A Girl's 2025

 

2025 was a lottt.....

This is the story of a girl who moved through that year sometimes confidently, sometimes unsure....well! Most times... sometimes holding herself together with routines and soft hopes....

It was an eventful year... A chaotic one! Very chaotic at that! A year that tested her in quiet ways and loud ones too. And although she entered it innocent and hopeful, the months had plans of their own....

And here is what 2025 did to her...from January to December.

January...

January did not arrive with a list of goals or those dramatic new year resolutions. For her, it began quietly inside hospital corridors and clinical rotations. Most days were spent moving from one posting to another and learning through experience 

There were night shifts that blurred into mornings, afternoon shifts that stretched longer than expected🫠, and constant exposure to people in conditions she could not always fix.... only observe and care for. She met patients from different walks of life, each carrying a story heavier than their charts. It was grounding in a way...reminding her that simply waking up healthy was not something to overlook.... it's something to thank God for!

Outside the hospital, life felt paused. She wasn’t exactly chasing anything, but she also didn’t want to feel idle. So, almost instinctively, she redirected her energy. If she couldn’t control the pace of her days, she could at least focus her mind😮‍💨

That was how content creation found her again.

She leaned into her bookish space creating posts, sharing thoughts, putting herself out there deliberately this time. Not for validation exactly, but for connection. She wanted to be seen by other readers, reviewers, and people who loved stories the way she did. January became a quiet experiment: showing up, even when nothing felt particularly exciting....

February...

February arrived with something... unexpected recognition.

An author reached out to her with an ARC request, asking her to review a book. It was the first time it happened, and it meant more than she admitted. Someone had seen her work. Someone trusted her voice.🥹

The experience itself was gentle and affirming. The author was kind, patient, and genuinely appreciative....nothing like the intimidating image she had unconsciously built in her mind. It made the collaboration feel less like work and more like shared enthusiasm for stories.

Reviewing that book became a milestone. Not because it was perfect, but because it marked a shift. She was no longer just posting into the void; she was participating in a community!

Encouraged, she began to take her content more seriously. She revisited content calendars, planned ahead, and tried...imperfectly...to be intentional. February felt like a small door opening, one she hadn’t known she was knocking on in January.

It wasn’t overwhelming success. But it was enough to make her pause and think: maybe this could grow into something🥹.

March...

March came with stress! School stress

The month began with school drama. Normally, she could rely on the institution to provide accommodation. But this year was different. The school said no. No rooms. No exceptions. You had to find your own place. Just like that, a wave of worry hit her. She knew this meant a busy, stressful month ahead.

She began the hunt immediately. House after house, far and wide, yet none felt right. The process was exhausting! By the end of each day, she returned home frustrated, drained, and aware of how much the stress was testing her patience and mental health. It was a quiet kind of chaos, the kind that seeps in unnoticed until it colors your moods and sharpens your words!

One afternoon, she collapsed on the couch, hoping to sleep through a headache, when something strange happened. Half-asleep, half-awake, she imagined herself writing a blog post. There was no title at first, just words, raw, emotional, and filled with tears she hadn’t shed yet....It was an odd, vivid experience, but it sparked something in her: she had to write.

As she reflected on her life that week, she realized that the stress had affected more than her mood, it had affected her relationships. She had hurt people she cared about, unintentionally letting frustration rule her responses. This was uncomfortable to admit, but necessary....

March became a month of lessons. She remembered the importance of boundaries: not everyone is meant to be close, and forcing connections only leads to pain.... She learned again the value of apologizing. The week had already led her to apologize to three people, realizing that taking responsibility is not weakness, but maturity. She also reflected on the resilience of friendship: it isn’t always smooth, but intentional effort and empathy keep relationships strong!

Through it all, she was grateful for safe people...friends who would listen to her rants without judgment, who reminded her that being heard matters. And in return, she vowed to offer the same care to others!

By the end of the month, she published the blog post that had been forming in her half-dreams. An apology, honest and open, titled simply: "I'm Sorry"

March was messy....very messy...one could say it was emotionally challenging....But if only she had known that March was only setting the tone for what 2025 was becoming: a year that would test her patience, teach her lessons, and push her to grow!

