2025 Recap and a Word for 2026!

What a year it has been! As we head into 2026, I wanted to pause and reflect on all the growth and blessings that encompassed 2025.

For those of you who have followed my journey, some of this will be redundant. For those of you who are new, welcome to the wild ride!

2025 was a year full of firsts. A year where projects were completed, and personal limits were tested. The beginning of the year was consumed with the final push of SAVMA Symposium planning. 15 months of dedicated teamwork were brought to life in March as over 600 students and 250 vendors flocked to Davis to partake in the event. Working on this project alongside Morgan, Haley, and Lindsey truly was a once in a lifetime experience and highlight of 2025. For an in-depth dive into the SAVMA Symposium planning process and production, you can check out this post.

That same week was also the conclusion of a 9-month mixed-animal acupuncture certification. This training tested my capacity to think beyond the traditional Western Medicine mindset, and in addition to expanding my own veterinary toolbox, I gained a new level of respect for Traditional Chinese Medicine. To top things off, I got to navigate this course with some awesome people and make lasting memories.

Academically, 2025 was full of growth. As I write this, we are a mere 12 weeks away from our clinical year orientation. We have now completed live-animal surgeries, and the didactic course work is quickly coming to an end. This year has been filled with clinically relevant information, and all the pieces are starting to fit together. There is a healthy balance of excitement and anxiety surrounding the jump from the classroom into the clinic and I know that 2026 will challenge me in new ways!

In addition to academic growth, 2025 tested my physical and mental limits. I had the opportunity to complete my first trail marathon which ignited a desire to sign up for an ultramarathon. I finished my first 50K ultramarathon this summer and through that experience, I was able to explore new parts of myself and my capacity to handle challenges. It also reminded me of my insatiable desire to always push harder, or do more, which is something that I am constantly keeping in-check. A full recap of my ultramarathon experience can be found here.

Another beautiful aspect of 2025 was the ability to see God’s work on the vet school campus. The Christian Veterinary Club has flourished, and we have wonderful support from faculty. We received a club grant and were able to purchase the book, Relaxed, by Megan Fate Marshman, for all the members. We have been meeting every other week to discuss different topics presented in the chapters and the conversations that we have had have been incredible. There was even the addition of a weekly morning prayer lead by an amazing faculty member. In the chaos of life, it is always a wonderful reminder of who is in control and what we are meant to do on this earth.

I think it’s easy to chop a year up to the major event and classify it as good/bad based on that, but between the big events of 2025, there were a plethora of small moments that made life enjoyable. New friendships as well as reconnecting with old friends, new experiences, and new learning opportunities all compound and add to the overall feelings toward the year. I also think that it is critical to acknowledge that 2025 was not a great year for everyone and for many it was downright awful. I am grateful for the people in my life who allowed me to walk alongside them in the midst of their battles, and I have an immense amount of respect for their strength and resilience. Life is a constant battle of navigating the tension between the good and the terrible. There are hills and valleys and the ability to remain calm in the middle of the storm is a skill that I am working on developing. I know that veterinary medicine, and life in general, never follows the rule book and being able to stay centered is the key to resilience.

Looking Forward...

Every January, I try to pick a word that will act as a framework for that year. I have never been a fan of resolutions because I don’t think that there needs to be a certain calendar date to initiate a change of routine etc., but this one-word motto is something that I have enjoyed. The goal is for it to be a simple reminder of how I want to present myself to the world as well as something that encompasses my values. For the past few years, I have cheated and kept the same word: intentionality. I think in that season of life, “intentionality” was fitting. I strive to be purposeful with what I do and how I do it.

The first two years of veterinary school are procedural; you are in the classroom navigating all the body systems. Learn, study, test, repeat. Intentionality can easily fly out the window when life is on autopilot and for that reason, a daily reminder to do things with intention instead of going through the motions was crucial.

This year I chose the word “present”. I am a planner and often get pulled towards thinking about the future. I have found this to be a bigger struggle this year as we get closer to our clinical year with the looming thoughts of internships/starting our professional life. It is easy for me to start mentally spiraling down the road of what I want my life to look like in 2, 5, and 10 years from now and while doing this I can lose sight of the current moment. As Emily Wilson noted in Sincerely, Stoneheart, "Distraction is the antithesis of presence." My goal for this year is to learn how to quiet the distractions and remain grounded in the present moment and take in all that life has to offer.

Planning for the future is not inherently bad, rather it is highly encouraged, but maintaining a grounded perspective is key. I do not want to miss the current moment I am in because I am too focused on chasing what is next. There is a time and a place for everything and it is always humbling to remember that where I am currently, is something I had  prayed for long and hard.

In addition to being present within the realm of veterinary school, I also want to be more present in my relationships and interactions with people. Many of you may be able to relate to meeting with someone and not being fully “there” because you are thinking about the million and one other things looming on your to-do list. I have been guilty of looking at meetings with people I love and deeply care about as “appointments” that I need to fit into my schedule. This has led to overbooking social interactions back-to-back to fit everything in without being able to fully enjoy each encounter.

As a people person at heart, I receive so much joy from having deep conversations with humans I care about and never want to look at a meeting as just another hour blocked off on my calendar. A few months ago, I heard a wonderful sermon from Megan Fate Marshman, and she highlighted the fact that Jesus was interruptible, people were never viewed as an inconvenience, and this is something that I am striving to embody. When I meet with someone, I want them to feel as though they have my full attention, not that they are being “fit into” a schedule. Being present embodies this mindset.

This winter break was the start of that shift. I took a step back from overcommitting myself and scheduled time with people that wasn't back-to-back with another commitment. This allowed for deep conversations and connections with the people I care about the most. I was also able to spend some incredible time with my family. My dad and I did the Holiday Half-Marathon for the third year in a row and we all played games we hadn’t played in ages. It was great to just enjoy the company of each other. I am well aware that our time together is limited, and busy schedules make it hard to have long stretches of time together so we soaked up every second we could get.

Diving into the new year, I am excited to experience the plethora of changes in store. As previously mentioned, my cohort and I will be making the jump from the classroom into the clinic starting in May. I am also set to do my second Ironman 70.3 in March. Additionally, there are a lot of exciting moments in the lives of those I love, including my younger sister’s undergraduate graduation and my cousin’s wedding. I am also looking forward to leaving parts of my schedule open to be filled with whatever life has in store.

While I don’t know what God has planned for my 2026, I trust that it will be full of peaks and troughs that will continue to shape me as a person.

Cheers to a 2026 full of growth and excitement ♡