I know everyone is talking about the New Year and the resolutions they are going to try. Whether it is to eat healthy, read more, or go to the gym, whatever yours may be I wish you the best on your new year and hopefully it lasts passed this first month of January. I hope mine does as well! This year I hope to make myself become more independent. This is unlike most years, usually I try to tell the people in my life that I care about them more or eat healthier or read more. So this is an experiment, no doubt, but I think this will really make this year an exciting one! I do not know how long this will last and how I will track my progress but hopefully again it will last longer than January.

You are probably wondering how I could achieve something somewhat abstract. Well I had the same question, but I came up with some ideas that I could try! Well one I have started this year off independently somewhat. For the first time in my life I went out of North America and I am only with some people I kind of know from school, no family and no close friends. But I still have counted on the few friends I have here to help me or sticking with my family and not exploring. But in my defense being in a foreign country that I do not speak the language I feel as if not exploring alone is not that bad of an idea!

But when I get home in a country I know and speak fluently in I plan to make some changes! I always feel as if I have to be with people and if I can't find someone to do something I really want to do I just won't do it. This year I plan to at least go to a movie alone! I usually go with my roommate but sometimes I want to see something she does not want to see. If I feel more extreme perhaps I may go on a bigger adventure all alone!

Along with adventuring, I hope to just become a little more independent from my parents. I hope to get more courage to make my own phone calls — every college kid understands that one! Although this is extremely silly I have anxiety when I have to call someone, especially if it is for an appointment. Hopefully I will build up my courage and deal with these things that I will have to do the rest of my life and try my best not to hate it!

I hope that I will be able to make it through this month as well as continue passed this year and continue to depend on myself, of course while still depending a little on others but less than I do now! I wish you all the luck on your New Year resolution and hope you have made it this far which is a win in my book!