April...

April was intense....

The month came with a rush. School wanted them ready for professional exams by November, which meant everything had to move fast! The semester had started late, so there was little time to breathe. On top of classes, she had projects and a case study to complete. Balancing all of this was exhausting....

Her supervisor didn’t make things easier. She had to pick patients for her case study multiple times four or five times....each time going to the wards, selecting a patient, gathering information, and preparing presentations. During presentations, she kept being told “no,” that she wasn’t doing it right, until finally, on the fifth attempt, she couldn’t hold back anymore...! 

That same month, she got terrible news: she lost her cousin. The grief hit her hard. All the stress of school, projects, and the constant pressure collided with the pain of losing someone she loved. She broke down in tears. She cried all the way from the emergency ward at the hospital back to her classroom, not caring who was watching. She just couldn’t hold it in...! She's terrible at that game anyway 🫠

Amid the stress, there was a bright spot. She received another ARC to review, and this time, she got paid. The collaboration was exciting, and the book she reviewed left a real impression on her.... especially lessons about friendship. That experience brought a little joy and motivation in the middle of a tough month.

April was a dramatic, heavy month. Emotionally, academically, and personally, it tested her in ways she wasn’t ready for. Even though she managed to keep going, little did she know that more challenges were waiting for her in the months ahead....

May...

May was stressful and demanding...

The month began with tests what school calls "mid semester examination" 😩. She wasn’t the kind of student who could study slowly over time....Nah! Instead, she relied on crash reading ....intense, last-minute study sessions! Only God knows how she does it! She herself doesn't understand how!

Some days, she stayed at school overnight, preparing for the next day’s exam instead of going home. In the early morning, she would rush home just to shower and come straight back to write the next paper. It was exhausting, but it was the only way she could manage.... and maybe next time she'll learn how to read weeks before the exam (No! She didn't learn how 😭)

Then came punishment. She had a.... let's call it a minor health condition...that made certain days harder.... On one day, she couldn’t go to class without going through the stress of getting sick passes and signatures from doctors. So, she skipped class and received punishment for it. It was a small, inconvenient consequence, but it reminded her that even small decisions carry weight...she was prepared for it anyway...

Amid all the chaos, she attended her first wedding in several years. It was a welcome break, a chance to redirect her mind, enjoy a joyful moment, and step away from exams and stress. That day reminded her that life had spaces of joy even in the middle of pressure...

May was exhausting, full of crash reading, tests, and small punishments. But it taught her resilience, the importance of perseverance!

June...

June was another tough month.

School stress didn’t stop.... There wasn’t much time between the mid-semester exams and the end-of-semester examinations... so she had to prepare almost continuously. Projects added more pressure, and by this point, balancing academics with emotional, spiritual, and personal life was becoming harder and harder.... and her supervisor wasn't really helping matters...lol!😂

Her bookish content creation suffered. She barely had time to read or create posts. Most of her free moments were spent listening to music, trying to relax, and squeezing in reading whenever she could. It wasn’t much, but it helped her cope with the chaos....a teeny bit!

By the end of June, she was preparing for another round of clinical postings. She knew more long days, afternoons and hands-on work were coming. It was daunting! But she kept going....God understands how....reminding herself that she could handle what was in front of her...even if it meant putting some of her passions on hold for a while.

June was exhausting, stressful, and demanding, but it was also a month that tested her endurance and persistence.

July...

July was a month of spiritual refreshment and continued academic challenges....

The highlight of the month was the Jehovah’s Witnesses convention, themed “Pure Worship.” It was a chance to step away from the stress of school and clinical postings and focus fully on worship. The talks and symposiums left a lasting impression on her, offering lessons she carried with her beyond the convention halls....

She was reminded that knowing the truth wasn’t enough...she had to live by it. Following her beliefs openly, showing care and tact in her relationships, and ways she could reflect what she was learning... She saw the importance of respecting everyone, regardless of gender, and of acknowledging the abilities of others, giving them opportunities to serve and contribute. 

