I have seen this trend fly around articles and blogs and would like to give it a go before we hit the new year! I believe the inspiration of this trend was started by @dazzlingclouds
So, make a cup of tea and see if you can answer these questions for yourself as well!
Were you happy this year?
For obvious reasons, yes and no. As a bit of an introvert, being told to stay inside wasn't exactly going to be a hard task. Although, as I'm currently on month nine of staying inside (day 286 , yes we've been keeping count) I've found it's slowly starting to get harder. Aside from that, shielding and staying inside the majority of 2020 meant that my family and myself stayed safe and we've been able to spend more quality time with one another.
2. Did you meet new people?
I've spoken to a lot of new people online, this helps from being involved in a bit of a community on Instagram. It's been nice speaking to people from all walks of life and all over the world.
3. Were you happy with yourself?
Always such a difficult question to answer. We are all guilty of being overly self critical and seeing the worst in ourselves. I am quite an optimistic person, trying to see the light in all situations. I have had a few wobbles this year, I won't lie as life is in no way perfect. So, I suppose the answer for this one could be that I have been better and I have been worse.
4. What's your favourite memory you had with your friends this year?
This one will be short and sweet, basically I've not seen anyone this year so in memory and good time standards, there's been none.
5. What's your favourite song that was released this year?
I mean, I'm not overly sure what happened yesterday, let alone trying to remember songs that came out this year.
*pauses for 10 minutes to look at song history*
I think it's got to be Exile by Taylor Swift ft Bon Iver, it's from her new album Folklore and actually my Mum showed me this song first.
I also really like Afterglow by Ed Sheeran, he's just released it a matter of days ago.
6. What song did you dislike that was released this year?
I saw this question beforehand and honestly I'm really not sure. I'm not saying I loved each and every song that came out but also I've not listened to an awful lot either. It's been one of those times where you just listen to the stuff you know and love.
7. Where did you spend the most time?
This is such a weird one to answer because I set up camp everywhere in my house. From about March - May I was finishing my degree from my bedroom. Imagine being in your third and final year, about to do a submit so much work it was hard to keep track for your degree and having absolutely no facilities, supplies to help. That was me. Once my deadlines came about and I was free from uni work, I spent most of my time either in the kitchen or the living room, drawing on my ipad or writing on my laptop.
8. What's the happiest memory that you had this year?
Probably got to be the day I got my uni results. After four years of university hell, jumping through hoops, repeating a year, having no luck with any tutors, my Dad being incredibly ill, being told I have a disability from an inherited disease and then having to finish my degree from my bedroom - I managed to come out with a 2:1 which was AMAZING!
9. Did you get into any new hobbies?
Yes! I started writing a book, which so far I'm super happy with! I also had the opportunity to draw more which turned out to be really successful. I'm looking forward to continuing this into 2021.
10. Did you watch any series this year?
Did I?? Of course! I rewatched Friends and Gossip Girl and even got my little sister into watching it - she's yet to find out who Gossip Girl is...
I binged watched The Alienist season 1 and 2, it was better than I thought it was going to be.
Also, my brother recommended me to watch The Umbrella Academy which I was really sceptical about at first but goodness me I loved it. The second season was exceptionally good.
11. What are your top three movie's this year?
I really enjoyed watching Five Feet Apart earlier this year. It was fairly strange as I watched it early January, just before covid broke out. Seeing the two characters needing to wear masks, cautiously wash hands and keep their distance, I just couldn't imagine it. Then as the month's unfolded it turned out that we all had to adopt that way of living, so that was a bit weird but none the less, the movie was really great.
Then I suppose the other two movies will have to be After and The Revenant.
12. What are your favourite books this year?
I've not read that much this year in variety but I have read Five Feet Apart and the first three book to the After Saga: After, After We Collided and After We Fell and I have just started the fourth book, After Ever Happy.
13. Did you become a fan of any new artist?
Very late to the game, this year I suppose I've come to like Harry Styles, specifically his song 'Falling'. I was never a fan of One Direction, so we'll see how that goes with him being an solo artist.
14. What fashion trend did you like most this year?
To be completely honest. My fashion trend this year was like opening up a catalogue and turning straight to the pyjama section. That has been the only trend I've been able to follow!
15. What's the one thing you wish that didn't happen this year?
Corona for obvious reasons.
16. Did you fall in love with anyone this year?
The opportunity to fall in love didn't present itself this year. Although, I've seen an awful lot of people comment on this with fictional characters, that counts, right?
17. What youtuber did you watch the most this year?
I'd say this one has got to be Joe Sugg. During my time working through my degree work, I had his videos on in the background and I ended up watching more videos than I intended to but I actually enjoyed it. Especially when he did a Sims4 play with Dianne. I'm not a big youtuber watcher, but I see myself catching up with his vlogmas.
18. What was the most memorable experience you had? (It doesn't matter if it was good or bad, think of it like the experience you would tell your grandchildren about)
I suppose this one will be the fact that the entire world went through (and is still going through) the exact same thing. Knowing that every country was more or less dealing with the same pandemic.
Another thing that will be the topic I'll probably tell them about was experiencing the entire country go into lockdown. Not many generations can say they watched the world stop working, stop leaving their houses. It's something that hasn't happened for a long time and I'm hopeful that it's something that will never happen again.
19. What affect did this year have on you? (Did you learn something new about yourself? Is there something you realised you want to change?)
I already knew I was a bit of a 'clean freak', I more than often had hand gel in my hand bag and made sure to wash my hands after touching things like my hand bag, purse, money etc but after this year, I feel that I will come out of the other side of the pandemic... more fearful of germs and 'dirty' things.
We're still at a point where we're washing the shopping that gets delivered and I'm dealing with my mail and amazon parcels with gloves and anti-bac wipes or spray. I don't know how long it'll be until I can go back to unpackaging things normally. So unfortunately to say, I think this year has actually made me develop an anxiety or small type of ocd? I'm not sure what to call it.
20. Did you enjoy this year?
Yes and no, this year has had a lot of pros and cons.
Cons - I've not been able to see my older sister, grandma and other members of my family for months and months. Seeing my sister through the window and not being able to hug her is so horrible.
- Being scared that something wrong will happen.
- Practically losing my job, unfortunately as my family is highly clinically vulnerable, I've not been able to attend work which is just a whole big mess.
- Watching the world get worse each week.
Pros - I've been able to spend some quality time with my siblings. Me and my brother have been able to play games and watch movies that I never usually had time to do. Being able to have time off this year has given me the time to spend with my family.
- I've been able to do things I usually put off. Do you ever have stuff you want to do? Read that book, watch that tv series, start the thing you've been wanting to start for ages or even clear out some stuff you don't even use anymore. I've finally had the time to do these things and more!
- I've been able to dedicate a large portion of my year to finalising my degree. Even though it was hard, I see it as a pro. I was able to take everything in my own time, set my own small deadlines on the build up to the final deadline. This worked better for me in the end and the results prove that.
How did you feel about these questions? Were you able to answer them all or did you skip through a few?
Let me know and go and make yourself another cup of tea. I definitely need one after that!