2024 has been more dramatic than my ex.
It started with a disaster: I vowed no travel in 2024 to regroup and make plans for later.
WTF?!
Being grounded felt like losing a part of my soul for someone who lives to explore. The mental toll was immense — restlessness, frustration, and a longing that no amount of daydreaming could satisfy. Even my saved Instagram Stories, the last bastion of my imaginative freedom, sometimes proved too little.
On top of that, a toxic job situation finally pushed me to the brink, forcing me to quit in the most unexpected way possible. Yet, from that chaos emerged an unexpected joy. I am now selling homemade jams from the back of my car. I sold everything, in fact, and cannot wait for 2025, the first official season for Gem Boss.
Who knew freedom could taste like strawberries, zacusca, and independence?
This year taught me the power of perspective. Putting everything into focus, I found peace in the small things and the strength to rebuild. It’s about starting over and making a habit out of failing. Failing is great, I am addicted to it!
Here are 24 reasons why 2024 was truly the WTF year:
In this guide:
Surviving the Most Intense Summer Ever
Between the record-breaking heat and life just throwing Molotov cocktails at us, this summer could’ve been a Netflix thriller — starring me. Good thing is, I focused on exercise and diets and watched the Olympics instead of going full-on into every drama life threw at me. WTF… It worked!
Being Confused About Relationships All Year
Situationships, miscommunications, and more signals than a broken traffic light. Will someone PLEASE write a handbook for modern romance? I mean, it’s 2024, we should be able to say the things we think out loud, regardless if positive or not.
Let Down by So-Called Friends
Nothing says character growth like realizing who’s worth your time… and who’s just there for the gossip. I’m better off talking to people who are hundreds of miles away than with those who want my attention when it only suits them. Like when it’s 3 AM and they have a breakdown. No, thank you, but no.
The Great UFO Debate
Alien sightings were officially confirmed, and we’re still like, “Yeah, but have you seen gas prices lately?” Priorities, people. We’ll soon wake up to an alien invasion in our backyards and we’ll still be concerned about how this or that superstar was denied access at the Superbowl. Who the heck cares?!
Global AI Takeover
AI became the boss, the therapist, and the scapegoat. Yet don’t forget one thing, and that is, you’re human. Stop letting a piece of code tell you what to do, when to eat, where to go or how to treat people. People are people. And that will never change.
Showing Maturity in the Face of Adversity
When life threw lemons, I didn’t just make lemonade — I opened a freakin’ lemonade stand. Well, an artisanal jams business, but the metaphor was there! Growth looks good on me.
Getting Fired Without Doing Anything Wrong
It’s not you, it’s… the company? Apparently, doing your job well isn’t enough when management decides to shake the Etch-a-Sketch of employment. Now, looking back, I’m a bit ashamed of how I acted through it. I should’ve quit long before all of the drama. Meh, what can you do…
Only Three Trips as a Travel Addict
How do you survive with just three plane tickets punched in a whole year? A travel addict’s nightmare, but at least the Instagram archive got some love. For next year, I’ve booked three tirps already, and I won’t stop there. I don’t care what my bank account says. You think you’re the only one with problems, ING?!
Surviving the Doom-Scroll Marathon
War? Check. Climate disasters? Check. Meme-worthy government moments? Triple check. 2024 felt like scrolling through an apocalypse. And with Romania nearly throwing its democracy down the Volga river, it’s hard not to get anxious. Yet we’re Romanians, and to be fair, nothing surprises us anymore.
Speaking My Mind to People
Those moments when I was the only adult in the room and told everyone to get their act together? Feels good, doesn’t it? I had to do that a few times this year. And you know what? I will keep doing this. It’s good for my mental sh*t man…
Learning to Live Independently For Real
From figuring out rent to making peace with IKEA instructions, I’ve unlocked Adulting Level: Master. It’s been hard sometimes, especially having a panic attack over my Korean gas burner having a meltdown (literally) in the middle of my kitchen. But that’s how you learn making spicy curry. If you need to burn the house down in the process of becoming independent… okay!
