Year-End Review: Tiny Shifts in 2024

2024 Photo Diary: Snapshots Along Xinjiang’s Duku Highway

I’m truly a procrastinator.

January 2025 is already winding down, and I still haven’t written my 2024 year‑end review.

Of course there’s a reason for the delay: on the one hand, there’s just too much to do; on the other, I haven’t figured out what to say. So I kept dragging my feet. When I wasn’t on holiday I told myself I’d write during the break; once I got home I postponed it a few days; then I pushed it to Chinese New Eve, but even that night I didn’t feel like writing. And so it kept slipping until today—if I don’t write now it’ll already be February.

Fine, I’ll bite the bullet and write today!

Finishing it will be a victory ✌️ (I think I wrote the same line in the past two years’ reviews).

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One day I was scrolling through my old public‑account posts and noticed I really like categorising my reflections into “work, life, travel.”

This year I wanted to try something different: keywords.

I settled on five keywords.

Disenchanting the World

The world is a massive, makeshift stage—colossal, if I had to pick an English word. At the start of the year I watched The Water of Canglang and began to peel away its mystique. Then I read Criminal Defense Academy, Innocent Defense, and a selection of case studies, further stripping away illusion. Looking back at my job, observing certain bosses and colleagues, I kept on the dis‑enchanting process. It’s fair to say I’ve been doing it almost nonstop.

I remember a conversation with my coach: she said I’m a high‑standard, idealistic person. I replied, “Maybe that’s true. I can understand why some people act the way they do in certain situations, but I wouldn’t do the same myself. That’s probably what separates us.”

There’s nothing wrong with being an idealist. Idealists change the world.

Go Out and See the World

Since 2019, when my income expectations dropped, I shifted from overseas trips to domestic travel. Later, even going abroad became impossible. Over the past few years I’ve visited the far northwest, Xinjiang, western Sichuan—our country’s scenery is truly beautiful.

This year I keep recalling my original 2020 itinerary: Seoul, Vietnam’s Nha Trang, and Vladivostok. I wonder, “Why didn’t I travel abroad?” The truth is, I could go now.

It made me reflect on the invisible force of habit. Habit builds an unseen net—or a cage—around us, yet that cage isn’t really there, is it?

So I booked trips to Jeju Island and Seoul. As a K‑drama and variety‑show fan, I was thrilled—TV turned into reality. At the end of the year I planned diving in Semporna and a visit to Kota Kinabalu, a nod to my 2019 Philippine Boracay adventure.

I felt a bit nervous about Jeju; it had been ages since I’d left the country, and the procedures were rusty. But within two days I was navigating everything like a local. Humans really are adaptable creatures.

Staying in one place too long turns you into a frog at the bottom of a well. So you have to get out. In the new year I’ll visit more new places and see a bigger world. Yep!

Childhood Memories

There was a period in my childhood when I’d play Richard Brahms’s piano pieces on my “Step‑by‑Step” (步步高) player; his music kept me company through many lonely nights.

When high school ended, a friend recommended a singer who supposedly matched my temperament (I still have no idea why I fit). I fell into Sophie Zelmani’s catalog.

This year I was lucky enough to attend Richard Brahms’s New‑Year concert. When the piano started, I could picture a child curled up under the covers, listening to the Step‑by‑Step.

I was also fortunate to see Sophie Zelmani live again. Time moves forward, and her wrinkles are becoming more pronounced.

I don’t know how many more times these senior artists will perform in China—each show feels rarer than the last.

I watched the stage adaptation of my favorite TV drama The Grand Mansion Gate (Da Zhai Men). After last year’s “Four Great Classical Novels” TV series marathon, I seriously followed Yongzheng Dynasty this year.

Writing this, I feel like I’m stuck in the year 2000 😄.

Do we reminisce more as we get older? Lately I keep recalling childhood and school moments, while work‑related memories are starting to blur.

Time flies—2025 is already here in a flash.

Memory

Nevertheless, this year I also created new memory points for future nostalgia.

I got hooked on Liang Yanzeng’s stand‑up comedy; I almost laughed myself out of breath at the live show. I saw two of his shows this year; maybe I’ll go again when I have the budget next year.

I participated in a performance by “Friends from the Stars,” a group of children with autism. Their struggles and resilience moved me, and I admired the tenacity of their parents.

The short‑track speed skating competition in December was intense, thrilling, and cool. Watching it live feels completely different from TV. I’ll definitely go again next year!

I toured the Duozhua Yu (多抓鱼) factory. As a humanities student who’d never set foot in a factory, I spent two hours marveling, “How amazing!” I’d love to visit more factories—any experienced friends willing to point me in the right direction?

Visiting Hangzhou as a tourist, I finally appreciated its beauty with a fresh mindset. Deep‑autumn Hangzhou is pure bliss.

The tulips are gorgeous. The guava (芭乐) is delicious. This year cherries finally dropped in price, granting me “cherry freedom.” Small, certain joys in life.

Courage

One of the bravest things I did this year was learning to swim.

I call it bravery because I once drowned, and ever since I’ve been terrified of water.

And I finally mastered the breaststroke before the Spring Festival!

Another brave act was confronting my past self—being more honest with who I am.

I’m brave. Yep.

Usually a year‑end review ends with hopes and expectations for the coming year.

These past few years, however, I’ve had no concrete plans or expectations for each new year; I just go with the flow. I used to be anxious about it, but now I see it as a necessary stage of life. Just get through it, and brighter days will eventually arrive.

And a belated…

Happy New Year! Happy New Year!

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Originally written by Estela Young and published in Chinese on 一只产品汪的自白. Translated and edited for DriftSeas with permission.