2022 Wrapped: A Year in Words

As I usually do, I took some time out to think about how 2022 has been for me, and have tried to consolidate my thoughts into a short final blog of the year. None of the points below are ground-breaking so to speak, but I think they're worth mentioning and highlighting.

1. Being able to pivot with change

When I look back to my '2022 bucket list' that I wrote at the end of 2021, a lot of the experiences and events that have happened to me this year weren't actually on that original list. For example, little did I know that I would end up spending 25% of my year living, working and travelling in Scotland! This wasn't part of my original 'plan', but I've learnt this year that it's important to be able to pivot and adapt to opportunities when they arise. There's an element of being flexible with your goals, as sometimes things arise that you didn't expect to. Each month in 2022 has been very different from the next: from finishing my 3rd year of Civil Engineering, to interning in Aberdeen, to training for a half marathon. There's been lots of change, so I've had to roll with it.

2. The value of conversation

Something that my younger self wasn't so good at was being able to pick up the phone and have a conversation with someone. Having completed 2 internships and organised a regional sports tournament amongst a host of other things, I've had to collaborate and work with many people. Through this I found that sometimes it's easer to talk to someone rather than sending them a message or email - it's easier to explain your thoughts and often means the task gets done quicker. Nowadays I know many of us prefer to send a message over WhatsApp and wait for a response, but why not try having a conversation? :)

3. Documenting my year

In my book review on "Show Your Work" by Austin Kleon, I've mentioned about the importance of documenting and showcasing what you get up to. I've been trying to do that a lot more in 2022, by capturing and recording the events and memories over the year. I've done that in a few ways: from actively making an effort to take pictures when I'm out and about (again, something that I wasn't so great at before!), some personal journalling, and of course this blogging site! Now sitting down and wanting to reflect on the year, the process has been much easier as I have a record of what I've been up to. So if you ask me "Jinal, what did you do in [insert month here]?", I'd be able to give you a pretty good answer! We all do a lot more than we think, and being able to document that is something I hope to carry forward with me.

4. Trying new things

This year for me has involved a lot of new activities and experiences. To name a few: trying out some bouldering, living in Aberdeen, going on holiday with my cousins to Madeira, giving a speech completely in Gujarati (my mother tongue) at my Grandpa's birthday party and many more. I've enjoyed all of these moments, and find that you learn a lot about yourself when you're in unfamiliar situations. Again, most of the new stuff I tried wasn't on my radar, but came about during the year. It's also a great way to meet more people, which is a nice segway into my final point.

5. It's all about the people

I've been fortunate enough to reconnect with people that I used to be in regular contact with in the past: primary school mates, family friends etc. It's been nice to catch up, and reminded me that you never know when someone you knew in the past may cross paths with you again! Extending that more broadly, I've really enjoyed the company and people in 2022, reminding me that being able to form connections with others is so important. That doesn't mean you need to speak to them constantly, or become their best friend, it's about being able to reach out to them when appropriate (now or even years down the line).

2022, that's a wrap! This blog was a summarised insight into some of the things I've found useful or important from this year (it's hard to capture everything!). Thank you for taking the time to read (even if it wasn't every single one), share or get in touch about my blogs this year, I appreciate all the support. I've been enjoying writing these posts, and look forward to sharing more with you in 2023.

Until then, I hope you all have a great new year!

J.S.