Happy birthday to me & to Grade 17

November 17, 2023

Today is my 32nd birthday. It also happens to be a Covid birthday, and I’ve had a lot of solo time to reflect. This page has been sitting patiently as a blank canvas for months, and today I’m leaning into a potentially fleeting feeling of motivation to just go for it. Just go for it even though it’s imperfect and I still have a touch of brain fog and it’s way less thought out than I pictured starting a blog would be “one day”. I’m realizing with the months that have gone by how much the pressure of what to post first or what people will think will just continue to be paralyzing if I let it, and “one day” will keep feeling further away. 

Grade 17 has been a secret dream of mine for so long. A tiny slice of the internet to give my passion for reflective journaling a new avenue. I’ve felt so inspired by the idea of reaching anyone out there going through it with some big feelings, whether that’s a win, a disappointment, or a decision point at work and in relationships. It’s about to be so vulnerable now that I’m doing this, but deep down it’s what I want to do. Throughout the past decade, I’ve learned the best parts of me come through when I’m helping others. I’ve wondered, what if sharing some of what I’ve learned and continue learning in my experiences in work and life could help someone? On an individual level, what if this could be an extension of my personal journal that gives me a fun creative outlet and we see where it goes without attaching any possible outcome? Challenging for someone that obsesses over planning but probably a good exercise for me. 

On the name Grade 17 - this number has followed me throughout my life in so many significant ways since I was born on the 17th. In my mind, the concept of Grade 17 is that it represents a perpetual journey of figuring out who we want to be, where we want to live, and what we want to do. Many of us do 12 years of school, 4 years of college, and then at some later point post-graduating when we get our footing, we are catapulted into a 17th year, aka the real world that is filled with ambiguity and so much to learn. I find myself thinking often about the most pivotal moments I’ve had thus far, and I can still feel those raw feelings and moments that shaped me during cycles of fear, loneliness, anxiety, pride, and joy. The way I’m envisioning being able to do this beyond the comfort of my personal journal at home is through similar journal-style entries on this platform to explore different topics, nerd out on corporate life research and articles, discuss relationships, reflect on lessons learned along the way, and see what resonates or helps.  

Cheers to feeling brave enough in year 32 to pursue my dream.