I just turned 20 (which is SO WEIRD). Typically 20 year-olds aren't considered the most knowledgeable or wise people on the planet. We tend to be the crazy college students who stay up half the night doing homework that we procrastinated on for days. We're the ones hanging out with friends instead of studying. We're the ones eating pizza at 2 AM for no apparent reason. I'm here to say, I'm not super knowledgeable or wise. I don't have my life figured out in the least. And I may or may not have eaten pizza three times in the last week. I still have a LOT to learn. However, I'm here to say that we 20 year-olds aren't all stupid, and we aren't all lazy. We're learning. And I've picked up some pretty solid bits and pieces of wisdom over these last two decades of life on this earth that are worth sharing. So here ya go...you're welcome.

1. You've just gotta laugh.

Listen and watch things that make you laugh. Surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Laugh at yourself. We're all kind of a mess.

2. Singing is always a great choice.

I'm a singer, so I'm biased here, but it has been proven that singing makes you happier. So sing in the car. Sing in the shower. It doesn't matter if you "can't" sing. Sing anyways.

3. Friendship can, and should, transcend age.

I have friends that are half my age and twice my age, and I learn so much from all of them. At the end of the day, that younger human is still a human. That older human is still a human. You'd be surprised how much you have in common with people of all ages.

4. School really doesn't matter enough to stress over in the grand scheme of things.

Don't get me wrong, education matters. You have to care about school. You should absolutely try your hardest to do well. Strive for excellence. But at the end of the day, school is not wortI h melting down over. It's not worth crying over. I've been there. I'll probably be there again. But school really isn't something you should spend your tears on. It isn't the be all, end all.

5. People are ALWAYS the priority.

Think ahead ten years. What will you remember? It won't be the stuff. It'll be the people. People matter more than any of your stuff. Care about people. Love on people. Make people the priority in your life.

6. If a moment moves you to tears, let it.

Happy tears, sad tears, tears about just how beautiful our world is. Let them flow. Allow your emotions to fully invest in life and this world. There is nothing wrong with letting moments powerfully move you. Let them do just that.

7. Sleep is wonderful.

Enough said.

8. Your life isn't going to look like anyone else's--and that's a good thing.

There have been times in my life when I didn't do what was "obviously right" because it wasn't right for me. Maybe everyone else thought that the obvious thing was to do a certain program or major, but it wasn't obvious for me. It wasn't where I was called to be. That happens. That's okay. You aren't everyone else. You are you.

9. Put yourself out there and create your own opportunities, and other opportunities start to find you.

Don't see an opportunity to do what you love? Make an opportunity. Put yourself out there and show people why you're passionate about what you're passionate about. People will notice and opportunities will follow.

10. When asked if you would like some ice cream, the answer should always be a giant, “YES!”

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream.

11. Tell people that they rock.

I see people in my life doing crazy awesome things ALL. THE. TIME. I've learned that while it's great to think that, it is always better to say it. Support people. Love on people. Be there with people. People are cool.

12. Traveling to new places grows you.

I don't travel a ton, and I haven't been out of the country (yet!), but every time I venture to a new place, I learn. I learn about myself. I learn about other people. I learn about the world.

13. Studying what you love makes school a whole lot better.

I'm a cliche for this one, as I study Arts Administration, but it doesn't matter. Love engineering? Study that. Love education? Study that. Love international studies? Study that. Whatever you are passionate about--study it.

14. Family is super important.

Love 'em. Love 'em a lot.

15. Friends are super important.

Love 'em. Love 'em a lot.

16. God is super-duper important.

Friends and family are an incredibly important support system. I 100% think that you need those people in your life to survive and thrive. You've got to be poured into and pour into others. However, that alone is not enough. Nothing is enough on this earth. If you try to make it enough, you'll never find joy. Joy can only be found from the Creator and Savior. When you put your trust and hope in Him, everything else starts to fall into place.

17. You don't need a boyfriend or a girlfriend.

I say this as a very very single person. Sometimes being single is not fun, but you know what? Your relationship status doesn't define you. It just doesn't. Be you. You are enough.

18. Sometimes you just need to dance it out.

I can't dance, but I'll be the first to say that an occasional dance party after a particularly horrible day is one of the best things you can do.

19. If you focus on eternal things, the problems on this earth don't seem so big.

This has been my mindset lately. I'm am very much a lover and follower of Jesus, and I've found that when I keep an eternal mindset and remember that the only things that really matter are the Lord, his people, and the Gospel, everything gets better. 100% of the time.

20. Always take the time to stare at the sky.

I love the sky. Love it love it love it. From sunrise to sunset and all the stars and blue skies in between, the sky is a beautiful thing that we all happen to reside under.

Keep looking up.