May 22, 2017

No Longer Feeling 22

Like any other year, 22 was filled with its ups and downs. It was a challenging year for sure but it’s a year where I know I grew a lot. Here are some highlights and not-so-high-lights from the past year:

  • Two weeks before my 22nd birthday, I signed a lease for and moved into my very own apartment in SF. I just moved out of it a week ago but it’ll always be my very first grown up home. I remember when I moved in, I told my parents I’d stay there for 10 years. Didn’t happen.
  • Officially attended college graduation, walked, etc.
  • Moved out of my college apartment.
  • Dealt with being bitten by something in my new apartment on and off!! Agh, this was so frustrating because no one could tell me what it was or could find anything. This involved countless appointments with doctors, dermatologists, and exterminators.
  • Attended my very first wedding in Budapest (also my first bachelorette party).
  • Turned my four-day wedding trip to Budapest into a 2.5 week Europe trip and went to Vienna and Berlin (concluding in New York).
  • Slept in an airport for the first time in Rome. Will likely never take a two-stop flight again.
  • Got a root canal that cost me $3500 -insert skull emoji here-.
  • Started my own social media consulting company with a friend and worked with two great clients.
  • Got promoted at my day/corporate job.
  • Quit my day/corporate job.
  • Launched eatwithchristy.com
  • Earned a certificate in Data Analytics from General Assembly.
  • Visited 7 countries, 24 cities, and took countless flights.
  • Reconnected with old friends and formed many new friendships.

I’m kicking off 23 in a very big way. I’m traveling Europe for 3-4 months and then Asia (hopefully I don’t run out of money before then). I’m planning on spending a month or two in Chiang Mai and really want to backpack Vietnam but those are pretty much the only things set in stone. At 23, I hope to:

  • Read 2 books a month (hopefully 3).
  • Create a piece of video content per week while traveling. Ideally a vlog about the week with snippets of whatever city I’m traveling in.
  • Blog at least once per country.
  • Learn a programming language.
  • Start creating recipe videos.
  • Cross off five things on my “Under 30” list.
  • Find a remote or freelance job for while I’m slow traveling in Asia and save up money for my future endeavors.
  • Create a business plan for my restaurant and take steps towards making it a reality.
  • Let my family and friends know that I love them and constantly remind them of that.