Note to Self // Gratitude Journal

Note to Self — After rewatching the Thanksgiving episode of “Gossip Girl,” I started getting really excited for Thanksgiving. I am normally not excited for the holiday, considering I hate turkey and stuffing, but this year was different. I think because I actually got to go home for break, the holiday had more meaning. I have also spent the last few weeks trying to decide what I am grateful for this year. My friend mentioned how she used a gratitude journal, and I thought that that would be perfect to figure out and write out all I am grateful for this year. 

First, I am grateful for all of the new friends I made since coming to the University of Pittsburgh. At the beginning of the year, I created Pinterest boards for how I visualized 2024 to go. Pinterest is a great way to find inspiration as well as keep up with my goals while visually seeing them. I had a lot of fitness pins and plans to do with friends. 

Second, I am grateful for following my gym goals. Switching from Planet Fitness in my hometown to the Pete gym was definitely a change, but I found some motivation and kept going. I do prefer going to the gym with friends, but I still push myself to go alone. All I need are my AirPods, and I am set for a good workout. I also have signed up for some cycling classes and yoga, which have been fun additions to the rotation. 

Third, I am grateful for all of the opportunities in my life. I am a firm believer in “everything happens for a reason.” In the few months I have been at Pitt, plenty of things seem to have gone wrong, but I ended up finding a completely new and better situation which goes to prove my theory. I feel like I am setting a great groundstone for future networking. 

Fourth, I am grateful for the education here. On top of all of the networking opportunities and “right place, right time” I have experienced, I am also grateful for the actual reason I chose Pitt — the school part. Talking to my friends who are younger than me, a lot of them are not going to college or are in the middle of the horrible application process. Seeing how many students apply to Pitt each year made me truly appreciative of being here, and I felt it was much needed for me to take a step back and see how far I have come.

It seems like education is always a race to the finish line, but after really thinking about my future late at night — and psyching myself out — I understood that even though it is cliche, life is about the journey. I mean, really, what am I going to do after I graduate college? Obviously look for a job, but things will be extremely different. I will not be living in my college simulation anymore with all my friends a few doors or floors down. Life gets real, and I am not in a rush for that, so that late night existential crisis was much needed for me to realize that being here is a blessing and to enjoy it.

Lastly, I am grateful for my family, who are always so supportive of me no matter what. Whether I call my parents complaining about every little inconvenience, question if I should completely change my career path or just need to talk about a random thing I did in my class, my family is always there for me. I feel like our time apart has made me truly grateful for them this year. Thanksgiving was such a great kickoff to the holiday season and I am glad I got to bring my new appreciation for my life back home with me during the holiday. Until next time!