SPEECH #6
- Douglas*
- Mar 21
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 26

SPEECH #6: Note to Self 24’
I was afraid of entering this year. As exciting as being 21 is, I knew the responsibilities that come with adulthood—especially at my age, given my circumstances—were knocking on the door. That left me feeling anxious. I also feared losing someone or something again, since that’s seemed to become an annual occurrence ever since Mommy passed. I had to remind myself to take things day by day.
I’d say 2024 was an okay year for me. It wasn’t spectacular, but it wasn’t bad either. One of the biggest milestones was finally resuming my studies. That came with both pros and cons. On the positive side, I’ve been given the opportunity to finish college and graduate, to receive a better education, and to attend a school that’s closer to home and more supportive in terms of aid and resources. On the downside, the high demands of my program can feel unreasonable and unrealistic at times, leaving me extremely stressed out. But it’s bittersweet—because despite the pressure, I’ve seen tremendous results come out of my hard work and daily studying. I’ve grown so much as an artist thanks to everything I’ve done over the past two semesters.
Of course, turning 21 was a highlight of the year. I didn’t feel a huge emotional shift when I went from 18 to 19 or 19 to 20, but turning 21 was different—I could feel a change within me. Making music was another major highlight. In fact, the summertime was an incredibly creative and innovative period. I released my very first project, Freedom Savage: The Mixtape, and I created and wrote some of my best songs to date—songs I’m really looking forward to sharing soon.
Financially, I was in a better place than I was in 2023, although I still had several moments where I had no money, which really frustrated me. One of my biggest goals for the new year is to make sure I always have money in my pocket. I want to stop falling into those periods where I’m stressed out because I can’t afford the things I need—or even just want—to do.
If nothing else, 2024 was emotionally challenging for me, especially when it came to managing family dynamics. But one good thing that came out of that was learning to speak up more—to let my voice be heard and have my feelings acknowledged. That empowered me to reevaluate my social life and make sure I’m surrounding myself with people who support me, keep me comfortable, relieve my stress, and treat me the way I deserve to be treated. I did experience a couple of losses this year, but I also gained a new friend who I became really close with—and the time we spent together ended up being one of the highlights of the year.
I also reevaluated everything that was on my plate and started removing the things that didn’t really need to be there in the first place. That helped ease my stress and allowed me to move through my day-to-day life more peacefully. I invested more into self-care and started curating self-care rituals. Watching TV became a therapeutic activity for me. I broadened my horizons by diving into several shows—both old and new—that I grew to love outside of my usual three comfort shows. I refurbished my room and became obsessed with sweet-smelling candles. I also cleared out my entire music library. As I began re-adding songs, I created a playlist that reflects my day-to-day emotions and gives me an outlet through music—some of my favorite songs included.
Despite the obstacles, I managed to stay grounded this year. And as I move through 2025, I want to maintain that sense of groundedness and carry it with me throughout everything I do.
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