We celebrated in Paris this weekend!
Last week, a few good friends and I went to a cocktail bar for a last good night out before our exam stress sets in. You probably known them: that group of young teenage boys occupying more seats than there are group members, while other people in the venue are standing. They were teasing a group of young girls when I tried my own luck getting a chair. Their reaction made me feel a little unsure about myself. One of them immediately jumped up, apologised and handed me an empty chair while saying “here you go madam”. Madam!? 22 is only… 6 years older then they were. Oh boy!
Today I celebrate my 22nd birthday. The “horrorscope” in a magazine predicted I’d be kissing 10 people today, but I can assure you that my friends made sure I went well over that number, haha. Veronique brought a mini-cherry pie to class and Joke gave me Mentos candy. After class we went for coffee, and I ran into two fellow bloggers at our lunch spot. K took me out for Nando’s en frozen yoghurt and now we’re being lazy on the couch watching a random gardening program. It was a good day, despite the rain that forced me to switch from my birthday dress into jeans.
Last year on my birthday I wrote about the wishes I had for my 22nd year on this planet. I personally love reading retrospective posts and see how people go about their goals, so I though it would be fun to write about my own year today. Let’s see how I did!
“For the next year I mostly hope to graduate from college and decide what I want to study for my Masters. I hope to travel even more, maybe to northern Italy, southern Spain or Scotland but preferably to all. I am still doubting whether I should go to Canterbury or not and I really, really should get back into blogging. Like… really.”
I’m pretty proud to look back today and say that almost everything I wished for has happened! I graduated from college as a social worker in June, and a few days before that big event I finally made a decision about my Masters. In September I started my study in Sociology at the University of Antwerp. The new environment and moving into a small studio in the city, caused me some stress at first, but everything has fallen into place by the start of October. Northern Italy was visited in July, with stops in Bologna, Venice and Florence. The South of Spain became Portugal, when we visited Lisbon in February of this year. After lots of doubting, I nervously boarded a bus to Canterbury in August for my first solo day trip and spent so much money shopping, that I had to go on a shop-stop months later. The only thing that I haven’t accomplished is a better blogging routine. For the past year, I’ve been blogging with ups and downs, taking a break in March and seeing my schedule fail multiple times. I really want to work on this during my summer break, but I am completely indecisive about how I’ll actually do this. I’ll see where I land my feet, and when.
Today I don’t really have much wishes and prospects. I hope to successfully take my exams in June, and spent a few weekends in my parents’ new vacationing spot in The Netherlands during my summer break. A low key and relaxed year, where school takes a central place but with enough me-time to stay sane, that’s what I wish for.
I hope you guys had a splendid day too, and wish you all a happy weekend!
Happy birthday! You’ll do great this year 🙂 and do find time to go to Scotland, it’s so eery and beautiful! Srsly.
Happy birthday!! I think it’s wonderful that you’ve accomplished what you wanted to this past year! I hope all your new dreams of relaxing weekends and a calm school year happens! 🙂
~Sara
Sincerely, Sara
Happy Birthday! I’m so glad most of your hopes were accomplished and hope it is true for the coming year as well.
Happy Birthday! I’m glad you had such a lovely day.
And so nice you got to reflect on your goals and wishes for the last year, and see how well you have achieved them! 🙂 Hope that this year brings you everything you wish for also!
Away From Blue
Happy birthday Nikki!
I wish all your dreams come true!
I think you had a gret year!
happy (late) birthday darling!
Van harte gefeliciteerd, Nikki 🙂 22 is een mooie leeftijd so don’t be unsure! Ik wens je een zonnige dag toe.. en hoop dat je examens goed gaan. xx
Happy Birthday! goals for next year aren’t always necesary if you happy with how things are going why try to change that?
happy birthday!! i hope 22 is a good year for both of us nikkis 🙂
xxoo,
nikki
http://www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
Omg it was your birthday! Shame on us for not knowing!
And you went to Paris!
Sounds like you had a great year, and the only way is up, right? 🙂
A late but very happy birthday sweet Nikki!
<3
aaaaaand now that song is stuck in my head for the rest of the day! 😉
Yay happy happy birthday! Sounds like you had a nice 22nd birthday. My 22nd birthday celebration was a fiasco but at least I can look back at the memories and laugh now. You don’t need to have big goals for the next year. Just keep on keeping on in school and see what happens next!
That’s not good to hear! 🙁 My friends at uni and I celebrated, but both my parents and boyfriend forgot about my big day and so we had to postpone the celebration. Both my sisters celebrate their birthdays in early May, so we’re going to throw one big party later on ^^ xo
Happy birthday!!! En sounds like an awesome year.. proficiat girl!
Happy birthday Nikki!!!
Hope this year is everything you hope it to be 🙂
Thats look so great.
have a happy one!
(I know that I’m a little late but) Happy Birthday ^.^
Proficiat meid!! Klinkt alsof je inderdaad wel een jaartje mag skippen met de big goals. Je hebt afgelopen jaar héél wat accomplished zo te horen 🙂
Happy birthday!!
Happy belated birthday!
Ik wist niet dat je sociologie studeerde! :O Valt dat wat mee?
Monica Harmony’s Blog
Ik doe het schakelprogramma, maar omdat ik sociaal werk als vooropleiding deed moet ik maar 60 studiepunten inhalen ^^ Het valt dus nog wel mee! 🙂
Happy Birthday Nikki! What a fabulous year you’ve had. I hope the one to come is even better!
Happy birthday! Sounds like the last year was wonderful, and it’s so marvelous you completed nearly all your goals. I hope this year is even better, full of more fun and adventures!
Hoeraaaaa!!
Wow je hebt toch veel van je voornemens kunnen waarmaken! 🙂 Hopelijk wordt het volgende jaar nog beter! 😉