When you're turning 20, you're officially out of the teenage years and that's super scary, and 21 is the age everyone waits for, for obvious reasons. But once you turn 22 things seem to start getting too real, and by the time you're 23, life has smacked you in the face and left a pulsating red hand print.

On my 22nd birthday, I had high hopes for myself. I thought that this would be the year that I get my life exactly where I want it to be. When that didn't happen, I began to panic. I would make myself sick over stressing about job hunting, money and my inevitable student loan debt. I had friends who were landing full time jobs and here I was, nowhere where I intended I would be at this stage of my life. My 23rd birthday was looming and I still wasn't the person I wanted to be. It took a while, but I finally realized that I was okay. I may have not been in the place where I wanted to be, but that takes time. I looked back on my life and wished I had done things differently. I had lived my entire 23 years planning ahead and freaking out when those plans didn't work out. There are so many things I wish I knew before I turned 23, and here are just a few of them:

1. Get as involved as you can in high school, no matter how "lame" it may seem at the time. You'll be happy you did it in the end.

2. Go to your dream college, but don't dig yourself into a crazy amount of debt. Be smart, apply to every scholarship you can.

3. Keep in touch with your high school friends once you leave for college. Communication is a two way thing.

4. But also don't give your all when someone doesn't care enough to even try. You don't need people like that in your life.

5. Don't stay friends with someone just because you've been friends for a while. People drift apart, and people change. Don't make yourself miserable trying to keep a friendship alive that has no future.

6. The same thing goes with relationships. Don't force a relationship that isn't meant to be.

7. Go with your gut on everything you do.

8. Enjoy the four short years you have at college. Those years will fly by a lot quicker than you expect them to.

9. Eat the fries, buy the shoes.

10. Go to the gym to make yourself feel better and healthier, don't go to impress a guy.

11. Make dumb decisions. Everything is a lesson learned.

12. Don't ever let someone tell you that you aren't good enough. You are more than good enough.

13. Hang out with your parents. They've given you everything, the least you can do is go out to dinner with them every once in a while.

14. Go away for Spring Break with your friends. You don't get Spring Break's for your whole life.

15. Wear what you want. Don't let anyone tell you what you can wear. It's your body.

16. Go out with your friends, but take a night for yourself every once in a while. Everyone needs a good Netflix binge alone every now and then.

17. Don't stress over the little things. Trust me, your friend will get over the fact that you already made plans that one Thursday night and couldn't hang out.

18. The real world is scary, there's no getting around that. You just need to be prepared.

19. Remember the people who were there for you in those really rough times, they are the ones to keep in your life.

20. It's okay if you move back home and stay there after graduation. Save your money for an apartment or house down the road.

21. You're not going to have it all figured out.

22. Be prepared for the mental breakdowns because they will happen, but you'll get through them.

23. Enjoy every second of every day.