In this day and age, it is easy to forget the memories and moments that helped shape you, and instead focus on chasing the next big thing. In an attempt to reflect and not forget these moments from 2025, I went on an in-depth reflection of last year and came up with three words to sum it all up: chronicles, network and prioritization.
Chronicles
Throughout the year, I traded where I put in my energy and experienced a chronicle of moments that shaped who I am today. A year ago, I made a goal to start making some money. That led to my job as a lifeguard at a local YMCA.
I spent Friday evenings and early weekend mornings working, gaining a rhythm and beginning to recognize the regulars. Although waking up at 6 a.m. to work the morning shift didn’t feel ideal the first few times, I ended up loving the motivation it propelled me with throughout the rest of my day. When I would get home from work around 10:15 a.m., I was able to immediately get started on my homework because the initial tiredness of waking up had already left me.
Outside of the financial gain and motivation working brought me, seeing the joy that the YMCA brought to families filled me with purpose. Friday evening shifts with young kids and their parents in the recreation area wasn’t the easiest to guard, but the laughter that echoed throughout the room made it worth it.
On a different note, starting a club at the school was something brand new to me, and I learned a lot. Getting to know adults in our community and working together with friends to create a Student Organ Donation Advocacy chapter at the school was not only fun, but it was also an important lesson on responsibility and what it means to be a leader. The experience of spearheading this effort was a key memory that outshone most responsibilities I have had.
Network
2025 was a year of friendships, old and new. Connecting with my coworkers at YMCA opened a new door of social interaction, but the friendships I already made were also strengthened. Whether it was calling and FaceTiming over the weekend, going on walks to talk, going to the mall or even hanging out during water polo practice, the bonds I had with friends grew.
One particularly fun moment I had was visiting the Queen’s Pumpkin Patch during October with my friend. We played paintball and other games, took pictures and ended the evening with snow cones and catching up with each other about our lives.
During water polo season, celebrating senior night with my teammates was one of the saddest moments of the year, but it just goes to show the tightly-knit bond we had with each other. Knowing next year would be my first year playing without them was hard, but we achieved so much in our last year together. Making it to CCS with the team for the first time in 8 years created new memories that I will never forget.
Bonding with them as a team also brought me closer to other teammates in my grade. Summer pre-season led to hanging out before practice and walking to the Argonaut Center together.
The network of friends I built fostered a year full of fun activities and adventures that I hope will continue in the years to come.
Prioritization
Although this year was full of new experiences and fun memories with friends, I also took time for myself to learn and grow. I needed time to think about what deserved my attention — and with some tears — what was not worth keeping in my life. When people think about growth, they think about what they can do to expand on what they already have, but sometimes, growth is really just escalating other aspects of your life so you can focus on what really matters.
As someone who is not particularly keen on confrontation, addressing things that hurt me isn’t my strong suit. Because of this, I often let things go and let people say or do things I know they wouldn’t do to someone else. This year, though, I came to realize that letting people continue to mistreat me was not going to get any easier. Instead, I moved on from people who took my nonconfrontational attitude for granted, putting my dignity in front of my fears.
This shift in attitude also made me think about my idea of personal worth. I learned a lot about myself and my strengths when I decided to put myself first for once. I was happier, had more fun when out with friends and no longer felt stuck wishing for change. Although taking that first step toward change was difficult, the end result was worth it.
If there’s one thing I learned from 2025 as a whole, it’s that if I want something to change, I have to be the one to change it. I wanted to make money, so I got a job; I wanted to build stronger bonds with friends and family, so I started spending more time with them; I wanted to remove myself from a toxic friendship, so I took the steps needed to leave that environment. I wanted to create memories, build happiness and grow as a person — so I did. Here’s to hoping that 2026 brings similar growth.
