Pretty much everyone agrees that 2016 was the year from hell but despite all of the bad things that happened this year both personally and in the world, I learned some important lessons from 2016. Here's 16 lessons I learned in 2016:

1. It's okay (and sometimes necessary) to say no

Something I've always struggled with is telling people no when they ask me for something but 2016 has taught me that sometimes you have to. It's important to keep in mind the toll favors you do for those around you will take on you, and sometimes you do have to say no in an effort to save yourself.

2. It's okay to let people go

Since going to school I've met so many amazing people but I've also grown apart from people that have been in my life for years. It's hard for me to let go of people but I learned this year that sometimes it's for the best. I'm not saying that you have to completely cut someone out of your life to move on (although that's okay too) it's more about learning to accept that people change and grow apart.

3. Not everyone deserves a second chance

It's important to recognize that you can forgive people without giving them a role in your life. Not everyone deserves to have another chance, and it's important to recognize when someone doesn't.

4. Sometimes, you can't do everything that you want to

It can be hard to turn down opportunities, especially when starting school because everything is new and exciting. However, I learned this year that sometimes you have to turn down some things in order to be able to focus on the opportunities that matter most to you.

5. Take chances

Trying new things can be really scary but it's important to take the chance to do so. There's so many things I've gotten the opportunity to do this year that I never would have done in the past and I feel as though I'm better for having done them.

6. Your mental health is important

When you're in college and you're trying to juggle a social life, school work, regular work and extracurricular activities it can be pretty easy to sacrifice yourself in an effort to get everything done. However, it's so important to make yourself and your mental health a priority as well.

7. You can't control your feelings

Something I've always struggled with is feeling stupid or guilty for being upset about situations that ultimately don't seem important but I've realized that you can't help being upset. Fighting it will only make it worse.

8. It's important to always let yourself feel

This ties into number 7 as realizing that I can't control what upsets me led me to realize that it's important to let myself feel whatever it is I'm feeling. When you don't deal with your feelings it only escalates, but if you let yourself feel in the first place then you can deal with the feelings and move on.

9. If someone is a real friend they'll be willing to understand when something is in your best interest

It can be hard sometimes to do what's best for yourself because you don't want to hurt someone's feelings but it's important to realize that the people close to you should be understanding that sometimes you have to do what's best for yourself.

10. But real friends will also be honest when they think you're making a mistake

Something I've realized this year is that if someone is really your friend they'll tell you their real opinion on your choices. A real friend will tell you if they think you're making a mistake.

11. College is HARD

I mean, don't get me wrong, I knew college would be hard but I honestly wasn't prepared for how stressful it can be. Trying to balance everything when you have 23934735 assignments due on the same day seems impossible but somehow it gets done.

12. Trying your best is more important than the grade you get

While grades do matter I learned that it was better to focus on learning the material to the best of my ability than to focus on the grade I wanted to get. This way I actually retain the information for the future.

13. Comfort can come from unexpected sources

When you leave home it can be surprising what you miss and what things from home will comfort you when you're stressed and tired.

14. You need to budget your meal plan

I learned the hard way that the coffee/snack money that comes in the meal plans can run out quick if you don't budget what you spend on it. It can be easy to just spend it because it's not real money but take it from me, that didn't work out well.

15. It's not a joke when college kids say that they're broke as hell

Honestly, one of the most stressful parts of being in college is the fact that no matter how hard you try it seems impossible to save your money. There always seems to be some sort of expenses, not to mention the student loans that leave you quite literally broke as hell.

16. Being an adult is...interesting

I realized that being an "adult" wasn't going to be as great as people made it out to be when my birthday started to approach and for the first time in my entire life I was dreading it. If you know me, you know that I LOVE my birthday but this year I wasn't excited for it and honestly the rest of the year has taught me that I was right to be dreading it. It's scary to think about the fact that your parents/family are no longer obligated to support you (not that they stopped) and that you're 18 and $10,000 in debt.