This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UNH chapter.
As I recently celebrated my 20th birthday, I accumulated 20 things I’ve learned over my two decades of life!
- Real friends make an effort – I’ve learned pretty quickly that if someone wants you in their life, they’ll make it known. And if you’re having doubts about them or if they’re being flakey, you’re probably going to be just fine without them!
- It’s okay to cry – Sometimes you just need to let it all out, and scream, and cry, and break your own walls down, and let yourself be vulnerable. You don’t get a lot of privacy in college, so when you do, make time to get into your feels every once and a while and connect with your emotions.
- Be flexible – Things aren’t always going to go your way, and there’s a lot that’s not in our control. The only thing you can control is how you react, so when things don’t go to plan try your hardest not to let it ruin your day and be as easy going as possible.
- You’ll never regret being kind to someone – It may not always be convenient to go out of your way to help someone out, but it will never be something you regret. Make time in your day to be kind to others; it’ll brighten both of your days.
- Iced coffee fixes everything – Bad day? Treat yourself to Saxby’s. A lot of homework? Grab a coffee and get it done. Had a long day and it’s only 11:30 am? Have a little midday caffeine.
- TO-DO lists. That’s all – Write down everything. Every single little assignment, chore, and task. It’s so therapeutic to cross things off and definitely makes your list of things to do way less daunting.
- Put out the energy you want to receive – I’m a very strong believer in what goes around comes around, and the attitudes and energy that you give off is a big indicator of the cards the universe deals you and karma is real.
- Pursue your dreams at all costs – When it’s 1 am and you’re only halfway done with the essay that’s due in the morning, remember your end goal and the reason you’re here in the first place.
- Having a best friend is a necessity – Having someone to vent to, balance you out, and accompany you through all your new experiences; good and bad, is vital to surviving college.
- Overtired laughs are the best – You’ll have the hardest, most giggly laughs when you get so overtired and everything seems funny even though it’s not. I call these sleepy HaHa’s.
- Talk out your problems – I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve explained a situation out loud and had the explanation on how to solve it instantly come to me after verbalizing it. Saying aloud what is bothering you makes the solution seem so easy or makes you realize how small the problem really is.
- Be friends with people who have different ideas and values – It teaches you a lot about your own beliefs and forces you to put yourself in other people’s shoes and appreciate the other side of things
- Embrace your astrological sign – have fun with your zodiac sign, weekly horoscope, tarot cards, and the crystals on the windowsill. Don’t let them make your decisions for you but check in with the universe once and a while.
- You’ll outgrow things that you were so embarrassed about – Every embarrassing story is laughable when given enough time, so don’t take yourself so seriously.
- Be overly comfortable with the people you love – Talk about all the random thoughts that pop into your head, practice dances you see on TikTok, and tell embarrassing stories, even if they laugh at you.
- Have an open mind – Even though its cliché, don’t judge a book by its cover because nothing is really as it seems. Whether you’re approaching new people or new experiences, have an open mind and be optimistic about what it could bring to your life.
- Let yourself be homesick – Sometimes you just burst into tears after a phone call with your mom. And that’s okay. Allow yourself to miss family and friends so that when you go back home it’s just that much sweeter.
- Be assertive – Now I’m not saying be aggressive or mean, but absolutely do not be afraid to speak your mind or stand up for yourself. You’re your own first advocate.
- Focus on yourself – The best things come to you when you’re not worried about what other people think, or when you’re trying to impress someone. The good luck and best surprises come to you when you focus on you and your goals.
- I don’t know anything – I know this is an exaggeration, but my point is that I’m still learning. I thought I knew a lot at 13, then at 16, and then at 18, so I know it would be naive to think I’ve got it all figured out at this point in my life. All I can do is embrace the unknown and use my experiences to guide me as best as I can.