2009- You were so good to me

Today was the first day of 2010 and it was a beautiful day, or is with 9 minutes to spare. I didn't really do much since I woke up at 1, roughly. I did have an awesome video chat with Kiyan and Sara though, which included a Lady Gaga dance party. Need I say more? I also got to see a lot of awesome stuff on blogs. It seems like everyday my dream of becoming an interior designer is affirmed. I of course imagine myself doing this as a hobby. Anywhom, as I was blogging today, I saw a lot of lists of things that make people happy. So I want to do one based on all the things that made me happy this year:

1. In early January, I was still celebrating my early admittance to Columbia University.




2. In March, YTI reunion happened and it was beautiful to be with Nathaniel, Margaret, and Sophie once again. We had a lovely little hotel room all to ourselves and were reunited with lovely friends from YTI. We also went to The Flying Biscuit Cafe, which I vow to return to as soon as I'm back in Atlanta. Oh Cabbagetown <3



3. April was the month of Paris. After months of intense fundraising, Paris finally happened. I'm still trying to process everything that happened but I am thankful for that beautiful week because it's where the Coochies fell in love and started their friendship...Who would have thought? Paris does something to you.



4. That week, I did lose someone very special to me. Elsa Matos, i love you and miss you incredibly. It was an unfortunate loss and my mind often wanders to that time you told me about your diagnosis, you were eating Chinese food with your daughters in your classroom, and when they stepped out. You told me. I started crying and you firmly told me to stop and that I should pray. <3 I hope you're looking down on me.


5. Senior year activities took over and I got to witness some awesome things: the completion of the yearbook (my baby), my best friend receive an award for improving the best in high school (how awesome), fall in front of my senior class while dancing to "Best I Eva' Had" with Kiyan, and graduate. I soon saw my closest friends off to college and secretly took mental snaps of each of them, trying to grasp on to our pre-collegeness. I graduated and donated 1o inches of my hair to Locks of Love!



6. I started my summer program at Columbia and made fabulous friends with the most awesome students of Columbia Class of 2013, let's be honest:)
-I explored the city.
-Walked the Brooklyn Bridge (I was very scared).
-Realized I had made the right decision of attending Columbia University.
-Played dress up with Tanea and Lindsey with our $5 finds from Urban Outfitters!
-Saw "In The Heights"
...and more awesome things I can't remember.


7. Saw Kiyan off to Stanford in September, cried for a good couple of days. Love you.
8. STARTED MY SEMESTER AT COLUMBIA!
9. Went to my first college class,my first lecture, my first frat party(it's definitely a first lol), danced a lot, decorated my room like it was my home. It's my 116 square inches of HOME.
10. Attended the Equality March in Washington D.C. for something I believe in with all my heart, and met up with Sabre and Sara among all those thousands of people. SO surreal.



11. Stayed up late with Diane, at least 4 times. Once, until 8 in the morning where I saw the sun rise over Columbia. Beautiful and grueling at the same time.
12. Had a dinner at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at Central Park West and entered the nicest, most-expensive place probably forever. Thank you, scholarship.
13. Discovered Williamsburg, Brooklyn with Tanea.
14. Returned to Williamsburg to see John Mayer in concert...for free! <3



15. Saw Hair...for free and got to thank Gavin Creel for allowing me to attend the Equality March...for free. ( I love Free) This definitely included dancing on a Broadway stage :D
16. Got to hang out with awesome people on campus,who I get to call my friends. How lucky.
17. Overall, I learned so much, inside and outside of the classroom. Life was so good.

I'm so looking forward to everything that's to come. I finally watched Amelie, the other day, and this quick quote stayed with me: "I dream of better days ahead."

I love you, for reading this long post.