. Mostly because finishing college meant that I was finally done with standardized schooling. Notice that I say "schooling" and not "learning" because I am a firm believer that we never stop learning. Moving to Italy and finally seeing Venice is definitely one of my highs. I had seen a decent amount of Italy before this year, but I never got the chance to see one of the most iconic cities in the world. This was a high for me, because before two years ago, I never saw the appeal of Venice. What I read in travel guides made me less than impressed with the idea of the city. Luckily for me, the city itself proved that belief wrong. One of greatest highs was going to London and the Harry Potter Studio Tour. Being the huge member of the Harry Potter fandom that I am, it was a dream come true. Walking through Warner Bros.' studios was like walking on a cloud for me. That particular experience is without a doubt in the top three of my life.
There were really only two lows that stand out for me, over this past year. The first one I have already mentioned: the fact that I left my friends and family. However, that low will soon change as I have already decided to return to the States (which was not an easy choice for me to make). The second low was living on an island for the entire summer. Don't get me wrong, I had fun on that island, but I just mean the feeling of being trapped on an island. I don't like feeling trapped, I need the option to roam freely. Although, even when I have the option to roam I don't always choose to do so.
This past year has been one of the most interesting years of my life so far. A lot of changes occurred, as well as a lot of anxiety. Literally, I have never had an anxiety problem until last year, but anxiety did not hesitate to make itself known to me. And I'm not sure if it will ever fully leave.