This year, I waited after the New Year and New Decade euphoria to settle down a bit, hoping the overly-optimistic and wishful thinking would be out of my system before I sit down and make resolutions that are actually feasible. So here they are, somewhat anticlimatically presented.

Write New Year Resolutions – YES! DONE! (Kidding…)

Think before I speak – to avoid embarrassment, regret, hysteria, and perceived stupidity on my part.

Do something terrifying – gorge-jumping or dancing in front a large crowd of people maybe?

Hit the big FOUR-OH, not agewise mind you, but grade-wise.

Learn to cook beyond boiling water.

Get my driver’s license, because my friends currently view my inability to drive as practically a disability.

Blog more often! And write for a publication.

When it comes to extra-curriculars, DEPTH, not BREADTH.

Take every opportunity to travel.

Sleep before 12:30 and get up early to preview lectures – I have a feeling this will be the toughest one.

Of course, there’s the “internship/career/graduate school/fitness plan/eat healthier” staple that come with every resolution list which I will bypass here.

QOTW: What are your New Year Resolutions? And how many have you broken already?

In 2000, I attended my last semester of elementary school in China (scarring Grade 3), got glasses, flew across the world, immigrated to Canada, started a new school not knowing any English, and got bullied in school for said lack of English skills.
In 2001, I made a five-minute speech in front of 500 people (take that, ESL), changed elementary schools, went on a camping retreat without parents for the first time, realized school was a piece of cake, watched Sailor Moon every single day at lunch, and used the self-check out aisle at a supermarket for the first time.
In 2002, I created a MSN account which I still use today, used Netzero dialup to get online, made my first website, changed two more schools, learned to ski (and was laughed at by the ski instructor for lack of ability), went to my first middle school dance and danced awkwardly with a boy with sufficient space between us, and hosted too many sleepover slumber parties to count.
In 2003, I prided myself on having the same bologna sandwich every day at lunch for three years running, got addicted to a gameboy for the first time, DISCOVERED HARRY POTTER, played in the park after school, went to church regularly, and visited Quebec.
In 2004, I moved across the country to the West Coast, lamented my school placements, took public transit for the first time by myself, went back to China, was addicted to Runescape, and shared a one bedroom flat with my parents.
In 2005, I started PreIB (changed schools, again), memorized half of Homer’s Odyssey, found out that hot overhead projectors had negative impacts on teachers, and may have moved to Richmond.
In 2006, PreIB merged into IB and life was taking its toll. I remember nothing from this period other than starting a job at McDonald’s at another at a Call Center, simultaneously.
In 2007, I discovered the wonders of fashion, toiled away for my extended essay, had a few more jobs, studied for SATs, applied for universities, became disillusioned with IB, and started a relationship.
In 2008, I passed IB, went back to China but came back before the Olympics, worked two jobs during the summer, cried too much, almost went to Berkeley, got contacts, had a crazy time at Frosh, blogged joyfully, and over-involved myself in extra-curriculars.
In 2009, I juggled jobs, academics, and extra-curriculars; my bank account hit $10 000 for the first time, but a few days later it was cut in half due to tuition, started a relationship, transferred to Cornell, embarked on whirlwind trips to NYC, Boston, Kingston, Toronto, and Syracuse, lived in dorms for the first time, did laundry for the first time (ha!), and came back to Vancouver and had the best winter holiday EVER … for the most part.

Hello new decade. I wonder what surprises you bring.

Life has been hectic to say the least. Here’s a brief recap.

Work/Stay/Play in Syracuse. This is three-day “conference” that brought together 36 students from Cornell, URochester, and Syracuse U to solve, in a creative and collaborative manner, a huge issue the region faces: how to retain students in Upstate New York after graduation. Cornell paid for the transportation, food, and hotel for all her representatives so I was immensely grateful. Here’s the Daily Sun article!

Kingston getaway with my suite & Royal Military College Christmas Ball. My entire suite drove up to Kingston this past weekend to visit friends. Coincidentally, the Christmas Ball, supposedly one of the top parties in Canada, took place on the same weekend so my good friend Wendy came in from Toronto for the “festivities”, in the tame sense of the word. If I were to tag this tidbit, it would read: wall-scaling, Queen’s, poutine, pancakes, military boys men, endless dancing, black squirrels, Felix Felicis, and generosity and genuineness of so many people we met.

Student Assembly Finance Commission (SAFC) interview. Imagine my surprise when I walk into a boardroom in the basement of Day Hall to find 15-20 people inside – all ready to interview me, together, for an extra-curricular activity. With my love of interviews and public speaking, suffice to say, I decided to bath in the (doubtful) limelight of the occasion and ramble on about my previous experience doing financial services for the Commerce Undergraduate Society (THANK YOU TRAVIS). I’m happy to report that I’m a newly minted Commissioner on SAFC! Very excited to start allocating that $1.2 million (alright, less mathematically challenging than the CUS’s excel budgets but it’ll be fun).

Pants Off! for Charity event at the University of British Columbia. The organizers of this – one of whom is my good friend Lucas – will probably kill me for posting this so late, but here it is! The event was a tremendous success and raised over $400 in the span of a few hours. Here’s photographic evidence of the event

Lucas is the one on the left (you didn’t think I was going to let you off the hook by being “one of the three pantless boys” now did you?).

CORNELL, let’s see some creativity.

P.S. – My mom, an avid reader of this blog and self-proclaimed my biggest fan, will be so proud that it only took four entries before photos of half-dressed boys appeared on Ivy Years.