2012 was the year of many firsts, some good, some bad, but all very important in their own way.
I started the year as I had ended 2011, alone. Since moving to Cyprus in August 2011, I had found it very hard meeting people and making friends as I was yet to start school and spent most of my time in my bedroom. I was really quite down and didn't feel happy at all with what was going on around me. I had grown up in Surrey, just outside of bustling London town, I had friends that lived a short walk away and was always surrounded by people. Now however, I was stuck in a small, quiet Cypriot village, not knowing anyone, not being able to speak Greek and a half hour car journey away from town. I was stuck and hated it.
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I then met a girl around my age. She was a lovely girl, funny, bit mental and we got on really well. She introduced me to new people from school and we would hang out together in town. I finally felt like I had a life here in Cyprus. I had some friends and I was now attending a theater group with people of my age. I've always loved the theater and acting so I really enjoyed taking part in it all every Monday evening. It was also a good way of building my confidence in this new country. I've always been a painfully shy girl and to suddenly be thrown into a whole new life was daunting to begin with, but I soon got through it.
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Through this girl I was introduced to
Madison's Modeling Agency and was signed upon meeting with the owner. Since I was young I was always told by my parents and people that I could make it in the modeling world, but me being the painfully shy girl that I was never believed them, so having this chance really opened my eyes. My first job was doing a catwalk show for
L'oreal (
yeah they didn't start me off easy!). It was a very nerve wrecking, but overall amazing experience. I was treated like I was famous of something! I had my hair and make up done by professionals, was fitted in the most amazing outfits and the food was to die for! I met some really lovely girls that day too and I was incredibly lucky to take part in something so awesome!
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By now it was summer time and what a summer 2012 was. I can honestly say that
Summer 2012 was the best summer I've ever had and it was all down to the people I shared it with. Living in Cyprus is worth it for the summers, with it's hot weather and amazing beaches. I spent the majority of the summer months sunbathing on the beach and playing in sea, something I never thought I'd do as I'm scared of vast amounts of water!
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My summer was made extra special with two of my cousins and my auntie from England coming over to visit. Being a Cypriot family we're all very close and my cousin Georgia is like a sister to me so having them here really meant a lot. Of course Georgia and I got into fair bit of mischief during the two weeks she was here, which involved a lot of drink, a lot of laughing and a lot of dancing on bars...
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Not all of summer was good however. I had been suffering from shortage of breath for a couple of months, but hadn't really thought much about it. During the end of summer though I went to doctors to make sure it was nothing serious health wise and I was told it was down to anxiety. Thinking back to when I would get short of breath, it was when I was feel anxious or nervous so it definitely made sense. I suffer from anxiety attacks a lot more now and it gets me down because I will have to leave what I'm doing and get some air and calm down and it can be sometimes be very scary if I can't get my breath back quickly. I have medication for it, but I see this as something that will take a while to get over and used to.
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I hadn't been to school since April 2011 after I did my GCSE's and now it was September 2012 and time to go back to school and do my AS Levels, sigh. As much as everybody hates school, I was actually really excited to go back and meet new people, join new lessons and attend a school that was so different from my old school. I was so lucky to be accepted straight away into the school. I've made friends with some of the funniest people from every place imaginable and they've made me feel so welcome (hi Chris). It's been a lot to get used to, the new people, the new subjects, but I think I'll be a-okay.
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Something happened in early September that could have changed my life drastically. This certain thing is something that only a few close friends know about and they are the only people that will ever know. This being said, the situation I found myself in is something that will most probably affect me for a very long time. It showed me that being careless in life can cause a lot of trouble and that little things can change everything very quickly.
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There was someone I met at the very beginning of 2012, who basically sums up my year. Like I said I met this person at the beginning of the year, but we only really became friends around the summer time. I've mentioned how shy I was and I've always put on some kind of act around people, you may think this makes me seem fake, but this is how I've always coped with my shyness and my anxiety. Anyway, with this person however I never had to put on an act, I was myself, the "real Lauren" shall we say, the whole time I was ever with them. They made me feel actually comfortable with them and myself, something no one has been able to do before. I had a whole lot of fun with them and they made me smile constantly. Certain situations made it impossible for that all to carry on and although things may not be as great as they once were, I will never regret that time and it has in someway, as cheesy as it sounds, shaped the way I act and treat myself now. They will always be dear to my heart, no matter what happens or how far away they are.
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The year opened on a low and in a way ended on a low too, but that doesn't matter; it's a new year now and things can and will change. I have a whole lot to look forward to in 2013, turning 18, learning to drive, earning money, learning Greek and drinking and dancing on bars again. Thirteen may be unlucky for some, but I hope 2013 is lucky for me.
