Looking Back (2018) & Ahead (2019)

It's December, which means it's time for my annual blog post 😅

2018

This year I accomplished a few of my resolutions for once: I lost weight, increased my GPA, got accepted to grad schools, worked on my languages (duh), and sold a cross stitch. 

There were also a few things that weren't on my list. In winter I officially declared a minor in German Studies at UCSB. In spring, I gained an officer position in my club and finished my junior year of college. Over the summer I prepared my grad school applications. This fall I was accepted to four UK universities and I finished my major requirements. I also wrote a featured blog post about how I've overcome my anxiety disorder. And, most excitingly, I finished my first paid translation project this week!

2019

I will be finishing my B.A. this June! And as long as I get the finances together, I will be starting a one-year M.A. in Professional Translation for European Languages at Newcastle University in England this September. I am super excited, as I can't wait to learn more about the craft and I have wanted a graduate degree for quite some time. And, of course, I've never traveled outside of the US so it will be an adventure. A few of my goals for the new year are:

• Graduate with a 3.3 GPA
• Save enough money for grad school
• Read 3 novels in Spanish
• Improve my German
• Learn basic Korean
• Continue losing weight
• Be more active on my blog!

Wherever you are, whoever you are, I hope 2019 brings you happiness and self-improvement. 

Cheers,

Emily Anne Williams

Looking Ahead at 2018

It's time for my obligatory "New Year, new me" post.

It's the last day of 2017, so I thought this would be a good time to post my goals and such for the coming year, which I've been compiling for quite awhile now. 

Goals

Lose weight.

I'm going to try to lose 30 pounds this year, slowly but healthily. 

Publish on YouTube.

It's something I've been wanting to do for awhile now, so I should just go ahead and do it.

Earn and maintain a 3.3 GPA.

I'm actually really close to achieving this, and it'll be important in the coming year because I'm also going to...

Apply to grad school. 

After years of having absolutely no idea which path to take, I've finally decided I want to pursue a Masters in Translation. So far I'm looking at NYU and Kent State. 

Log some volunteer hours. 

I've been doing some volunteer work lately and it's reminded me how much I enjoy it, so I want to take time in the new year to help those in need. 

Add and expand my languages.

I am constantly working on this objective, but I figured I would put it on the list anyway. Specifically I recently obtained some resources for Japanese and Russian that I would like to start on (thanks Santa).

Sell some cross-stitch.

I really enjoy the creativity and entrepreneurship it requires.

Publish 8 articles with the Nexus.

This is a relatively low number considering my past work with them, but it's going to be a busy year. 

Write a novel I actually want to be seen by the world.

I wrote a novel in high school, edited it, sent it to agents, then realized I hated it. I'm currently working on a project I'm really excited about, and I can't wait to see it grow.  

Other Thoughts

This past year was a great one for me, I'm pumped for 2018. I'm ready to finish my junior year strong. I hope to make more memories with the people I love, and to contribute to society in meaningful ways.

Happy New Year,

Emily Anne Williams 

My Year in Review (2017)

I think self reflection is important.

It helps us to see what we've done, where we are now, and what we want for the future. Although I try to live in a constant state of self reflection, the end of the calendar year brings an opportunity to do so on a wider scale. 

Winter

I started this year like many others; feeling anxious and isolated due to the polarizing 2016 election. At the beginning of the quarter, I found it difficult to get out of bed and go to class. There would be moments where I would space out for hours at a time, not being able to bring myself to do anything except stare at my desk (dissociation). It wouldn't be until a few months later that I realized I was suffering from depression, and a few months after that that I came to terms with it.  Despite all this, I managed to finally bring my cumulative GPA above a 3.0. I began tutoring privately to make some extra cash, which taught me a lot about work ethic and how much I love helping people. And I got to meet my political hero, Ben Shapiro, which was the experience of a lifetime. 

Spring

I struggled with one of my first upper-division linguistics classes but impressed the hell out of my professor because I did so without taking the recommended class beforehand. I started to branch out of Isla Vista and actually made it to downtown Santa Barbara despite my anxiety. I discovered that although I love politics, political science classes aren't for me. I finished my second year of college!

Summer

I visited my second home state (Iowa), once again proving that the anxiety that formerly ran my life is now bending to my will. I got to spend time with family. I studied for the LSAT [though I've decided that's no longer the path I will take]. I went to the movie theaters (another former phobia of mine), twice! Being back with my family reminded me how depression is not a normal state, and after being inspired by someone else's steps towards recovery, I decided that I would take my own when Fall came. Unlike when I started my treatment for my GAD, I decided to keep this journey under wraps for awhile. 

Fall

I started my third year, and I started receiving therapy again, this time for depression. I got a new job as a student cook (which I absolutely love). I made the hour long trip to Oxnard to make my first ever visit to the shooting range (no more travel anxiety, who dis?). I took a course entirely made up of public speaking (no more performance anxiety, who dis?). I started dating, which I never thought I would be able to do. I took a class that confirmed teaching would not be the best career for me. I survived the Thomas Fire. And after only three months of treatment, my therapist and I decided that I no longer needed professional help to cope with my depression. As a great bonus, I got to visit Universal Studios Hollywood today with my friends, with minimal anxiety and a lot of memories that I will treasure. 

Conclusion

I have had to face a lot of challenges in the past few years. I have had my fair share of high points and low points. But I have proven to myself, and I hope to anyone else who is struggling, that it's possible to not only overcome your battles, but to bury them in the ground. There are still some things I'd like to improve in the coming years, but 2017 has taught me that I can achieve more than I could ever imagine. 

Thank you for reading,

Emily Anne Williams