“Maybe 2014 should be about you.”

As the Dubuque DJ announced the upcoming arrival of the New Year, I couldn’t help but look around at the friends I was sharing my night with. Some were searching for longtime boyfriends they would inevitably kiss during the ball drop, others were drinking free champagne and screaming at the top of their lungs. We were together, though, and I was happy because I couldn’t remember the last time that had happened.

Earlier, I walked into a conversation about resolutions.

To those people who can make a resolution and stick to it for an entire year, I envy you. I’ve never had the resilience to lose the weight I wanted, I’ve never kept my promise to myself to quit procrastinating my homework, and I’ll probably never be able to become a person who doesn’t care what other people think.

This conversation, of course, was with one of those people. You know, people with resilience, drive, etc., and the ability to keep a New Year’s resolution.

This friend, I kid you not, didn’t eat out for AN ENTIRE YEAR. 52 WEEKS. 365 DAYS. ALL BECAUSE HE MADE A RESOLUTION.

I changed the subject as quickly as possible, knowing the conversation would soon bring attention to my non-resolutioned self and the fact that if I could wish for anything in 2014, it would be an average score on the LSAT, which wouldn’t be an acceptable resolution to my over-indulged resolution-aholic friend.

I talked about the end of my semester: I wished my grades had been better. I wished I had ate better. I wished karma had been on my side in more situations. I turned 21, but felt 40. When it came down to it, there wasn’t much I liked about 2013.

Before I could even finish my spiel, my friend said:

“Taylor, you’ve put so much into worrying this year, maybe 2014 should be about you.”

As the bar counted down to 2014, I watched how happy my friends were. I saw Marlana kiss Zach. I stared in shock as Hannah threw her hands in the air so hard she almost knocked herself over. I felt Amanda give me a kiss on the cheek. I saw Kelly laugh and take a sip of her vodka-cranberry.

And in that moment, I made a resolution: my 2014 would be about me.