I have such a love/hate relationship with my birthday. I hate the fact that I'm slowly and steadily making my way towards the real world and old age, but I also love looking forward to the next year and what it may entail. Age 18 proposed a lot of changes in my life. I graduated high school, I had my first internship, I went to college, I met some great friends and I made a few mistakes along the way. For every mistake I've made in my life, there has been an important life lesson waiting behind it. Some of these lessons are funny, some are serious, but all of them make me who I am today. Some may even call me wise beyond my years. That being said, I think I've made more mistakes than the average college freshman. So, in honor of my 19th birthday, here is a list of 19 things I've learned in my 19 years.
1. Do not get bangs. Bangs are cute when you're five, but they're not cute when you're 13, trying to look angsty with the side-swept variety.
2. On a similar note, stop with the eyeshadow. Fortunately for me, I was never a makeup connoisseur, so this was a lesson learned through the eye(shadow)s of my best friend when we were 14.
3. Some foods do taste better than skinny feels. Pasta, cookies, ice cream. Lots of things taste better than skinny feels. The food is worth it, trust me, but eat some healthy food too.
4. You're not fat. Fat isn't an adjective. Fat is a noun. It is a physical product that you need to survive. You're more than the percentage of body fat in your body, so don't let anyone tell you differently.
5. Curly hair is cool too. My hair is messy and sometimes obnoxious, but if what my friends say is true, that I can rock the messy hair look, that's a win in my book because my hair reflects my life: a somewhat contained mess.
6. Never wait for a boy to love you back. I don't crush that easily, but when I do, I crush hard. I'm talking secretly in crush with someone for two years, but there are few boys worth waiting for. You need to find a boy that wants to be with you. Any boy worth having is going to make sure you know he likes you.
7. Nice guys can actually turn out to be not so nice. I'm not saying you should walk around with your guard up and never let anyone in, but just be careful. Even the guy that tells you you're beautiful and buys you flowers can turn out to be a jerk.
8. You need (at least) one outfit that you feel beautiful in. When everything falls apart, there is nothing better than strutting down the street in the outfit that makes you feel like a star.
9. Kindness will get you far in life. Being deemed the "nice" girl is one of the best compliments ever. I'd choose being the nice girl over being the hot girl, or the athletic girl, or the smart girl any day of the week.
10. The girl that was there with you through braces, middle parts, high school, and frat boy drama is your true soulmate. 10 years from now you may be standing at the alter with a fabulous man, but the girl that's holding your bouquet? That's the true soulmate. She's been with you for every big moment in life. She's your person.
11. Every girl needs at least one best guy friend. He'll always be there to watch college football with you. He'll be honest and tell you when you're being dumb or when you need to steer clear of that guy you've been talking to. You can truly be yourself around him and he'll never judge you. Shout out to all the guy BFFs out there.
12. Older sisters are way more understanding than you'd think. You guys may have pulled each others' hair and pinched each other, but you've both grown up (a little) since then. She's basically you, but with a little more life experience. Let her share some wisdom with you.
13. It's okay to need your mom once in a while. You may think you're so grown up, but you're not. Moms will always be there for you. They'll be there to celebrate with you when you get into college. They'll be there to giggle with you when a boy asks you to prom. Moms really rock, and like "holla"--you're the reason I'm celebrating my birthday anyway.
14. Dads teach so many more lessons than one might think. He's the one that taught me how a man should treat a woman. He's also the one that taught me what true hard work and laughter are. There are few things better than that look of pride your dad gets when you accomplish something great, like graduating from high school.
15. Grandmas are the best role models. My grandma is 76 years old and still struts around in six-inch high heels. That's the woman I want to be when I'm older. She loves with all her heart. She reminds me of the importance of being a good, moral person. She can also cook some mean meals.
16. Your actions reflect on your parents, your friends, your Greek chapter and pretty much everything that makes you who you are. Be mindful of how you portray yourself in public. You can be you but just remember that news travels fast.
17. Everyone is fighting battles you know nothing about. We're all human, so we all make judgments about others. It happens. But, don't forget that everyone has a private life and you have no idea what happens in that life. Be kind. Think before you speak, or judge, or gossip, or make fun of someone.
18. Everything you do, do it wholeheartedly. Never half-ass anything. Study hard. Party hard. Love hard. Life is just too short to live it any other way.
19. We're only getting older. I'm already 19. In one more year I'm going to be in my 20s. That's scary, but I'm going to live every moment like I'm gonna die in the next second.
