On September 30th, I turned 20 years old – can you believe it? I am no longer a teenager, and I honestly don’t know how to feel about it. On one hand, I am so excited for all that there is for me to see and do, but on the other I am sad that the chapter on my teenage years has come to a close. Regardless, there is a lot that I learned in my final year as a teenager, and unfortunately (or fortunately, idk) this isn’t going to be your typical “college blogger” advice. No, this post is for me, but I am excited to share it with you nonetheless.
1. You can get so much out of a little bit of faith & hard work.
2. Making friends is easy, but keeping them is the hard part.
3. The lessons you learned from people you interact with are the most valuable of all.
4. Call your parents. They probably miss you as much as you miss them.
5. It’s not “cool” or “trendy” to be overworked and stressed – it’s exhausting.
6. Take risks, even if they’re scary. You’ll thank yourself later.
7. Don’t fall prey to the idea of “guilty pleasures” – you shouldn’t be ashamed of anything you love.
8. It is impossible to plan your entire life; be flexible. Learn to roll with the punches, and you’ll thank yourself for it.
9. As much as you want to be a part of everything, be selective in what you give your time to.
10. Sometimes all you need to cure a bad day is a cute coffee shop, a good crying session, and a hug from your boyfriend.
11. Do what makes you happy, even if people call you crazy for it.
12. Although you used to, it is now impossible to avoid politics – get involved.
13. The best way to solve a conflict is to make sure everyone involved understands, even if that means a drawn-out conversation.
14. When you’re feeling especially overwhelmed, take a walk to Dunkin’ with your best friend.
15. On that note, the best form of therapy is a medium iced coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts.
16. Cherish the good days, but bounce back from the bad ones.
17. Gratitude is amazing for mental health – practice it and cherish it.
18. Everything happens for a reason.
19. You’re never going to figure everything out, but you should love every part of yourself anyway.
Thank you guys for reading my blog and being a part of my life – these are the lessons that I learned over the course of my 19th year, and I hope some of you can relate to them too.
Anyway, here’s to 20!
