Well, time to do one of those yearly reviews here. For one, this year has been tumultuous: a sickening amount of violence has happened, and I am worried about how far-right politics are spreading. Obviously there's the stuff that happened in the UK with Brexit, and the US presidential election. But also in my own country, far right parties (i.e. PVV) are becoming bigger, despite their policies literally being even more damningly racist.

Aside from that, there's personal developments for me too this year. It's a year in which I have greatly developed my sense of self. It's the year in which I discovered my gender: I'm non-binary, I am proud of it, I feel more involved in the queer community, I feel like I've learned a lot of new things, self-awareness. Acceptance of myself. That's amazing, and no amount of bad shit in 2016 should discredit that level of personal development. It's also the year in which I started to seriously think about whether I am autistic. I am more certain I am, and I have already taken steps to see a psychologist about this, so that I can know for sure. Again, I feel like doing so has been of tremendous help to me, and I feel proud of who I am. SO extremely proud in the face of adversity. I am so happy to have an explanation for all the beautiful strangeness that is me, and I'll love it and accept it until it's not strange anymore. I'm gonna flap, and dance, and stim, and love my special interests openly, and not be ashamed of being who I am

What's going to happen in 2017? In 2017, is the year that I pick myself up and I must push through barriers that I have struggled with since my dad passed away 2 years ago. I am enrolled in an amazing study programme, with amazing classmates. Being a teacher in training, I am preparing myself for an amazing profession in which I can make a difference for kids who have been through so much crap. Crap that I can perhaps relate to because I have BEEN there. I want to be an example for queer kids, I want to be an example for disabled kids. I want to be there for everyone. Just like some of my role model teachers were there for me and opened my eyes, and taught me that we NEED to stand up to people who marginalise others.

I also just want to be idealistic for 2017. I have always prided myself in being optimistic about the world. While it sure may have been hard with everything that happens. I don't want to give in. This year, I am going to try to cherish the good friends I have, I want to be more honest with my friends too. I don't want to hide parts of myself. I'm gonna be more openly proud of who I am, weird and broken as I may be, as unconventional and 'cringy' as some people may perceive me to be. I am me, and I love myself.