It was the year 2013, a simpler time of my life. I was 16 going on 17. I was focused on boys and jamming out to Cruise by Florida Georgia Line with some of my best high school friends. Miley Cyrus came in like a wrecking ball, and the world has never been the same since. Looking back five years ago, I feel some cringe-worthy embarrassment, but I also wish I had known some of the lessons that I have learned since 2013.

First and foremost, I wish I would've realized just how much I deserve in life. Looking back, one of my biggest regrets is that I let people walk all over me. I didn't fight for what I deserved. You can't be mean, but you also cannot be a doormat. If people are sending you mix signals and hurting you, you shouldn't have to stay. If you don't feel valued, you need to use your voice to express how you feel. If you feel that you are being used, take a step away from the situation and never look back. Life is too short not to be happy. You deserve the best. If you aren't receiving the best, whether that is in relationships, classes, work, or anything in life, you need to know that it is not okay. Waiting to see if things will improve will never be the way to solve the answer. Go out there to find what sets your soul on fire and brings you endless happiness.

You find out who your friends are. Being away from home for the past three years, I have discovered the people in my life who will stay with me through it all. It's a hard lesson to learn in life, but not everyone in your life is permanent. As time passes, you will come to know the people who truly are excited to see you, even if years have gone by or just a few hours. Understand that you need people in your life that value you who you are and appreciate spending time with you. If someone consistently cancels plans or can't keep promises, they aren't valuing or respecting you. The saying all that glitters is not gold applies to people in your life. You need to realize that the golden friends in life are rare and real. They add undeniable richness to your life compared to people who are only glitter.

With that being said, don't take people for granted in your life. Time with your family, friends, and loved ones is not always a given. Make sure to value people around you. Actually, take time to focus on others. Put your phone down, take out your headphones, and spend quality time with others. You only get to experience each day once, so make it count. You don't know who will be there with you the next day. Express your feelings, hug each other, and just enjoy their presence.

A hard fact in life is that you are not perfect. You need to realize that sometimes you are in the wrong. In some stories, you are the hero, but in others, you are the villain. Understanding that you can bring negative traits into situations is important for personal growth as you get older. You can't always blame the other person because everytime you point a finger at someone, three more fingers point back at you if you're in the wrong. Own up to your mistakes and toxic traits, but don't just give up and never try to better yourself. You don't have to strive to be a perfect person, but strive to be a better person.

At the end of the day, you are your biggest critic. No matter whether you are 16 or 21. This is something that you are still working on. You struggle to see what you do well, and you can dwell on things you may have messed up on, whether that is competing at a contest in high school or interviewing for an internship now. You need to know that you cannot doubt yourself and your abilities. It is easy to nitpick yourself and believe that you can't achieve your dreams, but you can. Believing in yourself is half the battle. Your self-doubts can hold you back in life. You need to let your insecurities go and see where life takes you.

A lot of things have changed in the past five years, but I still wear that denim jacket I'm rocking in that picture above. I still fangirl over Florida Georgia Line. I have some of the same best friends that are always down to take a cruise on backroads. Five years ago, I thought I knew it all. I mean I was 16 years old, I was practically an adult in my mind. Now though, I know back then I was nowhere near an adult, and I still don't know it all. I probably never will. Life is constantly teaching you something, even if you are no longer in the classroom. I hope that no matter what age you are, you can learn from your past to better your future.