2021 has been a year of growth and resilience for me. From finishing my GCSEs to turning sweet 16 to moving to sixth form to now having done a whole term of the A-Levels life, I have discovered so much and learned so many things about myself and this beautiful world around me. In this article, I will be sharing 21 things I have discovered in this year of 2021. Perhaps you cna endeavor and use some of these snippets in 2022.
Disclaimer: Some of the items may have been discovered in previous years, but perhaps this year, it has been brought to my special attention. There are a few items I have not mentioned due to privacy. Also, there are links on each item so you can click on the link for the product.
1: Lofi Music
The first thing that has to come in the list is lofi music. I have been on a journey with my spirituality and I have been reducing the amount of time that I listen to music. But if there is one type of music that is pretty relaxing to listen to, it would have to be lo fi music. This one is live since February 2020, so you will never be bored with fresh beats coming out every time.
2: Podcasts
Podcasts are so underrated. As a podcaster myself, I think podcasts are so valuable yet hidden from so many people. I have started listening to podcasts more often now and there are so many to choose from, and there is a wide variety of topics available.
3: Omar Hisham Al Arabi’s Quran Recitations
Next up is something that is so relaxing, soul-soothing and peaceful which are Quran recitations. I am so grateful to be Muslim and to be able to access the Quran and especially when a reciter like Omar Hisham Al Arabi recites the Surahs, it can uplift your mood.
Next is a book that my sister bought this year and that is Jay Shetty’s book ‘Think Like A Monk’. This changed my life as it taught me to build a closer relationship with myself and I have reviewed this book on my website so check it out here.
This is yet another book that made me have a closer relationship with my beloved Allah and my amazing religion of Islam. The writer wrote this book with so much passion and beauty – it is definitely worth a read.
6: ‘The Courage To Be Disliked’ Book
Another book which was really thought-provoking in my list has to be ‘The Courage To Be Disliked’. This book is a conversation between a philosopher and a youth and coming from someone who is not a big fan of philosophy, I absolutely enjoyed reading this intellectual yet realistic conversation about society and living.
After breaking two Wilko bottles, my brother gifted me a high-quality bottle from Amazon. This bottle is large, holds 1 liter of water and comes with a brush for cleaning. I take this to school daily and it is so durable and even motivates me to drink more water.
This is so cheap and affordable and perfect to make quick to do lists in. I use this quite regularly now.
I got this new laptop from my sixth form and it is actually pretty good! It is made by Microsoft so it brought back nostalgic memories to see the old ‘Paint’ app by Microsoft which reminded me of my childhood. I also like that since my sixth form uses Teams, it is really easy to use this laptop.
10: Candles
I always love the cozy feeling of snuggling up in the winter, with heaters turned on and candles turned on by myself in my room. Candles give that really nice vibe to the room, it can diffuse nice scents and fragrances, and add a bit of decor to your room. So give yourself a candle!
11: Earrings
Next up are earrings! Now of course, I knew what earrings are but this year I built up my own collection of earrings. Earrings can make you feel like a little girl again, so you can invest in some. I buy mine from Lovisa usually, and I can even wear them in sixth form!
12: Loreal XFiber False Lash Mascara
This mascara is now what I use quite regularly! This was quite new to me as it is double ended so it really gives that depth in my lashes.
13: Revue
This is the website I use to make my weekly newsletters! Unfortunately, the website doesn’t send out my weekly newsletters due to a spamming issue, but hopefully, it will be up and running again so I can get back to writing my weekly newsletters again!
14: Hairstyles
I have loved and still love having my hair done into new hairstyles! Even right now in sixth form, I try to do a different hairstyle every day to add a bit more variety. I have started learning more new hairstyles this year and the bandana linked above is one of the items I use for one of my hairstyles!
For those of you who don’t like to write 5 things you are grateful for every morning, I got you! I would recommend buying a gratitude journal as it contains exercises every day to really get you focusing on the good and filling up your heart with love, warmth and thankfulness!
16: Snapchat
Now of course, I knew what Snapchat was! But this year, I decided to go ahead and install Snapchat to add friends I was making in sixth form and it has allowed me to very easily interact with my friends outside.
17: My GCSE Results
Another thing that I have achieved this year is finishing my GCSEs. Of course, seeing my GCSE grades and Alhamdulillah getting decent grades was an amazing discovery.
18: New People
I discovered and made new friends and teachers this year both outside of school and also because I moved into a new sixth form! This helped me to put myself out there.
Wireless earphones have changed the game for me! They are so easy to use, I can use them while commuting or exercising and they don’t get tangled up!
I have been using these for many years, but these are so portable and easy to carry around. They are also recommended by many others!
21: Hitting Over 10,000 Users On This Blog
WIth no paid promotion but only with sheer passion for the topics I love to talk about, I have managed to somehow have over 10,000 people reading my blog from over 20 countries! Thank you for being here and this has been one of my biggest blessings of this year!
This was a very long and enjoyable article but I hope it was useful. Maybe you can take some of these for next year!
- My 2023 Reflections As A Medical Student
- My First Term of Medical School | Exams, Essays and Events
- My First Month of Medical School | Moving Out, Freshers And Workload
- The Ultimate Guide To Ace Year 12 | Revision, Friendships And Supercurriculars
- How I Got All A*s At GCSEs | 10 Tips Every Year 11 Student Should Know
Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!