Happy New Year - 2025 Goals
It’s that time of year guys! 2024 absolutely flew by and I had such an amazing year. I read so many phenomenal books - scroll down for a list of all my 2024 five star reads - and made so many awesome friends! There’s so much to look forward to in the new year - anticipated book releases, local events, and so much more! I’ve made this vision board of my 2025 goals and decided to share a brief list as well. Feel free to comment some of your goals and how you wish to achieve them!
2024 was the year I discovered the online book community - this year I’m making an effort to get out and meet new people and attend physical event! I hope to find new ways to enjoy reading and engage with others locally!
Bookish Goals
Read 30 Books
In 2024, my goal was to read 15 books and I ended up reading 31! I’m hoping to fit in more audiobooks and continue reading my kindle at night to get through more of my TBR in the new year. If I don’t attain this goal, I certainly won’t be too disappointed, but it’s something I’m really looking forward to!
Read Nonfiction
I've only ever read fictional books and am really looking to expand my repertoire in 2025. I’ve come to realize there are soooo many different types of non-fiction and I just have to find what interests me!
Be Active on Bookstagram
Bookstagram has become such an amazing part of my life and I’ve made so many great friends already! I really want to make sure I spend time interacting and encouraging each of them by sharing and liking their content more consistently. Online engagement is huge for the algorithm and I would love to be a small part of what makes their accounts grow!
Attend Local Book Events
When I visit my local Barnes and Noble I see flyers for book events. I have always been intrigued but never had anyone to go with. This year, I want to build some confidence and make new friends by attending a few of these events myself! I think it would be so much fun to go to a book signing, a release party, or even an open book club!
Rebind a Book
In 2024, I attended a book binding class in Boston and absolutely LOVED it! I’m hoping to utilize the skills I learned there and discover a new hobby. I think it would be so much fun to take a book I enjoy and customize the cover to make it my very own special edition!
Engage my Book Club
Last year, I pulled together a few of my local friends who I knew liked to read and asked them to join a book club. There’s only about seven of us, but I’m really hoping to turn it into an engaging and fun time for us to all get together! Perhaps we could try book-themed dates, games, and more!
Bookish Reflection
Reconnecting with reading in 2024 was so special. I truly feel like it took me out of a place that I was so stuck in. I had many hobbies that I liked but they never allowed me to feel fulfilled and I needed a way to connect with others. The book community, just on Instagram, Youtube, and Tiktok alone, opened my eyes to a world that I didn’t know I needed. I am so happy to be back into reading and to have found a place to chat and relate to others. I wanted to share some of the things I am most proud and appreciative of in 2024 to take into the new year with me!
Travel to Spain
With my sister and best friends, I visited Seville and Barcelona in early January. It was such a blast being abroad with my favorite people.
Seville was captivating and somewhere I would absolutely travel to again, even alone! The people were so kind - life seemed to move in slow motion, almost as if there was nowhere else anyone needed to be. Barcelona was vibrant and such a good time. We visited different bars and clubs and stayed at the most spectacular hotel! I hope to take my boyfriend to Spain some day - he absolutely adores Europe!
Musicals and Shows
Nana and I share a love for music and theater. In 2024, we saw Mama Mia and Hans Zimmer. Mama Mia has been a favorite of my nana’s forEVER. It was so special to see this show with her in Boston. Our first theater show together was Hamilton, but I’d have to say Mama Mia may have been better - simply because of what it means to her.
Hans Zimmer is my absolute favorite composer and I was supposed to go with my boyfriend. It’s definitely not his type of music, so when he couldn’t get out of work, I knew exactly who to call. My saving grace, sweet nana, was ready to go in a heartbeat! I’m so grateful to be so close with her and get to share these experiences together!
Bought a Car
In April, I purchased my first car! I’ve driven trucks my whole life and needed to make a more financially responsible decision. After much searching, I found a beautiful red 2020 Chevy Equinox. I have since named her Sunny, due to her extremely large sunroof, and am so obsessed with her! I was so proud of myself for being able to make this purchase on my own!
I have since named her Sunny, due to her extremely large sunroof, and am so obsessed with her! I was so proud of myself for being able to make this purchase on my own!
My Sister Graduated
I attended college for two years, but dropped out after Covid hit. My sister decided to go to school for nutrition and absolutely killed it. She eventually moved off campus and lived with the most amazing girls - it was so much fun getting to visit them.
After four long years, (I’m sure they went too quickly for her), she graduated with her Bachelor’s in nutrition and became the first in our family to graduate college. I am so so so proud of her and can’t wait to see what she does next!
Joined the Gym
This may seem simple to most, but I once paid for a gym membership for almost two years… $50 a month for 24 months… and I had only entered that gym once - and that was to sign up. I eventually came to terms with my failure and canceled the membership entirely.
In 2024, I made the decision to try again and become more responsible. I have since held myself accountable and consistently been seeing a personal trainer and completing two Pilates classes a week! I can’t believe how much better I feel about myself since starting this routine. This is something I am so looking forward to continue in 2025!
Moved in with my Boyfriend
Quin and I have been together since 2020 and finally made the step of moving in together! I had been hesitant to fully commit to renting as I was unsure we’d be able to afford saving for a house on top of it. Life certainly works it’s magic, and the perfect opportunity opened for us.
We have now been living together for about 3 months and are still establishing our routines. I have loved every minute of it and am so happy to have made this step together!
Mama got Married
My beautiful, amazing mama married the most caring man this year! My mom has been divorced since I was seven and gave everything up to be the best mom I could have asked for. Once my sister and I became adults, she was able to put herself first (while always checking in of course, she’s still the best mom) and met the man of her dreams.
She reconnected with a friend from high school who is now my stepdad! He is so kind, he shares her sense of humor, and makes her so very happy. BONUS - he has two daughters that I gained as stepsisters as well!
Bookbinding Class
One of the last things I did in the year was attend a book binding class for my birthday. I had no idea what to expect, but knew I was in need of a new hobby to try.
I was amazed to discover that bookbinding is not only a hobby, but a full-time career! I was amazed by the people in my class and how they turned books into their occupation. It was such a fun two days and I can’t wait to try it on my own!
FIVE STAR READS OF 2024
