2014 was okay

It’s cold out.

In America at least. 

The christmas trees are up, multicolored lights align stairways, roofs, and porches, and we have now grown accustomed to take pictures with HOT drinks at Starbucks. And, c’mon you doofenshmirtz… why not celebrate with overpriced beverages and cookies shaped like snowmen?




 2014 has been a robust year. 




I can’t say much about you, but 2014 has probably been the most dynamic year of my life. SO MUCH has happened. I’ve lost friends, I’ve met some of my now (Snapchat) best friends, I’ve chopped off 6 inches of my hair (it’s not a phase, mom), got a job, made my first paycheck (thats what happens when you have a job, sweetie!), began working as a writer for Brown Girl Magazine, taken up art, started yoga, conquered so many of my fears, switched schools, and have even strengthened bonds with the important people in my life. I also discovered Jus Reign and made it my life goal to convert and marry him.

Jai hind, ya cantankerous lards.

Below are some of the things 2014 has taught me. 

1. If people really want to be in your life, they’ll TRY to be in it. 

As great of a year it has been, I’ve actually lost one of my bestest friends. I feel like we kind of lost our connection, and I realized that...maybe, we didn’t have so much in common in the first place. It’s weird because we promised to dance to Shaava Shaava at each other’s weddings, sat on roofs, and went  to hell and back. I did try to reignite dat spark, but the way things are turning out, it doesn’t seem very likely that things will ever be the same again (Dat drama, call me Kashaf *insert hair flip emoji*).

But I like to think I’m a positive person so I’m going to just add that for every friend I’ve lost, I’ve made eleventeen more. 

2. If you do not seek, you will find.

This lesson is true in every case except hide and seek. Do people like hop into a black hole during that game or like into a time reversing vortex or something? I never find anyone in that game like omg how annoying.
This lesson though, is applicable mainly (again omg dubira u loser)in the field of friendship. I made a really good friend in a prose class this year. The next through a freaking newspaper committee. Tis is the power of complacency. Yeah, I was friendly, but I didn’t expect for it all to happen. How? I’m not exactly sure, but I’m glad it did. What the heck did I just said.

3. STOP OVERTHINKING. 

Omg, how cute it that top? guuurrrrllll, snap crackle pop! But wait...it’ll make your “muffin top” conspicuous. And then aunties will stare, and then spread rumors about how you stole a koala and hid it from your parents for ten years. Also, about how you have a boyfriend/girlfriend and got arrested for selling pirated bollywood films to a convict. 

You know it’s not true. 

Your mom knows it’s not true. 

Da lawd knows its not true. 

Stop letting overthinking take over your stanking life, person. You can seriously be whoever you want to be. Dress how YOU want to (but crop tops are soooo 2012). Write about what YOU want. Eat whatever YOU want (except fetal pigs, c’mon das nasty). Memorize whatever surahs YOU want. Love whatever YOU want. You, yes you, with that zit on your forehead (sorry try again next time), furry sideburns, and mushroom-resembling toes, are in control of your destiny! 

Now, if you keep up with me through social media (ESPECIALLY INSTAGRAM I LOVE INSTAGRAM, DO YOU LOVE INSTAGRAM? LETS LOVE INSTAGRAM OMG)  you know that I’m constantly posting pictures of the randomest of things in my “basic” glory, from fruit juices to selfies of the agglomeration of yeast that has become my face. I know that some of you guys go on instagram every day and realllyyy want to post something, but don’t because you’re scared of people judging you. 

And girl, don’t! YOUR life starts the day you stop living everyone’s else’s. So post fifty selfies tonight (keep it halal doe, i see u), and if it makes you happy, let it be. Post a picture of that pizza slice girl….oh it’s a selfie? 

oh.

4. Your Happiness depends on YOU.
So a big craze, especially as teenagers, is this whole phenomena that we all need significant others to be happy, or just need to be surrounded by people and be popular to attain inner peace. This is so far from the truth, I roll my afro covered head back and chuckle. 

HA. HA. HA. HA. HA.

Whenever your happiness relies on the presence of others, you’re making yourself so vulnerable to others’ opinions. You’re not really yourself anymore, you’re just a failed embodiment of everything everyone else wants you to be.

Who cares if people don’t like what you have to say? It’s what you believe, so its you. And you is beautiful. You is perfectionista. You is uniqua. You is swag yolo. You is 13457% bae. You is hastag natural beauty. 

Werk it, mini Beyonce. 

Wake up like dat, girl. 

All in all, live your own life, you pregnant walrus. Hold the door open for strangers. Smile at the weird kid. Don’t do drugs. Pretend you didn’t see the old asian women picking her nose at the stoplight. Buy a hobo a coffee. 

It’s been a good year. You’re still alive, right? Your arms and legs in tact, your heart beating? Make it a good life. 

Here’s to another year of things I’ll probably regret doing next year.