19 Things I'm Glad I Did By 19 | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

19 Things I'm Glad I Did By 19

Nineteen things that have helped me make the most of my nineteen years.

29
19 Things I'm Glad I Did By 19
wordpress.com

Just over a week ago, I celebrated my nineteenth birthday and began what I prefer to think of as one of the most random ages of my young adult life. This year, I have no milestones, like getting my license, buying my first lottery ticket or my first legal drink, to celebrate. I'm old enough to live on my own and pay my own tuition but not old enough to be considered an "adult" by most people or have my first real world job yet. I don't have much to show for myself this year, so in an attempt to feel better about my awkward in-between age, I made a list of nineteen things I'm glad I did by nineteen.

1. Something I'm passionate about

Not everyone would consider running in a circle around a track for six years a "passion." However, running is one of the few things I have been willing to put my time and effort into for the past six years or so. Yes, sometimes it does feel like punishment and can be pretty much awful, but it's also something I'm passionate about.

2. Something I'm proud of

I worked really hard— at times, too hard— in high school to get the grades I wanted, the ACT score I wanted and to get into the college I wanted, but at the end of four years, I had something to show for it. The picture of me hanging in the hallway of my high school with the other valedictorians definitely isn't pretty, but I was still proud to see that my hard work paid off at the end of four years.

3. Took AP classes in high school

While this one may sound pretentious, it has potentially saved me thousands of dollars and allowed me to immediately start courses for my major in my first semester of college.

4. Owned my first car

My sister's hand-me-down 2000 Chevy Cavalier that had already racked up 160,000 miles before I owned it was a dream come true, at least for the two summers she lasted. Although this car broke down everywhere (the McDonald's parking lot, the middle of an eight-lane road, in front of my hot neighbor's house, literally everywhere), it was impossible to not have some kind of pride in being able to provide my own transportation to work and control the radio stations myself.

5. Learned to drive stick shift

Okay, so I'm still learning. But I can at least do it in parking lots and neighborhoods.

6. Learned to do my own laundry

It amazes me that there are people who live on their own but still don't know how to do their own laundry. I would never have made it through private school with only one jumper if I didn't know how to do my laundry myself.

7. Went cliff jumping

The water was pretty shallow and there were snakes swimming nearby, but this was at the top of everyone's summer bucket list, so we did it anyway.

8. Worked a summer job

I spent the past four summers of my life practically living at my summer job as a lifeguard, but I wouldn't spend them any other way. I found a way to make cash every summer that also involved tanning, free popsicles and literally sitting in a chair for a living. Opportunities like that are hard to come by, and the friends I met there are impossible to replace.

9. Went on a road trip with friends

Maybe the two-and-a-half hour drive to Cedar Point doesn't count as a real road trip, but it was the first time I was allowed to go anywhere that far from home in a car with two teenage drivers. That trip was definitely worth risking our jobs to have five employees request the same day off from work.

10. Fell in love for the first time

For eight years I liked him from afar, for two years we were friends, and for the past six months we've been dating. Eight-year-old me did not know what was coming when I decided I had a crush on the dweeb who rode his bike to the pool with an inner tube around his waist.

11. Fell in love with my hometown

Ohio gets a bad rep for being primarily made up of cornfields and small towns. In my opinion, however, Columbus is the greatest city on earth. Our coffee shops are to die for, we're home to one of the best football teams in the country, it's beautiful downtown at night or around Christmas and there's no shortage of things to do. The more I'm away at college, the more I miss my hometown.

12. Fell in love with my college

I will constantly be one of those people who argues with OU students that Oxford is better than Athens. The campus is beautiful, the student body is close-knit while large in size, Uptown has the best restaurants in the world and Oxford was even named by Forbes as the number one college town in the United States. I've only been a student for a semester, but I've already fallen in love with my school.

13. Chose a college major based on interest, not future salary.

I changed my mind over and over again when it came to what I wanted to major in, from my freshman year of high school to the summer before college started. However, I am confident in the fact that I picked a major based on what I enjoy, not just what my future salary might be.

14. Had a random roommate

I was a little terrified when I got my roommate assignment this past summer and saw that my roommate was from a small town 10 hours away and had no social media accounts for me to stalk. However, there was no one better than my random roommate to make friends with last semester, get breakfast with daily, and get yelled at together by our RA.

15. Learned to get over a breakup

Boys suck, and sometimes they do stupid things like cheat on you with your best friend. If there's one thing I'm glad I've learned over the past 19 years, it's how to get over a boy who isn't worth worrying about anymore.

16. Learned to value my family members as more than just family

My sisters are my best friends, my dad is better at more than just wearing extremely short shorts from the 1980s, and my mom is a better friend to me than I give her credit for. I'm lucky to be able to consider my family members people I want to spend time with, not just people I have to spend time with.

17. Cared about something bigger than myself

Mr. Lennon was my cross country coach, mentor and friend. When he was killed in a sudden hit and run accident my sophomore year, I was devastated. It was a difficult year watching my fellow teammates, his family members and his coworkers struggle without him. During that year, I learned a lot about being there for others and I found a new reason to keep running.

18. Something outside my comfort zone

Kairos is difficult to explain to people who haven't experienced it or a similar retreat. However, this four-day retreat during my senior year of high school taught me vulnerability and acceptance better than anything else in my 18 years prior. It was definitely a step outside my comfort zone, but I would do anything to go back.

19. Learned to appreciate myself

My freckles make me look like I'm eight, I laugh at things that aren't funny, my voice is unnecessarily loud, my natural hair is incredibly frizzy, I get restless if I go more than three days without running and I'm not very good at being patient. All of these are things I used to dislike about myself. Now, they don't bother me very much. I think the most valuable thing I've done over the past nineteen years was learn to appreciate myself, freckles and all.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over
reference.com

To those who celebrate, you just spent an entire day cooking an elaborate meal with all of your favorite foods. You probably ate your body weight in pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. What happens now? Oh yea, Christmas. It’s time to take out all of the decorations and Christmas themed things that have been sitting in the attic since last year; it’s time to make a reappearance. So, here are 10 things that happen the second Thanksgiving is over.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

3334
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

2014
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

201318
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21624
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments