A year ago, I wrote an article entitled 21 Things I Learned when I Turned 21. As that year mark passed and I celebrated another birthday, I thought it would be fun to compare where I’m at now to where I was a year ago. There were a lot of differences between turning 21 and turning 22 – I didn’t go as wild with the celebrations of my 21st and I obviously didn’t feel as excited. Turning 21 is such a big deal because you’re finally a legal “adult” and have made it over half way through college. But I think turning 22 is significant too. For most people, it’s the last birthday you’ll celebrate in college, with your college friends, and in your college town. I have no idea who I’ll be with or where I’ll be celebrating my 23rd. And while that is exciting and unsettling at the same time, I feel like turning 22 is my official entry into adulthood (let’s all pause for a second and think about how terrifying that is). Nevertheless, after rereading my 21st list, I find that I’ve stayed the same and changed in this past year.
-Mixing alcohol – still not a good idea.
-I no longer can take tequila shots like a champ and usually don’t even attempt it anymore. #grandma
- I’m still partial to eating toast after a night of going out (shout out to Ashley again). But I have grasped the concept of chugging a huge glass of water before bed too.
- I still choose champagne over any other drink.
- And I still share every feeling in my heart when I drink champagne.
- I still feel incredibly blessed to have the family and friends I have and that they show me an abundance of love, not only on my birthday, but every day.
- Superior margaritas are a force to be reckoned with.
- Direct quote from my previous article: “I range from taking no pictures when I do something or taking an obnoxious amount. There is no in between”. No truer words could have been said, considering I did not take one picture this year.
- I think I will continue to request Meche’s King Cake as my birthday cake until the day I die.
- I still dance like my mother and I apologize to anyone who witnesses that.
- My little sister still celebrates my birthday as if it were her own and makes me feel so special.
- I have finally accepted the fact that I will always be called a “grandma”. It probably doesn’t help that I went home before midnight on my birthday.
- Still have no idea what I’m doing with my life but I finally realize that no one in college does.
- I also still owe my parents money. At this rate, I can only hope to pay them back at least before I’m 40.
- If your birthday falls on a Sunday (like mine did), then it is totally acceptable to claim the whole weekend as yours.
- It’s also okay to blow off school work on said weekend.
- Sometimes (all the time) a birthday candle in a bowl of ice cream is better than in a cake.
There are so many other things I know I’ve learned this past year, but these were the wisest and funniest ones I could think of to share. While I’m sad that I have no more birthdays to celebrate in college, I think I went out with a bang. I actually think it was better than my 21st.
