I’m an avid dreamer who loves knocking things off of to-do lists as much as making the list. But I was never much of a new years resolution setter. It’s just too easy to lose steam, and difficult to predict how our priorities may change in a year. For me, short-term, creative, doable goals are much more exciting, especially since the next couple months of my life is totally up in the air!
Awhile ago, I noticed my friend Sarah Ruth’s list of 24 things to do before turning 25, and I love that she’s been actively crossing things off the list. I decided to make a list of my own with goals small and big.
Sewon’s 24 things to do before turning 25:
1. Complete a video documentary
2. Put up an online portfolio
3. Move to a new major city
4. Publish a mini zine
5. Hand-carve stamps
6. Finish a painting
7. Make a felted necklace
8. Make a dress
9. Prioritize yoga and running
10. Write a city guide
11. Organize my closet
12. Find a creative job
13. Climb a major mountain
14. Write and perform a song
15. Make homemade jam
16. Invite friends over for homemade cinnamon rolls
17. Write a short story
18. Natural dye fabric
19. Take a pottery class
20. Produce a video dedicated to a creative person
21. Plan a trip to somewhere new and unexpected
22. Make a time capsule
23. Spend more time with my family
24. Make a family recipe book
Have a lovely rest of the week!
A felted necklace!? This one sounds interesting! #11? Just organize or total revamp :O Also the time capsule one, yes yes!!! I did this one as a kid with my friend. But we used a tupperware and everything inside was of course destroyed, haha
Still fun though!
I think it’ll be a total revamp, as in, emptying out quite a bit of it. I haven’t really lived at home since high school, and I left most of my belongings before moving abroad. You can imagine how much STUFF piled up in there. Let me know if you have any D.C./Virginia shopping recommendations!
This is a great list! One thing I regret in life is not getting my grandmother’s recipes before she died. It seems like it is virtually impossible to get a traditional, no frills country cooking meal anymore. Since I’m 25, maybe I should make a list of 29 things to do before I’m 30
Ohhh good country recipes sound so good. I know it’s going to be hard to figure out the measurements because my mom says you have to trust your eyes and taste-buds for the perfect seasoning and marinade. 30 feels so intimidating, though! Maybe you could do 25 before 26.
A nice list. I’m especially looking forward to what kind of a mini zine are you going to publish.
You have a very beautiful blog!
Thank you, Aija.
I have to do the 30. Granted, I look much younger than my actual age.
I really, really like your list. I might have to steal some ideas! My bad!
That’s such a lovely ‘to-do’ list! I quite like how you have some more complicated things on the list, but also some more mundane ones. The hand-carved stamps are particularly interesting to me (maybe because I’m taking printmaking next semester??), so I hope it works out for you (: Actually I hope this whole list works out because it’s just…a good list, haha. Looking forward to you accomplishing these goals and (maybe) sharing some on the blog ^.^
Ohh how fun! I took printmaking in college, too. I really enjoyed woodblock. Thanks for the encouragement! I hope making the list public will help motivate me to work through it.
I like the idea of making a time capsule… never thought of that before!
Ronnie xo
I want to go all out and decorate the capsule and everything!
I also love lists, they help me a lot.
Your list is great! I hope you can do all those wonderful things!
Thanks, Claudia.
Guh, I am completely in love with this post – the pictures are just stunning!
Thanks, Kailey! <3
That is a great idea! Altough I always make them, I’m not that good at keeping lists
What are you knitting? It looks so pretty.
I think the process of writing down ideas can be immensely productive.
It’s my friend’s work! She’s making a cable-knit scarf.
great list! i love that making homemade jam is on there!
I’m thinking strawberry jam..
i love these lists, and yours is full of such fun things. good luck!!!
D
Thanks, Anastasia!
Aww I’m 25 waaaaa! I better start my own list, things to do before I’m 26! Looks like you’ve got a lot of things to get through but I bet it will be no problem at all!
You should totally make your own list! :] Thanks for the support, Winnie.
I have always wanted to hand carve stamps but it looks really intricate. I did do a linocut in high school and Ialso took a massive chunk out of my finger with the carving tools maybe that’s why I have never tried stamps, oh well!! Great list Sewon.
Ohhh yeah I was really afraid of doing that when I took woodcut in college. Stamps require less pressure, but knives are still scary!
IS 28 TOO OLD TO KNIT YOUR FIRST SCARF?
Nope!
Winter is the best time to relax at home and knit!
Sewon!
This sounds like a wonderful list! You’ve accomplished so much in what has felt like so little time. I can’t wait to see what you do from here. I hope one day we can learn something new together!
<3 <3
Thanks, Beyang.
I’m super excited about your Japan adventures. I can’t wait to hear more stories from your Tokyo trip!
Dreamy, enthusiastic list!
I’m still 23, will have to make a list to do before hitting 24.
Small-big dreams before hitting a year old always keeps time fresh.
Being stuck in school for one more semester makes me feel bored and in a ‘dying for an adventure’ mode, but I suppose the little things we do to enrich ourselves before the great departure is something I should keenly accept. The tiny dreams are making butterflies in my stomach – you made me excited! Thanks Miss Sewon.