It is that time of the year again.

Okay, folks, I have a question. How on earth did the year go by so fast? It feels like yesterday was the evening before New Year’s Eve 2013. And now it is the evening before New Year’s Eve 2014. Where did the time go? And what did I do all year?

Let’s take a look at my year 2014.

2013 was not a good year for me personally. My only highlight back then was my six weeks adventure in the U of S of A. Therefore, I was glad to say bye bye to 2013 and welcome 2014. It could only be better. I said goodbye to 2013 by celebrating with a friend and her friends, who welcomed me into their group for their New Year’s party. I am still very thankful that they let me celebrate New Years with them. And I had a blast. Like every year my birthday comes next at the 2^nd of January. This year I did not do anything due to my very busy and tight schedule to finish up the most important paper in my Bachelor-Degree-University-Career. I had to hand that in five days later, which I did on time (woot! woot! for me). January went by with nothing exiting happened. So did February and most of March. I was on spring break at that time, and after the most stressful last three years I was so relieved that I finally had some time off of college. I only had to work ten hours every week. At the end of March, I almost lost my place at my university, due to slow workers who were unable in getting all the necessary signatures for my diploma after 2 ½ months after my final grad was finalized. But after 24 hours of tons of tears, an angry and upset me, many hours at two different registrar’s offices at two different universities in two different cities, tons of paperwork and lots of help from my mum (who was as upset as I was) I was able to save my place. And a couple of weeks later, I (FINALLY) received my diploma. After 3 ½ years of tons of hard work, endless study hours, many seminars and lectures, and several I-just-want-to-quit-meltdowns, I am a college graduate with a Bachelor Degree in English and Sociology. Congratulations to me. April brought me and my family two wonderful weeks with a visit from one of my great aunts from the USA and a great birthday party for my uncle’s 60^th birthday. May came and went without any big events. And then June came. It start with me attending an amazing concert of a talented musician with my wonderful cousin and it continued with the start of the most awaited four weeks for a country whose national sport is soccer. It was the start of the World Championships in soccer in Brazil. Those four weeks were nerve-wrecking, exciting and so worth watching. They ended in the middle of July with and amazing win of the title for my beautiful home country, Germany. (FYI, you can read all about those four weeks in one of my blog posts called “Germany has woken up out of its World Champion Daze”). During those four weeks my sweet, not so little anymore, younger brother also graduated High School. August and September went by pretty fast. And my summer break was almost over. I quit the job I had for almost three years because I got a new one at university. So at the end of September a chapter ended and at the beginning of October a new one started. I like my new workplace and work very much and I am happy there. But it was also sad leaving my old place and the wonderful people there, but I was ready for a new challenge. So, it was bittersweet. Additionally, October and the beginning of November brought us another visit from our wonderful US family, my dad’s cousin. And then there it was again, the start of the last month of the year 2014, also known as December and Christmas time. It is always a wonderful time in my home country. Every town is decorated in Christmas decorations and there are Christmas markets everywhere. There is a constant smell of cookies and Glühwein. I just love it. My brother reached a new milestone by turning 20 years old that month, which made me feel very old. Christmas came and went and here we are now, on the evening of the 30^th December 2014. I will spent New Year’s eve with the same people at the same place like I did last year and I am looking forward to that.

Like every year, everyone is thinking about New Year’s resolutions. So do I. What can I do better for myself and for others next year?

Like I say every year, I want to eat healthier and be more active. And trust me, people, it is easier said than done. Chocolate and ice cream are so tempting. And so is just lying around and watching a good movie instead of going running or do other sportive things. But this time, I really want to change that. Furthermore, I want to be more organized. People, who know me, know that I can be a little chaotic. I like to make small resolutions for myself, because I do not want to be disappointed in myself, later. Therefore, with small resolutions, anything that I additionally achieve is a bonus. For 2015, I want to try something completely new for me. I want to write down one positive thing per day. It can be something that made me smile or happy or it can be something good and helpful I did for others. It just has to be something positive. At the end of the year, there should be a whole diary, a box with 365 small letters or something where I wrote all of it down. I am not sure where I am going to write all of it down. I have to figure that out tomorrow. I read that in a magazine and I thought, why not try it.

Well, that was my year 2014 and my New Year’s resolutions. What are yours and how was your year of 2014?

And so does a year come and go. As we say goodbye to 2014, we welcome 2015. Have a wonderful celebration of dismissing the year of 2014 and welcoming the new year 2015.

“Dear 2014, we had many ups and downs together. There were good and bad times. Laughter and tears. Highs and lows. As we go our separate ways, I will always remember you as one of the good years. Love, Moi.”