It seems to me that for whatever reason, life changes when we hit that 20-year-old age mark. While 16 meant having the ability to drive a car and 18 meant the freedom to be viewed as an adult in the eyes of the law, 20 marks two decades of life. You may still be one year away from the legal drinking age, but that doesn’t seem to matter once you think about all the experiences you’ve had in those 20 years and all that remains to be seen.

Given this large span of time, it’s only natural that we acquire a vast amount of knowledge about ourselves and the world, much of which we carry with us for the rest of our lives.

So, for all of my fellow 20-year-olds out there who feel like they haven’t learned much in these two decades, here are the 20 things I learned during this span of time. Hopefully, some of the same is true for you.

1.) Not everyone is going to like you

Perhaps the most important lesson I have learned. Whether it’s in the pre-school because a classmate doesn’t want to share their crayons, or college because you are too much of a try-hard, there will always be people who won’t like you, and that’s OK. Be yourself, and those that are worthy of getting to know you will do the same.

2.) Forgiveness is hard, but it’s worth it

Forgiving someone who hurts you is always a difficult task, but it is so worth it in the end. Apologizing when you make a mistake is never easy, so if someone takes the time to do so, forgive them. It’s better for you, and it’s better for the other person.

3.) If you don’t like it, change it.

More often than not, we find ourselves in sticky situations where things just aren’t going our way. Our car won’t start in the morning, we can’t grasp the new concept in our biology class, and that new Amazon gizmo that we ordered looks nothing like how it was portrayed online. Guess what? It’s not the end of the world. If something just isn’t going your way or you don’t like the current reality, change it. Take the train to work, meet with the professor, try to find the hidden beauty in things that appear to be broken. You can’t always change things, but a little shift in perspective has the power to go a long way.

4.) Be thankful

I once read an article that reported on the last words terminally ill patients said before passing on, and this was one of their biggest regrets. Much of the time, we don’t stop and appreciate what we have. We don’t think that our feet hitting the ground in the morning or our ability to purchase a hot meal on the weekends is a big deal, but it is. Spend at least 20 seconds a day, and be thankful for these things, you never realize how significant they are in your life until they’re gone.

5.) Clean your room

Whether your 5-years-old or 50-years-old, this one never goes out of style. Your room is your home, and it reflects a who you are and how you take care of yourself. Fold your clothes, hang up your wet towel, and every once in a while, vacuum the carpet, it doesn’t take long and you’ll feel much better afterwards.

6.) Say “Thank You”

To the man who holds the door open for you on your way to the office, to the woman who hands you your morning coffee, to the server who clears your table- say thank you. People deserve to be acknowledged for the work they do- whether it brings you happiness or simply makes your day a little bit easier- and these two words go a long way.

7.) Apologize

As humans, we have this unfortunate feeling of shame or embarrassment when we make a mistake or do something to hurt, offend, or upset another individual. Because of that, it can sometimes be difficult to say sorry for a mistake that we make. Do it anyways. Find the courage to apologize, but don’t just let the words speak for you. Express what you’re apologizing for and ask for forgiveness. If you’re truly sorry, you will receive it.

8.) Acknowledge your mistakes, but don’t lash yourself for them

Everyone makes mistakes. There is no human being on this earth who is absolutely perfect and has never once made a mistake in their life. It’s in our nature, and it’s common. Due to its commonality, it is important to acknowledge when we make a mistake, but not beat ourselves up. Accept what you did wrong, create a plan for how to fix it moving forward, and move on. You can’t be perfect, and you shouldn’t try to be.

9.) Take a walk once a day

Most health professionals say that exercising for 30 minutes a day is beneficial, and contrary to popular belief, that’s not only because it’s good for your heart. Exercise releases endorphins, endorphins make you happy- it’s that simple! So even if you don’t have time to hit the gym for an hour-long work out, take a walk. Get yourself moving, leave your phone at home, and let all the stress from the day and anxiety about what’s to come leave your mind.

10.) Your parents are usually right

Mom and dad, if you are reading this right now I give you full permission to smile and give yourself a huge pat on the back. When we’re younger, we go through rebellious phases and denial where we believe that our parents are simply wrong about how much laundry detergent we should use or how safe it is to walk around the city at night. It’s unfortunate that it takes so many years to realize that much of the time, they know what they’re talking about. (Thanks mom and dad).

11.) Family is forever, but friends are too

You should always prioritize your family, but that doesn't mean that blood is the strongest bond humans have between one another. Whether it be your teammates, individuals that you are involved in a club with, or friends that have been in your life since you can remember- prioritize them. They are important, and if they are true friends, they will likely be in your life forever.

12.) Study

Some people may be graced with the glorious gift of procrastination that still results in an A no matter the class- others are not. I am part of the latter group, and as such I have learned that studying is necessary, and builds an incredible amount of discipline. Take 30 minutes a day, and just review the material. It isn’t asking much of yourself, and it’s worth the feeling of accomplishment when you succeed.

13.) Travel

Whether it be to a foreign country or just across state lines, travel opens up your eyes to the world that you live in, and also allows for a wonderful experience with another individual. Sometimes it’s stressful and travel complications can arise, but that leads to the independence of being a problem solver and figuring out a solution on your own.

14.) Give a hug at least once a day

Some people consider themselves “huggers” while others do not. Regardless of which category you fall into, giving/receiving a hug once a day allows for an extreme amount of comfort and stress-release. It makes you feel better when you give one, and it makes the other persons day better to receive one.

15.) You are going to fail

Ah yes, some of the scariest words out there, but also some of the truest. No matter who you are, you will experience failure at some point in your life- it’s inevitable. The benefit? Failure allows you to see what you really care about and what is truly important to you. When it happens, we have to embrace it and prepare ourselves to move forward. It does not signal the end, it simply just restarts the clock for us.

16.) Your health does matter

I don’t know what it is about being young and feeling invincible, but almost everyone I’ve known has gone through a period of time in their life when they felt unstoppable. They didn’t get their seasonal flu shot, they didn’t wear a coat during the winter, and this resulted in sickness that they didn’t care about enough to treat effectively. Sadly, we do get older and these illnesses that don’t seem like such a big deal when we’re young become a big deal later on. So please, get the flu shot.

17.) Intelligence isn’t everything

This isn’t to say that being smart isn’t important or that it doesn’t factor into life, but rather that it isn’t the only thing the world looks for. Having a strong personality, world knowledge, and obtaining the ability to converse with people and have strong communication skills goes such a long way.

18.) Always push yourself to learn more

For some, their interest lies in sports, for others, music, whatever it may be, learn everything you can in the area that interests you and then push yourself to learn and explore something new. Don’t confine yourself to one field of knowledge. Read about who our presidents were and try to understand how amazing evolution really is. Nothing negative results from having a plethora of knowledge.

19.) Find what you love, and do it!

Alright so I’m kind of stealing from Nike here, but seriously, just do it. Spend as much time as you need to discover your passion, and once you find it never stop fueling it. Work to improve on it and no matter how many setbacks you experience, keep doing it.

20.) Never stop bettering yourself

No matter how honest, hard working, loyal, or incredible you are, there is always an area that can be improved. As humans, we never stop learning and we never stop growing. We are constantly learning and experiencing new things that shape us and allow us to discover and re-discover who we are and who we want to be. It’s important to use those moments as a learning experience. And as said earlier, when you lose your way and make a mistake, acknowledge it but don’t lash yourself too long- there’s only one you.