January:

The whole year started slowly, but the very first day of the year, my brother and I ran half a marathon of sorts: one mile every hour for 12 hours. I ended the day feeling sore and satisfied. In between every hour, we taste tested different cereals and rated them on a scale from “gross” to “slaps.” Our opinions differed greatly, but it was a grand time.

Some of the other highlights from the month include baking cookies with my oldest and closest friend, Miryam, whom I love and adore. We made a snowman. Although we had fun making the cookies, somehow we messed the recipe up and the recipe did not turn out correctly. They still tasted good, however.

I returned to school for the rest of the month, and began the second semester of my Sophomore year.

February: very low key.

I spent most of this month chilling with my friends, choreographing a remake of Beauty and the Beast in five minutes, attending department events, and working on homework. I also focused on running and improving my climbing technique. One notable event that took place is I had to go into quarantine for five days because I was exposed to my friend who tested positive for CO-VID, and during my stay in a local hotel, I learned how to do a headstand. I had to come up with some creative ways of entertaining myself. I also watched the whole BBC tv series of Pride and Prejudice (the best version) in two days.

March:

During March I spent a lot of time outdoors; I ran, hiked, climbed. The trees and flowers started blooming around campus, which is one of my favorite times of years besides when the weather starts cooling off in the Fall. My friends also came home with me for Spring Break, and we went to the beach, played several different board/card games, then mournfully went back to school.

April:

School was now starting to wind down for the semester, but it also became very hectic, looming with assignments and projects which were rapidly approaching. I spent a lot of my time climbing and studying for finals. And overall, I was very satisfied with my semester. The effort you put in the beginning of the semester always pays off by the end, where you know you just want to finish already and go home.

May:

I finally made it back home as the semester closed, and I got in as much time outdoors while I had the chance, trying to relax. I ran, learned how to paddle board, and went kayaking with my friends from home. I also introduced my friend to climbing, which I think she enjoyed and went ice skating with another friend, which I always forget how much I enjoy. It’s a very relaxing and refreshing activity. When I was younger I took ice skating lessons every Monday with a group of elderly people who were all friends; now, every time I go ice skating, I remember those Monday mornings.

June:

Last year I was supposed to work at a Summer Camp I attended in 2014 as a thirteen year old. Ever since then, I wanted to go back, but when I aged out, the only way I could return was as a counselor. So, I applied last year, but because of CO-VID, I ended up having to work at a retail store by my home, which was highly disappointing. So, this summer I finally got to return to the camp as a counselor. I worked with 8-13 year olds, leading them in their daily games, running them to the nurse, eating with them at meal times, cleaning up their messes, and calming them down from their sugar highs at bedtime.

July:

At this point, summer camp was well on its way. Most of the kinks had been worked out, and all of us were very tired, always looking forward to bedtime. On the weekends, we enjoyed our time off. Although during the week we enjoyed our time with the kids, it was hard sometimes not just to go through the motions. The most important thing I tried to remember everyday is why I was doing this, and if I could focus on that, I truly enjoyed every moment I spent at camp. During my off time, however, I learned how to ride a horse, visited the surrounding countryside, and simply spent time reflecting, resting, and spending time with God.

August:

The beginning of August camp finally came to a close. Teary goodbyes were said, and we all separated from our one uniting place. For many, I know they will return again, but I am very sad to say, that was most likely my only summer spent on staff. One of the last evenings we all had together, we took the mattresses out of the bunkhouses and slept under the stars. It was a beautiful evening out, perfect for “camping.” Overall, one of the biggest ways I grew from camp is learning how to be a leader, which is one thing I did really want to learn. I do still find leading people challenging, and I believe that I still need to grow in it.

After camp I came back home for about one week before I went to school for the beginning of my Junior year of university. It was wonderful to reunite with my friends from school – some of the closest friends I have ever had. Also, I finally moved out of community dorm style into an apartment (still on campus). We had a full kitchen and our own bathroom.

September:

As classes started and homework assignments rolled in, I got caught up in my piling homework, and I worked as best I could on it all. My brother transferred to my school with me, which was really awesome to have him for a semester, but alas, this was the only semester I would go to school with him because he decided to transfer to another school again. However, he taught me a lot about climbing, and we got to have a lot of good conversations together. Occasionally we would study together: one morning, right before Thanksgiving break, I had a presentation I was not prepared for because I decided to present early so I could go home early. So I called Christian, my brother, the night before my presentation, and he came with me to Starbucks at 5 am the next morning. I ended up doing very well on my presentation.

October:

In October, the climbing club at my school had their first trip in two years. I was grateful I knew some people before I left, but I also made new friends during the trip. I re-learned how to lead climb, and just had a really refreshing weekend camping and climbing with good people.

At the end of October, we had Dorm Wars, also for the first time in two years! Freshman year, the dorm I was in won Dorm Wars for the first time in 11 years. And this year, my dorm won again, granted I was in a different one. The gym was full of chanting all evening long, and they added a new element: the couch race. My team won in every event (the obstacle course and mystery event) except the couch race.

November:

November was crazy hectic as the end of the semester approached, Thanksgiving came, finals, and moving out of my dorm. Although it was hectic, I had a lot of fun with my friends. One interesting trend I started with my friends was benching: sitting on every bench (out of approximately 70) on campus, rating them as we went. We discovered our favorite bench was one under some tall trees next to the English building. This bench won overall because it had the best view, fit five people comfortably, and was in pretty good shape, at least considering some of the other benches.

I also went on my first multi-pitch climb in North Carolina the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I remember shaking while I was climbing up the whole thing, which lasted about two hours because of how exposed it was and how high I was climbing. I do not think I have ever climbed something that tall in my whole life. If you want to learn more about what a multi-pitch is, this is the best description I have found: https://climbingblogger.com/what-is-multi-pitch-climbing/

December:

The semester finally ended, and I got to go home for the month. One of the most exciting things, which happened over Christmas break is that my brother proposed to his girlfriend, Abbie!

However, before I came home, and even before the semester ended, my friends from school suddenly decided one evening to go hiking at 2 am at a trail two hours away from school. The point was to be able to see the sunrise. So, we drove those two hours at 2 am to this obscure trail in the middle of the Smokies, but upon arriving at the trail, we found it was overgrown and did not lead anywhere. We then decided to drive further up the mountain to an overlook, and we stayed there until sunrise, racing each other, doing yoga, taking pictures, singing songs when the sun finally appeared, tainting the sky many beautiful colors.

The rest of December I spent helping my mother get ready for Christmas, I helped my Oma make a Christmas program, and did some baking, including a tiramisu crepe cake which turned out really nicely (at least for my baking skills, and here’s the recipe)

Overall for the whole year I would sum it up, saying it was somewhat overwhelming, but I tried a lot of new things, like paddle boarding and vaulting, and I tried to challenge myself to solidify what I believe in my worldview, and I know I definitely grew as a leader, academically and with my peers.