We all swear to have the best mom in the world; and if you don’t feel that way yet, trust me that when you reach adulthood you will. Everyone will go through their teenage phase of resenting their parents but I swear the second you go to college, a whole new sense of appreciation you didn’t know was possible will come flooding in for both of your parents. And while every parent or guardian is amazing in their own right, there is something so incredible and untouchable about mothers. Every single day I notice something about myself that I can directly correlate to what my mother has passed on to me. And that level of a gift is one that can never be matched.

So, I’ve decided to spread the wisdom that my mom has given me in my near 19 years of existence as a way of thanking her and passing it forward.

1. Say “thank you”. Always. It’s way better to be the person that says “thank you” too much than to be the person that doesn’t say it enough.

2. It’s better to watch the drama than to be a part of it. While you should never hesitate to stand up for yourself, it’s way better to learn the skill of “choosing your battles” than the skill of “saying whatever is on your mind.”

3. Find a balance between being spontaneous and having a plan.

4. Don’t waste your time on people who don’t put in as much effort as you do. One-sided relationships will drain you.

5. The only person who can truly get you through a tough time is you. As much as others can help you along the way, in the end it’s up to you to make a change.

6. Always clean up after yourself! (This one is really hard to stick to in college.)

7. Growing apart is something everyone goes through and it’s okay. While it’s not easy having nothing to place blame on besides time and maturity for ending a friendship, it’s also totally natural to go your separate ways with someone who you used to be close to.

8. Good food fixes everything.

9. Learn to love the art of giving! It will make you appreciate everything you receive so much more.

10. There is always more than one side to a story. Nothing is ever black and white, so don’t view people or situations as either right or wrong.

11. CHRISTMAS TIME IS THE BEST TIME.

12. Train yourself to always think of other’s feelings first. It will save you a lot of time and heartache if you consider the effect your decision will have on others.

13. But, don’t always put others first. It is important to consider others, but in the end, you come first.

14. Offer your help to anyone and everyone.

15. Dogs are THE BEST. No offense to cat lovers, but it’s true.

16. Don’t get addicted to coffee. (This I learned simply from observing my mother’s strong caffeine addiction.)

17. Mental health days are a MUST.

18. There will always be people who judge you, who disagree with you, or who just want to create drama. Don’t ignore them, but learn to anticipate them without losing your own strength.

19. Try not to waste your time or other people’s time talking negatively about others. Yes, it is necessary to vent every now and then, but be careful who you vent to, and what you say because 9 times out of 10 it will come back to bite you in the ass.

20. Honor your commitments.

21. Appreciate what you have. This seems self-explanatory but so often people forget to do this.

22. Whenever you get the chance, travel. Open yourself up to other people, places and cultures. You’ll be better for it in the long run.

23. The more time you spend hating yourself, the longer it will take for you to be truly happy.

24. When all else fails, hold your head up and walk everywhere like you own the place. People rarely argue with the one that seems the most confident!

25. Handle your own battles, don’t let others do it for you. You won’t get anywhere without learning to hold your own.

26. Don’t over schedule yourself! Plan time to breathe and relax so you can enjoy every moment to the fullest.

27. Lastly, you have to learn to laugh at yourself.

Thank you to my mom and all of the other wonderful mothers out there. You are appreciated!