2025: The Year That Was (Already?!)
It’s December.
December.
Already?! I hear you cry.
I know. I get it.
This time of year is always a good excuse to sit back, take a breath, look at the year that’s been… and start wondering what the next one might bring.
For me personally, 2025 was always going to be a big year for Amy and me. It was our first full year in Dunedin without our two kids living at home — Josh off working in Australia, and Ella down in Palmerston North with her studies.
And honestly?
It’s weird.
You never stop being a parent — everyone tells you that and they’re absolutely right — but the hands-on bit changes overnight. The noise. The mess. The laughter.
You spend years giving the best of yourself to help your kids become the best versions of themselves, and it quietly becomes a huge part of who you are. Then suddenly… just like that… that chapter closes.
So 2025 felt pivotal.
A chance to reboot.
Try new things.
Throw a few ideas at the wall and see what sticks.
Here’s a quick (and honest) review of some of the things I attempted in 2025:
1. Become a Tetris Master For the first few months of the year, I put in many hours of Tetris with the firm belief I could reclaim my former glory. Turns out:
I am not as good as I remembered
Truly good Tetris players are very good
Result: FAIL
2. Run a Half Marathon After an absolutely dreadful 10km in Dunedin, I nearly redeemed myself with a pretty solid effort in Queenstown. I had fun, got fitter, and now have a goal of running it under two hours in 2026.
Result: PASS
3. Golf The less said about golf, the better. I do, however, own some very nice-looking clubs that live in the garage.
Result: FAIL (but stylish)
4. Start a Veggie Patch A lot of effort. Not a lot of reward. Turns out it’s much easier to buy vegetables at the farmers’ market. Massive respect to all you gardeners out there — but I’m out.
Result: FAIL
But here’s what I did realise this year:
After years of telling the kids to look for a career where you help people every day and genuinely make a difference… it hit me that I absolutely love being a community pharmacist.
There’s a lot happening in health at the moment. Politics keeps getting in the way (as usual), and soon 12-month prescriptions will be available in New Zealand — a major shift in how healthcare works. It’s a big change for patients and pharmacies alike, and I’m genuinely interested to see how it all unfolds.
Here at Roslyn Pharmacy, we’ve also upgraded our automation — faster, more accurate packaging for our rest home facilities and our community-packed patients. It’s been a big step, and I’m really excited about where it takes us next.
We’re also working on new services, including:
Weight-loss clinics to make the new, ground-breaking medicines more accessible
Travel health clinics to support those heading off on exciting overseas adventures
It’s funny how, after a year of reflection and change, you sometimes find yourself exactly where you’re meant to be.
I can’t wait to keep helping our community in 2026.
Wishing all our customers and readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Take care,
Andy and the team at Roslyn Pharmacy - Dunedins Friendliest Pharmacy