21 Lessons I’ve Learned In 21 Years

Today is my 21st birthday, and I’m not really sure how I feel about that. I don’t really think that I’m a grownup yet, but I have all these grownup responsibilities.

I have a history of terrible birthdays, so in the hopes of having a good birthday, I’m going to share my learned wisdom with you all.

1.     A little kindness goes a long way.

This feels self-explanatory, but who knows. Just be a good person. Do things for other people that you would want them to do for you. Smile more often, give more compliments.

2.     Write everything down.

Honestly? How do people get anything done without writing it down? My planner is my life, I write everything down. My appointments, due dates, class times, grocery lists…anything that pops into my brain.

3.     Your health is most important.

Don’t force yourself to go to class if you feel like garbage. Don’t stay up late studying if you’re sleep deprived. 20 years from now, you won’t remember your grade on that one exam that one time.

4.     Don’t be so hard on yourself.

My dad reminds me this on a regular basis. It’s easy to get caught up with “I could have done this better, why did I do that” but at the end of the day, you are the best person you can be.

5.     Family first.

I love my family more than anything, and I don’t think that they know that sometimes. I try to remind them as often as I can, but it’s hard when I go to school so far away from them.

6.     Actions speak louder than words.

Classic, right? If you post stuff on Facebook and Instagram about how important it is for other people to do good, but you yourself aren’t a great person, then what’s the point? Go volunteer, help a friend, and strive to be incredible.

7.     Live genuinely.

It’s easy to get caught up in social media and the superficial world that it creates, but that ish isn’t real life. Be real, and realize what truly matters in life. Say what you mean, and mean what you say.

8.     Love genuinely.

What, Ariel? Our generation is so obsessed with hating things. It’s so ‘cool’ to be uninterested and detached. And that’s kind of gross, honestly. Love what you love and don’t let anyone stop you. Love fiercely and passionately and wildly.

9.     Pick your battles.

Just think, is this something I want to fight about? Do I want to spend energy continuing to argue about this? Probably not. This lesson is a hard one to learn, and you’ll probably have to remind yourself of it often.

10. Relax…take it easy.

To quote the MIKA song, relax…take it easy. You don’t have to go out every night and do a million things. Just make sure that you’re happy. Staying in and watching Netflix once in a while doesn’t make you a bad person. Chill.

11. Start now.

We’re all guilty of making excuses. “I’ll start tomorrow, next month, next year.” If you want to make a change, start right now. If your goal is to lose weight, or get better grades, then go for it.

12. Don’t knock it until you try it.

            The rule in our house was always that you couldn’t say that you didn’t like something until you tried it once. Whether it was oysters, or a new book, you can’t say you don’t like something if you haven’t even tried it. (Except if that thing is mushrooms. Barf city.)

13. Shake it off.

            I worry a lot, about everything. But worrying gives you wrinkles, and it makes you feel like trash. So try not to worry about things. And if you are worrying about something, do what you can to change it. I think it’s important to acknowledge your problems, but you really can’t complain too much unless you’re going to work to fix those problems. (#lessonwithinalesson?)

14. Naps and showers fix everything.

            Ever heard the phrase “sleep on it?” It’s true. Whenever I feel stuck, I take a shower, and then I go to sleep. And when I wake up, there is a 100% chance that I feel better.

15. Don’t forget what you value.

            In college, it can be easy to lose sight of what you believe in. Take time for your religion, or your health, or whatever it is that matters to you.

16. Keep an open mind and an open heart.

            Talk to someone from a culture that’s different than yours, try to gain a new perspective in any way that you can. You can be best friends with someone, and have completely different beliefs and customs than that person.

17. Make the most of every experience.

            Put your phone down, and try to be in the moment. Realize that life is short, and time flies. Make a commitment to be fully present.

18. Do what you love.

            Use your spare time to do what you love, whether it’s a sport or volunteering. If you don’t know what you love yet, don’t worry. There’s still time to find it. In the mean time, discover new things!

19. Make sure that the people in your life know that they are important to you.

            Remind the people that you appreciate that you appreciate them. You can never hear it too often, and it will mean a lot to them.

20. Don’t stretch yourself too thin.

            I’m definitely guilty of trying to do everything, and then exhausting myself. Know your limits, and set boundaries for yourself, and say no to people when you need to.

21. Love, love, love.

            A life with love is one worth living!

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