Today marks the 10th year I’ve completed this end-of-year survey on my blog. A whole decade! Over the years, I have removed and added questions so it barely resembles the original survey (thanks to San for finding the original source of this survey, which you can find here.) I love looking back on the year with this survey, so let’s get started!
1) What did you do in 2025 that you’ve never done before?
- Went to a drag show
- Had a colonoscopy
- Used professional movers for a move
- Had an ultrasound
- Traveled to London
2) Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
3) Did anyone close to you die?
No.
4) What places did you visit?
I visited Orlando a few times and London, England!
5) What would you like to have in 2026 that you didn’t have in 2025?
A relief from chronic pain, less time spent in doctors’ offices, and better routines.
6) What was your biggest achievement this year?
Moving to a new apartment! I am so happy here. I have wanted to move to a two-bedroom apartment for so long, and I’m so proud of myself for finally making it happen. My main reason for moving was so I could finally have an office after five-and-a-half years of full-time remote work. It is so nice to have this space that is separated from my living area.
7) What was your biggest challenge?
Last year, I wrote, “my physical health took a beating,” and sadly, the challenges continued in 2025. This was my worst year health-wise, and I spent so much time in doctors’ offices and getting tests done to figure out my health ailments. I got FIVE steroid shots this year (one in my carpal tunnel, one in each index finger, and one in each hip bursae). I struggled with GI issues that had me seeking out a GI doctor who ordered a slew of tests, but no answers. (Funnily enough, my GI issues seemed to correct after my colonoscopy. I guess my GI tract just needed to be reset with colonoscopy prep?!) And for the past few months, I’ve been dealing with joint inflammation that leads me to believe I might have developed psoriatic arthritis. Fun!
8) Did you suffer from illness or injury?
LOL, see above!
The only time I was ill was after getting home from London. I had a sore throat and stuffy nose for a few days, but it resolved pretty quickly!
9) What was the best thing you bought?
This is probably going to sound crazy, but smart plugs. I didn’t know these existed until Elisabeth talked about them on her blog, and I immediately bought myself a pack. I used one for my bedroom light and one for my living room light. Not having to get up to turn off a light or even reach over in bed (since I usually have a cat lying on me, and I don’t want to disturb them!) has been life-changing. I just tell Alexa to turn off my bedroom light, and I’m good to go. When Christmas came around, I decided I needed every string of lights to have its own smart plug so they would turn on and off automatically, and it has been so nice to see them click on at 5pm every evening!
10) Where did most of your money go?
It’s hard to say if I spent more money on my move or my London trip. Both were fairly expensive, but so worth it! Unfortunately, I decided to stop itemizing my transactions in October (which is when both my London trip and my move took place), so the world will never know.
11) What did you get really, really excited about?
Moving! After living in my current apartment for five years, I was so excited to pack everything up and get organized in a new space. I moved very slowly since I had about four weeks between when I got the keys to my new place and when I had to turn in my keys for my old place, and I really loved being able to take my time. It meant I could bring things over every few days that I didn’t need the moving company to move, and they were able to get everything done in one trip, which definitely saved me money!
12) What do you wish you had done more of?
I wish I had spent more time with friends and been a better communicator. I struggled a lot in this area and it led to a lot of internal resentment that’s not fun to deal with!
13) What do you wish you had done less of?
Scrolling on my phone. My screen time average is insane. I won’t even tell you guys what it is because it’s embarrassing.
14) How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas was lovely! I woke up at my mom’s house and settled on the couch to read a chapter of 11/22/63. Once everyone was up, my mom and I took a trip to Starbucks for breakfast and coffee. Then, we lounged around for a while before my brother and his family came over around noon. We opened presents, had dinner, and did more lounging around! I was thrilled to get so many amazing presents, including a new reading chair, a chair for my patio, and a brand-new Kindle! I’m so lucky!
I went home around 4, took a nap, and then spent the rest of the evening blogging and reading. So nice!
