Turning 20

I turn 20 years old on Monday (oh my god, that's tomorrow!) and I still can't wrap my head around it. I may not quite know what I'm doing yet (and really, who does?), but I've certainly learned some things in the two decades I've been alive. And now, I'm sharing some of them with you.

20 Lessons I've Learned in 20 Years

  1. Be kind to other people. Seriously, this is so essential. If you're nice to people, people (and the universe) will be nice to you back.
  2. Travel. I've learned more about myself in my time abroad than I have in all the time I've lived in the United States. I especially recommend studying abroad. You learn so much about yourself when you're on your own in a foreign country.
  3. Learn another language. It will help you appreciate your own language and it will be useful in ways you never imagined. 
  4. If you love the dress that much, just buy it. You'll find somewhere to wear it.  
  5. Tell someone how you feel about them, if only so that you don't have to live with the "What Ifs." 
  6. The best kind of sandwiches are peanut butter, Nutella, and banana. 
  7. Talk to your parents. Text them, call them, email them, whatever. It makes them happy and it makes you feel good too. 
  8. Regardless of what people will tell you, you can stay best friends with your high school group if you're all willing to put time and effort into it. 
  9. Take the challenging classes. A B that you worked for is much more rewarding than an A that you got from being bored in class.
  10. Find the things you love and do them. But if you don't love them anymore after a while, don't be afraid to let them go.
  11. The right shoes can make you feel like a whole new person.
  12. Call people out when they make offensive comments. Be polite, but firm. 
  13. Always have ice cream in the freezer in case of a bad day. 
  14. Use a planner and use it well. Don't be that person who didn't write down the homework and promptly forgot it or completely missed a meeting because they remembered the time wrong.
  15. Surround yourself with things you love. This pertains to people, posters, clothes, and just about everything.
  16. Get to know your teachers. Sometimes they're incredible people who will change your life.
  17. Never ever give up on something you love because it's not "mainstream" or your friends don't like it. Something you're only liking for the sake of other people won't comfort you when you're sad or alone, but something you love will.
  18. Invest in fun socks. Don't wear boring ones.
  19. Check the weather forecast. Don't risk ruining your new favorite shoes because you didn't know it was going to rain.
  20. Ramin Karimloo said, "If you're not struggling, you're not progressing." Remind yourself of that in hard times. 
Blogger Template Created by pipdig