My 21st birthday is quickly approaching in the next few weeks and it feels as if I have been waiting for this day for the entirety of my college career. When you're younger, you think that everyone in their twenties finally knows what they are doing with their lives and they have everything together. With that being said, becoming officially legal made me look back on my first year in the twenty club and all of the things I have realized in such a short year.
1. You don't turn into an adult overnight.
No longer being a teenager seems exciting until it actually happens. Waking up on my 20th birthday, I realized that I was still just as clueless as the day before.
2. You're never too old to make new friends.
In a generation that lives by “no new friends,” we limit ourselves when it comes to making connections and building relationships that could possibly last a lifetime. I actually don’t know how I would have survived without some of the friends I’ve made over the past year, and now I cannot imagine them no longer being a part of my life.
3. It's okay to end a toxic friendship.
I get it. We all find people that we promise to be friends with forever. Sometimes, however, forever is just too long. A friend that you’ve had for two months can bring more positive vibes to your life than a friend you’ve had for ten years, and that should not bring feelings of guilt.
4. Being out of your teens does not mean that you should have everything together.
One of my biggest flaws is feeling that I should be able to be completely self-sufficient because I’m no longer a teen. The past year has taught me that you should never be ashamed to ask for help because everyone needs help at one point or another.
5. Even if you have everything planned out, expect the unexpected.
Many of us have our lives planned on perfectly organized Pinterest boards and timelines. Whether it involves education, employment, or relationships, we simply cannot predict when our life events will occur.
6. Acknowledging and expressing your feelings, as well as those of others, does not make you weak.
This is another flaw of our generation: we equate having feelings with being weak. Being able to rationally deal with emotions has actually been one of the most strengthening things that I have learned to do.
7. Everyone else's “goals” do not have to be yours.
Each time that I log onto social media, my timeline is flooded with pictures that people list as their goals. Car goals, relationship goals, baby goals (yes, really). Making someone else’s life your goal is a recipe for disaster and disappointment because we can only live the life we have been dealt and make the most out of each day.
8. Living on your own is bittersweet.
I imagined the day that I would move away from my parents from the time that I entered high school. After turning 20, I moved into my first apartment away from home and I was more homesick than I ever could have imagined. It's fun because it's your space and you make your rules, then the excitement dies down and you realize how much you miss your mom.
9. You begin to realize more things about yourself.
So many things become much clearer at this point in life: your goals, thoughts, beliefs and much more. Your beliefs will become more concrete as you begin to form your own opinions instead of blindly agreeing with those of your parents or friends.
10. Family becomes more important.
My family has always been extremely close, but they have become even more important to me over the past year. When I passed on the biggest party of the year to spend a weekend at home with my parents, I realized just how important it is to keep my family relationship strong. Life changes so fast during your 20s and keeping my family close helps to keep me grounded and level-headed during the crazy whirlwind.
11. Don't rush finding love.
As much as we crave relationships and a closeness with another person, I have realized that good things will come along when they are meant to, and not a minute before.
12. These really are the best years of your life.
This is something that I have embraced. After finishing college, I will have virtually nothing to tie me down. This is the time to make mistakes, travel, find a purpose, discover new opportunities and make a difference.
