I've experienced many people in my life who have passed away. Surprisingly, the majority of these people have been friends. People who are around my age. People who had their whole life to live.

I have never been a religious person. I constantly question my faith, something I personally believe everyone should do as I don't believe we as humans should just accept everything we hear to be true, as this world is too great to understand in one lifetime. And I am still unsure about the concept of an afterlife.

As a sophomore in high school, I experienced one of my good friends taking her life. This was the first time in my life I was faced with the fact that anyone could die, not just the elderly or the sick.

By experiencing these situations, I believe it has made me think about life in a greater sense than just the present. I find myself thinking, "If I died today, would I be happy with the way I lived my life?"

To many, this concept seems grim. Why should a twenty-year-old think about death? The chance of me dying is so small, I shouldn't fret about it!

This isn't to say mortality is the number one topic on my mind. It definitely is not. But being reminded that life is short helps me live a more wholesome life. It reminds me to cherish the small things. That there are more important things to fill my time with then my phone and social media.

There are so many things I want to accomplish with my life. I want to get my PhD, raise a family, and travel the world. I am so lucky that I will hopefully be able to complete these things, and there isn't anything in this world more important than that.

I think it is important to remember that life isn't forever. There is an expiration date, and since no one knows when that date is, you should treat everyone with love and kindness. Call your grandparents, help our your friends and family, and learn to appreciate the finer moments of life. By understanding that there isn't always a "next time," I have found that I enjoy my time with my loved ones way more and spend my time thoughtfully.

I choose to live my life unapologetically. I do things I enjoy and spend time with people that I love, and I won't do something just to make someone else happy. Life is too short to be caught up in things that don't matter, and knowing that this may be my only chance to make a difference in this world is motivation to be a genuine good person.