2024 was a very bittersweet year. It didn’t go as I wanted it to, but not necessarily in a bad way. Life sometimes has its own plans, but it was still extremely kind to me.

In January, I went to Milan with Abbu. He was recovering from a big health scare, and I felt so lucky and privileged to take this trip with him. We also talked about what 2024 might look like for both of us. We were very wrong.

In February, I spent five days on my own exploring Istanbul. I went to four football matches and ate a ton of good food. I also saw my favourite comedian and got absolutely roasted by the warm-up act.

In March, I watched Arsenal win a penalty shootout. It was the greatest football high I’ve experienced so far.

In April, I watched Arsenal in the quarter final of the Champions League. One of my favourite players was playing—albeit for the opposition. I also spent a few hours with my childhood best friend after three years. I’d forgotten how much fun they are.

In May, I moved house after eight years. I absolutely hated my new neighbourhood for about four months. I absolutely love my new neighbourhood now. I also spent about 13 minutes believing that my beloved Arsenal would win the league. Arsenal did not win the league.

In June, I went on a hiking trip to Norway with a friend I no longer speak to. I'm glad we did the trip—it helped me realise how different we are. I also ate multiple reindeer hot dogs on this trip, and they were one of the best things I ate all year.

In July, England made the Euros final and lost, and I realised how busy life gets. In previous years, I would watch every big game with friends or abbu, but this year I watched most games alone. I also saw Lewis Hamilton win at Silverstone and cried with joy during the last two laps.

In August, my brother got married. It was the most bittersweet week of my life. Our childhood friends and family travelled from abroad, and we had way too many people staying at our house. Surprisingly, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I was grieving the fact that I would no longer be his favourite person—something I've cherished my entire life—but I was also celebrating that he now has a new favourite person, someone he loves very dearly. It was definitely more sweet than bitter, like pomegranate seeds. I then spent a week in Greece with a college friend.

In September, I started playing squash with my closest friend, and it’s the best thing I’ve done this year. Amid the busyness of life, it forces us to meet at least once a week. I also graduated, and it was so wonderful to see the joy on my parents’ faces.

In October, not much happened. My friend got a new cat and I spent some time hanging out with him. I was also feeling sad about life, and ended up spending 24 evenings at the gym.

In November, I spent countless hours job hunting, with little success. It’s been extremely frustrating, but it’s also taught me to be patient. I also went to Milan again, this time with a friend. I was so excited to shoot on a disposable camera, but I still haven’t developed the film.

In December, life got extremely busy—a mix of work, fun activities, and less fun ones. I went to an Uzbek restaurant and had the most delicious lamb plov. I hope I never forget that meal. I also spent about 20 hours completing two 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles and played a lot of badminton with a college friend.

Other things I couldn’t figure out how to include: I read over fifty books, mostly non-fiction. I wrote around 20 or 30 essays, though I didn’t share any of them online. Next year, I hope to share more of my writing. I also started writing more poetry—not very good yet, but I’m definitely improving. On top of that, I built several web apps and side projects just for fun.

The one thing I wish I had done this year, but didn’t, was face my biggest fear: overcoming my anxiety about attending a public exercise class (e.g., yoga, spin, etc.). It’s something I hope to tackle in the year ahead.