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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cal Lutheran chapter.

Every year I cannot wait for December to arrive because there’s so much to look forward to. Besides Christmas, I love December because it’s also my birth month. This year I will be saying goodbye to my crazy teenage years and will be welcoming in the start of a new chapter in my life. It’s emotional to think about everything that I’ve experienced as a teenager. I am most grateful for all the lifelong friendships I have made, experiences that I will share with my children one day, and lessons that I have learned along the way. Throughout my entire teenage experience, I would always think to myself, “Wow, I cannot wait to be an adult.”  I believed life would be a lot less complicated while adulting because I would have the final say in all my decisions. I was wrong. Now that I am quickly approaching my twenties, I wish I could pause time for a while.

Slowly but surely I am learning that there’s so much responsibility that comes with independence. I never thought I would be calling my parents every day asking for advice because I thought I had it all figured out. One thing I have learned is that having a great support system goes a long way. I am so thankful for all the love and guidance I receive from the people that matter most to me. Gentle reminder: You are never alone and there’s always someone out there that is willing to help. The hard truth about adulting is that it is difficult and we should not put ourselves on a timeline. It is so easy to get caught up in what other people are doing that we tend to put ourselves down for what we are not doing. I have never been one to admit that social media is a toxic environment but recently I have been noticing why some people might side with this opinion. Most people, myself included, only post the most glamorous parts of their lives, and as much as society loves to see people happy and thriving it can also be discouraging. We may think to ourselves, “Why can’t I have a life like theirs?” I firmly believe that envy is one of the most toxic things that we can project into our own lives. People do not always share with the world the rough times in their journey that they had to go through in order to be in the positions they are today. This is something we all need to remember, especially in our early adult years. It is important to accept that we are all on our own path and good things take time. 

To my teenage years: Thank you for all the memories and blessings, you will be missed. The 2022 Sagittarius season is all about positivity, so we should all do our part to embrace it as much as possible as this year comes to an end.

Amaris Carrillo

Cal Lutheran '25

Hello! My names Amaris Carrillo and I was born & raised in Santa Paula, California. I am a second year at California Lutheran University majoring in Biology and minoring in Public Health. I plan on pursuing a career in the anesthesiology field of medicine. I love taking pictures & the color pink!