Hooray!

It's my birthday tomorrow.

This is the time of the year that I start reflecting on the previous 12 months. I like to see what's changed since then and how far I've come and how much I've learned. And then I start thinking about what I want to achieve in the next 12 months and where I want to be. A pastime most usually reserve for New Year's, I do this on my birthday every year. I suppose having my birthday so close to the new year would have something to do with this as well.

Twelve months ago, I'd just started on the Honours program. Rebekah Bennett had dumped a pile of journal articles for me to read and I had no idea what I was doing. Now, I've just started on the PhD program. Rebekah Russell-Bennett and Jo Previte had identified several areas for me to start reading and I have no idea what I'm doing. Haha. Some things never change. But in between, I discovered the world of research and found that I've got a natural affinity for it.

As a 17-year-old I decided I wanted to be a writer because it was the only thing I was good at. I never thought I would be using my "talents" in this way. I somehow produced a 300-odd page document, my thesis; Heart, Mind & Body: A Tri-Dimensional Approach to Business Brand Loyalty. Also known as The Pain In My Ass. But, secretly I'm actually quite proud of it. It was like my baby. I slaved over it for 9 months (how coincidental) and in the end, produced a piece of work that made me smile. And also never really want to see it again. I tried reading it once, but then I got bored and put it down. I must say, I have not yet read my own thesis from cover to cover. Hmm.

Twelve months later, I've been teaching and doing RA work and find myself in a position very different from the one I was in twelve months before. The only sour bit of the year was losing all but 5 of my friends because I was so busy with Honours. Even then, I think 5 is a highly optimistic number. But that got me to understand who and what was really important to me. Plus I made some new research buddies in the course of the year. It's interesting how so much can change. I must admit, 2006 was a great year for me. I greeted 2007 with mild trepidation because I was worried that there was no way anything could top the great year I'd just had. But, I decided that this was the year where I would try not to worry so much or get freaked out so easily and learn to breathe.

In the end, 24 was a good year for me. I wrote a thesis. I got my Honours. I was offered a PhD. I found out who my real friends were. And I met someone.

Hopefully in 25, I will:

• write some journal articles
• get my confirmation
• not lose any of my friends
• stay with the same man

What quarter-life crisis? All those who moan about turning 25 are crazy. I think it's a great idea.