Long flights and dry spells: a 2023 recap
Only now realising I didn’t write a 2022 recap, who am I?? It’s been a while since I’ve written a recap, or even a life update! Do you guys even remember who I am? It’s your local oversharer, back and better than ever to give you an update on what the past 12 months have brought me. I’ve broken this blog up into categories for your convenience. Enjoy!
Cheerleading
This year I made my level 5 debut on MCA Werewolves 5NT! I didn’t compete for the first half of the year as I was in Europe (more on that later) but I enjoyed the rest of the season and loved strengthening existing friendships as well as making new ones. We even placed first at Nationals, becoming a National Champion for the first time in my eight seasons of cheer!
Sadly, I decided that 2023 was going to be my last season of cheer for a while. There are many reasons why I won’t be competing on a team in 2024.
Too far away: I would be travelling to and from Box Hill at least two times a week. I don’t drive, so it was always a rough 1-2 hour commute (don’t get me started on Sunday timetables). Here are a few places I enjoy more than Box Hill:
The Frankston train coming home from the city after a footy game
That alleyway next to Bourke Street Mall that reeks of piss
The public toilet in Edinborough Gardens
My ex's house in Narre Warren
There are a few gyms closer to me, but I couldn’t imagine being at a gym that wasn’t MCA.
Too expensive: cheer is SUCH an expensive sport ($220 monthly tuition, $600 competition pack, $100 enrolment, $400 uniform, $150 shoes, etc) and I could no longer justify it for something I was no longer passionate about, which leads me to my next point:
No longer passionate: to be fair I did the sport for 10 years, I had a good run, but I would look around my team and I could tell how passionate everyone was about the sport. Teammates would be coming into extra classes, working out outside of training, and had an overall passion for cheer that I no longer had. At level 5, it’s not enough to just enjoy the sport, it is a huge physical and mental commitment. At this point, athletes are working towards going to Worlds (one of the biggest cheerleading competitions in the world), and if after 8 seasons of cheer and on a level 5 team you have no desire to compete on the World's stage - what’s the point?
It’s not entirely the end. I have been asked to train as an alternate with a team going to Europe. I’ll get to see my friends, stay active, and enjoy the sport without having to sell my organs on the black market. It’s the best of both worlds! (Update 15/1: fuck that, not doing it).
Europe
This year I decided to keep living with my parents, thus being able to pay for three weeks of eat, pray, love! After cancelling my big three month Europe trip in 2020 (some global pandemic or something?), I finally got around to doing a condensed three week version. Destinations included London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Paris, with a stopover in San Francisco on the way back. Yes. San Francisco.
So many people questioned me when I said I was travelling to Europe with United. They were right to do so. The original route there was Melbourne > San Francisco > London, and the other way around on the way back. The reason I chose this route is because it was the cheapest at the time and allowed me to stop over in San Francisco where I had previously gone on exchange. On the way home I was able to catch up with an old friend and explore ye old stomping grounds during the 9 hour layover.
The way there though is a whole other story so strap in. 48 hours before my flight I get an email from United saying my flight has been cancelled. Slay! I quickly scrammed to see what flights I could reschedule too, and sadly the next flight was a day later than originally planned, meaning I would have to miss the Harry Styles concert in London. After I had made peace with the fact I will not be going to the concert I spent $300AUD on, I received another email from United saying my flights had been rescheduled! The new route was as follows: Melbourne > Sydney > LA > San Francisco > London, departing at the beautiful time of 6am. After 36 hours of travel in three continents, issues with the name on my ticket not matching my passport (my bad), and legging it across LAX, I finally made it to my friend’s house in an apparently shitty suburb in London. You can watch the madness on TikTok here (sus the comments calling me fat while you’re there). Luckily I got to see Harry Styles, but at what cost?
Flight debacle aside, my trip to Europe was hands down the best memory of the year. I finally got to see all the friends I made when I was on exchange in 2019, and when we caught up it was like no time had passed. Patrick and Emma joined me on my first UK Nando’s experience, Mathilde educated me on the rich history of Amsterdam, Eimear and I had a questionable night in Berlin, and Maddie joined me for a pint on a rainy London evening. I even got to catch up with a few of my Aussie friends travelling abroad! I got to visit Ellie’s chic London apartment, feel way too old at a hostel bar with Darcy, drink mimosas with Amy, partied with Poggi at Defqon, and I left Europe with a full heart.
Don’t even get me started on Defqon. Words cannot explain the happiness and sense of belonging I felt at Defqon in 2023. It was the peak of my trip and took me about a month to emotionally recover from. I made so many wonderful friends. I spoke to so many amazing people. I heard from so many talented artists. Bring on Defqon 2024!
TikTok
This year I decided to channel my creativity in a different way. I started using TikTok more purposefully and began posting festival and rave related content. A few of my videos did pretty fucking well. I’m talking 100k+ views. I even got to do a paid collaboration with an agency for Tixel!
I have no intention to be an influencer and the last thing I want is a “GABBY10” discount code in my bio, I mainly want to help cultivate a community that I want to be a part of, because if you know the full Gabby lore you’ll know I’ve had trouble fitting in with the Australian rave scene. I’ve already made a few friends through the app, and posting content allows me to further immerse myself in the community here in Melbourne!
It’s so weird because I’m actually now getting recognised at festivals I go to?? I got recognised SIX times at Knockout, once at Listen Out, and once at Spilt Milk where I was even asked for a photo?! (Update 8/1/24 - got recognised three times at Hardmission!). I am keen to keep creating content and see what connections Tik Tok brings me!
Relationships
My love life is quite literally the least interesting thing about me right now. Went the whole year without sex. Went on one date. Kissed two dudes. Nothing to write home about. Next.
Scrapbooking
I ALMOST FORGOT TO MENTION THIS IN THE BLOG!!! This year I found yet ANOTHER platform to express my creative flair; scrapbooking! What initially started as wanting to preserve event posters from music gigs I go to, turned into a full blown scrapbook adorned with wristbands, ticket stubs, receipts, and any remnants I could find from memories I had made. The discourse among my peers has gone from “I can’t wait to feature in Gabby’s blog” to “I can’t wait to feature in Gabby’s scrapbook”. It’s my child. I love her. I’m going to be scrapbooking for many years to come. My old, frail, self will be forever grateful for present Gabby creating and preserving such wonderful memories.
Work
This year not only did I celebrate my one year full-time, corporate girly anniversary, I got a promotion(ish)! Two promotions in one year! Is there anything she can’t do?! I am now a Digital and Communications Coordinator! How exciting! Basically I get to manage all internal and external digital and social media communications. It’s definitely more up my alley than my previous role (Project Coordinator) and as the role is a first for the company, I’m having a fun time learning as I grow.
That pretty much sums up 2023. Nothing too crazy. Good times were had. Sorry about the delay.