It’s been almost two and a half years since I set up this
blog, and every year since then I have written a post on New Year’s Eve. This
year is no exception. In fact, 2014 may be the year I have the most to say
about. I’ve seen so many other posts and pictures on various social media
platforms of people raving about how 2014 has been such an amazing year for
them. I am no different to these others because my year has also been
spectacular. For this year’s post I’m going to take you through each month of
my 2014, and hopefully you’ll understand why I am so sorry to see it come to an
end tonight.
January
2014 couldn’t have gotten off to a greater start than my
girlfriend’s 18th birthday. Her present from me was flights to Paris
in July for our two-year anniversary. I know what you’re thinking – fucking sap.
I don’t care though, it was one of, if not the best present I’ve ever gifted
someone with. And before you ask, no she did not cry (which I was mildly
disappointed about). We then celebrated her birthday with her best friends at
her house that night. I don’t think I’ve had a better time with her friends
than that night. They really are great people that I’m fortunate and grateful
to know.
February
So February was indeed the month of my Leaving Cert pres.
This may justify why the only pictures I have from that month are of the
weekend Caoimhe’s friends and I spent in Dublin once the exams had finished. To
briefly mention those exams, I thought they had gone okay so it’s safe to say I
was celebrating in Dublin. I remember walking down one of the streets in the
capital with Caoimhe and saying to her that I hadn’t felt this free since we
started 5th year.
We shopped, we fine-dined, we drank, we partied, and one of
us (who shall remain anonymous) got kicked out of a gay nightclub. A wonderful
weekend was had by all.
March
I’m beginning to realise that I made quite a few trips to
Dublin this year, two of which took place in March. The first trip I made was
with my Killarney crew. We had bought Kevin (my bestie) a ticket to an Ireland
match in the Aviva as part of his 18th birthday present, so we were
hardly going to let him venture there solo. The match was enjoyable even though
Ireland did not emerge as victors. However, it was the night out that truly
made the trip worthwhile. It was so enjoyable that I don’t believe there are
any pictures of it to be found.
My second trip to Dublin was with Caoimhe. We went to see
one of our favourite bands, All Time Low, cause havoc in the Olympia Theatre. The
absolute nutters that we are, we sat outside the Olympia from 11am that
morning, just to be as near to the front barrier as we could be. Hence the
Starbucks takeaway cups in our hands. The wait was worth it because the concert
was phenomenal. All Time Low interact with the crowd in a way I’ve never witnessed
with other bands. To top it all off, we came away with two guitar picks, the
setlist and the beanie hat Jack had been wearing. #Winning.
April
Ah, April. My month of birth. It being my 18th
year, of course I had an 18th party. To be fair, I really did have
everyone I love at that party. My family, Caoimhe, my Killarney friends, my
Listowel friends; everyone that mattered to me was there. My incredible group
of friends (The Lissivigeeners, refer here for full description - http://hustler007.blogspot.ie/2013/12/wrapping-up-2013-with-splash-of.html
) bought me a ticket to Disneyland Paris, as they knew we were going in July. Caoimhe
also took the liberty of sorting out the hotel arrangements in Paris, so I had
very little expenses left to pay. What unreal presents, eh!
Another major occurrence for me in April was the Young
Artist Development Awards showcase. Now this may sound very professional and
fancy, but really it was just a little concert in front of the whole school.
However, the part of it that was “major” for me was the fact that not only were
myself and two other girls from my music class performing in front of almost
500 people, a few judges and Voice of Ireland winner Pat Byrne, we were
performing a song I had written. By that I mean that I wrote the lyrics, and
the other two girls came up with the melody and music for it. But still, having
my lyrics sang in front of that many people was overwhelming. Even more so was
the reception we received. Many, many students approached me in the aftermath
telling me how much they loved the song and how powerful it was. Though we didn’t
make it through to the YADA final, that showcase meant a great deal to me, and stands
out as one of my greatest accomplishments this year.
May
Graduation. That is all anyone cared about in May. Yes, we
may have been a mere month away from the most important exams of our lives, but
all the Leaving Cert class of 2014 was concerned about was the food
arrangements, the songs to be sung at the mass, what dresses each of us would
be wearing, and where the hell the night would take us once we were let loose.
The night, as expected, was special. The mass was special,
the songs that we chose to sing were special, the interlude from Ms. Healy on
the flute was special, and the tears it brought to my eyes were special. For
me, the mass was the highlight. It was the last time I would ever stand side by
side with an inspirational woman, playing songs on guitar that we both loved to
play. I’ll never forget the wink she gave me when we finished playing my
favourite song. I felt like I had swallowed my heart.
Also, May brought about my last day of school. It was
emotional, exciting, nostalgic, and in many ways a very triumphant day for me.
