2016 was a rough year for pretty much everyone; between politics, natural disasters and celebrity deaths, I think we’d all like to move past this year and take 2017 head-on. But we can’t pretend this year didn’t happen, so I’d like to share 12 quotes that helped me stay positive and keep my head up this year.

1. “Life’s under no obligation to give us what we expect.” - Margaret Mitchell

Don’t think that you are owed anything by anyone. Work for what you want and you’ll never feel disappointed.

2. “You can never be overdressed or over-educated.” - Oscar Wilde

Stay in school, kids; it’s important. But also, learn everything you can, every way you can. Learn how to respect one another, learn how to turn someone down without making them feel worthless or stupid, learn how to build someone else up when they need it most. Factual knowledge is important, but so is knowing the people around you.

3. “Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” - Marthe Troly-Curtin, Phyrnette Married

That’s right friends, if you procrastinate writing a paper by binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix, it’s okay-- you’re not actually wasting time. Pass it on to your professors.

4. “Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t” - Margaret Thatcher

This is one of my personal favorites, and it’s a quote I always come back to. If you have to showboat, brag or puff yourself up to make yourself feel better, than you’re not really all of those things you say you are, and no one else is going to believe you. Use your actions, not your words, to convince people of the things you are capable of.

5. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

The spring semester was really rough for me. I felt like I was wasting my time and others at school and I didn’t want to stick around longer than I needed to. But Former First Lady Roosevelt came to me, speaking words of wisdom, and kicked my butt into gear. At the end of the school year, even though things didn’t end the way I wanted them to, I made the decision to stand taller, be more assertive and professional, so that one day, I could get exactly what I wanted without feeling stepped on or belittled.

6. “It is one of the blessings of old friends, that you can afford to be stupid with them.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

When you’re off at college, don’t forget the people who shaped your friendships in the past. They knew you during your awkward years and they still hung out with you. Those friendships will be there for you when you think everyone else has abandoned you. They’ll remember the stupid catchphrases and inside jokes that you used to share, and they’ll still think your impression of Britney Spears in her heyday is funny. Bless those kinds of friends.

7. “Let us remember: one book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world.” - Malala Yousafzai

A lot of my friends are pursuing education as a career. The teachers and professors of our world are some of the most influential people, and they don’t usually get the recognition they deserve. Remember to thank your teachers who inspired you and to be an inspiration for your students.

8. “Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” - Albert Camus

Although I usually see this quote modified to fit sisterhood (#sororitygirls) I like it in its original form as well. Be with the people you care for in any capacity, but be sure to stay by their side more than you walk in front or behind.

9. “Cinderella never asked for a prince. She asked for a night off and a dress.” - Kiera Cass

The best things come to you unexpectedly. Don’t go looking for anything, but give your tasks all you can give and you’ll be rewarded.

10. “If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I, an artist, will answer you: I am here to live out loud.” - Emile Zola

Never apologize for your passions, whatever they may be. I go to a school that embraces art in all its forms, and I’m so grateful to have professors and friends who will support one another in all endeavors. Support your friends as they live out loud and they will do the same for you.

11. “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” - J.K. Rowling

The one thing about being at the bottom is that there’s only one way to go, and that’s up. When you are feeling at your lowest is the best time to start over and try again.

12. “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” - John Lennon

I’ve been holding on to this one for a while. As the year comes to an end, we have to remember that everything will work out. The end of the year brings holidays, the time when most of our families get together and spend time with one another. Remember this holiday season when you’re with your family and friends that the end is a conclusion, not a severance. Everything will be okay.