The moment has finally arrived. It's a year I've been excited for since I turned 16. Although I know it won't be all I had dreamed it would be the last five years, I am still excited for it. Yep. That's right, folks. I'm turning 21. It will still be filled with the same ups and downs of any other year and this time next month I will be completely disillusioned with it. However, the days leading up to my birthday tends to be self-reflective. I take stock of everything life has taught me each year I've been alive. This year is no different.

1. Don't take yourself so seriously.

2. You're never too old to watch cartoons. They can teach you a thing or two.

3. Don't be too hard on yourself.

4. It's okay to not have yourself together. Literally, everyone is a mess.

5. Embrace the sunny days.

6. Everything is temporary.

7. Don't think about everything so hard.

8. It's better to ask forgiveness than for permission.

9. And on that note, do what you want.

10. SAVE YOUR MONEY!

11. Listen, exercising sucks but do it anyway.

12. Life's too short to be friends with people you don't like.

13. Life's too short to feel bad about watching Harry Potter every weekend.

14. Life's too short in general. Do what you want.

15. Don't procrastinate.

16. Sometimes you outgrow people or they outgrow you. It's okay.

17. Get over it.

18. Realism is literally the best thing that will ever happen to you.

19. Travel as often as you can.

20. Say yes to everything unless you really don't want to.

21. Life happens. Embrace it.

There are way more than 21 things I've learned in the 7,665 days I was forced into this world, but these seemed the most important. Some these lessons I learned early and some of them I have learned the hard way, but they have all positively impacted my life. Here's to another 365 days of existing!