As a decade ends, another begins. So many people look back on the last 10 years and try and pinpoint what they accomplished, where they grew as a person, and how life has changed.
I am not going to do that.
Because guess what, half the decade I was in school and then I got sick. And that’s not really the kind of thing I want to celebrate.
So instead, I’ll play the game of Best Life, like I did last year (Best Life 2018).
Best life, this last decade to me, is a culmination of moments where I’m actually smiling. Where for that brief moment I’m actually having a great time. So I hope y’all enjoy this curated photo based blog post of the moments that made this decade truly great.
(40) Digging into the deep trenches of the past, the best of the decade begins at the beginning of the decade, at a very dark middle school dance with my two best friends Josh and Alan.
(39) Just an hour after having a fight with wildberries and pulling twigs out of my hair, my group of friends all decided on a whim to get fancied up, take some quick photos and head to freshmen year homecoming.
(38) I was momentarily a brunette and on one of my last days in town before moving across the country I was surprised by a group of friends who all wanted to see me and spend time with me before the big move.
(37) Impromptu late night half priced appetizers.
(36) Luke Bryan concert with my best friend where we quickly were photobombed by the gentleman who then joined us for more photos.
(35) Went to a concert for a friends birthday to hear some band I never heard of – ended up falling in love with FGL a few months later.
(34) In the midst of rebelling about having to tour Clemson, I was blessed by meeting the Duke Baseball team in the lobby of my hotel.
(33) Forced my friends to go see Interstellar in theaters, not sure if they hated me or the movie more. I loved the movie and loved them even more for not abandoning me when they dipped before the movie ended.
(32) Went to my first ever Packer’s game in Tampa.
(31) All of the football games at home my senior year of high school were incredible – felt like we were all living in our very own Friday Night Lights episode.
(30) Jared and I were entrusted with the coveted Ashley Ridge Broom, which became famous in our student section.
(29) Went to my first hockey game and twinned with my best friend Ashlynn.
(28) Ran off to Wisconsin with my mom and got all dressed up to go to a family holiday party.
(27) Ran off to Wilmington with my best friend Caroline and got the cutest little cabin for our trip.
(26) Ran off to a Walgreens in Wilmington to grab some groceries – got way more excited by glittery eggs and a bunny that would shortly be named Daniel – the Damn Daniel Bunny.
(25) Visited the set of One Tree Hill’s famous Red Bedroom Records.
(24) Picked out an aquarium that specifically had dinosaurs while in Wilmington…
… (23) found more dinosaurs and had to get a picture with them all.
(22) Got a very special visitor at work one night.
(21) Convinced a total stranger (Torie) to be my date to my senior prom.
(20) Laughed as to how short I still was in heels compared to the guys in my prom group.
(19) Had enough fun at my prom that I ended up going to Torie’s prom the very next week.
(18) Caught up with old friends poolside just before graduation.
(17) Celebrated the Fourth going out on the lake with Torie.
(16) Conned my mom into coming to see Brantley Gilbert in concert with me.
(15) Went to a petting zoo, found a dinosaur.
(14) Went to college. Drew in trees. This is architecture. Got in trouble for goofing off.
(13) Goofed off at my job in the Dean’s office with my best friend Deedra. Got delicious pancakes later that night.
(12) Actually made friends in college and got invited to celebrate Christmas Eve with Robert and his family.
(11) Convinced my friends Heath and Aaron to go to the rodeo with me. Did not successfully convince either to play pinball with a bull.
(10) Found the coolest old VW van on the way home from a bar, got a photo in the pouring rain and got home to find that Robert so nicely zoomed in far enough to crop the entire car out of the photo.
(9) Finished the world’s most frustrating architecture project.
(8) My favorite photo of me this decade taken by Torie on a weekend I skipped out on Clemson to go to the beach. We met some of the funniest drunken locals that night and got eaten alive by gnats.
(7) Enjoyed a lovely lunch with the best coworkers at the Clemson Dean’s office I have ever had a few weeks before my departure across the country to explore a new path.
(6) Made a trip to Madison with my sister Shanna to see the sunflower fields.
(5) Was reunited with my childhood best friend, Mikayla and finally had someone to go explore all the local haunts with.
(4) Ditched class to meet therapy dogs they brought onto campus for finals week.
(3) Got to live out my dream as an interior designer laying on a bed of luxurious pillows.
(2) Pet the most beautiful cows.
(1) Made an impact on the Mighty community and got offered a Community Leader position.
And that’s a wrap.
To everyone who has been along for the ride, for the many people who have been my best friends over the years, thank you for making my life just a little more special.
Here’s to the next decade, one full of many more laughs, probably many more dinosaurs, and memories that will last a life time.
My Life. My Migraine. 
Pretty great looking decade. 💗❤
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