I may have just recently become a legal adult, but I think I've learned a few valuable lessons in the short amount of time I've been on this earth. These are 18 of the most important things I've learned in my 18 years that have helped me understand this crazy little thing called life a tad bit better - hopefully they'll help you, too.

1. Be your own best friend.

You can't cultivate meaningful, lasting relationships with anyone else until you truly get to know yourself. So spend lots of time alone. Take yourself out on dates. Find out what makes you happiest in life. Only when you've become undeniably confident in who you are as a person and fallen unconditionally in love with yourself can you present the real you to the world.

2. He isn't worth it.

You'll never get back all those sleepless nights you spent waiting for the boy who broke your heart to call and beg for your forgiveness. He's gone, he isn't coming back, and he didn't deserve you anyway. Someone worthy of your love will come along soon enough, but don't waste your tears on someone you crossed oceans for while he wouldn't even jump over puddles for you.

3. There are more important things in life than what people think of you.

In high school, winning the approval of the popular kids might be up there in priority level with eating and sleeping, but I promise it doesn't matter. If you spend those four years changing everything about yourself to fit in, you'll be lost when you move beyond that small, insignificant building and try to find your place in the real world. It's better to embrace who you are early on and be confident in it than be whoever the people around you want you to be and end up confused. So don't wear makeup, join the marching band, go to Walmart at 2AM in your pajamas...just be yourself. The real, raw, unadulterated version.

4. Friends come and go, but family is forever.

This saying might be cliche, but it couldn't be more true. Friends can be as unreliable as the wind, but the people who have been with you since day one will never leave. Family doesn't care about cliques, gangs, trends, or popularity. They're all you have and you're all they have, and the bond between you is unbreakable. Water is sweet but blood is thicker.

5. Eat the damn cookie.

Life is way too short to eat clean all the time and deny yourself the treats you're craving. Those extra few pounds are midnight brownies with your roommates, Sonic runs with your family, and date night with your boyfriend. Don't miss out on unforgettable memories just to have a flat stomach for bikini season. Happy is more beautiful than skinny.

6. Overthinking doesn't solve problems.

In fact, it makes everything worse. Imagining the worst-case scenario for every issue you encounter will send you spiraling down a rabbit hole of anxiety and depression. Overthinking usually stems from uncertainty, so coming up with a game-plan to solve the problem is likely to prevent things from snowballing out of control.

7. Nobody is perfect - and that's a beautiful thing.

We all make mistakes, but they can be our greatest teachers. Screwing up shows us what we need to do differently in the future. Every setback is just a setup for something even greater - as long as you're learning from your mistakes, you can use them to improve yourself and your life in amazing ways.

8. There are few problems that can't be solved with a spoon and a jar of peanut butter (or a bowl of ice cream.)

Breakups, friend drama, your favorite Grey's Anatomy character dying...peanut butter and ice cream understand.

9. Honesty really is the best policy.

Lying may seem like the easiest option sometimes, but it only complicates things. You end up having to tell more lies to cover up the initial one until you forget what you even lied about in the first place. You'll get caught eventually, and chances are, the person will be even more mad than if you'd just told the truth in the beginning.

10. Appreciate the little things in life.

I know that sounds corny, but we tend to take certain insignificant things for granted until they're gone. Hugs from your parents, deep belly laughs with your best friends, peaceful nature walks with no noise other than chirping birds...you'd be amazed at how much more positive your mindset will be when you stop looking at the bigger picture all the time and learn to enjoy simplicity.

11. Always be present.

We spend so much time dwelling on the past or worrying about the future that we forget about the most important time period: right now. You can't change what already happened, so thinking about it serves no purpose. You can't predict what will happen, so fearing the worst is irrational. The only time we have control over is the present moment, and if you spend it in the past or the future, you're never truly living at all.

12. Never underestimate the power of a hot bubble bath.

I know a lot of y'all agree with me on this one. I've had some pretty striking revelations in the bathtub ranging from how I felt about a boy to what I wanted for dinner. So if you feel overwhelmed or confused, try soaking your troubles away - you might be surprised at how much better you feel afterwards.

13. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

There's no shame in admitting you don't have it all figured out. Nobody does. We're all figuring out this crazy thing called life together, and accepting that you need guidance is something to be proud of.

14. Patience is a virtue...

I think we've all jumped into relationships out of loneliness or desperation because we didn't want to wait for the "right" guy, or at least cut someone off on the highway because we couldn't wait to get home. That guy might have been seconds away from talking to you until he saw you with someone else, and that car you got in front of might have been a woman in labor trying to get to the hospital. Being patient will make you feel better about yourself and will usually bring you bigger and better things in the end.

15. ...but you still have to fight for what you believe in.

The saying, "Good things come to those who wait," doesn't mean you can be lazy and expect opportunities to fall into your lap. You still have to apply for internships, call prospective employers when you don't hear from them, and get active in government to see the changes you want. You may not get hired the place you really wanted to work, and the politicians may not hear you at first - that's where patience comes in. You vow to keep trying, never give up, and know that a door will open eventually as long as you keep knocking.

16. Things won't always go according to plan.

It's how you handle the chaos that truly matters. Stay calm and collected because things have a funny way of working out in the end.

17. Love yourself first.

You can't give love to others until you've mastered the art of loving yourself. It's more difficult than you might think because it goes beyond physical appearance and how others perceive you - it has everything to do with the essence of who you are as a person. When you can unconditionally fall in love with yourself, when you can embody what it is to BE love, then and only then are you ready to reciprocate that.

18. Don't take life so seriously.

You'll fall down, but you'll stand up even taller. You'll take steps back, but you'll also take giant leaps forward. Very few things are set in stone. You'll get second chances. So stop stressing about every move you make and start actually LIVING.