The convention also highlighted how sharing what she believed could nourish her own spirit, strengthen her faith, and build qualities like compassion, courage, and endurance. She realized that even in a world that often seemed harsh and chaotic, hearts were softening, and people were willing to listen to what she had to share...the good news! Most importantly, she understood that personal study and application of the truth were essential; knowing something wasn’t enough unless it was put into practice in daily life....

Amongst this spiritual uplift, life’s challenges continued. Clinical postings went on, and preparations for exams didn’t stop.... She faced Traditional Practical Exams, which didn’t go perfectly, but somehow she stayed calm and didn’t panic. Even in the chaos, she felt that God will not fail her... and of course he didn't 🥹

July was a month of deep spiritual encouragement alongside demanding academic and clinical work. Through it all, she learned to lean on her faith and trust that she could handle whatever came her way.... little did she know...she hardly would be able to handle some🫠

August....

By August, she was no longer managing things well...

A new semester had started, and the pressure was worse than before....Professional exams were only two to three months away, and everything felt rushed. Classes moved fast. Projects and case studies piled up. The school was trying to cover the whole syllabus before November, leaving little room to breathe!

On top of the academic pressure, August came with many school billings. Payments here and there, reminders, and deadlines added another layer of stress. Financial worries joined the emotional and academic ones, making the month feel even heavier.

But the truth was, the stress didn’t start in August alone. Since May or June, there had been a silent drama in her life....one she couldn’t fully explain. It was the kind of problem everyone expected her to solve, even though she didn’t know how....She carried it quietly, day after day, and it weighed heavily on her mind....

Not long after losing her cousin, she received another piece of bad news in class. She lost another cousin. The news hit her suddenly, and she broke down in tears right there. She couldn’t control herself. She hadn’t even healed from the first loss, and now there was another. The grief felt layered, heavy, and unfair.

By mid-August, everything began to feel like it was falling apart. No matter what she tried to do, it felt like a disaster. She was tired, overwhelmed, and emotionally drained. That was when the tears came. There were many days of crying, frustration, and feeling like the world around her was crumbling!

She talked more. She ranted to friends. And surprisingly, it helped.... Being heard helped. Having people listen without judgment helped! August taught her that sometimes she didn’t always have to carry everything alone.

Even in the middle of the chaos, some good things still happened. She received many ARC requests from authors, though school only allowed her to work with one or two. One author, in particular, was kind and encouraging, reminding her that it was not easy to balance being a medical student and a book reviewer. That collaboration meant a lot to her.

Her Instagram page also reached 1.5k followers. Even though she wasn’t showing up as much as she wanted in her bookish space, the growth reminded her that her efforts still mattered...

August was heavy. Heavier than the months before it. It was filled with pressure, tears, silent struggles, and moments of breaking down. But it was also a month that showed her the importance of support, honesty, and letting people in....

September...

September came with relief and gratitude.

The highlight of the month was the circuit assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses. It was spiritually refreshing and came at a time when she really needed encouragement. Being surrounded by fellow worshippers and listening to uplifting talks helped her feel calmer and more grounded.

The month still carried financial pressure, as school billings continued. Even while trying to stay focused on academics and exams, money worries stayed in the background, adding quiet stress.

Somewhat in the middle of September, she lost someone else dear to her. By then, grief was becoming quite familiar....a little too familiar. It didn’t always come with loud tears. Sometimes it came quietly, sitting beside her while she tried to keep functioning...

Another major moment in September was the hospital finals exam...so they call it...The exam itself was intense, but the outcome was worth it. That same week, the results were released, and her set achieved something remarkable...a 100% pass rate. They broke a record. It was a moment of pride, joy, and collective relief. After months of pressure, that result felt like a reminder that the effort had not been in vain.

September was one of the few months that brought both spiritual and academic encouragement at the same time.

October....

October came quietly but heavily.

The month was filled with random, impromptu tests designed to check how prepared they were for the professional exams in November. There was little warning and no time to relax. Alongside this was the management course, which came with its own exams and added to the pressure....

Reading became more intense. Projects and case studies needed to be completed, and everyone was rushing to wrap things up before the final exams. The atmosphere was tense, and stress was everywhere....

