Five best things about 2011:
1. Having the courage to start university all over again and go after the major I really wanted.
2. Finding out that hard work actually pays off, I received great grades.
3. Visiting great places, including Shanghai, an onsen in Izu and beautiful fjords in Norway.
4. Heaps and heaps of amazing sushi in Japan and great coffee in Norway.
5. Having everything at my fingertips two train stations away in Tokyo.

Five worst things about 2011:
1. I have spent at least 7 – 8 months of the year freezing. My inner thermostat was not working, and no matter what I did I could not seem to warm up.
2. A certain seminar leader for a certain university course. If you do not know the material yourself, how can you be expected to teach it to others? I hate to sound like one of those whiny students who will complain about all types of teachers – but I did my part, and I expect the other parts involved to do theirs as well.
3. A lot of friends leaving Japan around the earthquake in March, and I haven’t seen them since.
4. A painful shoulder and a painful arm after too much computer work.
5. Not being able to see the person you love the most for 4.5 months and knowing that they are all the way on the other side of the planet.

What have you learned this year?
That hard work really can pay off. That being yourself can feel damn good. I also learned to structure my work better, and I learned it is possible to get 4x as many things done if you actually structure your days better. 

Was the year like you expected it to be?
I expected the year to be super-busy, but it turned out even busier than I thought it would be. All good though, I’ve had a great ride!

What have you been watching?
Guilty pleasures, but I have watched a lot of TV-series. United States of Tara was absolutely great. Modern Family. Family guy. Judge Judy.

Who have you been hanging out with?
MrMacbookPro and big cups of coffee have acted like perfect best friends this year. Apart from that I have been hanging out with the gf, and a lot of wonderful and quite random study-buddies in Norway.

Have you gotten to know any new people this year?
Yes! So many neat university people! They are young and fun and and absolutely wonderful. Looking at them made me realize I have to give myself some time away from studying and just have fun.

What is the nicest thing you have gotten this year?
The letter that I got into university. A new Nikon lens. Airplane ticket. Wonderful magic fuzzy hugs.

What is the best thing you have read?
I think both books I read by Yoshimoto Banana were beautiful, both Kitchen and NP.

Did you do something you have never done before?
Got one year of university studies done in 4.5 months (go double load). Went to China. Made myself understood in various situations using only Japanese and not getting help from anyone. Started a blog.

What was your biggest achievement of 2011?
Getting into university and getting 3 As so far. Still waiting for two more grades, and keeping my fingers crossed. And I passed JLPT N3 last summer. Apart from tangible things – the biggest achievement was defiantly perseverance.

Best thing you bought?
A nikon lens. Plane tickets. Sushi. Coffee from Blom at least 4 times a week.

What did you spend the most money on?
Sushi and coffee and plane tickets. I don’t regret it.

What do you wish you did more of?
Blogging and Japanese. But all in all I am actually pretty god damn happy with everything I managed to get done in 2011.

Favorite video of the year?

What did you do on your birthday?
It was actually kind of a sad day. I spent the entire day memorizing the IPA-chart and studying for a linguistics exam due the next day. Oh well. It is every day which should count, not one day out of the year.

How would you describe your personal style of 2011?
Black black and black. I also stopped wearing accessories for the most part.