From ‘Last Christmas’ to Now

While the holidays might bring joyful emotions, they can also trigger a reflective spiral: the annual year-in-review. We see Spotify’s listening statistics, which are fun and lighthearted. But reviewing our own lives feels different. It’s a barrage of questions: What did I accomplish? What missed opportunities sting? What moments deserve cherishing? What should be left behind?

The end-of-year pressure to evaluate every aspect of ourselves can be an emotional rollercoaster. It can even send us down memory lane, like I found myself doing, back to Christmas 2007.

I vividly remember receiving a Disney Christmas CD from Hannah — a cherished friend during my move to a new city the year before. Listening to Ashley Tisdale’s “Last Christmas” with Hannah, I learned about her crush on the guitar boy. Back then, making friends felt monumental, a defining challenge of my teenage years. Teenagers clung to their cliques, masking insecurities behind shared laughter and secrets.

It’s funny how perspectives shift with age. While making friends is still important, adult life presents more complex challenges. Everyone grapples with insecurities, even at those seemingly picture-perfect parties. Everyone tangles with the awkward shuffle, so be the one to step in, a friendly hello your icebreaker. In that shared stumble, we find relief, a silent thanks for shattering the tension.

This year, I’ll embrace the year-in-review. It’s a valuable exercise in understanding personal growth, not just as Spotify listeners, but as individuals. Celebrate your victories, learn from your failures, and remember that everyone has a different timeline. The 2022 me wouldn’t even recognize me.

Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
Well, it’s been a year, it doesn’t surprise me