1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Moved out of home into my own apartment. Lived in the city. Studied at University. Started training with a personal trainer. Tried a yoga class. Ran 11km without stopping. Go on a beach holiday with two friends. Own my own laptop. Live with people my own age. Design a series of paper planes. Attend a design festival. Take the connex/metro trains by myself. Have the courage to tell people how much I weigh. Stick to my health/fitness plans. Make a YouTube Video. Ride in a hot air balloon. Walk around Uluru. Have a champagne breakfast. Spend a night in hospital. Stand in two states at once.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I can’t remember what my new years resolutions were last year. I’m not sure whether I actually made any. However, every year for as long as I can remember, I have vowed to lose weight. This year I have actually managed to do it and for the first time in three years am in the healthy weight range for my height! Woohoo!
My resolutions for this year are to continue to improve my health/fitness, learn to live more frugally and to adopt a minimalist, simplistic lifestyle. These three major goals are all in line with my 20 things to do before I’m 21 challenges, so hopefully through doing these I will also complete my 20 things.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Two of my close school friends recently had a baby girl and my best friend’s sister is also the proud new Mummy of a little girl. I know a few other friends who are pregnant, but no bubs yet…
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. 2009 saw the loss of my beloved grandpa. I loved him so very much and even though we didn’t see him often, I cherished the moments which we did get the share together. The last time I saw him was this time last year.
5. What countries did you visit?
No countries other than Australia, however I did explore Central Australia, a part which I hadn’t previously been to.
More self confidence and the comfort to be myself without needing to worry about others opinions.
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 3rd – My first day of University.
August 10th – the date of my first personal training session at my new gym and the beginning of a healthier, happier me.
November 12th – The day all my folios were due at the end of the year.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Such a hard question because I feel like I have grown and achieved so much this year which I never thought I could do. I was very proud of my University results where I now have a high distinction average, after getting HDs in every subject this year except one…(which was a distinction, so nothing to be ashamed of..)
I also cannot help but mention my running. I began 2009 as a girl who had never been good at running and who puffed after running around the block. Now, I run a few times a week and can comfortably clock up 10km on a regular basis. My person best is 11km, which I achieved on a very good day.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Failure? I don’t want to focus on failures!!!!
Probably loosing my cool with my parents a few times throughout the year, which I always instantly regret doing.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was well and healthy throughout the whole year…that is until the very end of December. I spent a night in hospital for chest pains and have since been in and out of hospital having tests done for my heart heart, some hair loss and other abnormal things which have been stressing me out. Before this I had never been in the hospital before, so it has been something new to me. Will go into all the details in another post, but can defiantly say that the experience has made me appreciate good health so much more and made me determined to look after my body as best I can.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Ok, three things instantly come to mind. The first being my MacBook Pro, which I got at the beginning of the year to use at Uni. My whole life is stored on him, which I have affectionately called ‘Franklin’ and I cannot imagine how I survived with it previously.
The second is my iphone. On my old phone I never had any credit, would lose it, not check it for weeks and I couldn’t work out how to make it do what I needed to. Since buying the iphone I have felt so much more connected with my friends and family (important to me since moving out from home) and feel secure knowing that I have a way of contact if I ever need it for emergencies.
The final thing is not really a ‘thing’ as such, but a service. My sessions with my personal trainer have been really rewarding. When I joined the new gym in the middle of the year, I was struggling to find balance in my life. I had been working out whilst at home, but found that during the move to the city, I had managed to lose all my previous progress as I struggled to settle in. I had gained back the small amount of weight I lost when I began working out in 2008 and was feeling very self conscious and down about it. Since starting sessions I have lost 12kg, become so much stronger an felt my confidence soar. I have also learnt so much about health and fitness from the knowledge my trainer shares.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Who’s behavior? Ummm I have no idea…
My Dad started his own radio show on the local station and I think that is pretty awesome!
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I really have no idea…I try not to dwell on those things too much.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Sadly enough on food and the gym…nothing exciting at all. Spent quite a bit on art supplies for my course too. That is a bit more fun.
