1. $20 is worth so much more when that is all you have.

I know that once that Direct Deposit hits my bank account I am more likely to go out to eat than right before I get my next check. Especially during school. All of my spending money comes from my summer and winter job and I always seem to manage to "lose" my debit card just to keep my budget in tact at the end of each semester. Online shopping is the actual worst because I am not cautious when I have a lot more to spend versus just $20 in my account. I treasure that last 20 dollar bill like it is my own child versus when I have a few hundred. I need to learn how to treat 200 or even 2000 dollars like it is worth $20 or else I will never have a savings account.

2. It's okay not to be okay.

Adults are not as put together as we thought they were as kids. Now that I kinda sorta am half an adult, I see now that most adults fake it until they make it. It is an illusion put on by your parents, guardians, and family members along with the influence of them being our superiors throughout our young lives. This my fellow almost adults, is whatmakes us think that once your adult our life is suddenly magical and put together. You can buy what you want, go where you want, and do anything you want without age restrictions. This is what makes all college students think that they need to have their lives together RIGHT NOW or they never will. Which is completely untrue. It is okay if you have no idea what is going on or what you want to do. That is what this part of your life is about. Messing up and finding what truly works for you so that when you start your own family you can fully support them by using your experiences as learning lessons for their future. So not being okay is about of your young adult life, and even into being an adulthood. Life is a non stop cycle of learning from your mistakes. As long as you and your loved ones are happy and healthy that is all that matters.

3. People will try to take advantage of you, but only if you let them.

Credit Card companies. Autobody shops. Online stores. Cute shoe stores. Your friends. If you arean overly optomistic person like me then people will try to run you over in life just to get farther in their own. Whether that be for their job, for a higher social status, or for money. It's sad growing up and seeing more of the evils in the world, but it's true and this is one of them. Not all endings are happy in certain aspects of life, but they do end up working themselves out in the end.

4. Loving yourself is actually super important.

Even though Justin Bieber uses it as a slam against someone who did him wrong, in the positive sense it is actually very true. If you do not love yourself it will be hard for someone else to. It's truly upsetting watching big corporations take advantage of the fact that everyone is insecure about themselves. Although, the thing is when there are millions of other people in the world and you are different and unique compared to everyone else that is pretty special all on its own. You were meant to be you however you ended up on the earth and if you were not here the world would be a completely different place. You touch peoples lives in the smallest ways that alter their whole day, week, or lives. You may not be able to see why or how you could ever want to be "just your average self," but trust me being you is so much more extraordinary than you think. That person you Instagram stalk may have it much worse than you and use social media as a tool to boost their own self esteem.

5. Mental health is just as important as physical health.

Going along with loving yourself, everyone needs to make sure they love themselves enough to stay healthy. Yes we all should exercise regularly and eat better but that knowledge is very well known in our society today. Until recently, people have not discussed how important it is to keep your mind just as healthy as your body. Taking mental breaks, relaxing, and not over working your mind to the point of exhaustion. If college has taught me anything, it would be that mental health days are just as important as sick days off of school or just life. I have found things to de-stress mentally that have changed the way I live and my outlook on life. Everyone should once and a while. With our world being as nonstop as it is, stopping and smelling the roses is actually very good for your mind and body.

6. You are not defined solely by your actions.

Even though people define others by their behaviors and let that solely represent them as an entire person I know that this is not true at all. Each person is not completely the same around every person they know in every place they've been. You are not defined by one bad grade. By your GPA in one semester. By one mistake you made when it comes to a friend or family member. To missing a payment. Getting in an accident. Messing up at work. People have the tendency to define someone by an action directly affiliated with them instead of thinking about them as a whole person. Like if someone cuts you off while driving we tend to think they are an awful driver instead of thinking about how they may be in a rush to see a sick relative or did not see you in their blind-spot. We all make mistakes too and don't realize that people judge us that way because we know we are more than just that incident. If we thought that way about all people the world would be a very different place.

7. Time is limited. Do not waste it on toxic people.

Time on this earth if a gift we take advantage of every single day. Each second goes unnoticed, each minute goes by faster, and more and more segments of your life flash before your eyes the older you get. Do not waste a precious second on someone who is only your friend for solely their benefit or is trying to make your life less enjoyable. Why would you waste your one life on people who will make is less than amazing?

8. Being loved and supported is a gift.

The people that love you in your life do so because they chose to. They are put in your life for reasons unknown and love you because they love having you in theirs. They want the best for you and not everyone has great role models or loved ones to do that. Having genuine people who love you whole heatedly is a blessing not many people acknowledge enough.

9. Nothing is ever guaranteed or a given.

Life is a series of events that are not guaranteed and people that fly through your life so quickly. No person is guaranteed another second on this planet, and neither are events in your life. The ones you love or the job you have to be there forever is something we should appreciate everyday. Those things may not be there forever. It is a sad thought to have but we need to be prepared for certain things to happen no matter how sad or scary it may be.