She still wasn’t managing things perfectly. The pressure hadn’t reduced, and emotionally, things were still difficult. But October showed her growth. She remembered the lessons from August and made sure to reach out to people. She talked. She asked for encouragement. And this time, it helped her stay afloat.

October was heavy, demanding, and stressful...but she didn’t face it completely alone...

November...

November finally came....the long-awaited month of professional exams...

Stress was everywhere. Everyone was anxious, tired, and afraid, but there was no choice but to keep going. The first and second days of the exams went well. Still, after each paper, her mind ran wild. She imagined all kinds of outcomes, mostly negative ones. She had never really been an optimist anyway...

Then came the viva...

That day was different. She felt overwhelmed, anxious, and unsettled. After the exam, she felt faint. Lecturers gathered around her, trying to help, but she didn’t want the attention. It only made things worse. It was one of those moments when anxiety took over.

Even with all that, the exams themselves went fine.

When the results finally came out, there was relief...deep, quiet relief.... Once again, it was a 100% pass. She had passed her professional exams. After everything she had been through, it felt unreal, but it was real....

November was the month everything she had worked for finally paid off...

December...

December was calm.

After the exams, clinical rotations continued, but a strike brought everything to a halt. So she stayed home. For the first time in a long while, life slowed down....

With the strike slowing things down, she chose to channel her energy into volunteering, both in spiritual activities and in areas connected to her career. November flowed into December this way.... Volunteering gave her peace of mind and genuine moments of happiness. It helped her feel useful again, grounded, and calm. In a season where everything had once felt heavy, serving others brought quiet joy.

During this time, she met many new people, and some of them tested her patience. These interactions revealed parts of her she hadn’t paid attention to before...how she reacts under pressure, how much she seeks approval, and how she handles discomfort. She realized she had work to do in that area, and she became more intentional about improving.... Still, she was grateful that she was able to keep her reactions under control.... or so she thinks 😂...That alone felt like growth.

She returned to her bookish space.

She read. In December alone, she read about 20 books, something she hadn’t done in a while. It reminded her of who she was before the stress, before the pressure, before everything became about survival....

She also received two more ARCs and worked with new authors. The collaborations were enjoyable and gentle, a soft return to something she loved.. Between reading, volunteering, meeting new people, and learning to sit with herself, she found a kind of peace she hadn’t felt in months. It reminded her that even after stress, loss, and exhaustion, calm can return sometimes quietly, sometimes through service, and sometimes through simply showing up...

But December also came with shock.

She lost a friend!

The news was sudden and painful. It reopened wounds she thought had started to close. Grief returned...not new, but familiar...and this time, it taught her something important. She learned that people grieve differently. That sometimes, words are not what grieving people need. Sometimes, presence is enough. Sitting with someone. Letting them cry. Letting them feel. Honoring those who have died simply by showing up for those who are left behind...

December taught her that grief doesn’t need fixing. It needs space. 

December didn’t come with so much noise or chaos. It came with rest, books, and quiet healing...

Soooo.....

From January to December, the year unfolded one month at a time. It came with stress, loss, pressure, growth, tears, faith, exams, friendships, silence, encouragement, and small wins.

She learned many lessons. About herself. About boundaries. About resilience. About asking for help. About faith. About how much she could carry...and when she needed to let others help her carry it.

Through all the stress, grief, exams, and tears, there were things that brought her light.... She was grateful for her family, who stayed close even when she barely had the energy to explain herself.... She was grateful for her friends...especially those who came around when she had pushed them away (unintentionally)...the ones who listened, encouraged her, and reminded her she wasn’t alone.

She was thankful for every author she worked with, for every ARC she received, and for every collaboration that brought joy back into her life.... Every small moment of connection mattered....every word of encouragement, every shared laugh, every opportunity to create and grow...

Even in the chaos, even when the world felt heavy, these people and moments reminded her that she had support, that she could survive, and that she could keep moving forward. She held onto that gratitude, quietly, like a lifeline through the year!

This was the story of a girl who didn’t always have answers, but kept going anyway....🫠

And if you're wondering...

Who is this girl I’ve been talking about all along?

I’ll leave that for you to figure out....

Thanks for reading...Byeee