It’s always fun to reflect on the past year before fully embracing the new one. Here are a few of my 2018 favorites.
Family: I love living near my parents. My sister moved to London to study at the London School of Economics, but the rest of us are all a short cab, crosstown bus, or subway ride away. My mom is always up for an adventure and we did multiple bike rides together this year. I went on a spa vacation with my mom to celebrate my birthday and it was so special to spend a long time together and have in-depth, meaningful conversations. My dad and I have dinner every single Sunday and, because he lives 10 blocks away, I end up seeing him at my childhood home often. It has also been fun to see how excited he is that I am at Columbia. He wears the Columbia sweatshirt, t-shirt, or hat I got him almost every single time I see him and we’ve walked around campus together a few times. I called him when I got the email from Columbia saying that the decisions were out, nervously clicked the link, then saw the acceptance letter with confetti so he was the first to hear my reaction! My mom and I also went to London this year to visit my sister, her lovely boyfriend, and my dog nephew, George.
Friends: I have an amazing group of friends. One of my best friends in the entire world lives half an avenue away. I live with another of my best friends. I have a group of five close friends from my sorority in New York City and we have fun traditions and holiday celebrations. I know it can be difficult to make new friends as an adult, but I’ve been fortunate to make so many amazing friends from Six Degrees Society, networking, blogging, and writing and now at school. I loved having so many friends come together for my 30th birthday. I felt so lucky as I looked around the table.
Journalism: I am so fortunate that I was able to turn writing into my full-time job. I truly love researching topics, speaking with sources, and the writing process. I hit the one year mark of writing full-time right before starting school. My ForbesWomen interviews will always be my favorites, but some of my other ones were: trying Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s workout, Kayla Itsine’s Bikini Body Guide workout, and The Physique 57 Solution for Business Insider, writing a narrative profile and reporting at Forbes 30 Under 30 and the Forbes Women Summit for ForbesWomen, writing a fun article about Megan Markle and Prince Harry for USA Today’s Reviewed, and seeing that an article I wrote years ago about recovering from work mistakes was published on Entrepreneur.
Running: This is something I never thought would be something I’m grateful for (like, ever). I started running last year and ran three half-marathons this year. My friend Morgan has been so supportive and encouraging. I’ve run all of my races with her and we get brunch afterward! I signed up for a half-marathon in March and I am going to use Runkeeper to train. (I trained for the first half-marathon then didn’t really train for the others, so I’m committed to finishing the training program and writing about it for Business Insider.)
Bikini Body Guide: I completed BBG round one and am on round two now! I feel stronger and healthier. The workouts are tough — really tough— but you feel really accomplished when you finish the 28-minute workout. I worked out with Kayla at The Oculus, on the Today Show, and at a Popsugar event this year. I also interviewed her for Forbes and wrote about BBG for Business Insider. Working out makes me less stressed and it is a nice short break from writing. (I also bribe myself by watching part of a movie or a TV show while I am doing BBG and finished all of Riverdale and Broadchurch this year.)
Elana Lyn: I was able to transition from law to marketing and journalism because of blogging. I enjoy having a spot to publish anything I want without having to get a pitch approved. I share everything from interviews with women I admire to new beauty product finds to career advice. I haven’t written as much as I hoped because school is my main priority (and a lot of work!) but I think it’s important for everyone to have a personal brand and Elana Lyn is the nucleus of mine. I’m so grateful to everyone who reads Elana Lyn!
Reading: I have always loved reading. (My parents used to call me Belle.) I need to read every single night before bed to unwind and fall asleep. I read 24 books this year and my 10 favorites were: The Glass Castle, Educated, The Dollhouse, The Address, The Good Girls Revolt, The Perfect Nanny, The Lying Game, The Couple Next Door, Everything I Never Told You, and Little Fires Everywhere.
New York City: Every single time I go for a run in Central Park, I think about how happy I am to live in New York City. I love that there is always something fun to do, whether it’s going to a museum, seeing a show, spending time in Central Park, or discovering a new boutique workout studio.
Cooking: I’ve finally started to get the hang of cooking and now I find it kind of fun and relaxing. I especially like making roasted veggies and sweet potatoes once a week and using it to make salads and sides throughout the week. I used to go out for dinner with friends or to events almost every night, but last semester I had almost all night classes so I was home for an early or late dinner. I’ve perfected a few recipes but plan to branch out in 2019.
Columbia University: Getting into Columbia Journalism School was by far the most exciting thing that happened in 2018. I feel so fortunate to be at Columbia University. I grew up on the Upper West Side and my mom went to Barnard so I’ve always been familiar with the school…but I never thought I’d get to study there. I get excited every time I step through the gates…even when I’m running late to class, have to finish five assignments, and my main source for a story just ghosted. I think I am a better journalist because of school. I’m more skeptical, ask better questions, and think about all of the elements and sources I need to tell the story.
