All in a year’s work

To say the 2023 year was eventful might be the understatement of, well, the year.

I guarantee the January 2023 version of myself would never have imagined me typing this column today. In fact, she’d probably say “You’re a writer? Like for a newspaper? How’d they let you swing that?”

My journey towards writing this, sitting at my desk covered in colorful sticky notes like a Staples warehouse threw up on it, for my hometown newspaper that I grew up reading the comics in, has been interesting to say the least. This year had been full of monumental memories and more twists and turns than I can count. So, with the start of 2024 upon us, I thought I’d reflect on them and the journey leading to today.

Back in January, I was still in college, procrastinating assignments until the last minute (notice this column is coming out a week later than my fellow writer counterparts, some things never change).

My daily routine was packed to the brim with practices, games and workouts, classes, labs and studying, the whole nine yards. Time seemed to fly by back then as I savored my final semester of undergrad with my best friends by my side.

Graduation came and went in May, as did my softball career, as I took the field one last time. The moment was bittersweet as I closed the book on one of the largest, most influential chapters of my life. I’m sure four-year-old Erica would be proud.

My summer was primarily spent at my parent’s home in South Carolina, from being a beach bum alongside my mom to learning to golf from my dad (while simultaneously finding out I have little-to-no patience) to racing around our subdivision on a golf cart like it was the Indy 500 with my niece and nephew in the passenger seat. I loved soaking up the sun and memories with my family, especially knowing my youngster niece and nephew are growing like weeds.

As summer came to an end, I knew I needed to return home and get a once-dreaded “J word”, or job, for those still reading.

I scanned the internet for hours in hopes of finding the perfect fit to spend my gap year before grad school when one day my mom showed me an ad for none other than my hometown newspaper, and *bam*, here we are.

During the Labor Day weekend, I visited the East Coast for the first time as I traveled to Burlington, Vermont with my boyfriend and his family. The scenery of the mountains and lake left me in awe, and the company was even better.

In October, I was able to return back to college for homecoming, a weekend-long celebration of officially being old and “washed up” but still passionate about being an IWU Titan. My best friends and I reflected on memories of our college days in various events over the weekend, from visiting our senior year house to tailgating during the football game to participating in an alumni softball game against the current team (to which I’m still sore and recovering from, man I’m old).

I wrapped up 2023 alongside my family for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, watching my niece and nephew’s faces light up opening gifts before indulging in my mom’s red velvet cake as my grandmother and I clobbered everyone in euchre.

While many of my chapters ended in 2023, I’ve excited for ones to open in 2024.

I’ll make the move to Chicago this summer, as I’ll enjoy new experiences from trying every kind of pizza imaginable to savoring the view of the lake and river to spending way too much money on Michigan Avenue.

I’ll start grad school at my top choice university, an opportunity I truly never imagined would be possible and am extremely grateful for. I’ll learn to get back in the swing of being a college student, so here’s to hoping I learn to stop procrastinating by then.

As I think back on my year, one common theme sticks out as the best aspects of every adventure: the people. This year has taught me more lessons than I can count, but above all, it’s taught me the importance of the people around me. While traveling to new places and crafting new experiences are fun, I’ve learned the people you spend your time with make the memories that much better.

I was lucky to spend ample quality time with my friends and family this year, growing closer with each laugh over dinner or goofy video sent over text, and the connections around me will always be something I hold near and dear to my heart.

All the while, I’ve truly learned to “trust the process” even when it seems difficult at times. While 2023 was full of twists and turns, highs and lows and everything in between, I’m excited to see what 2024 has to throw at me.

I know whatever comes my way, I’ll have the best people in my corner every step of the way.

Erica is a Staff Writer for the Greene County Daily World. As a recent college graduate and retired softball player, she enjoys all things fitness and health. Erica loves cats of all shapes and sizes, the city of Chicago and a good word search puzzle.