I had finally done it. I lasted the six years that many thought I wouldn’t. By
that very last day, I was clear on so many things. I knew the reasons I shed a
few tears that day, and I knew who I was shedding them for (and who I most
certainly was not shedding them for). The best part of that day was the
teachers vs students dance-off. The reason that was the best part is because it
gave me the picture below. What a way to sum up my feelings leaving that
school.
June
Surprisingly, there’s not much to say about June. I spent
the vast majority of it sitting in the confines of my school, taking the most
anticipated exams of my life. When those exams came to an end, I really didn’t do
much. I relaxed, I went out a few times, and I just lapped up the feeling of
complete freedom. So yeah, it was a pretty boring month which is why I have
zero pictures to show.
July
Christ, if I was to go through every aspect of July we would
all be here a very long time. In fact, it wouldn’t be New Year’s Eve anymore. To sum it up, I went to Paris with my
girlfriend and when we landed back on home turf, we went straight to an Arctic
Monkeys concert. Fucking epic. Since there is way too much to say about July, I’m
going to let the pictures do the talking.
August
The month of the dreaded Leaving Cert results. Oh, how I was
anxious. When the day finally came, I went into a sort of shutdown mode. I showed
no emotion as I walked into the room with my vice-principal. It was only when
she handed me the certificate that I broke. As I scanned the sheet of paper
through bleary eyes in search of my English grade (the one that mattered for my
course requirement), I fell to the floor when I realised all the grades showed
the same letter. The vice-principal got the shock of her life, I’d say. I asked
her to tell me my English grade, just in case I had hallucinated my results.
When she said A1, I said fuck off. I immediately apologised, of course. I
continued to weep and sob until she told me my points. I then said “Are you
shitting me?” and as before, I apologised again straight away.
That, my friends, was a moment I would pay anything to
relive again.
August also saw the best Muckross staff night out EVER. For the
first time in my four summers working there, all of the summer staff got along
really well. There were no bitchy cliques (as there had been in the past) which
made the night out so great. I became friends with people I never thought I would,
and I strengthened my relationships with people I already adored. Success?
Hell, yes.
September, October, November
The reason I am putting these three months together is
because they have sped by so fast that I can’t even pick them apart. The facts
of each month haven’t changed, though.
I moved to Limerick at the beginning of September, excited
yet nervous of what would be awaiting me. I met my housemates, liked them, met
their friends that lived nearby, liked them too, had a few nights out, liked
them, and so on. You see the pattern that formed, right? I liked everything
about college in September. It wasn’t until midway through October that I fell
head over heels in love with college.
As I grew closer to my housemates and their friends week by
week, my perspective began to change. I no longer felt like their housemate,
nor did I feel they were mine. I felt like I was living with friends. Friends
that I wish I had known all my life. Friends that showed me why my “friends” of
the past are exactly that.
I love my life in college. I had the best four months of my
life this semester. The closest friends I have right now are friends that I have
made since moving to UL. That, for me, says more than enough about the position
I’m in right now.
“Perhaps I should just leave it at how amazing it is that
someone who was, four months ago, a stranger to me, can now mean so much to me.”
December
What a wonderful December it has been. December 2014 has
undoubtedly been one of the best Christmases of my life thus far. To begin
with, I was presented with my scholarship certificate by the university, with
one of my best friends alongside me receiving the very same award. Not only
that, I got a massive surprise to see that my English teacher, Ms. Hennigan,
had travelled up from Killarney to be there to receive the award with me. What a
bloody honour it was having the woman that inspired me to choose that course in
that university standing by my side. Words cannot describe how much that moment
meant to me.
Then, of course, came the final hoorahs of the semester.
With Christmas dinner had and the exams finally over, we danced our merry
hearts away to “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in a Limerick nightclub. How
utterly satisfying. Saying goodbye to the crew for Christmas was especially
difficult, knowing that I wouldn’t be seeing them again for weeks.
Christmas in Killarney, however, has been extremely
successful. In our family the rate of success was measured by the fact that for
the first time in 20 years of marriage, my mom did not ask my dad for a receipt
for the presents he got her. See? Successful Christmas in the Dawson household.
…
2014 really has been a special year in many ways. I’ve made
memories I will always remember, I’ve shared experiences I will never forget, I’ve
said goodbye to people that changed my life, and I’ve met people that I know
are going to bring me a ridiculous amount of joy and happiness in the new year.
So that’s it from me this year. I apologise for the lack of
blogposts (Leaving Cert and all), but I will be sure to increase my blogging
output in 2015. Until then, have a wonderful New Year and be ready for 2015 – I
already know it’s going to be spectacular.
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