Each year of my life has been better than my last and 2015 has proved no different. I’m ending this year at the age of 20 and a sophomore at Western Kentucky University. I ended this year much differently than when I began: I’ve seen new places, I’ve met new people, and I’ve learned new things.

I learned how to pay bills.

I don’t know what this says about me, but this is the first thing that came to mind. This year I moved out of a dorm room and into a house with 5 other girls. For some reason I volunteered to be in charge of our finances. I now appreciate that the lights come on when I flip a switch; it means I remembered to pay a bill on time. I appreciate a heating system that halfway works because that means I harassed the landlord long enough to get a maintenance worker. And I appreciate good customer service because I’ve talked to some men and women who tested my patience… and that’s stating things very nicely.

I learned that life is intentional.

Anytime this year I did not focus 100 percent of my attention on a goal then I was 100 percent off track. Seriously, just think about a time in your life that you just accomplished something without meaning to… You can’t.

I learned that a short-term good feeling doesn’t always equal a long-term good feeling.

I won’t harp on this one too long, but I think this is super important. I’m in a very challenging stage of life. There’s a party going on every weekend. There are people all around me who don’t have my well-being in mind. Drinking feels good, maybe, for the night. But the hangover and repercussions of my actions do not leave me feeling good in the long run. And this same cycle is true for the countless other temptations I face each and every day.

I learned that if you don’t ask, the answer is always no.

And I’ve not heard a lot of yes’s this past year. I have definitely been slacking. I have been so scared of potential no’s that I’ve forgotten to even ask questions. So, I haven’t accomplished a whole lot and I only have myself to blame for that. Everyone is busy with their own life, no one is around to give me an extra push. At 20, I have begun to rely on myself, and it has been a slow start. That’s okay. I won’t let it happen any longer.

I learned that you’re on the road to nowhere without a good-humored disposition.

I say this all the time, but it cannot be said too much. Life is hilariously terrible sometimes and if you can’t laugh at it, it will laugh at you. That is as simple as it gets. Find people who laugh at things that shouldn’t be funny and then hold them close. They make the days easier.

These five lessons are a little random now that I go back to re-read but I tried hard to write things that you haven’t read in 3 other cliché “end of the year” articles. Being 20 is fun and interesting and I learned much more than can fit in this space. But, hopefully every year is like that. I hope I can always look back on the past 365 days sure that I’m a different person because of my experiences. 2016 has a lot to live up to though, because 2015 is one I’ll have trouble forgetting.