Yanery's bookshelf: read

Champion
That Summer
The Goddess Inheritance
Eleanor & Park
Prodigy
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
The List
The Maze Runner
NW
The Rosie Project
The Dead House
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Code
Seizure
Virals
Crash
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The Selection
Goddess Interrupted
One Little White Lie


Yanery's favorite books »

Tuesday, 31 December 2013

2013 in Review Tag (Part 1)

To herald the new year I have decided to make a long list of Bests. From best wake up to bonding experience, this will give a short summary on what has been a very long year. I hope you enjoy my reflections and post a comment or link me your response of the “2013 in review tag” which I have just made up right here, right now.


Best year 12 memory
My principal went to Italy and bought a picture book in Italian. She asked me to translate it into English and I said I would. One month later and just before an exam I rush to the office to drop it off. I hand it over and tell her how I organised it and she starts crying. “I really need to go to my exam now,” is how I responded to this sweet and unexpected outburst.

Best inspirational speaker
As a year 12 prefect, I went to a couple of conferences and events about leadership and service. Out of the blue at a Catholic school conference we had a keynote by Li Cunxin, the author of biography Moa’s Last Dancer. This biography begins when Cunxin is first chosen to begin ballerina training, his emigration of China to the U.S. and the dictatorial forces at work. I had seen the movie and heard about the book but it was completely different for the actual person to tell me. I admired his openness in sharing his struggles, some so extreme, cringe-worthy and heart-breaking that I saw many students pulling out tissues. I highly recommend the book and movie. Cunxin has changed my perspective on life for the better.

Best bonding experience
Sometimes the strongest bonds are made by accident. My friend was drunk, got into a fight and I helped her get out and looked after her. It was a vulnerable moment and although we don’t discuss it, I know that she knows I’ve got her back.

Best accomplishment
My hard work really paid off at awards night. Standing up on the stage as one of the Dux prize runner ups, I couldn’t believe what I had accomplished. Although I didn’t win, everyone told me afterwards that I had the biggest smile of the girls standing with me.

Best compliment
As a part-time scholarship I did two university subjects on creative writing and my tutor said that he loved my story. He said it was very much magical realism (which I intended) and compared me to a famous author (who I hadn’t intended but googled him later and felt very pleased about).

Best conversations
This is a difficult one but I will have to say my political/legal discussions with my friend Alex. Despite our lack of homework completion, we always had heaps to say on the subject and made the effort to dig deeper into the issues. Our discussion on saviour siblings for instance went for a good two days in classes, between classes and online.

Best phone calls
This is one of the things I will never forget about senior year: math is the only subject you MUST study for. If I had 3 subjects to do and only had time for 1, it would always be math because seriously... that stuff’s hard. Why on earth would you want to divide that? Where are they making this up? Why doesn’t  X just find itself? The best phone calls I ever had were the 2 hour math marathons with Georgie where it was dead silent on both ends until we finish the problem. “Did you get 93?” “Yeah I did.” “Cool. Moving on to chapter 9H, problem solving.”

Best Youtuber
I got very into the Youtube this year which was especially difficult during exam time. My favourite Youtuber is Dailygrace because she never fails to make me laugh.

Best OTP
Zalfie. They were so cute in Vlogmas.

Best Youtube series
The Lizzie Bennett Diaries are a phenomenal take on Pride & Prejudice. It was a brilliantly interactive, creative and addictive series. Emma Approved is also really kicking off now.

Best item of clothing
My green, paisley patterned dress. I love it, have worn it everywhere and wish to be buried in it.

*End of Part 1*


Remember to comment and post a response to one or multiple questions. I will upload the other half of the list as my next post. Ciao!

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