The saying goes, "you can't pick your family, but you can pick your friends." While that is true, I have learned that, on occasion, your friends really do become your family.
Being the socially awkward and introverted girl that I am, making friends has never been my strong suit. High school was a flurry of moving from friend group to friend group trying to find who I was. To my complete dismay the summer after my senior year I realized I only had one true friend. On the first day of my freshman year, I sat in my math class completely alone. In walked my new best friend, even though she didn't know it yet. I told myself I was going to become friends with her; she looked really cool, so I did. Turns out she also lived in my building. Since then she has become a huge part of my life and has taught me some valuable things along the way.
1. It Is Okay To Cut People Off
If you have a boy that isn't treating you right or a friend that is spreading crap about you, then you don't need to continue your life with them. Life is too short to allow people to ruin your day.
2. If You Can Pay For It Then Get It
I'm not talking about little trinkets here, though. Recently I moved into my first apartment and I can afford to pay rent every month. But my dear friend paid for her rent in total up front. If it is a necessity and you don't have to make monthly payments, then why not pay for it in its entirety? This doesn't only apply to rent, you can pay for your car this way, or you can pay for an entire house. This leads me to my next point.
3. Save, Save, Save
Save your money! You don't need that $20 pizza every Friday night, let someone else pay for it for a change. If you save your money now, it will leave you a lot better off in the future. My friend had a few jobs in high school and a great work ethic, this allowed her to save up so that she didn't have to have a job her first year of college and be comfortable.
4. Pay Attention To Your Classes
I will be the fist to admit that my first year of college could have gone better. I chose to be with friends or sleep instead of studying. Instead of being with me and our other friends during the school week she usually made it a priority to study. This gave her amazing grades, and she doesn't have to retake classes. You pay for college, pay attention to it.
5. Let Go Of The Negativity
I had a job that required me to be up early in the morning and being there was incredibly stressful. Recently I have quit that job, listening to my friend's advice. You are not required to make a minimum wage job your priority, and it shouldn't be so stressful that you have anxiety attacks at work. Life is too short to work somewhere that doesn't appreciate you. So in the words of my dear friend, "Screw 'em!"
6. Adventure
Going some place new is something that everyone should try. When I met my friend I hadn't really been somewhere where I could lose myself in what was going on around me. She taught me the importance of going places and trying new things. Before her, I would never have thought about leaving the country by myself, and now, I'm planning my first trip outside the United States.
7. Respect Everything
If it hasn't given you a reason to disrespect it, then don't. We live on a dying planet and I constantly see this girl doing little things to help it. She refuses to throw cigarette butts on the ground, is a vegetarian for the good of the animals, and refuses to not swerve to avoid hitting an animal on the road. On the other hand, though, she will be the first to disrespect you if you've hurt someone she cares about.
8. Be Your Own Person
Don't follow in the footsteps of others just because that is what you were taught to do, make your own footprints for others to follow you. This girl is constantly doing something new and exciting and she never lets someone tell her to do something otherwise. If she wants to do it then she does it and deals with the consequences herself.
9. Don't Ask For Handouts
If you want something then work for it. Don't mope around your apartment and wish that you had enough money to do the things that you want to do. I think that we can all agree that in college money tends to run low, and when things got tough for my friend, she bucked up and got a job. Quit asking mommy and daddy to pay for your parking tickets, pay for your mistakes yourself. Despite everything you can make it in this world on your own hard work and merits.
10. Love Yourself
Eat that food that you want to eat, do that reckless thing that you want to do, and tell that boy you like him. You can't live your life wondering in what ifs, get out there and do it. You can always make up for your mistakes but you can never relive the experience of making it. Love yourself enough to take the risk.
Before I met my college family I didn't think friends could be as close as family. I never had a friend stick up for me the way that my friends do now. Though their behavior is sometimes reckless and I get hit with the shrapnel, I wouldn't trade them for anything.
