2015: I'll Never Forget

Let's actually start this party off with (a bottle of champagne and also) something that I did absolutely forget: the fact that this time last year, I chose a trendy word-of-the-year. I have zero recollection of doing so (perhaps we should actually lay off that bottle of champagne), but apparently I did, and it looks like I'm PSYCHIC more intuitive than I give myself credit for because I think exploration is truly the one word that perfectly summed up 2015. *pats self on back* *gives self two cookies*
That is why, for 2016, I have decided to repeat the process and after a good amount of careful thought and consideration, decided that my word of the year is going to be: billionaire. I was thinking it'd be best to be realistic, you know?
Rewind, rewind. We were talkin' 2015. In no particular order, a few moments / happenings / adventures I'll always remember:

Sadly, we said goodbye to my grandpa last January. Yesterday, I went to pay my respects at his grave for the first time, and it hit me how much I've missed him... and how much I'll always miss him.

Wedding, wedding, wedding! From dress fittings and bridal showers, to DIYs and the big day itself. I can't tell you enough what a beautiful and fun celebration it was, and how deeply honored I was to stand at my gorgeous sister's side.

Finishing Gilmore Girls, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Team Spuffy!), FRIENDS, Parenthood, Broad City, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Master of None, and more. Yes, this is important to me. I know I said "in no particular order," but this bullet point might actually come before graduating and traveling to ten countries. And getting my first paycheck, too. Just tellin' it like it is.

Spending Spring Break visiting my high school friends in Austin, TX and feasting all week long. Texas calories don't count, didn't you know? Plus, trips to LA (more) and Thanksgiving in Seattle. And of course, the jaunts back to Houston here and there.

Incredible, thought-provoking lectures, interning at our business school, advising with our study abroad program, assisting with research for our psychology department. (Barely) learning a new language. Enjoying every last second, tough and frustrating and hilarious and brilliantly amazing and Taco Bell-fueled and exciting as they were, of college.

Walking across a stage at Stanford to fetch that shiny diploma my parents dropped so many dolla-dolla bills on. "Dare I believe it," I'm guessing they thought all day.

Coming to terms with entering the real world. Finally. After sticking my head in the (rocky but lovely) sand (of Croatia) for a solid couple months. Accepting and diving head-first into a startup job that I am so, so thrilled I held out for. There has been so much learning happenin' over here this year. 

Feeling lost, directionless, and a little desperate at times. I'll remember being plagued with doubt as everyone around me was securing jobs and post-graduate plans, as my peers at the very least had an idea what they wanted in a first post-college endeavor. I was up for anything, which was a blessing as much as it was a curse. I remember second-guessing myself when I started seriously considering a couple of opportunities, and then making the decision to put those off because I felt so strongly about spending the summer abroad. I remember feeling so hopeless when I returned from my trip to a social circle already so deeply embedded in their new normals – internships and jobs, budgeting for rent and gas and groceries – when I myself was only beginning my delayed job and apartment search.
But I'll never, ever, ever forget how all of those decisions paid off.

Choosing San Francisco, both as a college kid crashing on my sister's couch (see: Bay to Breakers) on weekends, and as a SFer myself now, with a stupidly exorbitant rent and all. 

Re-visiting old stomping grounds at Oxford. Finding favorite and new haunts in London. Dreamy days in Paris, full of delightful pastries and solo adventures. Rainstorms in Venice. Wine-tasting in picturesque Tuscany, and countless gelatos in Florence. Pretending to be Lizzie McGuire in Rome. Barely making it out of Naples alive, but of course I would've died happy because we had the best pizza. Of. All. Time. Boating around Capri. Gorgeous sunsets on our balcony in Split, Croatia. Chasing waterfalls at the most beautiful place I've ever seen in Plitvice Lakes. Learning about the history of former Yugoslavia with a group of Stanford students in Dubrovnik, while drifting through Old Town in our spare time. Trying new things and being absolutely humbled and shaken to the core while roadtripping through Bosnia & Herzegovina - Sarajevo, in particular. A ten hour layover in the Belgrade airport where we tasted the most amazing ice cream, and also saw the most spectacular sunset I've ever seen through the customs windows. Checking off the top item on my bucket list in Santorini. Melting in Athens as we wandered around the Acropolis. Getting upgraded on an international flight (!) ... but you'll have to wait to hear about that story. Seeing the world with my best friend next to me.

Lucking out with an insanely awesome apartment in SF, where I get to live with one of my besties and three other lovely roommates.
Ending the year in Nanjing, China, surrounded by family and good food. Can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be (I would say with my friends, except apparently they were partying until 3am and frankly that sounds overwhelming, so again... you couldn't pay me to be anywhere else but here right now.) (Unless we're talking big bucks.)
It's been an incredibly full year – one of my favorites (2014 is also up there!) and one I'll hold close to my heart always. Now, 2016, I hope you end up being as sweet as all the Instagram hashtags are claiming you will be.
Happy New Year!