1st Birthday!

Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile. Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. 
- Mark Twain

So that ends my first year on blip! I can’t believe it’s gone so quickly and I can still remember taking my first photo and wondering whether I’d have the motivation to keep going with it. I am so glad that I have managed to do so as I have been able to record both the hardest and most enjoyable year of my life. I have had a huge number of highs and lows and a lot of days have been a struggle. However, I can honestly say that I am currently the happiest that I have been in well over a year now and it feels great to be able to say that. 

It shouldn’t have taken a breakup for me to start to properly enjoy and live my life, but at least I have managed to find a positive from it. I have started running and getting outdoors whenever I can. I no longer prioritise work over having fun and being happy, instead making sure that I have at least one adventure a week. I go out with my friends all the time, even it it’s just studying together. I say yes whenever possible, escaping from a comfortable but boring life. 

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been so amazing and supportive to me. I have the most INCREDIBLE friends who are constantly able to make me smile and laugh and see the best in even the worst situations. I have been helped so much by them and love them all more than I could ever describe. You are all wonderful and I couldn’t ask for better people to spend my time with. 

So the only thing to do now is carry on blipping for another year! By then I will hopefully have had many more wonderful adventures that I have been able to document, and I’ll be living in Cambridge as I start my PhD :) now to get back to dissertation writing for the rest of the day (although I’m currently procrastinating and planning my next trip away…)