15. What did you get really excited about?
All my projects for Uni! I think graphic design is such a personal course. I find that I fully immerse myself in it and my work becomes my life while I am in ‘the mode’. I think this is a good sign for the future.
I also got very excited about attending the Pink Concert! It gave me a chance to see an old friend again who I hadn't seen in a long time!
Songs by Taio Cruz and Cascada as they were suggested by a new friend at Uni as good workout music…and that they are! I spent many hours with these songs on repeat sweating it out.
Get Shaky by Ian Carey Project is also memorable, as my mind flashes back to my first (and last) experience with a city nightclub earlier in the year.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
happier or sadder? Happier in some ways and sadder in others.
– thinner or fatter? THINNER! YAY!
– richer or poorer? Ummm yeh much poorer unfortunately….
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spent more time getting to know my lecturers at Uni. Towards the end of semester two I felt that I really was forming a connection with a few of them, but by then it was a bit late.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Stressing and procrastinating over the little things!!!
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Here at home in the country with my Mum, Dad, brother, Nanna and Pa. Just a small gathering this year, but it was lovely.
21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
No, but I wasn’t really looking for love in 2009. I made lots of new friends though!
Ohhhh a tie between Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, Master Chef and Packed to the Rafters!
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No. I try really hard not to hate people…
24. What was the best book you read?
I read so many books in 2009 I can’t possibly choose one!!!
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ohhh, um… Nikki Kummerow, Pearl & the Puppets, Taylor Swift, Dash and Will, Lenka, Lily Allen, Jack Johnson, Cascada, Angus & Julia Stone, Hilltop Hoods, Taio Cruz...
26. What did you want and get?
The knowledge and passion to live a healthy, active lifestyle.
27. What did you want and not get?
I wanted to save money, but that didn’t happen…
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I’m not sure what my favourite was, but I saw ‘Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs’ with some Uni friends a few weeks ago. We got to see it at Imax in 3D for free because my friend works there! A kids movie I know, but it was entertaining and oh so funny!!!! ….and we got to wear the dorky 3D glasses….
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I spent the morning brunching with my bestie and then went out in the evening with some city friends to a yummy thai restaurant. We then came back to the apartment and ate icecream.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
To have joined a local sports team or club and got involved with the local community a bit more… met more people around the area that I live, as most of my friends are from Uni and come from all over Melbourne.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Black tights, cute skirt, t-shirt tucked in, headbands, cardigan and ballet flats – standard Uni attire. Black ¾ leggings and a sports t-shirt for the gym.
32. What kept you sane?
Exercise. It was my stress relief when things got a bit hectic and I needed time for me. Evening phone calls from my Mum most nights helped me keep the homesickness away when I was in the city.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I didn’t really fancy any… I don’t follow celebrities too closely at the moment.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
As terrible as this is, I really didn’t have a chance to watch the news much this year.
35. Who did you miss?
My friends and family back home when I was in the city and my city friends when I was in the country… that’s the problem with having two homes. lol
36. Who was the best new person you met?
Oh wow I met so many new people this year! My friendship group has literally tripled in size. I couldn’t possibly pick the best, but Halie, Emily, Bec, Melissa, Chelsey, Celeste, Michelle, Kaitlin and Maddie all deserve a mention! Oh no, now I’m scared that I’ve forgotten someone!!! Eiiikkk!
You can achieve what seems impossible if you give it everything you’ve got. Don’t listen to those who say you can’t. They’re wrong.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
“ Change, it spins us round and bends us down, turns us inside out.
Change, it melts us down and moulds us round, into who we are.
Into who we are.
Into who we are. ”
(Change – Dean Geyer)
1 comments:
Sounds like you had a pretty awesome year Alice! Glad you enjoyed your first year at uni and congrats on your fantastic results - something to be very proud of! Hope you're enjoying you're well deserved summer holidays!
By the way I loved your quiz so much I just had to give it a go on my blog :-)
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