Ah, another cliche birthday post! As a *queen* of cliches, however, I do love writing and reading these. I turned 21 last week, and it is definitely bittersweet. While being 21 and American drinking age is all fine and dandy, I loved being 20. 20 brought me so many amazing, wonderful things, and among them were a ton of life lessons. This is a list of 20 things I learned at 20 years old – I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed this year!
1. Spend time by yourself every once in awhile – you need it more than you think you do.
2. Stay close with your family, they’re your rock. They’ll always be there.
3. You are a homebody by nature, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
4. Travel. It’s the one thing you won’t ever regret spending your money on.
5. On that note, still make sure you budget your money! It’s an important life skill.
6. Put in the extra effort to go to the gym. You might think you hate it, but it’s really good for you, and you actually enjoy it (despite what you tell yourself)!
7. The size on your clothing tag doesn’t matter; the only thing that matters is that you feel comfy and confident.
8. Don’t be afraid to meet new people; everyone comes into your life for a reason, and you should be excited to figure that reason out.
9. There’s a difference between being proud of your accomplishments and being downright boastful – be wary of the latter, but don’t forget to indulge in the former.
10. There is always time for the people you love and care about.
11. Keep praying, and keep journaling. There’s value in validating your thoughts – it makes you feel less crazy.
12. Don’t neglect the people you love, or help from them, because you want to be a “girl boss” and handle things yourself. Independence feels powerful, but you are much stronger with a support system behind you.
13. Seek out time to catch up with your friends. Life isn’t going to get any less busy, and you need to maintain your friendships amidst all of that.
14. Keep working hard, and keep chasing the things that you love. You’ll reap the benefits.
15. A good iced coffee is still the perfect antidote to a bad day.
16. You are going to make mistakes – in your relationships, in the workplace, in the classroom. Absorb them, and use them to make yourself better.
17. Don’t let your kindness be an invitation for others to step all over you – know when to put your foot down.
18. Be confident in your decisions, even if they don’t turn out the way you hoped.
19. Everyone else is also figuring it out as they go along! You’re not alone, and you never were.
20. You know yourself better than you ever have before. And that’s pretty cool.
Even though I’m kind of sad to be leaving my 20th year, I am so ready for what 21 has in store.
