A glance back at another year of challenges! How did your resolutions go this year?
25 Hard Things in 2025:
1.Master the alphabet + a basic conversation in ASL — achieved! Though I could stand a refresher/continuous practice.
2. Swim 25 miles — not achieved. I swam 5 miles this year—only 20 off my goal!
3. Go camping 5 times — not achieved. I went camping 3 times in 2025, to Ocracoke with Gravy at Acadia in July, and in Shenandoah National Park in November!
4. Read 50 books — achieved! And I reviewed them all here on the blog, you're welcome :)
5. Feel confident playing 5 songs on the piano — not achieved. My self-perpetuated piano practice fell off after a few months.
6. Take 5 Italian lessons — not achieved.
7. Take 1 solo vacation — achieved! Gravy and I went camping on Ocracoke over Memorial Day weekend.
8. Watch 25 documentaries — not achieved. I watched 6: the Lily Phillips documentary on YouTube; Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am; Buy Now! The shopping conspiracy; All Light, Everywhere; The Quilters; and My Mom Jayne.
9. Bake 25 loaves of bread — not achieved. I baked 7 loaves this year, though I lost track so it could honestly be more...
10. Do 1 volunteer shift somewhere in person — achieved! I volunteered for 2 opportunities with my alma mater, including speaking at Lavender Graduation to welcome new graduates to the queer alumni association and being part of an alumni panel at Campus Recreation.
11. Try 25 new recipes — achieved! I'm not sure why, but every time I attempt this resolution I stop keeping track of new recipes sometime around 15.
12. Read 3 books in Italian — not achieved.
13. Host a dinner party — achieved! I actually hosted 2 this year: an evening of sushi making for Kate's Perfect Day and my Stanley Tucci dinner party in September.
14. Send 25 letters or postcards — not achieved. I sent 14 letters to pals this year!
15. Find my mat every day — not achieved.
16. Visit my grandfather 5 times — not achieved.
17. Pay off my student loan — achieved!
18. Watch 25 “classic” movies — not achieved, unless you count watching White Christmas eight times this season.
19. Publish 25 blog posts — not achieved. I got really close, though! And I've thoroughly enjoyed reviving this space this year.
20. Forgive myself 25 times — achieved!
21. Go to a fair (ren fair, state fair….) — achieved! I went to the Maryland Renaissance Fair in September with Corrine, Tessa, Sam, and Julia.
22. Visit a lighthouse — achieved! I've actually been to TWO lighthouses this year—a lighthouse in Seattle with Jess and the Portland Head Light in Maine with Jess and Tessa!
23. Discover 5 new places in Richmond — I changed this challenge to: "Whenever I think a compliment about someone, tell them" and I'd say it's been achieved!
24. Shoot + develop 5 new rolls of film — not achieved. So close!! Developed 4 rolls.
25. Go on 25 bike rides — not achieved. I biked far over 25 miles, though! (Including 50+ miles as part of the Cap2Cap.) So I think that counts.