I don’t set New Year resolutions, however, as I step a little deeper into my late twenties, I have set myself some goals and challenges for the year ahead. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ll know my annual ‘X before X’ bucket list has become a much-loved way to reflect on the past year and set some intentions for the next one.
This year, I managed to tick off 20 of my 27 challenges, which feels like a win. I finally went to a bottomless brunch during a day-trip to Liverpool and it was every bit as fun as I’d hoped. I also enjoyed a spa day or four, which I maintain is the perfect way to relax and reset.
My theatre goal was a standout this year too—I aimed to see 20 shows and ended up seeing 23, including Burlesque, Hairspray and Pretty Woman. And while some months were easier than others, I managed to get through more than a book a month, thanks to Sarah J Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series, which has reignited my love of reading. And in other entertainment-related goals, photographed three festivals – Your City, Lymelight and Trentham Live – caught Foo Fighters and comedian Paul Smith live, and finally watched The Devil Wears Prada, which has been on my “to-watch” list forever, and yes, it’s every bit as iconic as everyone says.
Visiting the polar bears at Peak Wildlife Park was an absolute joy, while being a bridesmaid for my sister-in-law is definitely one of the year’s highlights. For some more practical goals, I saved a decent amount towards buying a house, bought a new car and got my eyes tested and picked out some new glasses. Oh, and after years of procrastinating, I finally tackled the dreaded pile of clothes marked “for Vinted,” and the relief of clearing that space was unmatched.
From my foodie-related challenges, I learned how to recreate my favourite meal – crispy chilli beef – and found an incredible Sunday roast out (after a few failed attempts). And while I didn’t technically do a wine tasting, I did attend a vineyard tour where we got to sample some of the produce, so I’m absolutely counting that.
Of course, there were a few goals that didn’t quite make the cut. Eating at every restaurant on Piccadilly is still on my list, but I’m happy to carry this forward to next year. And things like bagging a designer bargain at a charity shop felt less important as the year went on, though I did snag an Abercrombie and Fitch coat for under £15 the other week – does that count?
As I look forward to the next 12 months, I’ve pulled together a fresh list of things I’d love to do. Like always, it’s a mix of practical, fun, and personal goals – from buying a house and travelling abroad to watching Gilmore Girls and playing my record player weekly. Here’s my list of 28 things to do before I turn 28:
- Buy a house – Jake and I have been together nine years this year, and are officially house hunting. We’ve been getting a feel for the type of property we are looking for and are just waiting for the right one to hit the market
- Eat at every restaurant on Piccadilly – the city of Stoke-on-Trent turns 100 this year, so what better way to celebrate than discovering my home city through it’s epic independent bars and restaurants?
- See Oasis live – a pipe dream, seeing as I didn’t get tickers – but stranger things have happened and I’m speaking (well, typing) it into existence
- Reach 10k Instagram followers – it’s not, and never has been about the numbers, but I’m starting the year with 8,300 followers and it feels like it could be achievable
- See 20 theatre shows – I’ll never tire of live performances and this year I’ve already got a number of shows booked in including Moulin Rouge and War Horse
- Read a book a month – which I can achieve even if I don’t buy any new books and just read my TBR pile
- Go to a Christmas tree farm – hopefully Jake and I could be moved in to our own house, which means picking out a tree and I would absolutely love a real one
- Get another bra fitting – I ticked this off my 2023 list by getting a fitting at M&S, but truth me told I’m not certain I’m wearing the right size so I’d like a second opinion
- Update my blog’s ‘About’ page – one of those small, slightly annoying jobs but it’s so out of date it absolutely needs doing and the only way it’ll get done is if I say I’ll do it in this list
- Use my LED light mask every day – I got an LED light therapy mask in 2024 and I really want to maintain a consistent routine and see if it really can have a significant impact on my skin
- Introduce retinol into my skincare routine – in a similar vein to the above, I’m increasingly aware that I’m fast approaching my 30s and want to keep my skin looking fresh and fine line-free
- Go to a craft workshop – I saw so many cool crafty events last year that I either missed out on tickets for or was too busy to attend, but this year I’d love to make something fun like a silver ring or a woven basket
- Go on a brand trip/dinner – last year when I said I wanted to take a spa day, I ended up on four, so this is me very much manifesting those collaborations
- Visit Krakow – I initially had ‘book a European trip’ on my list, and then Jake’s mum bought us a trip to Krakow for Christmas. I can’t wait to go an explore this incredible city and its surroundings
- Reduce my average mobile screen time – Last year my average mobile screen time was upwards of seven hours. Less scrolling in 2025
- Start making scrunchies – I really want to get my sewing machine out and use up my fabric stash, but equally, I think crochet hair accessories are going to be huge in 2025, so I’d really like to just get a bit creative and make some to match my outfits
- Shoot a roll of film and get it developed – Perhaps I’ll do this on our trip to Krakow
- Post to TikTok weekly – I’ve dabbled in TikTok a number of times now and struggle to stay consistent or gain any traction but in 2025 we’re giving it another chance
- Start checking out wedding venues – the next big step after the house move. While we’ve no intention of setting a date just yet, I’d really like to get a feel for the style of venue we’d like
- Watch Gilmore Girls – much like The Devil Wears Prada, I’m late to the party on this, too, but I’m going to make it my 2025 comfort watch
- Play my record player once a week – I don’t use it as often as I should and if my calculations are right, if I play at least one different vinyl each week I should make it through my whole collection by the end of the year
- Perfect a signature bake – now, this Christmas I discovered that I’m actually very good at a sausage roll, but I’d love to learn to make a signature dessert to take along to family get-togethers
- Get my ears re-pierced – I’ve let them heal up for probably the third time so I’d like to get them re-done and find the perfect pair of gold earrings to keep in them daily
- Make a playlist – I spend way too much time looking for music to listen to on the treadmill, so I really need to make a giant playlist to have on shuffle for those upbeat workouts
- Buy clothes in my colour palette – in 2024, I finally got my colour analysis done (read more about that here) so this year, I want to do another wardrobe rid-out and replace some of my less flattering pieces with some that will complement me better
- Learn to style my hair – I want to nail the ultimate salon-worthy blowout but absolutely need to do more trialing with my Dyson Airwrap, styling products and rollers to achieve the look I’m aiming for
- Plan something for Jake’s 30th birthday – I have six months to think of something brilliant
- Try an oyster – I, as a general rule, don’t eat seafood. However, I’m always intrigued by oysters and would love to muster up the courage to try one this year
