Eighteen

As of midnight tonight, today is my last day as an eighteen year old. I can't help but feel relieved. I don't want this to be a post of complaints or rants, but anyone who knows me understands what a difficult year this has been. To recap a little bit, I thought I'd make a list of what my 18th year has been like:

• My last summer at home. Tense goodbyes, sweet moments, great trips. 
  
• Leaving for Asheville. Saying goodbye to my best friends, my team and my family. 
• Losing my roommate (whoops) starting classes, struggling to make friends and feeling out of place.
• Getting shingles only a few weeks into the school year
• Getting a Crohn's flare and struggling to go to classes
• Getting shingles again
• Leaving Asheville for good
  
• Finishing school from home
  
• Deciding to transfer to Queens. The best decision I made all year. Knowing I'd finally be at home. 
• Getting shingles two more times (that makes 4) and being hospitalized
• Seeing In the Heights, Spring Awakening, and Avenue Q... falling in love with musicals completely. 
  
• Being pulled off my meds
• Doing a whole semester at home without school  
• Going to the Caribbean with my family, having 2 weeks of perfect health
  
• Getting sicker and sicker
• Summer classes
• Finding out my disease has progressed to the worst point it has ever been, restarting meds
  
• Starting Beauty Forum with Danielle
  
• A week later starting Bicoastal Beauties in Prep Talk

I really hope that didn't sound like complaining. I am truly grateful for the support I've had this year. I know that I am on the road to recovery and that hopefully I'll be on my way to college this time next month. It has been a tough year, and I'm glad to kind of tie it up and be done with it.  I will say that because of all the medical madness I have been fortunate enough to be able to find out a lot more about myself. I also was able to transfer schools, which never could have happened without the time off.  Here's to hoping 19 is a little sweeter, a little more normal and a lot less medical.  I'll send this year off with some pictures of my favorite moments. 

My 18th birthday party

Family at the Beach last summer

Julian and Eric (not pictured) came to visit Hannah T and I while we were at the beach :)

Virginia trip at the Newseum!

Dorm room in Asheville

Goat in Asheville, one of my first days.

The creek behind my dorm in Asheville.

Courtney Markowitz of Spring Awakening. She played Ilse, and was lovely.

Jenny and I with Christopher Wood, who played Melchior.

Jackson, Graham and I in New Orleans.

My father and I in New Orleans

Relaxing on the beach at Maya Chan in Costa Maya, Mexico.

Our family on the cruise.

A parrot on my shoulder in Roatan!

Starting Beauty Forum and Writing for Prep Talk... I can't even begin to explain how much fun it has been. I love makeup and I love blogging, so combining the two has been amazing.

Here we are, back at my birthday. Here's hoping 19 is a fantastic year!