Turning twenty has made me think of all of the great times to come, but it has also made me think of all of the amazing memories and mistakes I have made along the way.

While there is no official guidebook to making your last teen years unforgettable (even if you can’t actually remember them), here are a few things I wish I had known before turning twenty.

1. Put your phone down. No one, and I mean no one, wants to talk to the girl with her face buried in her phone. Maybe you miss your friends at home, or maybe you just want it seem like you have friends; either way, it doesn't matter. Whether you’re walking through the quad or trying not to be awkward at a party, please for the sake of our generation, pick your head up and embrace your surroundings.  Go wander around, go talk to someone new, just go do something in the moment and do it #live with your *friends* 

2. Be confident. Having confidence is the best kept secret.  It took me a while to catch on to this one, but once you have confidence, you have everything. I don’t mean being obnoxious and letting the world know you think you’re hot; but having confidence in yourself and your actions makes life a lot happier. People want to see you for the fabulous person you truly are…you just have to let them.  And if all else fails: fake it till you make it.

3. Forget FOMO. This one is much easier said than done. With social media there to document every moment of our lives, it's hard to feel like we aren’t missing out on things.  But the truth is if you do what makes you happy, then what everyone else is doing becomes irrelevant.  There is always going to be that one party you have to miss or the game you didn’t get ticketed for, but trust me, it’s not the end of the world.  There will always be more because everything is only as fun as you make it. 

4. Never regret. I know its cliché, but this one is true: never regret anything that once made you happy. This is the only time in our lives where it’s okay to stay out until 4am or go out on a Wednesday, or quite honestly, to just make a fool of yourself. Growing up is a learning curve and mistakes are the best teachers we have.  If you want to do something, just do it; and worry about the rest later.  Just the thought of a great story should be enough to motivate you, so embrace it because no one wants to look back on their life and wonder “what if?” 

5. Be fearless. Fall in love, have your heart broken, double text that boy and don’t you dare re-read the message 47 times before you send it.  Take risks, be crazy, do it for the story.  If you like a boy, go after him; if he makes you cry, put on your waterproof mascara, and if he thinks your crazy, don’t worry, he’ll just remember you longer.  Do what makes you happy and worry about the rest later.  I know sometimes it will feel like the end of the world, but there’s always a new day, a new party, a new boy and a new memory to create. 

6. Find your passion. If you are not passionate about what you are doing, then why are you doing it? Find out what you love and then incorporate it into your life.  Dream big and never be afraid of failure, because there is honestly nothing you cannot achieve.  People laugh when I tell them I will be President someday, but that is my passion and I will spend every second working until I get there.  Do what you love and love what you do. Be ambitious and follow your dreams because then you can never go wrong!