2012: A Life Changing Year
Wow, what a year. I can't believe that it's already the last day before the start of a new chapter. 2012 has been by far the most rewarding year of my life. It has been full of experiences, adventures, lessons learned, and many new opportunities. As a final post to close this year, I'm going to highlight some of the most memorable experiences that I had, and that I am very thankful for.
- Participated in the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC)
- Lost 15 Pounds by Regularly Exercising, and Eating Healthy
- Invited to the USCC Virginia Cyber Security Boot Camp in Arlington, VA
- Participated in the National Cyber League (NCL) Championship in Orlando, FL
- Sold Computer TechBytes, my Computer Repair Business
- Opportunity to Intern at LivingSocial in Washington, DC
- Participated in the Hungry Hungry Hackers (H3) Competition in Atlanta, GA
- The Experience of My Brother's Terrible Car Accident
- Privileged Best Man at Steve & Angelica's Wedding
- Opportunity to Work at Trustwave SpiderLabs in Chicago, IL
It's really amazing. I remember when I talked about what I wanted in 2011. I knew what I needed to do and accomplish in 2012 in order to continue moving forward in my journey. It's kind of exciting to be able to look back and honestly say that I did just about everything that I wanted to do. Of course, this doesn't mean that 2012 was perfect. As a matter of fact, it was far from being perfect. I did learn a lot of things however, and they will stay in the back of my mind for when the 2013 year comes.
In short, 2012 was the year that I got to learn the most in my field of interest. It was the year that I knew I needed to have solid work experience and opportunities under my belt for when I graduate in 2013. It also happened to be the most fun year that I've ever had. I had a chance to travel a lot more than I ever have. I was able to go to Disney Land, the Florida beaches, and experience the night life in Washington DC and Atlanta--all with a lot of great friends.
All in all, I made a lot of moves this year. I'm happy that I did and I wouldn't change anything about them. I am most thankful however, for having my brother and family in my life. They have been the most supportive people ever since I can remember. Despite our every once in a while complications and annoyances, it's really nice to say that this was also the first year in a very long time that I can remember spending more time with my family after I came back. It's interesting what being away can do, even if it's just for a couple of months. Even more interesting were all of the things that changed in our family when my brother got into an accident. I wish you all a safe new year, and I'll see you in 2013! Don't forget to plan your goals and make your moves!
