This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCF chapter.

Some of my fondest memories from when I was five include freaking out over boy bands and crying over cute puppies. Fast forward 15 years and, well, that all still happens on the daily. #SorryNotSorry These past 20 years have been quite the roller coaster; here are some of the lessons I have learned along the ride.

1. Live in the moment. The world is a beautiful place! Forget the past, live in the present, and you’ll enjoy life’s offerings a little more.

2. There is a Taylor Swift song for every occasion. Heartbreak? Feelin’ empowered? Recently turned 22? Homegirl has got a song for you!

3. You can’t please everyone. One of my weaknesses is that I always try to make everyone happy. Trust me when I say that this is nearly impossible. Do what is best for you.

4. Don’t change for the benefit of others. Someone who truly cares for you will accept you for YOU. Anyone who tries to change you is 100% not worth your time.

5. Take time to truly find yourself. One of my favorite pastimes is taking personality tests. My favorites are the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (INFJ, anyone?) and the Clifton StrengthsFinder test. There is nothing more empowering than honing in on what makes you strong and unique!

6. There is nothing wrong with a good crying sesh. Sometimes life gets overwhelming and you just gotta cry it out. Simple as that. Ice cream is optional, but very highly suggested.

7. Not all friends are meant to last. Here’s my theory: everyone that walks into your life serves a purpose. They are either a blessing or a lesson. Losing a friend is one of the worst feelings, but sometimes they’re the ones that are causing the negative vibes in your life. Take it as a lesson, learn from it, and turn it into something positive!

8. Do nice things for others. THIS. There is nothing more heartwarming and satisfying than putting a smile on someone else’s face. Take time every day to initiate random acts of kindness. Do good and feel good.

9. Do nice things for yourself. Treat. Yo. Self. Seriously, do (at least) one kind thing each day for yourself. You deserve it!

10. Learn to love yourself. Life is way too short to go through everyday feeling negative thoughts towards yourself. It gets exhausting. Very exhausting. “You is kind, you is smart, you is important.” REPEAT THAT WEEKLY. DAILY. HOURLY. Or, better yet, get it tattooed.

11. Don’t have your life mapped out? No problem! For some reason there is this huge pressure on young adults to have their lives all planned out. All I know is I want to graduate from UCF, help people, and adopt all the dogs. Do I have a plan for the rest of my life? Nope, but that is a-okay!

12. Appreciate the simple things. When life gets overwhelming, I like to do three things. The first is eat all the ice cream. Next, I cry. Then, I take time to admire the little things in life. Bath & Bodyworks candles, sunflowers, Sharpie pens, cute journals from T.J. Maxx, boys with nice arms…ah, gotta love life and its simple pleasures.

13. It’s okay to be single. I am so beyond guilty of complaining that I’m going to be forever alone and live with lots of cats and dogs. In reality, I’ve been single almost all my life and I am so grateful for that, because it has allowed me to focus on bettering myself.

14. Take a day to do nothing. Okay, so I probably do this way more often than I should. But seriously, R E L A X. Watch Netflix. Read a book. Draw. Go to the beach. Or, my personal favorite, sleep. ALL. DAY.

15. Challenge yourself. Lately, I have been challenging myself to step outside of my comfort zone. And you know what? Amazing things have happened. Try it! You are capable of more than you realize.

16. Eat the ice cream. This one requires no explanation. You deserve all the ice cream, all the time.

17. Learn to say no. Sometimes I agree to things just to please others. Am I making them happy? Sure! Am I making myself happy? Not necessarily.

18. My anxiety does not define me. I have always been so incredibly self-conscious about my anxiety. Over the years, I have realized that anxiety will only affect me as much as I allow it to. Rather than let anxiety define me, I choose to let my other kick-butt traits do so.

19. Late night beach trips are therapeutic. There is something so peaceful about having the entire beach to yourself and gazing up at the stars. 10/10 would recommend.

20. Spread kindness and show appreciation. This one is simple. The world becomes a more beautiful place for yourself and for others when you choose to radiate positive energy.

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