As I blew out 19 birthday candles yesterday, I looked back at the years I spent experiencing the world around me and for once, felt sort of sad that I'm growing older. In about a year, I won't call myself a teenager anymore as I'll hit 20 and the thought of that event both excites me but scares me as well. Am I ready for a boatload of grown-up responsibilities, or to take on the role of a young adult in today's world? These are answers that I guess only time will tell, but in my final year as a teenager, there are lots of things I want to experience in order to be able to look back at my childhood and reminisce the years full of spontaneity, youth and carefree memories I hope to never forget.
1. Go skydiving.
Sorry Mom, as much as skydiving might scare you (and even me when I think about it now) it's something I definitely want to try someday not only to check the cliché bucket list item off my list but to experience an edge-of-death adrenaline rush I've never felt before. Hopefully my slight fear of heights won't get in the way of accomplishing this, however, this would teach me the importance of stepping out of my comfort zone, no matter how frightful it might be.
2. Rid myself of social media for at least a week.
I've written an article similar to this topic, but as hard as it is, I really want to be free of social media for a week. We don't think about it, but viewing the altered reality of the lives of others via social media really plays on your psychosocial well-being and going without it temporarily would definitely be refreshing.
3. Figure out what I want to do in life professionally.
Sure, no one truly knows what they're meant to do in life, however, I would really love to find a career I feel passionate about during this year in order to give me direction and honestly, a sigh of relief.
4. Learn to cook.
As I'm growing older, taking on adult responsibilities is inevitable. One of the adult-y tasks I want to master is cooking. It looks fun, and I admire the idea of knowing exactly what I'm putting in my food, especially in a world surrounded by GMOs, chemical preservatives and other harmful chemicals lurking around our everyday cuisine.
5. Master the art of photography.
Photography is something I really enjoy doing, and I want to know more about the technique and various styles of photography. I still struggle with shooting with manual mode as well as understanding the logistics and mechanics of photography; I'm certain that knowing more about photography would enhance my love for the art even more.
6. Learn to consistently wake up early.
I am a strong believer in productivity beginning with waking up early, however, I physically cannot force myself to wake up earlier than like, 8 a.m. Many would agree that being up early is great as it leads you to be more productive and has more time on one's hands, however, the actual act of waking up is super difficult for me.
7. Schedule more self-care days in my calendar.
With growing up comes an abundance of new responsibilities and tasks to tend to, leaving much less room in your schedule for me-time and relaxation. The time to rejuvenate yourself is vital, and I often forget to take care of myself mentally and physically in busy times, so I hope to prioritize more time for myself this year.
8. Spend more time outside.
When I am busy with my professional life, I often tend to unintentionally escape to the indoors and miss out on the outdoors. I'll try to catch more rays and incorporate more time to the outdoors now that I'm 19.
9. Read more books.
There are tons of well-renowned books that I still haven't read that are super important for coming-of-age and just learning more about the world in general.
10. Speak less and listen more.
As talkative as I am, something I've noticed about myself is that I feel that I often dominate conversations, not hearing others out and it's something I definitely I want to work on.
11. Get my full eight hours of sleep every night.
I love to sleep, hands down. However, I know I don't get the right amount of sleep, especially in the school year, which is something that one needs to not only improve health but productivity and overall happiness.
12. Stop finding excuses for not going to the gym.
Lately, with life getting in the way, I've slacked off on going to the gym regularly like I used to which makes me feel guilty constantly. I will learn to stop giving excuses and prioritize exercise and my overall health.
13. Drink more water.
If I don't have my reusable water bottle on hand at all times, I'll go hours without drinking water. This kind of goes along with prioritizing my health, but I need to form the habit of staying hydrated this year.
14. Travel to a place I've never been before.
Exploring new places, whether 5 or 5,000 miles away from home, is super important in fulfilling that wanderlust craving in your heart.
15. Try a food I've never tried before.
Friend tarantulas or pickle-flavored ice cream? Yes, please.
16. Learn to swim.
This is an embarrassing one, but believe it or not, I've never learned to properly swim. It's never been a huge deal, but if a life-or-death drowning situation were ever to arise, unfortunately, it would be over for me. I'd rather prevent that situation.
17. Minimalize my life a little more.
I'll admit, I'm a huge hoarder and hate throwing things out, even if I haven't used some items in literally years. The question of "What if I need this in the future?" always lurks, but I realize that the abundance of stuff I have makes it hard for me to organize my surroundings and ultimately, my mindset. So, I hope to reevaluate the stuff I have around me and live a little more minimally.
18. Show my friends and family how much they mean to me.
I always worry I don't show enough appreciation to my loved ones, however, I want to make certain that I do this year.
19. Enjoy my last year as a teenager.
I may always be a teenager at heart, but I hope to cherish this last teen year, whether I do accomplish everything on this list or not.
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