I don't know if anyone's had a semester or period of their life like this, but I honestly feel like I've aged ten years since the start of this semester. There were so many life lessons in store for me in the past few months. Some were very hard to learn, but ultimately I do feel as though I've come out of each situation a better and stronger person who's more equipped to deal with whatever drama the next semester throws at me. I'm turning 20 in less than two weeks, which is crazy, so I decided to put together a list of 20 things I've learned--most, but not all from this past semester--in the first 20 years of my life.

1. Don't beat yourself up every time something goes wrong.

2. Because sometimes, it's not your fault. It's just bad luck.

3. People will take more than you have to give.

4. So you have to learn to draw the line somewhere.

5. Let people vent to you, and just listen. It means they trust you.

6. Try to find a passion outside your social life. Friends are important, but there is more to life.

7. It's hard to find the balance between going out and staying in, but when in doubt, go out and have fun. Give your future self some memories.

8. Stop holding people to such high standards. They're only human.

9. Don't put anyone on a pedestal or view them as perfect.

10. When you get close to someone, you will inevitably see their "dark side" at some point. Love them anyway.

11. You are the one who has to live with your choices at the end of the day, so don't let anyone pressure you into or out of something.

12. Friends who judge you are not friends.

13. Some people can't have fun unless they are excluding somebody. Don't be one of those people!

14. Advocate for yourself in all situations. You have to have your own back.

15. Don't let the fear of missing out lead you to making bad decisions.

16. Learning to say "no" is one of the most valuable lessons you will learn.

17. Remember that you never know what someone may be going through at any given time, so be careful what you say to them.

18. Be overly sympathetic. Care too much. It's so much better than being numb.

19. Competitiveness will kill your relationships. You don't have to one up anyone...ever...in any way.

20. Never take life too seriously. Learn to laugh at yourself.

I'm still young and I have a lot more to learn...but I thought I'd get this list going as a start for anyone who might be going through a similar stage in life. 2016 was truly the year of realization.