2023 is hopefully going to be a big year! I’m graduating middle school and moving on to high school, so that’s a pretty big milestone for me. I’m also hoping to work on things I’m passionate about and get much better at them.
Dance:
Dance, especially Bharatanatyam, is already a huge part of my life and I want that to continue through the new year. I hope to practice a lot more, learn many new items, and get more opportunities to perform. This year, I’ll also get to perform in my school’s Spring Show, where I’ll be able to perform 4 dances in front of parents and friends. This is something I’m really excited for and I can’t wait to grow my contemporary dancing skills as well!
Writing:
I really want to work on my writing, as well as my use of vocabulary. Writing is already a huge passion of mine and I definitely want to grow that this year. I’m also auditioning for a creative-arts school in the category of writing!
Art:
Along with my writing, I would like to get better at my art skills! Currently, I might not be the best artist, however, I definitely want to practice a lot this year and hopefully learn more about art and develop an art style (or any semblance of one)
Books:
This year, I’m going to be trying to “read my bookshelf” more and get through many of the books on my bookshelf instead of always getting new ones. I hope to maybe finish more series and discover a lot of good books!
School:
This year, I’ll be going into high school and I hope to find my footing quickly. I’ll definitely keep working hard in my new school (and for the rest of middle school).
If I See You Again Tomorrow by Robbie Couch This was such a amazing book! Clark is stuck in a time loop. No matter what he tries to say or do will get him out of it and he is sure this is how life will be forever. Until he meets Beau. Beau walks into his calculus class one day and creates a ruckus, so Clark knows that he has to follow Beau. Beau introduces him to a life filled with love and joy and Clark realizes how much Beau means to him. But the next day, Beau is missing and Clark can’t find him anywhere.
I really enjoyed this book because of how beautifully detailed the story was. It was an amazing ride and I loved the whole story from start to finish.
Dear Medusa by Olivia A. Cole I really loved how powerful this book was. Alicia has gotten used to being bullied, being an outcast, her only friend being one she made in detention. But when she gets to meet with a mentor, she learned just how to channel that anger out and how to become the most powerful version of herself.
I really enjoyed this book because of how the eloquent the writing style flowed. The poetry was beautiful and there were a lot of beautiful lines and quotes. The book also displayed sexual abuse very well.
Dear Mothman by Robin Gow This was such an interesting book! Noah and Lewis used to be best friends. But when Lewis dies in a car accident, Noah is forced to survive alone. He decides to do his science project on Mothman to honor Lewis’ legacy, but when his teachers and his parents start to doubt him, he knows he needs real evidence. As he continues his search for the legendary creature, he learns how to make friends and move on while honoring Lewis.
I really enjoyed this book and the portrayal or LGBT+ characters. The writing style, in letters and poetry, was incredible and I really liked the drawings. The story flowed incredibly well and I loved the quotes I got from it too.
The Insiders by Mark Oshiro This was such an amazing book! Back home, Héctor being gay didn’t change anything. But now, when he gets bullied relentlessly, he needs a safe space…and finds it in the janitor’s closet that isn’t exactly what it seems. Soon he meets 2 other students who also don’t exactly fit in at their schools. The Room gives them a safe space, but they have to learn to face their problems on their own too.
I really enjoyed this book and the way that Héctor and his friends are written. They are all incredibly lifelike and I loved the LGBT+ representation. The story was beautiful and can easily help people feel more welcome.
Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar When Hani comes out to her friends as bisexual after they try to set her up, they don’t believe her. When they confront her about it, she panics and claims she’s dating her friends’ enemy- Ishita Dey. Ishita agrees on pretend to date Hani on one condition- she helps Ishita win the election to be head girl. But as Hani and Ishu get closer, Hani’s friends get jealous, punishing her and pushing her out.
I really enjoyed this book because of how realistic the two main characters were. The representation was also beautiful and I enjoyed the book a lot.
