Hey friends and fam! Wow, long time to see (haha). I am not even sure how I left this platform for so long. Life has been bananas. (For real).
Where have I been?
Well, I finished last semester and went off to winter break, only to get sick with the flu (for the first time.) I took a vacation from most things at the end of the year just to clear my mind. I am beginning my last semester of college right now and things seem to be moving FAST. Finding a job is the big one. Anyone else? In between I had the best vacation ever in FL and Costa Rica and it was so relaxing.
Then I got back to school and got the flu within the first day of being back. My luck. I also started new classes, including French, which I have been loving. Now I am here and ready to be back and better than ever. I have planned some fun content on this platform so just stay tuned.
I have always loved the idea of blogging and sharing things that are important to me, but I haven’t made it my priority. You see, I am a college student who is an aspiring lawyer/language specialist, so my time for creativity is small. Truth is, I LOVE being creative, and its one of the things that truly warms my heart and soul. School and “professional” life is fun, but very different. From now on, I plan to allow myself to have some creativity time each week, so I can keep writing and blogging.
I am 23 years old. Where the time has gone I have no idea. 18 to 23 flew by. I have learned a trendous amount in the past 5 years, and I truly feel like an adult. Yes, 18 means your an adult, but it takes failure and getting yourself up again to truly become an “adult”. I am still definitely a baby in the real world, but I am so ready to go out and begin a life of my own. Here are 23 things I have learned in my 23 years, or really past five years of my life.
- Have patience. I want to be real, this has always been my biggest issue. I want to be in control of everything, but obviously that isn’t possible. Everything won’t jump in your lap right away. You have to be patient and believe that everything will work out somehow. I am an “A” type personality, which means I enjoy things when they come according to my schedule, not their own. However, that is not the way life works, so I have be trying to be patient with the world.
- Don’t be afraid of failure. This is a BIG one, especially if you are applying to a graduate school, law school, jobs, or even college. It WILL take failure to get where you want to be. I have completely accepted that this year and it has taken a lot off of my shoulders. Trust me, I get upset if I don’t do well on a test, but what makes you an A student is the push to do better next time. You want success in this world? Don’t stop when you fail. Keep going and show YOURSELF your worth. I never found it difficult to accept failure because of my skating days, where failure felt like it came up everyday. Then I didn’t land the jump, or I was “too slow”, the list goes on and on and on.
- Don’t waste time. Be exactly who you are, and don’t let others change your life and mood. Surround yourself with people who genuinely care about you. Along with people, don’t waste time pretending to be “productive”. You know what I mean. Staring at the same page for hours is not a good use of your time. Work hard for as long as it takes and be productive with your time, then move on. I am sure you could list hundreds of things to do in one day, but do you finish them? Exactly. Time is usually an issue, so stay as productive as you can.
- Family is everything. They are there for you even when no one else is. Even if you don’t agree on everything, don’t give up on them. They love you. Trust me, I know it can be hard especially when you have opposing views, but what’s the point of holding grudges on people who love you more than anything in this world? Go hug your mom and dad or whoever you consider family. Even your guinea pig, they want your love too. (And don’t forget about your siblings)
- Be cautious, but not too cautious. It is always good to know your limits, but don’t let those limits scare you from trying something new. I love trying new foods, going to new places, and taking small risks, as I am a huge rule follower and don’t go too far.
- Put your phone away. I know, this one is crazy, as I fail at this all the time. I have to tell myself at 23 to stop what I’m doing and just put it down. Whats happening in the current moment matters more. Don’t take the picture, don’t respond to the text, just be in the moment and take it all in. You don’t want your college years to feel like they were spent on the phone, instead, spend it with people you love and make memories.
- Write down your goals and keep yourself accountable. Seriously this works. I look at my goals in the morning and ask myself if I am doing everything I can to achieve them. I am far from perfection, but I love to check in with myself.
- Live looking at the future, not the past. Looking forward is more important than back. Learn from your past mistakes and move on. Always see what you could do better in the future.
