My 2016
Week #52
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Snapshots of 2016.
As I tried to think of how I wanted to format this final blog post in my project for this year, I thought about several different options.
In the past, I've written a recap of each month of the year, using quotes and specific moments that jumped out at me.
I've also composed mini letters addressed to various people, places or things that were important to me during the year.
However, this year I decided to go for more of a social media route. I'm going to try to encapsulate what 2016 was for me using only pictures and Twitter. I will say this:
2016 was most definitely the year of grad school. I started the year in school, and I'm ending it there too. As a result, a lot of my memories and moments are focused around Louisiana Tech.
JANUARY
January was a month of discovering I had made lasting friendships over the past few months.
It was a month of working with children on Sleeping Beauty, which was both a blessing and a curse.
It was a month of dealing with the weight of the world on your shoulders and still managing to come out on top. #RoyalTea #neverforget
FEBRUARY
February was a month of reuniting with Bryan friends and laughing till the tears flowed.
It was a month of memorable quotes from memorable professors that I truly had grown to love.
It was a month of finally being able to pursue my dream of directing my own show.
MARCH
March was a month of housesitting for Cherrie and her owner, Lucy. ;)
It was a month of being the Assistant Director for Love's Labour's Lost.
It was a month of slaving away on the most horrible, but most beautiful set ever.
It was a month of visiting an old friend and meeting her adorable baby for the first time.
APRIL
April was a month of being Cherrie's TA for Theatre Appreciation...an experience I will NEVER forget.
It was a month of watching LLL come together, slowly but surely.
It was a month of friends from college meeting friends from grad school.
It was a month of barely making it, and that's okay.
It was a month of realizing how far I've come and being really excited about my growth in life.
MAY
May was a month of watching No Exit come together in a truly beautiful way.
It was a month of realizing that growing up means your birthday doesn't really matter anymore.
It was a month of introducing LA Tech to the wonderful world that is Dr. Dwight Herbert Page.
It was a month of making new friends (that have proven to be much deeper and meaningful than I could have ever hoped at the time).
It was a month of looking around and saying, "Guys, we're halfway there."
It was a month of leaving Louisiana, flying past home, and beginning my summer gig as a Stage Manager for Cumberland County Playhouse in Tennessee.
JUNE
June was a month where I spent my days at the pool. Also, it was a month where best friends got engaged.
It was a month where my nights were spent in rehearsal and I learned that this experience was going to be...well, interesting.
JULY
July was a month of seeing long-lost friends and picking up like no time had gone by.
It was a month of remembering how beautiful my alma mater is.
It was a month of watching my summer gig come to a timely end...but appreciating the friendships I made along the way.
AUGUST
August was a month of Music Camp. If you're reading this and you don't know what that is, ask me sometime.
It was a month of directing my church's Drama Camp for the very first time, and loving every second.
It was a month of reconnecting with high school friends.
It was a month of road tripping across the country with my parents, my best friend, her parents, and a Uhaul.
September was a month of remembering how much I love the people at LA Tech.
It was a month of teaching my very first Theatre Appreciation class all by myself.
It was a month of being cast in Tartuffe as Madame Pernelle.
It was a month of reconnecting with my favorite, Katie Brumfield.
It was a month of feeling good about myself in general.
OCTOBER
October was a month filled with Tartuffe rehearsals, Tartuffe hilarity and Tartuffe corsets.
It was a month where I gave myself a concussion. No big deal, not the first time.
It was a month of an emotional breakdown and finally getting my feelings out in the open, all while trying to follow this one piece of advice:
It was a month of playing jazz for my professor.
NOVEMBER
November was a month of performing this little show we put together and having a blast.
It was a month of being overwhelmingly grateful to have my parents in town to support my growth here, and to have friends at school who come to the show multiple times just because.
It was a month of accomplishing a huge Directing concept project: Julius Caesar, set in the 1970s.
It was a month of Family Dinners, particularly the one where Gimpy won Cards Against Humanity.
It was a month of completing my first quarter of teaching.
It was a month of falling in love with autumn colors in Appomattox.
It was a month of beginning my journey as Assistant Director for She Kills Monsters and having the pleasure of knowing Mark Guinn.
DECEMBER
December was a month of creating new ideas for the social media accounts at LA Tech, specifically for She Kills Monsters.
It was a month of celebrating Christmas with people I really love.
Finally, it was a month of reveling in the knowledge that this was a year well-lived.
2016 was a hard year for me in a lot of ways.
I was stretched,
challenged,
pushed,
prodded,
hurt,
snubbed,
rejected,
ignored,
and cut off.
But at the same time, in 2016
I found myself loved,
accepted,
encouraged,
prayed for,
appreciated,
admired,
remembered,
missed, and
longed for.
I have learned so much in the past 12 months.
I have become more of who I have always wanted to be.
There's still so far to go, but the experiences I have to look back on have shaped my future in ways I can't even imagine right now.
Who knows where I will be on December 31, 2017?
It's overwhelming and scary.
And oh, so exciting.
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