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!
31 Comments
Jenny
November 16, 2011 at 3:44 pmA 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 π Still fun though!
Sewon
November 16, 2011 at 4:11 pmI 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!
Lindsey
November 16, 2011 at 4:13 pmThis 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 π
Sewon
November 16, 2011 at 4:59 pmOhhh 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. π
Aija
November 16, 2011 at 4:14 pmA nice list. I’m especially looking forward to what kind of a mini zine are you going to publish. π You have a very beautiful blog!
Sewon
November 17, 2011 at 12:01 pmThank you, Aija. π
Eileen
November 16, 2011 at 7:41 pmI have to do the 30. Granted, I look much younger than my actual age. π
I really, really like your list. I might have to steal some ideas! My bad!
Sewon
November 17, 2011 at 12:17 pmπ I look forward to seeing your list!
Krys
November 16, 2011 at 8:40 pmThat’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 ^.^
Sewon
November 17, 2011 at 12:20 pmOhh 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. π
Pink Ronnie
November 17, 2011 at 2:03 amI like the idea of making a time capsule… never thought of that before!
Ronnie xo
Sewon
November 17, 2011 at 12:22 pmI want to go all out and decorate the capsule and everything!
Claudia
November 17, 2011 at 7:25 amI also love lists, they help me a lot.
Your list is great! I hope you can do all those wonderful things!
Sewon
November 17, 2011 at 12:22 pmThanks, Claudia. π
Kailey
November 17, 2011 at 10:16 amGuh, I am completely in love with this post – the pictures are just stunning!
Sewon
November 17, 2011 at 12:29 pmThanks, Kailey! <3
Studio Meez
November 17, 2011 at 12:43 pmThat is a great idea! Altough I always make them, I’m not that good at keeping lists π
What are you knitting? It looks so pretty.
Sewon
November 18, 2011 at 4:49 amI think the process of writing down ideas can be immensely productive. π It’s my friend’s work! She’s making a cable-knit scarf.
rhya
November 17, 2011 at 3:01 pmgreat list! i love that making homemade jam is on there!
Sewon
November 18, 2011 at 4:50 amI’m thinking strawberry jam..
anastasia
November 17, 2011 at 4:30 pmi love these lists, and yours is full of such fun things. good luck!!! :DD
Sewon
November 18, 2011 at 4:50 amThanks, Anastasia!
winnie
November 19, 2011 at 1:52 amAww 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!
Sewon
November 21, 2011 at 7:29 amYou should totally make your own list! :] Thanks for the support, Winnie.
Kelly
November 19, 2011 at 4:00 amI 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.
Sewon
November 21, 2011 at 7:29 amOhhh yeah I was really afraid of doing that when I took woodcut in college. Stamps require less pressure, but knives are still scary!
SUSAN
November 20, 2011 at 9:24 pmIS 28 TOO OLD TO KNIT YOUR FIRST SCARF?
Sewon
November 21, 2011 at 7:30 amNope! π Winter is the best time to relax at home and knit!
Beyang
November 21, 2011 at 4:38 amSewon!
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
Sewon
November 21, 2011 at 7:31 amThanks, Beyang. π I’m super excited about your Japan adventures. I can’t wait to hear more stories from your Tokyo trip!
Thuraya Lynn
December 5, 2011 at 3:13 pmDreamy, 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.