Seeing has how yesterday was my 19th birthday, I figured that my article for the week could be a list of lessons and things that I have learned in my first 19 years of life.

1) If you want something, never give up. Since age 6, I have wanted a horse. My parents figured it was just the stage that a lot of kids go through; the thing is, here we are 13 years later and I am still in the "stage" of loving horses. I was 14 when I got my horse and so from the time I was 6 to the time I was 14, I never gave up. Since the moment I chose my college, I knew I wanted my horse with me. It did not work for my first semester but here I am second semester and my horse is with me at college.

2) Older people and younger people are better than people my age. When I graduated last spring, there were very few people in my class that I considered friends. The reason for that is simple: I did not like most of them because over the years, I got to know them better than I wanted to. Most of the people I talk to and most of my true friends are either way older than me or way younger than me.

3) I love God. Growing up, I always went to church. Every Sunday. I met one of my most dear friends through Sunday morning church. As I got older, my family and I got busier and now we rarely go to church. Though I have gone to church less and less, my relationship with God has gotten stronger and stronger. You don't have to go to church to be religious. You can have the most beautiful relationship with God and never set foot in a church.

4) Find friends who love you unconditionally. Those friends who are only there when it is convenient for them are not the ones you want around. Find the friends that you can text late at night when you are upset and they immediately text or call you to help in any way they can. The ones that say, "If you need to, come stay with me tonight." The ones that listen even if they don't know what to say.

5) It's okay to stay home sometimes. You don't always have to go out every time someone asks you. It is okay to stay home and just binge Netflix in your PJ's or go to bed early.

6) Sleep. Don't stay up all night and do homework or be on the internet. Go to bed and get a decent amount of sleep or functioning the next day is going to be a struggle.

7) Get out of your comfort zone. You will not grow and change if you keep doing the same things you have always done. Be rebellious and do different things. Try new food. Travel the world. Go to that college that is farther from home than what you are comfortable with. Through these experiences, you will make new memories, have new stories to tell, and make new friends.

8) Life is too short to not have fun. Time goes by too fast. Live freely. Eat the cake. Buy the shoes(or the horse). Go out on a weeknight. Do things that you do not normally do and live a little.

9) High school is not that important. I am not saying to drop out because don't but don't take it too seriously. Your employer in 20 years is not going to care what grade you made on that math test or if you were in science club. The things you start doing when you graduate are ultimately what determine your job or career.

10) Appreciate your family. I am not just talking about those related by blood but also those who you have just gotten so close to that you are family. Tell them you love them always. Go the extra step to get that extra time with them.

I know I am still young but I have learned these and several other less important lessons within my 19 years of life. I have lived a great life so far and I plan to continue doing everything in my power to keep it that way!