2016 has been one of the craziest years I have ever experienced. Personally, I graduated from high school, started college, traveled abroad, and met a lot of interesting people along the way. 2016 has generally been a wild ride for most people -- we experienced a truly disturbing presidential election, and the world is quite literally falling apart. 2016 has had its ups and down, but I think the most important aspect of 2016 is what we learned from it, so here are the 10 things I learned during 2016.
1. Four years goes by faster than you think.
2016 was my graduating year, and I couldn’t believe that I was finally done -- it was bittersweet. But looking back on those four years, they went by so fast, and it taught me to make all that I can of the next four years at college.
2. You have to work to maintain all sorts of relationships.
When I was younger, I thought that friendships and any sort of relationships needed to be perfect to work. But this year, I realized the best ones are the ones you work on to make better.
3. Studying isn’t always necessary, but you should do it anyways.
I am not the best when it comes to studying. Trust me, I would much rather be binge-watching "Grey’s Anatomy" than studying for actual anatomy. But put aside the time to study and prepare anyway; your grades will thank you for it.
4. Coconut oil is everything.
I finally jumped on the coconut oil bandwagon. I always thought it would make me break out, but it actually helped me with my acne -- my skin has never felt softer!
5. Put sleep before studying.
We have all had to chose between sleeping and studying, but a lack of sleep will make you do worse on tests. Sleep is very important for memorizing information, so the night before the big test is what helps keep all that information in your brain.
6. It's OK to be alone.
This year, I realized how important alone time is, and you don’t always have to surround yourself with people be happy.
7. Taking risks is important.
This year has been the year of risk-taking for me, and because of that, I have learned so much about myself.
8. Your voice matters.
Whether it's making your opinion be heard about a political subject or standing up for yourself, speak up!
9. You are allowed to be different.
Being different is what make us us. Anyways, being yourself is a lot easier than trying to be someone else.
10. Never stop fighting for what you believe in.
The biggest thing this year taught me is to never give up, and to never stop fighting! The thing we need most right now are people who aren’t afraid to stand up for what’s right -- those are the people who are going change the world for the better.
