Exeter, Devon UK • Apr 18, 2024 • VOL XII

Exeter, Devon UK • [date-today] • VOL XII
Home Comment Lessons to take into 2018

Lessons to take into 2018

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Last year was a year of survival for so many people: political insanity, the constant stream of bad news, and on a much smaller scale, but still terrifying, the stress of uni exams and attempting to live independently. As has been widely accepted by literally everyone on the internet, January’s overriding motto seems to be ‘leave it in 2017, bring it in 2018’. 2018 now feels like it’s ours, the waves of change from movements made in 2017 (the creation of the Time’s Up movement the most recent of these) setting up the year to be one of empowerment and justice.

I feel oddly ready to use this year to make it fun and just enjoy myself

My resolutions have changed wildly from past years. For a start, they’re achievable goals, not unrealistic expectations that require a complete change of personality and reality in order to even think about completing them. Coming out of 2017 an exhausted, broke student has prepared me in the strangest way for the next year. Having been through it all, I feel oddly ready to use this year to make it fun and just enjoy myself, rather than trying to make myself the best person possible, I’m facing the year with kindness and positivity.

Giving yourself the time to process and equipping yourself with the self-care tools you need are so important and so easy to forget, so in 2018, that’s going to change. Whether it’s skipping a lecture for an actual (i.e. not alcohol related) reason, or saying no to a night out because you haven’t had time alone in weeks, this year should be unapologetically about us. This year we become narcissists. Because if the leaders of the world can be, then we deserve the time to look after ourselves and be as vain as we want.

the hope of a year that might not end in disaster is just enough, for now

Positivity and optimism are already becoming the prominent themes of this year, although only a few weeks in. It takes a lot to change the pessimistic, sarcastic attitude that is so easily the norm, but the hope of a year that might not end in disaster is just enough, for now. 2018 promises so much, whether it be music, film, or generally, that it’s up to us now to make it a good one.

To be honest, even if this year goes absolutely horrifically, the thought of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and The Incredibles 2 in the summer should be enough to get anyone through the first half of the year (the second half can be spent rewatching them biweekly).

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