About five months ago, I read a beautiful quote that summed up how I had been living and thriving. What had kept me going despite life's ups and downs.
“We tell ourselves stories in order to live.”
I remember vividly how I had excitedly sent a message to my sisters when a lady complimented my new outfit. Lagos traffic had been bizarre, and commuting home that day was one of my worst experiences in Lagos. But the moment my eyes twinkled with delight when someone appreciated my green-coloured gown and the way I had relayed the news kept me going. Or, was it the amazing moment I shared with a long-time friend? The great meals we had together, the life stories we shared, and the way I laughed until my stomach hurt?
We do indeed survive based on the stories we tell ourselves. The remarkable books we read and keep gushing about, the lovely movies and TV shows that leave us in awe and amazement, and the deep conversations we have with our loved ones.
My sister and I share our most memorable moments, best books, and gripping movies and TV shows of 2022. I hope this list keeps you entertained and buoys you to seek happiness and joy in places you never expect. Enjoy!
Maryam
Most Gripping Book: It has to be ‘A Man Called Ove’ by Frederik Backman. I look up to elderly people who have experienced both the joy and adversities of life, and I believe that there is a multitude of lessons that can help every youth navigate through the complexities of life. ‘A Man Called Ove’ is a beautiful and emotional novel that will make you chuckle and also leave you in tears. You’ll definitely fall in love with Ove and snigger at his eccentric beliefs.
Most Memorable Moment: Haha! That would be when I spent time with an old friend, Hassan. He’s a simple, kind, and funny person, and you can never get bored hanging out with him. I thoroughly enjoyed how much I was ‘myself’ as we visited places like Raddison Blu and how he loudly exclaimed, ‘Abeg, let’s go to a more affordable eatery and eat good food!’
Best Movie: Call me someone obsessed with old people. I really don’t mind! But, my favourite movie of 2022 has to be The Bucket List, a story detailing how two terminally-ill 65-ish men, with only six months to live, decided to explore the world and fulfill their dreams. It’s a movie I can watch over and over again. Plus, who wouldn’t love a movie that Morgan Freeman narrates?
Photo Credit: Letterboxd
READ ALSO: The Abbatoir Experience
Favourite TV Show: Last year consisted of completing loads of activities and actualising innumerable goals. How else could one relax after a long day than by watching a funny South Korean drama? Welcome to Waikiki was everything I needed to keep me happy and cheerful.
Photo Credit: Themoviedb
Best Buy: It has to be the sky blue mug I purchased. It’s lovely, portable, and the right fit for the amount of tea I consume on a daily basis!
Describing the Year in Two Words: Exciting & Frightening.
RELATED ARTICLE: 8 Lessons from the Popular Web Series, 'This Is It.'
Haneefah
If I'm to ever describe a year in which I struggled really hard to do the things I never saw or imagined myself doing, that would definitely be 2022. It was a long year with so many experiences for me. There were moments when I cried and wanted to run away from myself, but there were also moments that made me smile and laugh like I had nothing to worry about. Regardless of how my 2022 went, I'm still happy that I'm alive and still thriving to be a better version of myself every single day.
Most Memorable Moment
That very day marked my third matriculation in a tertiary institution. But this particular matriculation was different from the others because it was considered an honorary matriculation due to my excellent performance in my results. It was, without a doubt, a dream come true for me.
Gripping Book
I started reading medical books in 2021, and I've never regretted reading them. The most gripping book I read in 2022 was also a medical book.
Confessions Of A Surgeon: The Good, the Bad, and the Complicated...Life Behind The O.R. Doors by Paul A. Ruggieri, M.D.
I read a couple of books in 2022, but none of them was as gripping as this book. It sums up almost everything about life and the realities of medicine. We've always heard stories about what happens in the O.R but we never got to know what really happens in it or how surgeons deal with medical complications. As the title implies, the writer opened the O.R doors and told us so many things that happens in it; how some surgeries are being carried out like the "exploratory surgery" that's been carried out on a patient to find out what's going on inside the body of a patient when the surgeon has no clue, how some surgeons carry out surgical procedures on a patient that didn't require surgery to begin with, or a patient that had to undergo another surgery due to the surgeon's negligence during surgery. The book talked about the good, bad, and complicated aspects of medicine and how doctors are easily drained out and are poorly paid compared to other professions that are not health related.
There's a quote from the book that really amazed me, and it's something you would almost never hear from the mouth of a practicing doctor or surgeon, and that is: "Many surgeons, after ten years of practice, secretly can’t wait to get out of the business they worked so hard to get into.” It’s ironic.
Best Movie
The best movie I watched in 2022 is definitely "Candy Jar." The movie featured two brilliant high school students who participated in an extracurricular activity like a debate in order to create a brilliant portfolio that'd impress their college of choice. They were both serious competitors, and both had solid support from their school's counselor. The movie tells us how necessary it is to cherish and enjoy every moment in school while still reading and pursuing our goals in life because those moments can never be gotten back once they're lost. It also talked about the realities of life and how to not give up even if we don't get admitted into our choice of institution. In life, we wouldn't always get what we want but giving up means we're not ready to keep living because life would definitely throw rocks at us, all we need to do is build something for ourselves out of those rocks.
Favourite TV Show
My favourite TV show in 2022 is "Law School." I particularly enjoyed it because it featured a law school with brilliant law students and how they were able to navigate through life after the death of one of their professors. It was a serious series that entailed major details about the occurrence of a murder in a law school. There was no romance whatever, just a few flirtations, which made me really enjoy it. I also got to learn a lot about law, how it operates (although there were a few clichés in it, which is understandable because it's mainly for entertainment), and a few "law jargons." In short, it was a really nice watch.
Best Item You Purchased
The best thing I purchased in 2022 was a medical textbook. I was able to download so many medical books but was never able to download this particular one, so I was really happy to purchase it. As a medical laboratory science student, the textbook is really essential for me to have in hard copy.
Describing The Year In 2 Words
Sad and Amazing.
Nice 🤙
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