2009 Year in Review

In less than one month we'll come to the end of our calendars and 2009 will fade away. So I'm looking back and reviewing the year, inspired by the first post on my favorite blog, Zen Habits.

I realized that 2009 has been the least stressful year of my life in 4 years or more, which is an accomplishment considering that last fall my nervous system was on the fritz due to extreme stress. In the spring, I took 3 theater classes and an English class, and 3 of the 4 were intro-level. Over the summer, I lived in an apartment instead of at home and acted in a show, and here in Italy I've had an academic breather as well. Granted, I've faced challenges and it hasn't all been easy, but at least I haven't been killing myself! Here are some of the things I've accomplished this year:

+ First semester of grades I'm actually proud of at Amherst. It's a tough school, and in previous semesters I had a harder time choosing the right classes and following through as a student, due to a multitude of personal stressors and poor work habits. But in Spring 2009, I knew I had to make a change, so I threw myself into classes I'm passionate about: Playwriting, Language of Movement, Materials of Theater, and Reading, Writing, and Teaching.

+ Acted in 3 shows: Vagina Monologues, Evita, and Strange Weather. Next year I'll take it a step further as a co-director of the Monologues, and hopefully act in an Amherst Theater department show.

+ Started learning a new language. I'm in an intensive Italian class and living with a host family, and while I'm far from fluent, I can at least hold a conversation. I was very intimidated at first, but spending 8 hours a week in class and not spending all my free time with Americans has paid off.

+ Traveled alone in France for 10 days. This would have freaked me out just a few months ago, but in Italy I've gained confidence and flexibility, and I was able to take the initiative for the trip. I saw one friend I knew from Amherst, but otherwise very few Americans, and I stayed with Couch Surfers and though I frequently lapsed into English, I did improve my French.

+ Made productive changes. I still waste time, but by tracking my computer usage on Rescue Time, reading productivity blogs and e-books, and cultivating an attitude of mindfulness, I've begun a process of change. I procrastinate less and feel better about myself, and I expect the changes to continue well past 2010.

+ Read 500 pages of Anna Karenin. This time I just need to finish it!

There are many other things I've done this year, and it's been populated with at least as many failures and disappointments as successes - but I'm focusing on the positive here! I have a lot of goals for the upcoming year. For now, though, I'm still in Italy, and I'm making the most of my last two weeks abroad!