Oh hey there!

I have taken a long absent from this due to school, field, and work. I want to ease back into it, and what better time to do this then when I am on my spring break. I recently turned 25 and began making a list of things I want to accomplish in this milestone year which turned into the below.

25 things to do in the year 25

1. Control my anxiety

If you know me irl, you may know that I can get pretty anxious about certain things. At my worst, I have obsessive thoughts and difficulty focusing as well as nausea. I want to start finding different techniques to control this. Some of the below goals also address this like exercising and meditation.

1. Continue my vegan flexible lifestyle, but try and routinely cut out sugar

I cut sugar out for a couple weeks in the beginning of 2017. It was eye opening. Almost all processed food has sugar, even canned goods like tomato sauce. I think cutting this routinely out every couple of weeks or so would be a healthy start to tackle my sugar addiction.

3. Yoga at least 3 times a week

I say this every year and never do it. This will be the year!

4. Cut down binge watching TV—find different ways to relax

First thing I do when I come home is actual netflix and chill. This needs to stop like yesterday.

5. Backpack at least 100 miles this year

I already have plans with my little brother to hike Mt. Greylock this summer! I just need a annual break in the woods.

6. Take the PNW trip

This is almost done! Steve and I have bought almost all of our tickets and have a travel book!

7. Keep up straight As in grad school (or at least a 4.0)

This was pretty manageable my first semester, but is a test this semester. No matter what, I would like to keep it above a 3.8.

8. Kayak More

Already working on this, I got an inflatable kayak for my birthday!

9. Read at least 4 books for leisure

I made a reading list and I am going to work on this. If I counted rereads, I would be almost there since I reread HP for the upteenth time and returned to 1984 to get some clarity of the current political situations.

10. Listen to two podcasts a week

I listen to one pod (Pod Save America or a Crooked Media variation) a week right now. It’s pretty sweet. I drive home from class on Friday while listening to it and then keep it on while I take my post week destress bath.

11. Sketch or art at least once a week

I went to art school. This shouldn’t be hard, but sometimes, I feel like my creativity has dimmed.

12. Begin to meditate

Which I hate btw, but I want to try to center and ground myself this year. I am, after all, a quarter of a century now.

13. Try saving more money

This is a must do goal. I need more money in the bank for future goals and loans.

14. Go back to the blog

LOL, look I can cross this one out. JK, I am going to try and blog during my downtime (so mainly summer). Sorry, I am super seasonal right now.

15. Actually read my assigned readings

This is a really ambitious one. I skim the important ones right now and have been actively reading for only one of my four classes. I put this because some of the assigned readings are actually pretty amazing and informational, and oh yeah, I paid for this.

16. Stop holding myself to too high standards

I’ve come to this stage where I’m currently disappointed with where I am because when I was younger I thought I would have met all my goals by now. Youth can make you delusional I guess. Anyways, I want to try and slow down more on these goals and accept that there shouldn’t be an age deadline for them.

17. Get more organized

I need to tackle my closet. Enough said.

18. Actively donate clothes and books

See above.

19. Recycle better

My recycling habits are just not where they should be. We recycle but don’t separate as much as we should. As well, I want to start taking specialty recyclables to MOMs.

20. Go to the beach

One time, Steve and I went to the beach where we only drank Arnold Palmer and only ate glazed donut holes. I want that again.

21. Take Scout to the vet

Cat mom be slacking. I took her last year, but think she could really benefit from a check up. She has fully reached her adult years now and I want to make sure her teeth are all good and she’s up to date on any shots she is missing.

22. Try three new restaurants in Baltimore

I love eating. I think this is pretty self explanatory. Also tied into this, stop eating at the same places. I can’t count how many breakfasts I have eat at Golden West.

23. Watch all the nominated movies for an Oscar

…Even the fish one.

24. Host a dinner party

I have eight plates and Julia Child’s cookbook. You do the math.

25. Balance time better

Time management and I have a tumultuous relationship. I love rewarding my 30 minutes of distracted work by watching a 45 minute Buffy episode. Because that makes sense, right? Some days are better then others, but if I tackle this it can actually help with the first thing on the list.

Here’s to 25 and growing up. I will reflect on this throughout the year and let you know how it goes when I get to 26!