Nineteen feels strange; I’ve moved past the wonder of eighteen, and twenty is just one year away.
At nineteen, I’m stuck.
I’ve learned some lessons though, good and bad:
- Forgiving is difficult. But you must forgive. Allow yourself to let go of the anger towards those who have hurt you, and most importantly, make peace with your mistakes. Forgiving yourself often proves to be the most difficult of tasks.
- You will find your people; do not change yourself when doing so.
- Excitement and happiness are to be found in doing the things you love. Do not let others discourage you.
- If you feel afraid of getting attached to someone, keep him/her close. It may hurt if he/she falls through, but you tried. And trying is better than having done nothing.
- You may feel lonely in college; in fact, you’ll definitely feel lonely at times. And that is okay.
- Art is powerful, and it will always be at your disposal.
- Radiate confidence.
- Apply to everything. The more applications you submit, the better your chances of being accepted to something. A brilliant woman always tells me this...thanks, Mom.
- If surrounded by the right people, you won’t feel the need to drink in order to enjoy yourself.
- Although fictional, Brooke Davis can most certainly be your inspiration.
- Listen attentively and often to those you love. Listen to strangers, too. They all have some crazy, exciting, heartbreaking, and inspiring stories to share.
- Oversized sweaters are always appropriate, even throughout the summer.
- Loving your body is so hard. I have struggled most days with accepting each and every part of it. I dance, laugh, write, and live in those parts, however, and for that, I cannot love them enough.
- Keep in touch; people miss you more than you believe, and I’m sure you reciprocate the same.
- Do not be afraid of saying no. Take time in learning to loudly, clearly, and unapologetically decline the people and things that do not serve you well.
- Time may scare you. It scares me, too. Rather than working against it, remind yourself of its ticking, and live each second, passionately.
- Freshly baked cupcakes are to be cherished.
- Push yourself, but do not be so strenuous.
- The decisions you have made thus far will affect parts of your future, but they will in no way define it. Never feel as if you cannot start over; nineteen truly is just the beginning.
