Two thousand twelve was brilliant and exciting, and by far one of the most rewarding years of my life. In no particular order: I turned 21 and completed my 5th semester of college. I studied abroad in Oxford, traversed the English countryside, explored London's most popular attractions, ate my way through Paris, and toured the underground vaults of Edinburgh. I visited my older brother in Tennessee and spent a blissful week in Gulf Shores with my family.

I wrote a few articles for the January edition of Weddings In Houston Magazine, nannied part-time for two adorable little girls, and was hired to assist the owner of a social media management company. I renovated my blog (with help from this lovely artist) and changed the name to something more fitting. I cut sugar out of my diet for two whole months and then happily indulged in sweets every day for the five weeks that I was in Europe. I discovered the wonders of Pilates and went on a 10-mile religious pilgrimage through Austin. I made my Covenant of Love.

I re-familiarized myself with old fairytales via episodes of Once Upon a Time and fell head-over-heels for a pair of vampire brothers from Vampire Diaries. I stayed overnight in one of America's most haunted locations, threw a Halloween party at my apartment, and received an unexpected visit or two from my late cousin. I saw Titanic in theaters for the second time in my life and added several movies (including The Hunger Games, Lincoln, and Les Miserables) to my list of favorites. I gained a new appreciation for Jane Austen and her literary masterpieces.

I gave away a piece of my heart and had it handed back to me without fair warning. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, however, and I grew stronger because of it. I went to a kite festival, witnessed the passing of the Olympic Torch, and dyed my hair a pretty awful shade of blonde. (Oops!) I made a record number of new friends and cherished the time I spent with the old. I commemorated the predicted apocalypse with Smashburger and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, and—surprise!—lived to celebrate yet another joyful Christmas with my family.