Twenty-one is the age we all find ourselves looking forward to being. It's the age where we can finally toss away that fake ID and legally drink alcohol.

With turning twenty-one, I find myself realizing that four years ago I was seventeen years old, getting my license, and in four years from now I'll be twenty-five, maybe engaged.

That's crazy, also probably un-realistic, but you get the point.

But with my twenty-one amazing years on this earth, I've learned some lessons that I'll take with me for the rest of my life, lessons that I want to share, and hopefully ones that will teach others.

1. Life doesn't go the way you plan it to.

Just because life doesn't happen the way you wanted it to, doesn't mean it's for the worst, 99.9 percent of the time it's for the best.

2. Time goes by faster than you think.

Remember growing up every adult would tell you how fast time goes, to have you only roll your eyes at them, since you've heard it a million times before? You never really realize how true it is till you look back on the life that's passed you by.

3. Be spontaneous, go outside your comfort zone.

Some of your best memories happen when you just go with it, and when you step outside your comfort zone. Don't be nervous, your future self will thank you for all the memories.

4. Sometimes you need a break.

Whether it's from your friends, family, school, or work.

5. More importantly, give yourself a break.

Stop being so hard on yourself. The test grade you got won't matter in five years from now, let alone five weeks.

6. Go out of your way to be a nice person.

As cliche as that may sound, it's the god honest truth. It's a self-rewarding feeling.

7. When you fall, get back up.

And when you get back up, try again until your successful. Success doesn't happen in one day, or instantly. Sometimes all you need to succeed is failure.

8. Appreciate everything around you.

Whether it's your friends' presence, the way your parents go out of their way to do things, or the way sun reflects off the ocean.

9. Karma is real, and it's definitely a b****.

What comes around, goes around.

10. Talk to people you never would normally talk to.

You'll learn so much from seeing their perspective on things, and you'll make a new friend.

11. High school isn't the greatest time of your life.

And if it is, you're definitely missing out on your college years.

12. Don't be cheap, but don't be stupid with your money.

If your friends want to take a trip for Spring Break, do it, no matter what the cost might be. There's always time to make money, but nothing can take away that experience.

13. Don't be friends with people who treat you badly.

Friends are supposed to support each other, motivate one another, and be proud of the person you are who you are becoming. If a friendship doesn't bring you happiness, leave it.

14. Don't waste time on people.

If you're not happy in a relationship, leave. You're wasting time on someone who doesn't make you as happy as you can be when there's someone out there that can.

15. More importantly, don't waste someone else's time.

If you're not feeling it, tell them. Like I said in the previous bullet, you're wasting their time when they can be with someone who actually cares.

16. Put yourself first.

It's your life, live it the way you want to.

17. Worrying, and stressing, benefit you in no way.

Relaxxxxx, everything will work out.

18. Drink a lot of water.

Breaking out? Drink water. Hungover? Drink water. Tired? Drink water. Hot? Drink water. Bored? Drink water.

19. Hard work always pays off.

Whoever said it didn't, didn't work hard enough.

20. Read a good book, every once in a while.

Not because your teacher assigned it, but because you want to.

21. Don't give up on your dreams, no matter how unrealistic they seem to be.

Because you literally can achieve anything you put your mind to.

Twenty-one is the age that many of us look forward to, but it's what we've learned along the way that really matters.