This summer has had a lot of ups and downs. The ups were amazingly wonderful and brought a lot of joy to what had been a bleak summer. The downs were usually horrible and painful, but held hidden truths and lessons that I needed to know and learn, for my own good. I came out of what has, quite possibly, been the worst summer of my life with a lot of hidden good that I can use to better my own life. