Being 19 years old, I still have a lot to learn about life but, I must say, in the past year I have made some serious progress.

Recently, I have really been thinking about what I want to do with my life, what has changed, and the road I am heading down. A year ago, today, I couldn't even fathom the changes that have come to my life. 

Every morning I wake up and check the app on my iPhone, Timehop, to see what I was doing on this date the past couple of years. Surprisingly, some of the things I dreamed and hoped for, at this time last year, is what my life is like now. Some of the things I've learned and realized are more important than others and have a much greater impact but, in the end  it's all changing me for the better. 

One thing I've learned is the importance of friendship. Throughout high school your friends are selected by the sports you play and the classes you have. The moment you walk across that stage as a high school senior, throw your caps up in the air, and become an alum of your high school, friendships change. Most of your friends will go to separate colleges or, if you attend the same college, you may have different plans. In just one short year, I learned the true meaning of friendship and who will be by my side on this lifelong roller coaster. Without the talks, advice, laughs, and memories I made the past nine months, I would not have made it through my first semester of college sane. 

The second thing I learned is that without the endless support of my family, I wouldn't be where I am today. With the tough decision on where to attend college, what major to pick, what classes to take, and the other decisions that come with college, my family was always looking out for my best interest. My dream was to attend an out of state college, but my father helped me realize the education I needed to reach my goals and allow me the opportunities I wanted in college. With my mid-semester breakdowns and class stresses, life advice from any person in my family was one phone call away. Even though I wanted sympathy and understanding, I got the tough love it takes to get through it: take a breath, relax, manage time, and do one thing at a time. With tough love and support I realized everything will be okay and I will make it through this chapter of my life. 

Third, I've learned how blessed I've been. At times, when I felt low and lost, I chose to look at the positive things in life. No matter how rough things are throughout the day, or the week, there was at least one good thing that happened. At the start of 2014, I decided to do a positive jar. This is where, every day, I write down one good thing that happened to me and place it in the jar. God has truly blessed me with endless opportunities. 

I want to stress how important it is to be yourself. As girls, we turn to magazines, and our favorite celebrity or fitness model, to see how we're supposed to look and act. Why? Every single person is beautiful in their own way. I learned being yourself and loving who you are, will get you so far in life. Confidence is key. Stand up for things you believe in, show your true colors, be weird, be awkward, don't be afraid to embarrass yourself. Happiness will naturally come your way. I've struggled with this factor my entire life, and still do to this day. But, I have learned that feeling good and beautiful in your own skin is the sexiest thing a female can do. It's okay to say, "I look good," or "I am pretty." I'll openly admit I am one of the most awkward and weird people I have ever met, but I wouldn't change it for the world. 

Don't be afraid. I've learned to seize every opportunity I can. Don't be afraid of the unknown, and don't be afraid of the consequences. If you live life timid and afraid, you sell yourself short. I would rather sit through life saying, "I learned ..." from a past opportunity, than passing it up and saying, "I wish I would have…" When you take an opportunity, you never know what you may learn or who you will meet. Take these opportunities while you're able. We're in college, we're young, our lives are flexible and allow us to take the opportunities and make a few mistakes. You're supposed to make mistakes, that's life. You learn from these life lessons.

Don't take anything for granted. You're not guaranteed anything. I've learned not to sit around and say, "I'll do that tomorrow."  Live in the moment. The past is the past for a reason. Who you were made you who you are. It's never too late to make a change. If you want something, go get it. If you want to tell someone something, tell them! You're not guaranteed tomorrow and you're not guaranteed an hour from now. Why dwell and stress about something you're unable to change? 

Lastly and most importantly, be happy. I learned that my own happiness and my own dreams come first in my life. I have to worry about what I want to do and what I want, before I can worry about making someone else happy. My whole life, I have done things to make my parents or friends happy, rather than myself, allowing people to take advantage of my intentions.

I am 19 years young and I have my whole life ahead of me. Why must my happiness depend on someone else? We must first create and enjoy our own happiness. After that, the happiness of our friends and families will fall into line. The people who care about you most, want to see you happy and achieve your dreams.