It’s hard to believe that another year is in the books and boy was 2016 full of experiences. I was able to travel, meet so many wonderful people and truly grow as a person. Here are the 16 most important lessons I learned from my experiences of 2016:

1. Life is shorter than you’ll ever realize

This year especially it seemed like so many people close to me lost loved ones. People of all ages who died in so many different ways, both anticipated and unanticipated. It really made me reflect on how fragile life can be and how important it is to make the most of every moment because your life can change in an instant.

2. Strong relationships withstand distance

Being in college can really test your dedication to people in your life when it comes to relationships. My best friend and I have 300 miles between us, but the strength of our relationship continues to prove to me that things work when you want them to. It takes effort from both sides and it’s definitely not easy, but if a person means that much to you, no amount of distance can ruin a strong relationship.

3. No such thing as too many “I Love You's”

I am one of those people who constantly says “I love you” as much as possible. I’m sure my loved ones get tired of it at some point, but I think it’s so important to always say it because you never know when it could be your last. Plus, it’s always good to remind people how much they mean to you.

4. People are people, that’s it

We’ve all seen so much hatred throughout the world in 2016. This is upsetting to me considering that, when it all boils down to it, we are all just people. Regardless of the language we speak, the country we come from, or the color of our skin, we are all people trying to get through this life in our own ways. Sure not everyone is the same in every way but that’s what makes this world so beautiful. There are so many differences surrounding us and if we learned to be appreciative instead of critical... life would be so much easier.

5. Appreciate your body

Our bodies do so much for us, the least we can do is learn to appreciate ourselves. Constantly degrading yourself because you don’t look like people on social media or because you wish something about your body was different is not doing any good. Learn to appreciate everything about your body because it is what keeps you going. It gives you strength to do the things you love and to make it through life every day. Appreciation is such a small thing that makes a huge difference.

6. Listen to your grandparents

My grandparents are some of the most important people in my life and I cherish every single moment I am able to spend with them. It’s so important to spend time with your grandparents and listen to all of the things they have to say. Listen to their views on current world situations (even if you don’t agree) and stories about their childhood. The memories they have to share, especially because of the time when they grew up, are things that I will hold in my heart forever.

7. Traveling is well worth the money spent

This summer I spent just a few small dollars to travel out of the country for the first time and, although I was hesitant at first, I am so thankful that I decided to invest in traveling. Learning about and experiencing new cultures is something more meaningful than money could ever buy. It’s especially important to take advantage of these opportunities while the time allows; i.e. we are young and aren’t tied down to too many things yet. If it takes working extra hours every week just to make it possible, I promise it will be worth it.

8. Be aware of your health

As I previously mentioned, our bodies do so much for us just to make sure we get through every single day. That being said, our health is not something to be taken for granted. Things can change in the blink of an eye so it’s extremely important to constantly be aware of yourself and how you are feeling. Take your vitamins, set aside time to exercise and drink as much water as possible. Our bodies only work for us if we are willing to work for them.

9. Your parents can be your best friends

One of the coolest parts of getting older is that you are constantly growing closer to your parents. Not living at home means there’s not as many disagreements and so the relationship you can have with your parents is much more laid back and carefree. I don’t go a day without talking to my mom and dad, and I wouldn’t change it for a thing. They know more about my life than I do sometimes.

10. Stress can be worth the consequences

Although stress may cause minor health impairments, I think it’s okay to overlook those things when you are working towards something extremely important to you. If you need to go a few nights without sleep, but a 4.0 is worth that to you, it’s okay to put yourself through extreme amounts of stress to get the results. Hard work is always worth it in the end.

11. People show love in different ways

2016 has really cemented this one into the ground for me. I show all of my love in affection and words; I love hugging people and telling them how much they mean to me. Not everyone is like this, but that doesn’t mean the feeling isn’t mutual. Some people may be more reserved with their feelings of affection, but they can still be there and should still be acknowledged. Being patient and learning to understand people and how they show love is so crucial to maintaining stability in any type of friendship or relationship.

12. Confrontation is better now than later

As an extremely passive aggressive person, I personally hate anything involving confrontation. However, avoiding confrontation is never something that pans out in the long run and it’s also not something that adults should avoid. Voicing feelings and understanding different points of view allows for the air to clear, and that’s always better sooner than later.

13. Let yourself let go

Letting go is so important and often so overlooked. This can be something as large as letting go of a past incident that is weighing on your heart, or simply letting go of your responsibilities for a weekend and allowing yourself to have fun and be carefree. Without letting go, we can’t ever move forward and we also can’t ever grow as a person and truly experience all that life has to offer. Every day brings a new opportunity to let go of something.

14. Make conversation to listen, not just to reply

Too often people engage in conversations just so that it can be steered back at themselves. Being aware of this is the first step in learning to be a better listener. If someone is talking about something that is important to them, we should learn to ask and respond back rather than find a way to reply that relates to ourselves.

15. Don’t complain about things you can change

A pet peeve of mine is when people complain about things that they can so easily change. Take one look at things that are happening around the world and you will see so many people in horrible situations that they are able to do nothing about. For people who are fortunate enough to not be in those situations, it seems very silly to complain about minor things that can easily be changed with action.

16. You are who you surround yourself with

The people I’ve had in my life in 2016 have been so amazing to me and all bring so much happiness to my life. That being said, these wonderful people have made me realize that you are who you surround yourself with. Find people who are loving, hardworking, open minded, or whatever traits are important to you, and let them fill up your life. It makes all the difference to have these types of people around you.