I recently turned 22 and it feels really weird. I remember my older cousins and brothers turning 22 and thinking they were so old and here I am on the other side and I still feel like a kid. But I also feel like time is slowly ticking away. Like pretty soon I am actually going to be an adult and all of the dumb mistakes that are okay to make in your early 20s and late teens won't be OK anymore.

And I want to make those dumb mistakes. I want to stay out late all night and crawl to work the next morning. I want the crazy whirlwind romance you know from the start isn't going anywhere but you still do it. I want terrible first date stories. I want at least one wild spring break.

I haven't had any of it and I know that's okay. None of it is necessary. If you don't want any of that, then you don't have to do any of it. Life is awesome without any of it; I should know. But hey, it's my 20s and I'm going to live them how I want.

All of that being said, my 20s have actually been pretty great.

Since I turned 20, I spent a week in San Diego with my best friend. I spent a month and a half traveling in Italy by myself. I saw Blink-182 live in concert, went to the Vans Warped Tour, screamed along to Nelly live and in person. (I may be obsessed with the late 90s, early 2000s music and I love it). Became more open about my anxiety. I transferred to UCLA. Visited Ohio and Pensylvania. Got a job on my own. Finally dyed my hair pink. Climbed pyramids in Teotihuacan. Saw a live volcano spew lava. Went to my first Sharks game. Became the EIC for my Odyssey community.

I have done so much and grown so much. I might not have done everything I want to do but so far my 20s have been pretty amazing. And I still have time. I am living my life. I am enjoying myself. I can't wait for what's to come.

Here's to the rest of my 20s.