My 21^st birthday is coming up in a couple months, so I decided to take the time to reflect back on some things that I have learned this past year.

1. Coffee is essential.

I had always been a fan of Starbucks' sugary, flavored drinks, but when I came to college, that didn't cut it. I turned to double shot espressos and black coffee. I still haven't figured out how people can function without it.

2. You may grow apart from old friends and that’s okay.

Coming from a small town, I knew every person in the school and considered most, if not all of them, my friends. After moving away, I slowly grew apart from those people that I had seen every day for the last 12 years of my life. It was hard to cope with at first, but now I know that it's okay to let people go.

3. No matter where you go, your family will always be there for you.

Going away to college and growing up can be hard, but no matter what, you can always go home. Your family will always be there, cheering you on no matter what you do or where you go. They will support you and your choices and will always help you through tough times.

4. Staying up all night talking to friends is worth the sleep loss.

Sleep is important, yes, but sometimes talking is important too. Specifically building relationships over junk food, soda, and good conversation at 2:00am. The walls we put up seem to crumble after midnight, making us transparent and more open to sharing things about ourselves to others than if we were to have these same conversations during the day. So you lose a few hours of sleep, so what?

5. It’s OK to not know what you want to do with your future.

Growing up, we are always pressured to figure out exactly what we are going to do with the rest of our lives. By the time you graduate high school, you are expected to have a complete plan for your future, but that's not the case for everyone. Don't be afraid to change your major a few times or take a year off to figure out what you want to do. Just because others have it figured out doesn't mean you have to also.

6. Don’t stay in school because you think you have to.

Society says you have to go to college to make a living. False. If you decide college isn't for you, don't put yourself through it just because you think you have to. Find a trade you are good at, work at a factory, figure out something that doesn't require higher education because paying to go to school when you hate it is definitely not worth the money.

7. Living a healthy life will make you a happier person.

It's scientifically proven actually. So work out a few times a week, eat healthy, drink plenty of water, and get enough rest and you will live a happier life.

8. That being said, pizza or cookies at 2am is totally acceptable sometimes.

Everyone deserves a cheat day. We all get those cravings in the middle of all night study sessions, so grab a slice of pizza or a few cookies to combat the cravings.

9. Find your passion, and never stop chasing it.

Find your passion: a cliche phrase that we were told all the time throughout high school and entering college, usually accompanied by the infamous, "if you do something you love, you'll never work a day in your life." As cheesy as it sounds, if you think about it, it's true. If you aren't happy studying it in school, then how are you going to do it every day for the rest of your life? So go find what makes you happy, then never stop pursuing it.

10. Make a point to learn something new every day.

If you're in school, this is easier than if you are not, but knowledge makes the world spin, so making a point to learn something new every day will be beneficial to you and to society. Just jump on Google and search for a random fact and share your knowledge with the world.

11. Getting outside your comfort zone is good for the soul.

The first two weeks of my college career, I went to class, came back to my room, and lived off of nothing but popcorn and microwaveable macaroni and cheese because I didn't want to leave my room. Since then, I have put myself out there, made some amazing friends, and done a lot of things I have never done before (like taking a somewhat spontaneous trip to LA with my friend Jon and teaching a class). These experiences have truly helped me to live life to the fullest and I have become a happier person because of it.

12. Just because everyone else is getting married and having kids, that doesn’t mean you have to if you aren’t ready.

One of the common themes of this post seems to be pressure. Beginning in high school, my peers began having babies and getting married. Back then I knew that I still had a ton of time to start thinking about the future, but at 20, even more of my friends are getting married and having kids and there is a huge amount of pressure to be thinking about getting married and starting a family. But if you aren't ready, you aren't ready. Don't worry about finding who you are going to marry and thinking about how many kids you are going to have until you are completely prepared. I'm currently in a relationship with my best friend and marriage is the last thing on our minds. We're just taking it one day at a time and having fun!

13. Never forget where you came from.

This has become huge in my life. I'm becoming more and more comfortable with being away from home, since I only live in my hometown two and a half months out of the year. It is a bittersweet feeling, but the times that I do come home become all that more special when I get to see the people I grew up around.

14. Reading for fun is a great pastime.

If you are stressed out or overwhelmed, diving into a good book can take you to another world. Reading is an individual activity that surrounds you with characters that take your mind off the everyday stresses and pressures. It passes the time and takes you to a whole new world.

15. Sunshine makes your worries go away, if only for a second.

Sometimes, if I can't take the stress of the day anymore, I go outside just stand in the sun. It sounds crazy, I know, but feeling the sunshine on my face stops time and takes away the worries, pains, stresses, or whatever other negative thoughts or feelings I may be having. Give it a try.

16. Confidence is the most beautiful thing you can wear.

Confidence can take you far. Being confident changes the way you carry yourself and present yourself to others. It can help you make friends, get jobs, and stand out from the crowd. So be unapologetically you and marvel in every minute of it.

17. Experiences are worth more than material things.

How many times have you purchased a new shirt, then only wore it once before selling it, giving it away, or throwing it out. Experiences can't be discarded so easily. Going out and doing things you have never done before, in my opinion, is better than spending all of your money on material things.

18. Staying in on a Saturday night is just as fun as going out.

Snuggling under a blanket, binge watching Netflix, and eating pizza and popcorn with a group of friends is one of my favorite activities. Sure, going out to parties is great, but those moments when you are with a small group of friends, chilling out, talking, and eating way more food than you intended, are just as fun.

19. Your worth is not based on anyone’s opinion of you.

People's opinions of you don't matter. I repeat, people's opinions of you don't matter. If you are happy, then keep doing what makes you happy, no matter what others say. And if people don't like you for you, then those aren't people you need to have in your life.

20. Your happiness should be put before anything else.

I'm a people pleaser by nature, so this one has always been a struggle for me. I seek approval from people all the time. Sometimes I feel like I need to approval of other's to justify my decisions. I've learned that whether my decisions are accepted by others or not, as long as I am happy, that is all that matters in the end.