Traditionally, I’ve never done change that well. Moving halfway down the country at an early age will do that to you. But throughout 2015, a lot changed, and I think I did pretty okay.
The first major event was moving in with Charlie. We’d been talking about it for a while, but we finally got the cajones to gather up some cash and make the big leap out. It was bittersweet for our parents, but these things have to happen. It’s been nice — really nice. Without getting too mushy about it, I’ve never been so sure that Charlie’s the one for me, even if his vegetarianism means never know the pure joy that is a slice of pepperoni pizza (trust me, that’s a lot of joy). And I’m always excited to see what the next day will have in store for us, whether that’s heading out to some far-flung show or snuggling up on the sofa to watch New Girl.
The other one was the passing of my grandma after a tough battle with cancer. Although my grandparents live hundreds of miles away, it’s left a more profound gap than I anticipated. It’s weird picking up the phone when I’m over at my mum and dad’s and finding it isn’t her on the other side. It’s also a bitter reminder that I was given too little time with my other grandparents as well, and I miss them all so dearly.
And finally, I turned 25. The quarter-century. Sounds like a Hunger Games event. So far, it’s alright.
I’ve got aspirations for the New Year, because everyone does and it’s the right thing to do. My first and foremost priority is to get my health in order, and in typically overdue fashion, shift some pounds. I hate exercise. I spent four hours playing Fallout 4 on the sofa, watching my character run and going ‘yes, good, sprint across the Commonwealth’, enjoying the fact that I didn’t have to exert any effort of my own. I am very good at shooting things on a television. I am at the peak of physical fitness in the virtual world, but I’m drastically out of shape in the real one, so I’m heading to the gym and attempting to stick at it. In the past year, I’ve tried various diets — Slimming World and the 5:2 stand out as the obvious ones — but it’s all bullshit unless you keep at it. I unfortunately like chocolate and bread-based dishes too much. I committed to buying new workout leggings at least, so we’ll see what happens this month.
I also want to make time to see the people that matter to me. I’m good at seeing my family, but my sister now lives three hours down the motorway and we don’t hang out unless she comes home. I’m phenomenally crap at seeing my friends, even when they live in the same town, so now that they’re all further away, I’m effectively a hermit. So I’m working on that, and it’d be great to keep in touch with some of my old university friends, and make more of an effort to make great memories.
My writing has taken a backseat since I moved out, and really, since I started getting a bit more responsibility at work. Although I’m not making any huge promises to myself, I’m going to try and pick up where I left off on TBO with a little column about what music I’m into that month. That’ll be nice, I think.
No matter what the world throws at me, I’m comforted by the fact some things will never change. Approximately one hour into 2016, I smacked my head on the cupboard door getting a glass out. I’m listening to an old Rival Schools record as I write this, rather than something new. I’ve got half a pizza waiting in the kitchen. I will probably stay in my pyjamas playing Fallout 4 until Charlie comes home. And that’s okay — now I’m in my mid-twenties, I’ve learned to cherish who I am. 2016 will come and go, and hopefully, it’ll be filled with all the things I like best — starting with that leftover pizza.