“My 2025 Wrapped”

 

Track 1: The Year Didn’t Start Soft

If I had to name my 2025, I would name it baby steps, patience, and the quiet belief that it all gets better. This year did not arrive gently, and it did not unfold the way I had planned. It stretched me emotionally, tested my faith, and broke a few illusions I was holding onto. Over time, it taught me how to rebuild myself with more honesty and less fear.

Track 2: Studying Through Grief

The year began with loss. I lost my maternal grandfather, and it was a pain I was not prepared for. It was not loud or dramatic, but the kind of loss that settles within you and quietly changes the way you see the world. Life does not pause when someone you love leaves, and that was the hardest part. Grief existed alongside everything else that followed, even when I did not consciously acknowledge it.

Track 3: Dreams Answered, Briefly

January, February, and March were consumed by my Class 12 board examinations. Those months felt relentless, filled with studying, revising, waiting, and worrying. At the same time, they were crucial months for my future. I received an offer from one of the most prestigious universities I had dreamed of attending, something I had worked towards for years. Receiving a scholarship alongside that acceptance felt validating, as if the effort, discipline, and sacrifices had finally been recognised.

Track 4: Ten Years in One Goodbye

February brought my school farewell, and March marked my last exam, my final day as a school student. Leaving that space felt far heavier than I had expected. I had spent ten years in the same environment, growing up with the same people. My classmates were more than classmates; they were family. It was only after leaving that I understood how deeply that phase of my life had shaped me. Sometimes, the value of something becomes clear only after it turns into memory.

Track 5: I Thought This Was Certain

April was quieter. I spent most of the month preparing documents for the United States, completing forms, planning interviews, and imagining the future ahead. I carried excitement and certainty with me. I genuinely believed everything would work out because I had done everything right.

Track 6: When the Plan Fell Apart

June arrived with a moment that turned everything upside down. My US visa was rejected. It felt like more than a denial; it felt like the collapse of a future I had already built in my mind. I had invested so much effort, hope, and belief into that plan that accepting its failure did not come easily.

Track 7: Faith, Rewritten

With time and reflection, I began to see the rejection differently. Perhaps it was not a punishment or a failure. Perhaps it was a test, not of my ability, but of my faith. I found myself returning to a line I deeply believe in: agar mann ka ho toh accha, agar mann ka na ho toh aur bhi accha. Slowly, I learned to trust that something else was being prepared for me, even if I could not see it yet.

Track 8: Turning 18 Without Instructions

In July, I turned eighteen. It did not feel dramatic or celebratory, just quietly significant. Around the same time, I shifted my plans toward London and chose my second preference university. What surprised me was how quickly everything began to fall into place, almost as if this path had been waiting for me all along.

Track 9: I Left Home Standing Strong

The airport moment stayed with me. I did not cry in front of my parents; I stayed strong for them. But once I was alone, navigating counters and waiting areas, the reality settled in. I was stepping into adulthood in the most real way possible. I was not just leaving home, I was leaving certainty.

Track 10: New City, Old Feelings

Arriving in London initially felt exciting. Everything seemed beautiful and unfamiliar. I captured moments constantly, trying to absorb the newness. Soon, reality followed. Independence is not glamorous. It is lonely, overwhelming, and demanding. I missed home deeply and worried about my parents often. I was learning how to exist in a new country while carrying emotions I had not fully processed.

Track 11: Trying to Belong Cost Me Myself

Friendships became another challenge. I believed that I needed to make friends quickly to avoid feeling alone. In that process, I tried to fit into spaces that did not feel authentic to who I was. Over time, that effort became exhausting, and I realised that belonging should not require losing yourself.

Track 12: Choosing Peace Over Crowds

Joining KCSOC helped me reflect deeply. I learned that it is okay not to belong everywhere. It is okay to have a small circle. Peace matters more than popularity, and sometimes all you truly need is faith and a sense of inner grounding. Some of the most impactful moments of the year were unplanned. I booked the KCSOC retreat impulsively because I needed a break from routine. Those two and a half days gave me clarity and calm I did not know I needed. FNK, the Friday Night Kirtan, became a weekly anchor where the noise of the week dissolved and my mind found rest.

Track 13: Loving God Without Conditions

My understanding of spirituality changed profoundly this year. I used to believe I was spiritual simply because I prayed regularly, but I realised that my prayers often carried expectations. Being around spiritually grounded individuals made me question myself. I learned that loving God is selfless and that faith is not transactional. I questioned Him often, wondering why I faced certain challenges, but in hindsight, I see that some lessons only come through discomfort and solitude.

Track 14: I Tried Anyway

One of the most meaningful experiences of the year was securing a lab shadowing assistant role. It taught me an important lesson: never assume rejection before trying. Applying felt insignificant at first, but receiving the opportunity showed me the power of initiative and belief in oneself.

Wearing a white coat and working in a lab felt like a childhood dream coming to life. It reminded me why I chose this path and reassured me that even dreams that arrive later than expected are still worth celebrating.

Track 15: Grateful, Not Finished

Looking back, I feel deep gratitude. I recognise my privilege in being able to study in London, in having supportive parents, and in receiving opportunities that many work tirelessly for. The setbacks did not take away from my journey. They redirected it.

Outro: It Gets Better, I Promise

As this year ends, I hold gratitude close. For every person who answered my calls, replied to my messages, and stayed present when I needed it most, thank you. Your kindness carried me through more than you know. Above all, I thank God for walking with me through every season of this year, through strength and through surrender. If I faltered or caused hurt along the way, I ask for forgiveness, knowing that learning often begins there. I leave this year with faith, with patience, and with the quiet certainty that it all gets better.

Hare krishna🙏🏻

Avni Singla

30/12/25