So I went into 2023 thinking it’ll be the best year, but I gotta say, so far it’s kinda kicking my ass. Right before new year’s started, I did a tarot reading with my bestie and personal tarot card reader, Divya. And I asked what 2023 will be like in a nutshell. I was excited for the card that I got, and I’m hoping that it’ll kick in because it’s my GOLDEN year 💖

So, your golden, or champagne, year, is the year that you turn the age of your birth date. So, ya girl is turning 28 on the 28th, so here we are!!

What’s fun is to think about the past 27 years as I get ready to take my 28th lap around the sun, and to think of the different versions of me that have evolved during that time. There are two quotes that come to mind.

The first, is that quote about people who knew me in the past, and how that was season one me, but I’m different now and I’ve grown. Now I’m in my season 3 phase. The characters are largely the same, sometimes there’s a new potential love interest/eye candy or a new person waiting to join the tier-age of best friends, but for the most part, I know who I can count on, friendships are peaceful,  people are genuine, and my favorite people in my life live by the “work hard and be nice” motto that I strive for.

Then there’s that second quote, about how “the person you are right now is the person you would have felt safe with when you were young.”

I admittedly think about this quote a lot. I think what’s interesting is that even though a lot of people grew up changing what they liked to “assimilate” with their peers, I have pretty much just gotten more unapologetically myself as I’ve grown up. And I think a lot of it is in the way I talk to myself too. Are some of the things I do “uncool” or weird? Yeah, but who literally cares?? I am going to do the things I do, because I want to do them. I am kind to myself and give myself grace, and I take care of myself when I mess up. What changed from years of “oh you messed up, you suck” changed to “ooh girl, let’s own up to that mistake and be better next time!”

So in honor of celebrating different versions of me, I hosted this month’s book club where I invited my closest friends and literally hosted: Eras Tour: Sandhya Edition. I asked all of them to dress up as different versions of me, and it was so fun. One of them dressed up as Elementary School me, where I had fountain hair and read a lottttt of books, one of them dressed up as college me with shopping bags and fancy dresses, and one of them dressed up as current me, with two phones, bold eyeshadow, boots, and a coffee mug. Honestly, all three of them knocked it out of the park.

But then I started thinking about the other versions of me, and who she was, what her dreams were, what she loved and feared and hated… There are a lot of different versions of me that I wish I could remember more about. Katie listed a few of them as follows:

Baby World Traveler (India, Dubai, Switzerland) Sandhya

• This is because before the age of 7, I was basically a baby world traveler, going and visiting places in Europe, living in India and Dubai, and moving halfway across the world 3 times.
• I remember this was my “i must protect my younger brother at all costs” phase, and I haven’t really grown out of that phase yet and probably won’t so…
• I was into swimming, gymnastics, but I was also super super shy. Honestly, I haven’t really gotten out of that phase either.
• Recap: Loved to travel, was shy — still true!

Arthur/QO Library Sandhya

• This was peak elementary school. My favorite show EVER was Arthur, the one on PBS, and honestly, this is still my favorite show. Judge me all you want that a 28-year-old still loves the show Arthur, but I literally could not care less.
• You know how elementary school goes — there are petty girls, there are mean girls (but not as bad as middle school, we get to that in the tween/teen era), there are crushes, there are awkward moments, there are fun Halloween costumes, there are parties and sleepovers, there are moments that you think are the “end of the world” that your little 9 year old brain can’t even comprehend, there are books and movies you get lost in, and there are those friends that you say “we will be friends FOREVER”
• Well, turns out there are a few people that I’ll be friends with forever 🙂

Tween/Teen Sandhya

• OOOF. what can I say besides OOF.
• The literal most stressful ages are 11-14 (sometimes 15). I just don’t even know if I want to relive these days. The thing with middle and early high school is that there are a lot of high highs and a lot of low lows. The smallest crushes feel like the greatest loves. The mini spats feel like huge fights. Every breakup is a massive heartbreak.
• Though, there is something to be said about how deeply we feel emotions, and I’d argue that we should feel like this all the time. The beauty of being young.

Homecoming Princess Sandhya

• This was senior year me! Honestly, this was a tough year. College apps, coming to terms with leaving some of my friends when we leave for college, and getting nominated to be on homecoming court. What a wild year.
• That was really one of those years where it was like “my friends are the most incredible people I’ve ever met.”

Coffee College Sandhya

• College was also a wild time. I spent more time drinking coffee than I did going to class. I’m far enough out of college that I can say that now.
• I remember a lot of roadtrips to random places, late nights staying up, and spontaneous trips to the diner to get waffle fries. yummmm.
• There are some really great moments in college that I wish I could live over and over again, and some moments that were so ridiculous that I’ll be laughing about them with my friends for years to come 🙂

Law school Paris Geller Sandhya

• law school… what literally is to say about this.
• 1L was a grand old time, meeting some of the greatest people I’ve ever met, and creating the strongest girl gang I’ve ever had. Then 2L and 3L, suffering through it with covid… yikes. what a mess.
• The only way to describe this time, is with this picture (hence Paris Geller)

Badass Attorney Bond Girl Sandhya, The Current Queen

• This was Katie’s description of me, to be fair, and I’m still trying to figure out this version.
• Am I happy with the person that I am? How do I conduct myself? What changes do I want to make in myself? What goals do I have? How do I see the next few months and years going? How do I achieve all my dreams?

The last one is definitely ongoing, and something that I’m excited to figure out at 28!

Overall I had a really good day. I got to hang out with my favorite people at work, and they surprised me with coffee, cupcakes, flowers, and lots and lots of kindness and love. So many people wished me and called me and I’m literally so full right now; I’m really truly blessed with some incredible people in my life. This weekend I am going to continue the fun and celebrate with a few (aka 50 people) bowling and eating good food, and I can’t wait 🙂 

Mostly, I hope that 28 brings lots of happiness, success, love, laughter, excitement, good memories, pleasant surprises, and really is my “I’m doing better than I ever was” year. Cheers to new beginnings and cheers to golden years!

Until next time!

xo

Sandhya

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