I had an interesting conversation with one of my best friends a couple weeks ago as we were planning our weekend escapades. We were in line at Wendy's, blowing what little money we had on some Frosties and fries when we got on the topic of being young and wild.

I was talking about feeling guilty for going out every weekend and essentially doing the things all 20-somethings do, when she pointed out that I shouldn't. She told me that I had done everything right: busted my ass in high school and college, graduated with honors, held down a big girl job in my field after graduating, and even went on to continue my education in grad school. After all that hard work, I deserve to have a little fun. And you know what? She was right.

I will not apologize for drinking and playing beer pong with my friends until four in the morning every weekend. I will no longer feel ashamed for flirting with the cute boy with the overused pickup lines, even if I know it's a terrible idea.

I have worked hard to get to where I am, and I have more than earned the chance to experience life. I'm 22-years-old, and this is my time to make mistakes.

People my age — millennials — are constantly being put through the wringer for being selfish. We never make the right choices. We waste our time and are always being told we need to grow up. Well, recently, I've come to the conclusion that this notion that we're supposed to have it all together in our early twenties is complete bull.

Sometimes, I blow the majority of my paycheck at Victoria's Secret and Forever21, then turn around and scramble to pay my bills. I've paid for an overpriced coffee at Dunkin' Donuts in quarters and dimes because I convinced myself I needed the caffeine. I've spent money I didn't have making memories with friends: concert tickets, vacations, road trips. I've taken a long drive up the highway, blowing no less than half a tank of gas, all in the name of relaxation. And I don't regret any of it.

What I will regret, is waking up one day, years and years from now, and realizing that I never took a chance on being young and reckless.

I have my whole life to be responsible. I have years and years to get it together. How can you possibly put a timeline on growing up anyway? It's this next decade, my early twenties and beyond, that are going to teach me how to become a functional adult. I have to make mistakes in order to learn from them. If I get some bumps and bruises along the way, then it's all part of the ride. I refuse to let myself regret any decision that led to a lesson learned or a memory made.

So, yes, I'm going to make stupid choices. I'm going to stay up too late and suffer through work with a hangover. I'm going to waste my time on people that don't give a shit about me in the name of finding the ones that do. I'm going to make mistakes, big and small, again and again, until I get it right. The one thing I know for sure though is, no matter how long it takes, it's okay to be messy. It's OK to be young, wild, and free; to play my music too loud, and live my damn life and find out who I really am. And, really, isn't that the point of it all?

I will only ever be this young once. I only get one shot. At this point in my life, my only responsibility is to myself. If that's selfish, then so be it. This is my chance to live and learn, and I'm going to take it for all it's worth.