2012, The Year for Resolutions!

I've christened 2012 as my Year for Action. This is the year I'm going to finally do the 1,234,567 things I've been putting off for what seems like forever.

Like most people, every year I make resolutions that I don't manage to stick to for more than a few weeks. New Year's Day, I feel in control of my life - like I'm going to take on the world - and then come January 2nd, I'm back to doing jack all. 

I hit me recently that I'm in my last year in Waterloo and there's still so much I want to do! That's why this year has been different; it's mid to late February, and I'm not doing too bad with my resolutions. I think it helps that they're realistic but, more than anything, I really just don't want to have graduated without having completed some of these. That means accomplishing most of them before I leave for Nepal, which gives me a solid 6 months.

Some were too explicit to post on my g-rated, family-friendly blog (HA.) but I thought I should share some of the others.

• (FINALLY) learn to drive. You don’t need to point out to me how ridiculous it is that I still haven’t picked up this life skill. Getting my G1 Driver’s License was more about having a piece of ID for going clubbing than anything else. I'm 21 so it's probably about time I figured out how to maneuver a steering wheel. This is most definitely something I want to accomplish before Nepal because I know, if I don’t do it now, I never will.  Mario-cart here I come?
• Loosen up & LIVE. I don’t know how else to put it except to liven up my life. Fourth year of university, and I can’t help but feel like I haven’t done enough. Yeah, I got the grades, I’ve had a part-time job forever, but I don’t think I’ve made enough memorable moments. I always imagined myself being 50 sitting around the dinner table drinking some chai, and laughing about the crazy things I did in university. I’ve been awfully responsible, and I think it’s about time I found a balance. It’s time to live it up! Here's to having no regrets!
• Learn Hindi (हिंदी सीखना). I know what you're thinking, "Why on Earth would you learn Hindi? Do they even speak Hindi in Nepal?" My answer: Yes and No... Nepali is the most commonly spoken language. I tried to learn it off of a website and, frankly, it was just too difficult! Also, more than anything, Nepali is hard to learn because it isn't too mainstream (it's not like I can take classes at Waterloo).
  Sooo… I decided to learn the next best thing, Hindi! I think Hindi makes more sense because, unlike Nepali, it is spoken in more than the one country. I figure enough of the keywords will be similar enough so I’ll still manage in Nepal (or so I hope.)
  I’ve been told the easiest way to do so is to watch Bollywood movies. I’ve made a date with a friend to watch one movie a week, so that should be interesting. I’ve seen some of the classics but I am far from familiar with Indian movies so I have no idea how I’ll manage the 3-hr sobfests// overworn plots, PS any suggestions? Let me know!
• Accomplish as many of my “101 things to do before I graduate”. I’ve been working on my bucket list of things do before Convocation of 2012. I'll upload it to the blog as soon as I can!
• Learn to swim. Don’t worry, I have the floating part figured out. It’s the breaststroke and doggy paddle that kills me – I can’t do either for more than like a minute. I'm taking lessons at the PAC next term :)
• Start skyping. This probably sounds like a weird goal because skype isn’t much of a skill to develop.  It is, however, a habit you have to pick up. I’m just not used to the whole speaking-into-my-computer thing or the awkward 3-second pause in dialogue that skype requires. I skyped when I was volunteering in Nicaragua, and maybe a few times since then, but I definitely need to get more comfortable with the idea as that’s probably how I’ll do most of my communicating from Nepal.
• Get in the habit of blogging. This one is sort of a given!

The main theme of my resolutions is evidently living more, and doing all the things I seem to previously have put off. Well here goes nothing, wish me luck :)