As I continue to go through life, I've realized that 2017 is going to be a huge year for me. Not only will it mark that I'm halfway through my junior year of college, but I'm also going to turn 21 this year. In just a couple of months, I can go to go to bars and drink alcohol, and I can have my first real step into a completely different world. 2017 will be a year of participating in grown up activities, and I will be able to get a taste of what adulthood is like. Turning 21 will be a huge occurrence for me, and I've learned so much about life as I come closer to that milestone.

I've learned that I shouldn't be so hard on myself. As I've gone through college, several notions of adulthood have crossed my mind. I've always believed that grown ups were these perfect beings that never made a mistake, and they always made the right decisions. They always knew what to do, and insecurities would magically disappear once I became an adult. I found myself not fitting the image of a typical grown up, and I frequently beat myself up for screw ups that I've had in my life. Even though I am no longer a teenager, I've learned that becoming an adult isn't a seamless process. I will make mistakes along the way, and I shouldn't place such unrealistic expectations on myself.

My time in college has also told me how important it is to achieve personal happiness. As I've gone through college, I've been under various forms of pressure. From trying to figure out a career after graduation to socializing with others, I've dealt with feeling like I should be a certain type of person. I've struggled with thinking that I'm not good enough because of what I do, and I even considered changing my personality to make other people happy. However, I've seen that trying to please others is not the proper way to live life. Just doing what gives you fulfillment is the most important part of life, and I've found that pursuing my interests will make me into a better person in the long run.

I can also see the amazing qualities of the world. It becomes hard to appreciate how much we are given, due to the various responsibilities that we are saddled with. It can be overwhelming to have so many duties to accomplish, but I've learned to just enjoy life as it is. Every day gives us a chance to change our lives, and the world has so much to observe. Even seeing a sunrise can fill me with an incredible sense of pleasure, and I'm grateful for being able to live on this world. I've learned to just take a moment and take in every aspect of the world, and I've become far more appreciative of what life has given to me.

Overall, turning 21 has taught me so much about life. In addition to being kind with myself, I've found that becoming an adult is a lengthy process that's bound to come with failures. I've learned the value of just doing what makes me happy, and that I should just be myself and not care so much about the actions of others. I've also seen how much the world can offer us, and I've learned to just appreciate my time on this planet. I've learned a lot about life, and I'm looking forward to whatever I'll see next.