My first year out of college was disorienting. I was used to time and growth progressing through well defined semesters and grading rubrics. But suddenly there were not natural markers and I was left adrift.

I didn’t even realize this for a long time, until my 1 year anniversary in Seattle. Even then, I’m not sure I would have realized a full year had passed were it not for my lease expiring. But like all anniversaries, it forced me to reflect. I’d moved to a new city, started a new job, made some friends. But after that first crazy month or two? Not much. All the wild nights out and tough hikes and tasty food blurred into each other, leaving a vague happy fog, but nothing lasting.

I started setting concrete goals for myself soon after, and they have helped immensely. Running a marathon and finding a new job provided tangible, achievable metrics to build towards.

I want to become a better writer for my next goal. I’m a voracious reader and a huge believer in the power of written words. So producing as well as consuming feels like a natual step. Following the spirit of NaNoWriMo feels like a good place to start- writing every day for a month. We’ll see how it goes.