There’s only one more full month left in this decade and 2019 is coming to an end. I’ve managed to have five jobs throughout this entire year (not all at once, I’m not crazy) and land two internships. I’ve built stronger relationships with friends and family, overcome obstacles and challenged myself to take on more responsibilities. The moral of the story is 2019 was one heck of a stressful year. See how I plan on closing out the year and what takeaways I’m bringing with me into the year 2020.
Learning Money Isn’t Everything (kind of)
Throughout the year my top priority was making enough money to support myself and not ask others for help. I never wanted to sit around all day and miss an opportunity to get a paycheck, which means I was applying for jobs that I had no true interest in keeping. I quickly learned from that mistake.
I ended up taking positions in customer service and child-care. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with these professions or I don’t like kids,because I love the kids. These just weren’t the jobs for me. I felt miserable going to work every day for up to 11 hours a day working a job I wasn’t interested in all because I wanted money. Although I’m extremely thankful for every opportunity I’m granted, I know I could be doing more with my life.
I was given the amazing opportunity of becoming a Resident Assistant where I’m able to explore aspects of higher education. I’m able to connect with multiple residents and be more involved in the community, something I love to do.
As the year progressed I took on positions that were catered to my interest and will hopefully benefit my career. I started an internship with the Montclair Center BID as the Social Media Intern. Then I started an editorial internship with none other than Her Campus Montclair. Although my editorial internship was something I was already doing and I wasn’t getting paid, it was an opportunity for me to build on my editorial skills and take my career ventures seriously.
I had to realize that money wasn’t everything when it came to having a job. (It was definitely a plus though) I wanted to put my efforts into something where I could explore the aspects of my career choice while making money or even course credits. As long as I was happy with what I was doing, that’s all that mattered.
The people who matter in the end
This year was an eye-opener for me when it came to relationships. I lost a few friends and built stronger connections with others. I had to come to the realization that as I grow older my circle will become smaller. My friends and I were in different areas in our lives which means there was less time for each other. I found myself becoming distant but not because I had anything against them but because I simply didn’t have time. I didn’t want to dismiss my responsibilities just to hang out with friends daily. There were days and weeks where I went without speaking to my friends because my responsibilities came first.
Some friends didn’t understand my reasoning for becoming distant while others understood and did the same thing. It was then when I realized who I would have in my life forever and who was seasonal.
My personal relationship with my boyfriend went through some ups and downs that we overcame each time. I built a relationship with someone who kept me on track through my downfalls. The two of us gained security within our relationship and we’re currently going two years strong.
Photo by Lynese Salmon
Being away at school I miss out on the important things going on at home. My baby brother is only a year old and I don’t get to see him as much as I’d prefer. There were times where I felt extremely left out in his life but I found ways to still keep in contact with him. I am constantly on facetime with him and whenever I got the chance to go home this year I took it. This year I took on a lot that kept me away from home but I didn’t allow it to keep me away from my baby brother.
Photo by Lynese Salmon
The Take-Away
2019 was a year of reality checks for me. No more teenage habits, it was time to grow up. I was stressed out 50% of the time but I learned from that stress. I learned more about myself throughout the year and that I can handle anything life throws at me. I made some mistakes and dropped some people. But I have no regrets about how this year went. I’m closing out the year with more confidence, career opportunities, genuine people and strong connections.
I’m creating a better me for the future. Things are set in place for me to succeed and I’m taking on as many challenges as I can bear. I’m looking forward to a new year and I can finally leave saying “Goodbye 2019, you were stressful AF!”