A perfect start to 2008

It’s hot. Stupidly hot. This is not a word one usually associates with an NZ summer, but it was scorching today, probably 28 degrees or so. Shut up, that’s hot for us. Luckily for me, I spent the day at the beach, where it was a lot cooler.

As my title suggests, I’ve had a perfect start to my year. I had a fairly quiet New Years Eve, I spent it at my friends L and G’s house along with three other friends, it was great. L made cocktails, which were awesome, and I got quite drunk, but not badly. We watched TV and played Buzz and Singstar and just had fun hanging out. Once we all got ourselves organised (and fed! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all) we headed off to Waihi Beach for the first day of the year. It was perfect; we swam, played cricket and volleyball, and got sunburnt, in my case. I have NO idea how that happened, and I’m annoyed. I put on SPF 30 about three times. Today we went to the beach again, except we went to Whangamata, which is much more popular than Waihi, so parking was a bit of a mission. We only played cricket today, it was too windy for volleyball, but it was awesome anyway.

There is only one thing better than a day at the beach in my opinion – and that’s the post-beach shower. God, it feels so good. To be clean and moisturised and have soft, non-sand-and salt encrusted hair is maybe the best feeling in the whole world. Or at least in January. I even conditioned twice, just to be nice to my hair after two days worth of salt water. I’m also a fan of the post-swim mint – sea water just tastes so disgusting and there’s almost no way to get that taste out of your mouth.

So, 2008 has gotten off to a fantastic start so far: sun, sand, heat, and good company. 2007, while not being a bad year exactly, was not a great year for me and I’m not sorry to see the back of it. I’m very excited for what this year is going to bring, although I have no idea what that will be. I’m just excited for it. It’s my last year of university – I actually have trouble comprehending that. I remember when I started at 17, five years seemed like such a long time. And suddenly, it’s been and gone in the blink of an eye, I’ve got two semesters left and I’ll have two degrees. That’s nuts, isn’t it, that half a decade can pass just like that. I feel like I’ve learned so much, yet nothing at the same time. 2008 is also the year that one of my oldest and best friends will get married – the 28th of March, at a beautiful winery just out of town. I’m her maid of honour, and I’m 95% sure I will cry like a baby, in front of ninety people. Neither of them are really expressive people, so to hear them say their vows to each other is going to be emotional. 2008 is also the year of the Oh My God, Studying Is Actually Over trip. Well, end of studying for my best friend and I, anyway. Our good friend L is getting married in Feb 09, so we’re going to take her to Rarotonga for a week at the end of November as a present for her/celebration for us. L has never been out of the country before either, so I can’t wait to tell her. We’re surprising her with the trip on her 23rd birthday in June, so she’s got time to get used to the idea, and maybe save a bit of spending money.

I’m not really sure what else 2008 is going to be the year of. All I know is that I’m looking forward to it. Are you?