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Student Life

21 Things I Have Not Learned By 21

I still have a lot to learn.

Danielle Jewell Smith

Apr 20, 2017

University of Georgia

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I’ve seen a lot of articles floating around that outline 21 life lessons people have learned by 21 years old, and I can agree with a lot of them. In three months, I will be turning the big two one and I couldn’t be more excited. I could write you up a list of all the things I’ve learned in my almost 21 years, but more pressing are the things I have yet to learn about life. Trust me, there are many things that I have NOT learned by 21.

1. How to do Taxes.

Yeah, absolutely no clue.

2. How to Go to Bed at a Reasonable Hour.

Is 3 A.M. a reasonable hour?

3. How to Wake Up Early.

I would literally rather die than get up before 7 A.M.

4. How to Cook Things Other Than Mac N’ Cheese.

My diet is pretty much macaroni and cheese at this point. Not sure how to feel about that.

5. How Girls French Braid Their Own Hair.

I've tried. I've failed. I've tried again. I've failed again.

6. How to do My Make-up Well.

Unless I'm going for clown make-up, I'm gonna have to rock that natural look.

7. How to Keep Track of My Socks.

How does anyone manage to keep matching pairs of socks?

8. How to Keep My Headphones Untangled.

I'm not even sure full-fledged adults know the trick to this one.

9. How to Text People Back.

I'm sorry, I saw your message and couldn't be bothered to reply.

10. How to Implement Self-Control.

I either eat one Oreo or the whole damn package. No in between.

11. How to Not Procrastinate.

I've known about this project for six weeks, and now it's due tomorrow and I haven't even started on it.

12. How to Love Myself Unconditionally.

Too deep? It's an uphill battle and some days I roll down the hill.

13. How to Be Serious in Serious Situations.

I'm the literal worst. I don't know if I'm just a nervous laugh-er or if I'm just a horrible human being.

14. How to Spend Money Wisely.

Of course, I needed this spatula holder. It matches the third set of salt and pepper shakers I bought last week.

15. How to Stop Binge-Watching Television Series.

A new series came out? I can't just savor the episodes, I must watch all 20 of them in rapid succession.

16. How to Make the Healthy Choice.

Hmm, pizza or salad? Pizza.

17. How to Visit the Doctor Regularly.

I saw the doctor. Last year. I'll be fine.

18. How to Make Professional Phone Calls.

"Hi, this is appointment and I need to make a Danielle."

19. How to Dress Business Casual.

What even is business casual? Do I wear a suit jacket and pajama pants? No idea.

20. How to Not Make Inappropriate Jokes.

"I'm sorry for asking if you had a shitty day when your kid pooped on you in public the other day."

21. How to Manage Stress.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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Recommended for you

21 Things I Have Not Learned By 21

I still have a lot to learn.

1. How to do Taxes.

2. How to Go to Bed at a Reasonable Hour.

3. How to Wake Up Early.

4. How to Cook Things Other Than Mac N’ Cheese.

5. How Girls French Braid Their Own Hair.

6. How to do My Make-up Well.

7. How to Keep Track of My Socks.

8. How to Keep My Headphones Untangled.

9. How to Text People Back.

10. How to Implement Self-Control.

11. How to Not Procrastinate.

12. How to Love Myself Unconditionally.

13. How to Be Serious in Serious Situations.

14. How to Spend Money Wisely.

15. How to Stop Binge-Watching Television Series.

16. How to Make the Healthy Choice.

17. How to Visit the Doctor Regularly.

18. How to Make Professional Phone Calls.

19. How to Dress Business Casual.

20. How to Not Make Inappropriate Jokes.

21. How to Manage Stress.

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AKA, Christmas overload.

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

1. Watch an R-rated Scary Movie in a Movie Theater

2. Buy a Lottery Ticket

3. Vote in an Election

4. Participate in a Run (or a Walk, Realistically) for Charity

5. Go on a Road Trip

6. Start a Savings Account

7. Get a Credit Card

8. Sign up for Spotify Premium

9. Go to a Club

10. Start a Meditation Routine

11. Go to a Yoga Class

12. Treat Myself to a Dinner for One

13. Volunteer for a Charity

14. Participate in a Research Study

15. Bake Something (That Ends Up Being Edible)

16. Go Skydiving

17. Be Called for Jury Duty

18. Figure Out What I Want to Do With my Life

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1."But what would happen if we all tried to be like Santa and learned to give as only he can give: of ourselves, our talents, our love and our hearts? Maybe we could all learn Santa's beautiful lesson and maybe there would finally be peace on Earth and good will toward men."

"Sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see."

"If you won't use your heart, who cares if it gets broken? If you just keep it to yourself, maybe it'll be like my rollerblades. When you do decide to try it, it won't be any good. You should take a chance. Got nothing to lose."

"Remember, no man is a failure who has friends."

"Life is made up of meetings and partings. That is the way of it."

"If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find a that love actually is all around."

"Sometimes things look good on paper, but lose their luster when you see how it affects real folks. I guess a healthy bottom line doesn't mean much if to get it, you have to hurt the ones you depend on."

"'Maybe Christmas,' he thought, 'doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.'"

"Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to."

"There's room for everyone on the nice list."

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

1. Why are towels considered dirty when you get out of the shower clean?

2. Who closes the bus door once the bus driver gets off?

3. Why is there a "d" in "fridge" but not in "refrigerator"?

4. If you drop soap on the floor is the floor clean or the soap dirty?

5. Is the "S" or the "C" silent in the word "scent"?

6. Does expecting the unexpected make the unexpected the expected?

7. Would Lightning McQueen buy car insurance or life insurance?

8. Who put the alphabet in alphabetical order?

9. What color are mirrors?

10. If 2 mind readers read each other's minds whose mind are they really reading?

11. Is there a synonym for "synonym"?

12. If your shirt isn't tucked into your pants, are your pants tucked into your shirt?

13. Why is it called "quick sand" if you sink slowly in it?

14. If I try to fail, but succeed, which one did I do?

15. If Cinderella's shoe fit perfectly, why did it fall off?

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