Creating a New Business and Making Money
Against all odds (and a wobbly economy), I started something fresh. Hello, entrepreneur life! Hello, doing things my own way. Making my own mind and taking my own decisions. Selling out in weeks. Enjoying my time. Not being angry or confused all the time. Being proud of my work.
Netflix Finally Got Boring
Who knew there’d come a day when we’d say, “Nah, I’ve seen it all”? This has been the first year of my life when I watched zero shows on Netflix. I just deleted the app and my account. I now only watch stuff like Max, or SkyShowtime, which come with my cable subscription. Youtube Premium has been enough for me. Reading is fun, you should try it!
AI Writes Better Love Poems Than Humans
Remember when someone used ChatGPT to flirt with you? Somehow, that felt like peak dystopia. Now, everybody does it and it shows in terms of genuine human connection. Which is very scarce and fragile. How did we get here?
The Weirdest Weather Ever
Blizzards in spring, beach days in November… WTF? Mother Nature has been throwing curveballs like she’s in the MLB. We did got some snow the day before Christmas Eve. I got tears in my eyes.
Managing to Laugh Despite It All
Between the tears and existential dread, humor still found a way. Memes deserve a museum exhibit. A memes museum, oh my God! I hope nobody thought of this…
Friends Becoming Strangers
It’s wild how someone who knew your life story can suddenly vanish, but hey, quality over quantity, right? Seeing through the filters of life is so hard. Yet so rewarding. Take your time. Value the ones who match your efforts. And let go of the rest. It’s just not worth it.
The Year Everyone Was a “Soft Quitter”
Whether it’s quiet quitting or loudly complaining, 2024 was the year of rethinking work-life balance (and by that, I mean naps). Although mine was a drama-quit more than a soft-quit… WTF, I was out of it mentally months before. Saved me a lot of headaches.
Finally Setting Boundaries
Saying “no” isn’t rude; it’s self-care. Not answering isn’t bad manners. It’s normal if you don’t want to listen to yet another bulls*it drama. Curtains. Cue the applause. Aaaand, bye.
Learning to Cook Like a Pro
Those Instagram recipes paid off, and suddenly I’m the Gordon Ramsay of my little group. Don’t worry, you won’t get to taste better ramen, you’re not going to Japan anytime soon!
Surviving a Family Reunion Without Losing It
The real test of strength: sitting through hours of “When will you settle down?” without flipping the Christmas dinner table. And I’m not sure if it’s because they felt sorry for me this time around, being left without a job and confused about my love life but my parents and everybody around me has been nothing but lovely this year. Either they saw me going through it all and growing out of it, which I did, or I’m about to be sold to a Nigerian prince for good money and they just wanted to be nice.
Being Wiser Than My Years
This year aged me like fine wine. I’ve had three sleepless nights, the most so far in my life in one year. I might’ve started out WTF-ing, but now I’m dropping wisdom bombs left and right. And if nobody is listening, I’ll be the listener.
Still Standing (and Thriving)
Despite all the chaos, confusion, and curveballs, you and I? We’ve made it. 2024 was weird, but you? You were unstoppable. And I as well! I don’t care how it turned out. I don’t care if you’re closer to living under a bridge than in a skyscraper. It doesn’t matter if you’re with a plan or not. What matters is staying true to yourself. Knowing your worth, and acting on it.
No, WTF, they’re not just words. They make you into who you are.
Looking Ahead to 2025
The photo of the marvellous Frecciarossa 1000 Italian masterpiece of a train from the start of this article is not accidental. If 2024 was about surviving and learning, 2025 will be about thriving. The travel ban (self-imposed or otherwise) is officially lifted, and the entire world is calling (WTF, I cannot wait!)
From new business ventures to stamping that passport like it owes me money, next year promises to be all about building, exploring, and embracing the adventure.
Here’s to a year of dreams coming true — one trip, one kiss, and one jam jar at a time.