Loveless by Alice Oseman This is such a great read. Georgia has never had a crush, only one that she’s forced onto herself. So when university starts, she is determined to date someone. But when no one, male or female, appeals to her, and she joins the LGBT+ soc in her school, she realizes that maybe she’s a little different. I really loved coming along on the journey of Georgia figuring out who she is, while navigating her friends and their own feelings.
I really enjoyed this book because of how beautifully Georgia’s college life is portrayed, especially as she and her friends learn how they are. It’s such a nicely written book.
I started the year in India. We didn’t really do much that first month, but it was a good and clean beginning to the new year.
February:
We took a quick staycation in Downtown, which was definitely a lot of fun. It was a great opportunity to relax while staying in the city.
March:
We went to Miami this year which was a lot of fun! We got to see a lighthouse and also got to visit Calle Ocho, which I had been learning about in school. I also visited the science museum which was a fun experience. We also got to see Hamilton, which was awesome. I loved watching the songs come to life and it was overall a great experience.
April:
I did two dance performances this month- an annual recital for Bharatanatyam and my first ever Mohiniyattam performance! I also got to watch an arangetram which was a new experience for me.
May:
We went to New Mexico which was really cool! I really enjoyed viewing the Carlsbad Caverns and the Petroleum Museum, as well as Monahans Sandhills State Park. Our school also put on Matilda the Musical and I really enjoyed watching it, especially as a lot of my friends starred in it.
June:
Right before 7th grade ended, we had our schoolwide International Peace Festival, in which my friend and I put together a project on gender equality. During summer, I went to India which was a lot of fun, as usual.
July:
I went to Delhi in the beginning of July, which was a place I’d never been before. I really enjoyed visiting The Taj Mahal, Qutab Minar, and Isa Khan’s tomb, as well as other places. I came home from India early (☹️) to go to Leadership Camp, hosted by my Leadership teacher for 8th grade. I really enjoyed camp and definitely made a lot of memories there.
August:
I started 8th grade around the middle of August which was an incredible new experience. I also competed in a duet and a group Bharatanatyam competition and won first place for the duet!
September:
I celebrated my birthday this month and turned 13! Other than that we didn’t do much, but I really enjoyed celebrating my birthday and cherished everyone in my life that day (and month).
October:
I started the month with a roller skating party for everyone in Leadership. At first, I was a bit shaky, but I eventually got the hang of it and had a lot of fun! I also got to see another musical- Hadestown, which was inspired by Greek mythology, which I love. After that, we had Homecoming, which is definitely one of my highlights this year, as I got to have a lot of fun that night.
November:
I started November off with my UIL theater class performing twice, once for parents and once at a competition. I had a lot of fun both times and I can’t wait to do it again in the spring! After that, we went to my last musical of the year- SIX the Musical. I also saw two of my friends there which was such a fun experience! Then, during Fall Break, we went to Boston and I saw a lot of historical monuments, which went perfectly with what we were learning in US History. Lastly, I ended the month with Fall Show, a performance organized by the dance teachers so we can show off what we have learnt in the first semester.
December:
Our school’s first semester has ended, meaning we’re halfway through the school year. This was also the first year I had to do midterms, because I’ve started taking high-school level courses. As the semester ended, I went to our school’s winter concert, as I had many friends in orchestra. I really enjoyed watching them perform and they did great! Lastly, I closed the year off by going to India for winter break.
Here are 22 things I’m looking forward to in this new year!
The School For Good and Evil movie This is a movie that is going to be coming to Netflix based on the popular School for Good and Evil book series. I’m really excited to watch it!
Traveling more
Trying a new theme on my Instagram
Performing more Bharatanatyam
Learning more Mohiniattam items
Attending more book events
Improving my writing skills
Attending my school’s dance event
Expanding my Ninja Foodi cooking skills
Discovering new authors
(Hopefully) being a leader in 8th grade In our school, leaders lead lessons in homeroom 2 times a week. I’ve heard that leadership class and leadership camp (which you take to become a leader) is really fun.
Creating a project in my MUN class with my friends
