I'm 18-years-old. I've only experienced about one fourth of what life has to offer me. After moving away from home and 'starting on my own,' I have met people from all walks of life. It isn't the same small town 'everyone knows everyone' feel anymore; the boy to my left is from Jordan and the girls to my right are from Canada and London. Whether I'm standing in line at Whole Foods or simply folding laundry, my ears are always perched. I don't mean to eaves drop, I just cant help but hear about the lives people lead and the values they hold.

All of this has allowed me to be introspective with myself. I've realized that I think in an unconventional way, and believe in different things than many of my peers. After a month and a half of being exposed to more culture in my life than ever before, there are four things I am confident in.

1. Faith

Maybe it's because I was raised by Catholic parents who taught me to say grace before meals and took me to church every Sunday, or maybe it's because I attended a Catholic school grades K-12. Whatever the reason, I have always been able to rely on my faith. No matter what the circumstances are, I believe that in any situation, faith can still beat all odds. Sure, I have been tested and called naive; however, I'm not ashamed to say how desperately I need my faith in my life.

2. Forgiveness

It's easy to want to close our hearts. We are human, it's in our natural instinct to protect our hearts after we have been hurt. I forgive for myself, not the ones who have hurt me. I learned the hard way that holding grudges only made me bitter, and so I learned to forgive because I deserve peace. Even when they were not sorry, I learned to forgive. Because the truth is, no matter how much it may hurt, I can't more forward until I let go and forgive. Forgive them, and forgive myself. When I allow myself to forgive, I allow myself to grow.

3. Coffee

The first thing I do every morning is make myself a cup of coffee. Most mornings I am up before the sun so an extra boost is always helpful. I grew up with coffee. It brought family and friends together on numerous occasions. I used to sit and listen for hours as my mom and our dearest friends have always caught up around a warm pot and some biscotti. I believe in coffee as my comfort drink, able to be enjoyed any way my soul needs. On my bed watching Gilmore Girls, or across the table from a dear friend in a small cafè.

4. Passion

Some of the first words my high school coach said to me have resonated with me since. Passion beats logic. Passion is what gets me out of bed at 5 every morning. Passion is what convinces my body to keep going, long after the pain has set in. Passion is that little voice in my head, when the going gets tough, telling me that I have what it takes to push forward. I owe discovering my passion to him. It's like he saw the diamond underneath, and polished it until I shone on my own.

Who knows, what I believe in could change 5 years down the road. But until then, I'm 18 years old and I've only experienced about one fourth of what life has to offer...