10. Mind over matter.

Your mind is much stronger than whatever is the matter with you in your life. I have realized this especially when I work out. I give myself goals of how far or long I should run before stopping and those are the times I run farther or faster. Normally I would just stop when I'm tired. Although, if I set mental goals and just forget about how it feels I reach them much quicker if I did not. I have learned to get through so many things in life just by putting my mind to a set goal for myself or how it will be after an event is over. If I am sad I tell myself the pain is temporary and to get all of my sadness out now so it does not come out again later on. Our minds are so strong and we forget to use them to their full potential at times.

11. Never be anyone's second option.

So many times in my life I have waited around for someone making empty promises while their true intention is to leave me in the dust. Whether this was from boys or friends it really hurts being betrayed that way. Although, I have learned what it feels like to have been there so now I know never to allow myself to go there again. When you are in a situation like that, people cut you down purposely to be the one to build you back up again. They want you to think that you do not need anyone else or that you can not have anyone else besides them. They make you feel unlovable. Although, you are worth so much more than being someone's second option when someone would kill to have you as their first. Never let someone manipulate you to the point that they are your only source of happiness.

12. Not caring about what most people think is the best gift you can give yourself.

This point goes along with being yourself. If you are too scared of what people think that it gets in the way of being your true self, you are not living to your full potential. The thing is if you're weird then that is okay because there is no such thing as normal anyway.

13. Allowing yourself to have an opinion and sticking to it is the second best gift you can give yourself.

You should not allow yourself to be walked on or pushed around by other people because you think their opinion is more important than yours. You should still be open minded towards other people's opinions, but still allow for yourself to be heard. Do not let yourself be tread on so much that you are not able to speak about anything you truly believe in. Your opinion is just as valuable. Everyone has one and if they can state theirs, then so can you. If anything you'll learn more about one anotherss by sharing yours.

14. Never drive either angry, upset, or tired.

I assumed drunk was an automatic never as well, but I could be wrong with that for some people. So we'll add that to the top of the list. Either way, a moment of intense feelings (or inebriation) can effect you or some else for the long term. Whatever the situation is, it's never worth a life. Pull over and cry. Call someone for a ride. Get a cab, or better yet an Uber (they're also cheaper). Whatever you're feeling is only in that moment. Don't let that moment allow you to ruin your own life or someone else's.

15. There is no need to rush anywhere while you're driving. It's not worth it and it only saves you about two minutes of your time.

There are days I want to go 20 over because I am almost late for work due to traffic or a late alarm. Although, it never saves me much more time than a few minutes anyway and is not worth risking your life or someone elses.

16. If you're stuck on whether to buy something because of the price, take the total and divide it by how many times you will use it. Then ask if it is worth it.

If you regret buying it more than you would have regretted spending money on it then it's probably okay to purchase it. Unless you are very tight on cash do not be afraid to spoil yourself with a new outfit or a Bluetooth speaker. What I do is think of how many times I use it divided by the cost of the item to see if it is worth it that way. Even with things I will only use once. Like Prom dresses were only around $100 for me because that was all I could fathom spending on a dress I would only wear a handful of times in my life. You only live one life. enjoy it.

17. Spend more money on experiences than items. Then don't forget to take pictures!

Feel free to buy little things here and there for yourself and others, but sometimes it is better to save money to go on a trip. Bring your friends or family. Take a ton of pictures. I would rather have a whole photo album worth of memories than a brand new HD Smart TV. That is worth so much more and will never be replaced by the new model that will come out in three months.

18. Never forget to thank the people you love and who got you to where you were.

(For example: Your Parents. They brought you into this world so do not forget to return the favor.)

Like I said previously, life is never guaranteed. So live it with the ones you love and remind them that you love them often. Say it. Spontaneously visit them (but call 5 minutes before please) or buy them a gift showing that you thought of them. Call them or text them. Especially as we grow older the small moments of contact we have with other people are so precious and when we are young we do not realize how much it means to our relatives until later on.

19. Never go to bed angry or finish a fight with words you would regret.

Life is short. We never know when our last breath would be and would you want yours to be uttering words you would eventually want to apologize for, or have someone's last words from you be something you regret? No. Then do not say them. Anger is temporary, but how you made someone feel because of it can last a lifetime.

20. Being yourself is so much easier than trying to be everyone else.be yourself. Unapologetically.

I have brushed on this point already but please please please do not ever think you need to be anyone other than yourself. You are wonderful exactly the way you are and deserve to live the life only you were intended to. You are beautiful. You are unique. You are wonderful the way you are. Do not let any celebrity, peer, family member, role model, or other person let you think otherwise. Use other people as guides to the best person you want to be, but never let someone replace you as a person. You are the only you there is. That is pretty special if you ask me.