19 is such a weird age; you’re the last in your age group but still not yet in your 20s. It’s not the same as when you turn 18. When you’re 18, you can officially vote, get a tattoo without your parent’s permission, and you can even be summoned for jury duty! There is no landmark, only the realization that this is the last year you’ll be a teenager. That’s exactly why you’ve got to enjoy it!
After 19, comes our 20s and a whirlwind of possibilities. In my 20s, I’ll be building my career, moving out of my hometown, and potentially becoming a homeowner (hopefully). But before I overthink about the future, I want to enjoy my last year as a teenager. So here’s a list of things I want to do and I hope it inspires you all!
Traveling on my own:
Over the years, I’ve loved traveling and getting to know new places. Whether it’s going to a new city in the United States or traveling to another country. Getting to know a place different from your own is extremely important because it gives you more perspective. That’s why I’ve always valued traveling. Since I was younger, I often traveled with my family and have never really experienced traveling on my own. But since I’m so young with no real responsibilities, I want to prioritize learning how to travel more on my own and being financially responsible for my endeavors. This will include learning how to navigate buses, subways, airports, etc., all on my own. Real-life skills I’ll need throughout my 20s. I have a few friends who went out of state for college and live in cities I’ve never been to or that I don’t know very well. One of my goals is to go visit them! Fingers crossed, I’ll be able to make a trip to Philadelphia this spring break. Overall, I’m excited for the trips I plan to make as I enjoy my last year of being a teenager!
Document memories:
I’ve appreciated my dad always taking pictures of my siblings and me because it allowed me to remember memories I once forgot. Documenting memories is so precious because it allows people to remember small things like what haircut they had back then, what they were wearing, where they were, etc. I want to start documenting more memories I’ll share with my friends in college and memories I make when I’m back home. Digital cameras have come back in style again, and I plan to invest in one so I’ll have physical copies of the memories I’ll be making! The cameras also produce a more nostalgic feel. Today’s iPhones are so precise that sometimes it’s nice to just have pictures look more sentimental. I’ll appreciate my younger self for documenting memories because it’ll give me something to look back on!
Say yes to more things:
I want to challenge myself to get out of my comfort zone more, and a great way to do this is to say yes to more things. Although I consider myself a pretty social person, I want to do more things. It’s great to have the mindset that you only have so much time to do certain things. I won’t be a teenager going to concerts with my closest friends or going on trips to the beach. To be blunt, I’m not the richest, but it’s because I indulge in these experiences with my friends. Money comes and goes, but the time we have with the people close to us isn’t forever. If I have even the slightest thought that I want to do something, I will. I don’t want to live with regret, and if something goes wrong, that’ll be a funny story to tell one day.
Continue enjoying the present:
I’ve always been someone who is always looking into the future. I always want to focus on what is happening next, as opposed to what’s happening now. During this last year of being a teenager, I want to make it a goal for myself to focus on the present. I have the rest of my life to worry about my career and all types of adult stuff. Currently, I just want to focus on enjoying college with my friends and just enjoying being a teen one last time. As cheesy as it sounds, I have enjoyed being a teenager. I’ve learned a lot of things from personal relationships, my own emotions, organization skills, etc. I’ll apply things I learned from my teens to the rest of my life. I want to live in the moment as much as possible and bask in this last year!
I’m very appreciative of these last few years and have loved being a teenage girl. This is going to sound dramatic but it makes me almost sad that I’ll be closing this chapter of my life in August (save the date!). Growing up can be hard, but as I said, I’m always looking forward to the future. Until then I’ll focus on what’s going on living in the moment:).