Here's something that's really plagued me as of late. Taipei was epic — possibly my favourite place. Still, I have less to write about. I could tell you about things in a sensory way — the sheer glory of what I ate, the humidity, the night markets, the constant convenience store stops — but that feels somewhat egoistic,[^1] somewhat like a cop out. This unfortunate little trend escalated, I feel, in Japan — but it began as soon as I got off the mountain. Maybe this is a brain thing. I hope not. I feel my anxiety as closely tied to how much I'm able to write. I'm always excited to travel, to see a new place, to meet new people. I'm less *nervous* now than I was at the start of my year. The only thing I feel nervous about is not being able to do everything I'd like to in a place. Yet, part of me is more okay with letting those dreams go — even if that's the last time I'll ever see that place, in that particular way. And you may have guessed with the last sentence, or guessed with my aversion to writing about pure sensory pleasures — on some level, it's just boring, or unexciting, to write about experiences that are simply pleasant, with nothing else but enjoyment defining them. Everything so far has just been so *good*, and while I'm unsure what college will bring, or what life will bring, I'm not sure if I'll be able to experience the same levels of nerves again. Perhaps that is unfortunate, perhaps it isn't. To say this was the best, or most unique, or most nerve-filled year of my life is cheating, because every year has built upon the last (at least so far), just like every place has built on the last. All I know is that I do feel differently, a little calmer, a little happier. I'm not as concerned about assigning meaning to things. Learn a few lessons, spend time with good people, weather everything — basically, enjoy the experience, and things (the meaning of said experience; everything else) will work out. At least, that's what I think — what I believe — currently. [^1]: As if imposing my reflections isn't. Sorry!