I must admit, no matter how hard it tried, 2017 did not outdo my 2016.

But hear me out first.

2016 was a year of endings. And since I am sentimental, I was latching onto those memories more often than not. Heck, it was the year I graduated, the year I passed the boards and owned a prefix before my name. It was my year. I reached my end goal - to be an engineer. I had so much memories of 2016 that I still refuse to think it was already 2 years ago today. 

2017 marked a new beginning. Although I landed a job late 2016, the real challenge  started on the new year as I braved in the woods of the workforce. It was the year I started to embrace the fact that yes, I've already graduated from the student life, that I wasn't going to see my college friends anymore on a daily, even weekly basis. The culture of waking up, going to work, going back home, and sleeping once again has become a lifestyle I thought I was never going to get used to. Working was a daydream I had when I was a student. I thought it was all rainbows and butterflies and all the pretty good things since you're already earning on your own, but there were so many things they didn't tell you. I guess those were really the bits you get to learn on your own.

It was a transition year. I hate to say nothing much happened, so I'll travel down the memory lane to convince myself otherwise.

• February: I started my in-depth training about the system I was going to work on. Nothing like a throwback of my old classroom setup. Made me miss my college days, like seriously. Also this month, my boyfriend and I celebrated our first official year together. Second if you count the very first day we started "dating". We have jobs of our own on weekdays and we work too far away from each other so we decided to celebrate the special day on weekend. Oh, and he picked me up at home for our date which he only does so rarely! (Because we also live a little far away from each other too.) So it was nothing like the usual, and that made me kilig. <3

• March: My eldest sister came back from abroad and we went out of town for a vacation. Actually, her coming back home is already a 2017 highlight itself but it's been a while since we had a trip as a family so I'm counting this one as well. Ilocos Norte is such a beautiful paradise waiting to be discovered. The Pagudpud Blue Lagoon beach waters is still literally blue and clear that I wish tourists and locals alike would help each other preserve its beauty. You should check it out up there, it's really worth the loooooong trip.

• May: Finally scored the regular status at work. YEEEEEY can you believe it? And I joined my first team building out of town, which we, the new hires, organized. This is also one of the very first times at work I refreshed my skill on venue-search and budgeting which I did so often back in college. 
• July: Birth month. I get a little sad when I realize that birthdays tend to feel less and less important. I mean, you get to live for another year so that's something you should be happy about right? Hence the "Happy" in the "Happy Birthday". Despite it feeling unimportant when it was approaching, people who gave me personal greetings on the day itself made me realize that celebrating my birthday isn't so bad at all. Well, except for the fact that I'm starting to pay for my own celebrations..... Haha.
• October: I was invited by my former organization to judge the Annual ECE Variety Show in UST making my streak as a judge already two years in a row. I had the chance to see my former babies now running the org smoothly on their own and I couldn't be any more proud. It was also refreshing to step on familiar soil again. UST, your beauty is indeed timeless. Thank you, NECES. I will always make time for you.
• November: I celebrated my first year at work... well, at work. I didn't take a leave or do anything special about it, just posted a memoir on Instagram for me to look back years from now. Time flies FAST. Happy anniversary! *insert blue hearts* Also this month, I performed at the company's annual Appreciation Night for employees as part of a talent show, together with the band who recruited me as a vocalist. Singing a song about the rain under the rain was a spontaneous gimmick that popped out of my mind when I started performing and it was the best decision on stage performance I had ever had the chance of making. Dramatic. Soulful. Even when I lost some of my lyrics. It was also the first time I sang a rock song with a big crowd. I didn't succeed on getting them to join my headbanging and I initially thought I failed my band in there but at least, someone random I bumped into in the restroom after performing told me that she liked our set and the way I headbang-ed. Someone noticed our efforts! We didn't place in that contest, but hearing them applaud was enough to make my heart full. To my awesome band, thank you very much. That was FUN!!! Will always have the pleasure to do it again with you.

• December: A certification for testers was held this month in our site... and good Lord thank you very much, I passed. Also... HOLIDAYS! Who doesn't love celebrating the holidays?