Reflecting on the past year has been incredibly hard, but also somewhat of a blessing in disguise. I can easily confirm 2018 to be the hardest year so far for me emotionally and mentally. Exams all but broke me and the wait for my results was heart-wrenching. My first term at university has just come to an end; the beginning was rocky, and I was worried that the feeling of faliing would mean I would never find my own feet amongst the feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. 2018 was rough mentally and by this point of the year, I\u2019m practically a mess. But when I began to reflect on the social aspect of my 2018, I saw a very different side to the story.<\/p>\n
2018 has been the year of me. Absurdly cheesy and clich\u00e9, I\u2019m very much aware. But I really feel I\u2019ve come into my own this past year in a way I don\u2019t think I had before. I became published officially this year in \u2018Buzz Magazine\u2019 whilst I was working there on a work experience placement. I\u2019m a full-fledged journalist now, ladies and gentlemen \u2013 I did my first ever interview and everything! The experience allowed me to explore journalism and expand my skills, as well as explore the environment I may hopefully work in some day. I got the chance, thanks to a family friend, to shadow her when she was invited to be interviewed on BBC Radio Wales; the staff were incredible and took the time to explain to me the different aspects which surrounded the workings of a radio show, for which I\u2019m forever grateful. I was also on BBC Radio Cymru myself on International Women\u2019s Day with some of my friends, which was an experience and a half!<\/p>\n
Although I may be one of the only people to ever quote Joseph Stalin in my personal statement (don\u2019t worry! It was in order to mention how I aim to refute the quote \u2018A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic\u2019 in my lifetime), I received five university offers! The university I had my heart set on offered me the lowest grade of all the others, and despite the fact it made the emotional aspect of A Levels that much harder because I was so desperate to earn my place, it worked out perfectly in the end. Since being at university (I\u2019m studying Welsh and Journalism) I\u2019ve learned so much about Journalism and the fact I\u2019m so incredibly excited to potentially become a Journalist just proves I made the right choice. Since being at university, I\u2019ve appeared on the Welsh radio show \u2018Cicio Sodle\u2019\u2019 and it feels like I\u2019m really coming in to my own! I\u2019ve also filmed an advert for the Welsh Government in support of \u2018Having a Chat\u2019 about Organ Donation in Wales \u2013 a matter I believe very strongly in (I Opted-In this year and I feel it was the best decision for me!).<\/p>\n
Reflecting on this year means reflecting on my friends and on my own personal growth. At the beginning of 2018, I felt as though I had a complete lack of self-esteem concerning my appearance. With the help of my incredibly supportive friends, and the \u2018I Weigh\u2019 online movement, I\u2019ve become far more confident in my own skin. It was once a rarity to see below my shoulders in a photo, but now it\u2019s common place to see a full-length picture of my body. I\u2019ve learnt to embrace my body and understand that being skinny doesn\u2019t define beauty. Okay, I\u2019m not completely healed of hating my body. HOWEVER, this past year I\u2019ve learned to stop caring, and I\u2019ve realised that I worry about people looking at my stomach when I sit down. I don\u2019t care what other people\u2019s stomachs look like when they sit down \u2013 which means no one\u2019s going to care about me and my little tummy. Wearing bikinis has never been my thing, but this year I embraced it, and I felt more in my element wearing bikinis and form-fitting one pieces than ever before.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve found myself surrounded by a support system of sensational people this year. My best friends are the people who are always there to listen to me and who don\u2019t care if I say something stupid. I mean, yeah, they\u2019ll bring it up for the rest of my life, but that\u2019s true friendship \u2013 I know they\u2019ll be around for the rest of my life. Two of my best friends moved to a completely different city this year; they\u2019ve both found this first term difficult but considering they\u2019re two of the people who\u2019ve taught me the most about strength, I know they\u2019ll be fine. If it\u2019s not fine it\u2019s not the end (thanks Mam and Dad for being so great this year). Finding new friends when you\u2019ve become accustomed to people you\u2019ve known since you were eleven, or even four is incredibly hard. To everyone who\u2019s made it easy to be friends with at university: I thank you all.<\/p>\n
This year I\u2019ve changed. 2018 was the year of me; I learned a lot about myself and despite it not being my best year, it\u2019s by far not my worst. To everyone reading this, I thank you for following my journey. I\u2019m not sure you understand how thankful I am to you. I\u2019ve changed, but I\u2019m still me.<\/p>\n
By Tirion Davies<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Reflecting on the past year has been incredibly hard, but also somewhat of a blessing in disguise. I can easily confirm 2018 to be the hardest year so far for me emotionally and mentally. Exams all but broke me and the wait for my results was heart-wrenching. 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