This past year has been kind of crazy for me. I graduated from undergrad, started grad school, found myself struggling with my mental health and motivation a lot. I’ve been late on several things, from posts (like this one—sorry Jen!) to buying gifts for the holiday season, to getting more work done. But! Even though I’ve been stressed to the max, the past year has held a lot of joy for me, and I’m looking forward to the next year!
I’ve been working at my local comic book shop for just over a year, but this year has been truly amazing. I’ve found a great community there and I highly recommend that you check out your own local shop if possible! I had to get another bookshelf because I was getting so many graphic novels…whoops? And I finally got to play Dungeons & Dragons again! It had been a really long time since I’d had a solid game group, but I finally found one, and it’s exceedingly fun. I play a beefy tiefling barbarian, Hestia. I’ve been getting into other games because of this group as well, and am currently looking for more board game recommendations!
Grad school is…definitely a thing that has brought me joy and stress at the same time. I have a wonderful cohort, some really great professors, and a healthy system of emotional relief in the form of crying over all the books I get to read for Skiffy and Fanty. Without my cohort, I probably wouldn’t still be in grad school. They’ve helped me cope with the stress of doing something I was never sure about in the first place, and have supported me every step of the way. In other words: *cries in stress and gratitude* I love them.
The Skiffy and Fanty Show deserves its own mention, of course. This group of people from all over the world have brought me more joy than most—from the books we read to the insane podcasts we record (even when Shaun invents a new word and we all lose our minds because it’s CHRISTMAS, SHAUN. CHRISTMAS.). I always look forward to recording with them and laughing with them, learning more about them, and exploring the fantastic worlds of sci-fi/fantasy.
And last of all, for this year’s joy: I got to bring my cat up to live with me at grad school! Kimi is my favorite thing in the universe, and I’ve been sharing a whole bunch of pictures of her everywhere, but here’s one more just for good measure. She’s the best—16.5 lbs of love and purrs that keeps me alive. Cats have healing powers, it’s true.
This coming year, I’m looking forward to continuing grad school (send help, and cookies), reading more books, playing more D&D, and hanging out with everyone here at Skiffy and Fanty. If the past year has been any indication, it’s just going to keep getting better!