15) What was your favorite TV program?
Hmm… probably Survivor! I watched a lot of seasons in 2025.
16) What did you want and get?
I wanted to move into a two-bedroom apartment – check!
I wanted a fun international trip with my mom to celebrate her 60th birthday – check!
I wanted to improve my mental health and that definitely happened when I switched from Lexapro to Prozac. It was a bumpy transition, but I’m so glad I made the switch!
17) What did you want and not get?
I wanted to go on more dates and I went on exactly one date in 2025. (This is all on me. You can’t go on more dates if you’re not on the dating apps, Steph!)
I wanted to reach out to friends more and it continues to be an area of struggle for me.
I wanted to spend a lot less money on Ubereats orders and I failed miserably.
18) What was your favorite film of 2025?
This is going to sound crazy, but it was Superman. I had my first-ever hyperfixation after watching that movie because I couldn’t get enough of David Corenswet and the whole press tour for the movie. At one point, I had been looking at so many Superman memes and Reels that my entire feed was solely Superman. I truly couldn’t think about anything else for a few weeks. It was madness! I loved the movie and David was such a perfect Superman. And he also seems like such a great guy, which makes my obsession with him even deeper. SIGH.
19) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 38 this year (<– I was so uncertain if I turned 38 or 39 that I had to USE MY PHONE CALCULATOR to subtract the year from my birth year, sigh. Getting old sucks.)
I had a lovely birthday! I went to Starbucks to read my book and then got a super relaxing massage. Afterward, I picked up lunch, took a short nap, and then got ready for a fun evening. I went to Busch Gardens’ Christmastown with my mom and older nephew. It was a lot of fun, even though I was limping terribly by the end of the night due to my joint pain.
20) What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Spending less time in doctors’ offices! That’s basically the theme of my year. It was a hard year for my physical health, and it seemed like every time I solved one problem, a new one popped up. Cyst condition dormant? Great, now I might have diabetes. Staved off a diabetes diagnosis? Fantastic, it’s time for severe carpal tunnel pain. Got a steroid shot to help with the carpal tunnel pain? Amazing, here’s a bout of chronic diarrhea. GI tract back to normal? Cool, how about some back pain? Back pain all better? Lovely, here’s some joint pain to round out the year. It was just nonstop and I am very weary from it all.
21) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2025.
People like me for me. Self-confidence has been a long-time struggle for me. And it really shows up in my friendships where I feel like I need to be funnier or smarter or more interesting than I actually am. But I don’t. My friends like me for me. They think I am funny and smart and interesting just as I am.
22) If you could change one thing that happened this year, what would it be?
I wish I felt more connected to my extended family. It’s been hard since Grandma died in 2015 and then Pops in 2018. We used to have big family gatherings – holidays, summer picnics, and birthdays – and now I can’t remember the last time I saw an extended family member. Some of this is definitely on me and not reaching out the way I should. Family dynamics are just complicated! It’s weird to feel so adrift from my extended family when they were such a big part of my life growing up!
23) How have you changed over this past year?
I don’t think I’ve changed all that much, other than becoming more comfortable in my own skin. I think every year, I get just a little more comfortable and it feels really good. I like who I am. I like the life I’ve built. I like being single and childless and obsessed with my cats, everything I was afraid of becoming when I was a kid! (I’m the crazy cat lady they warned you about!) I always want to strive to become a better version of myself, but that’s not because I don’t like who I am right now. Rather, it’s about enhancing my life and seeing what more I’m capable of.
24) How did this year surprise you?
I didn’t expect to experience so many physical ailments, which is what I said last year! So let’s hope something else can surprise me in 2026, and let it please be a good surprise, like I win the lottery or find my person!
25) Show us one of your favorite photos from the year.
I mean, come on! What was more fun than our cheesy JC Penney photoshoot? I love this one because I specifically have my hands two of my friends’ butts (with their permission), and we are all posed perfectly awkwardly.