- Spend time with people who matter. People in your life you love and forgive are worth your time. People who would do anything for you at any point in time are the ones who will stay in your life forever. Some people are meant to only make an appearance, but that’s okay too. If they help you in a small portion of your life, they make great memories. Sometimes you have to learn to let go, and understand that it’s okay. Maybe one day your paths will cross again, but if not, every time you think of them, wish them luck and happiness.
- YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! Whatever your weight, waist size, or anything in that matter, you are you, a unique human being, and that makes you PERFECT! Sometimes I find myself living my life through how much weight I am. I have changed my mindset now and focused on my health. I just eat healthy and workout, and have stopped worrying about the number. I am so much happy and healthier. I tell myself I am beautiful no matter what. I don’t really enjoy the gym, so I have found that skating is my favorite way of getting some exercise in my day.
- Be exactly who you want to be. Don’t let other peoples bad judgment change yours. Trust me when I say, your say is the only say. If you don’t want to do something, never force yourself. People may not understand right away, but sooner or later they will understand and love you for who you are. Wear YOUR style, eat YOUR fav food, and LIVE life the way you want too. Don’t make yourself “party” if that’s who you are. Don’t please others because in the end you will suffer and be put down.
- College “all-nighters” are a waste of time. Yes, they happen, but no, they are not helpful for your overall health, well-being, and realistically, grades. Freshmen year I lived in the phase, but I have learned to study in the morning and get my work done so I can prioritize my sleep schedule. It is proven that 7-8 hours of sleep for a young adult is necessary. Set your alarm for the time you want to go to sleep and switch your phone off. You should be off your phone at least 15 minutes before bedtime, as your brain will have time to switch off and get a goods night rest.
- Life isn’t scheduled. Some people achieve high success before others, but that doesn’t mean you won’t reach the same success, or higher! Some meet their significant others before others, and that’s okay. There is no competition. Be happy and kind to others when they achieve any kind of success, and know deep down that it makes you no less worthy if you haven’t achieved it yet.
- Less makeup, more skincare. It doesn’t matter what skills you have, your skin should be taken care of. If it is clean to begin with, makeup won’t matter. Either way, do what ever you want with makeup. Don’t let someone else’s style determine your own.
- Have a morning routine. I can’t stress that enough, because I have experienced waking up ten minutes before a class. Free your mind in the morning, which will help you have a successful day. I will be posting my “realistic college morning routine” soon, with some helpful tips for people who may not enjoy getting up in the morning.
- Do more of what you love. I LOVE figure skating, and I used to never find time for it, but now I make sure to go once a week. It’s an amazing feeling to do something that makes you smile uncontrollably. Some people may find your interests weird, but that’s great. We NEED more weird and creative souls in this world.
- Love is scary, but so worth it. Don’t say no to something if you are afraid, because it could be the best decision you made in your life. Go get the coffee with the boy or girl you see in class everyday, make small gestures that you know would make them smile, and always be yourself. If they don’t love you for you, they aren’t worth your time, because in the end they matter most when you are vulnerable.
- Love your true friends. Even if there is only one person in your life who you can trust, you are the luckiest person in the world. You don’t need 500 friends on instagram, or real life, because when it comes down to it, only your “best friends” have you back. No one is perfect, we all have our issues, but people who can see past that, are your version of perfection. Love people for their good and bad. Don’t have expectations that your best friend is perfect in every sense, because their not. It’s those small imperfections that determine what kind of friendship you have.
- “Have courage, and be kind.” Even if someone in your life doesn’t like you for some reason, always stay kind. Show the best side of yourself. You will always win with kindness.
- Take a break, please. Sometimes with all the college work or other life stresses, I lose track of relaxation time. Even if its for 15 minutes, always find time for yourself. Your body and mind will thank you.
- Focus on yourself. Don’t waste your time gossiping, or speaking badly of others. Focus on your life, and be the best version of yourself as you could possibly be. It is very easy to fall in the trap, as I definitely have, but do your best to not let it effect your life.
- Learn about different cultures and travel. These experiences will help you grow as a person, and see how big the world truly is. Go somewhere new and don’t be afraid.
- Stay silly. Don’t let “adult” life make you lose your sense of humor and love for life. It’s not worth losing.
