Turning 21 is weird. After this birthday there really isn't anything left to celebrate... I have a lot of mixed emotions about turning 21 this month so here are some things I have learned throughout my life that I wish I knew about. Some of them will be related to turning 21 and others are just general pieces of life advice.
So take this list of unqualified life coaching and do what you will with it.
1. Alcohol tastes like actual sewer water.
If you enjoy the taste of alcohol you are a liar and probably are the devil. It's nasty and good luck finding me a drink that I will actually like. And you ever see me drinking alcohol it's either because I found a drink I can choke down or something in my life went south. Send me for psychiatric help.
2. At 21, you're still a child.
Yeah sure, I guess technically you're an adult but you have the life knowledge of an old child. You don't know everything so stop acting like it.
3. Don't take moments with your family for granted.
You never know when the conversation you're having with your family member might be the last. So treat it as such. Hug them a little tighter. In this violent, ever-changing world we live in, you never know what the future might hold.
4. Dreams change.
For the longest time, I have dreamed about moving back to Orlando after graduation and pursuing another career with the Walt Disney Company, but now that I am close to graduating, I'm not sure if that's what I want anymore. And that's okay.
5. Don't do things just to please people.
If you aren't the partying type, don't feel like you have to say yes to going out. If you don't 100 percent wholeheartedly want to join a club or take a leadership position then don't. Do things for yourself and only yourself.
6. If you don't have time, make time.
If you find yourself consistently saying you don't have time to workout or to cook dinner, chances are you do. You just have to make the effort to find the time.
7. Friends come and go and the seniority of your friendship doesn't mean a thing.
Just because you have been besties with the same girl since diapers doesn't mean my best friend of only two years is not as close to me as you are to your bestie Susan.
8. Always tell your family you love them and hug them a little tighter.
Speaking from experience, never leave conflicts unresolved with family members and always hug them like it's your last time. Because you never know when it truly is your last time hugging them.
9. Family over everything no matter what.
Family is more important than a job, your friends, anything.
10. Someone's opinion of you is none of your business.
Luckily I've known this one for a long time. It never matters what anyone thinks of you, it's none of your business so move on.
11. Everything happens for a reason.
You might not find out the reason right away or you may never find out the reason. But every event, tragic or amazing, paves the way for the rest of your life.
12. Life is too short to spend it as anyone but yourself.
Always, always, ALWAYS, be authentically and unapologetically yourself.
13. Let it go.
I'm one to hold a grudge. But Queen Elsa taught me I need to let things go.
14. Different friends serve different roles in your life.
If you feel like you can't talk about the serious stuff with one friend, that's totally okay. And if you feel like you can't be super jokey with another, that's fine too.
15. It's okay to say no, but say yes often.
I always have serious FOMO so I say yes to almost everything. I'm always busy doing something and having fun. But it's also okay to say no sometimes, which I'm still working on.
16. Start healthy living now not later.
Starting now will ensure healthy habits for the future.
17. Stop making excuses. The time will never be right.
You're always going to find reasons why you can't start a goal or resolution now. The time to begin will never be perfect so just start NOW.
18. You control your own happiness.
Don't count on other people to make you happy because chances are you're going to have a miserable life. It's always up to you to find your own happiness.
19. No regrets.
Anytime you regret not doing something or doing something, look back and think about what you did do and all your accomplishments.
20. Never settle for a man who is a 5 out of 10 because girl, you deserve the 11 out of 10.
Never ever settle for anything less than you deserve. (But also what do I know. I've been single without a single date for 5 years.)
21. You're NEVER too old for Disney and don't let some boring loser in a suit tell you otherwise.
*Puts on rose gold Minnie Mouse ears.* I'll have you know that Disney World and Disneyland were created for children and adults alike. *Fastens millennial pink MagicBand onto wrist.* Imagination has no age. *Gets in line to meet princesses.* So while you're living it up at some crusty bar, I'll be having the time of my life at Disney. *Bites into adorable Mickey shaped waffle.*
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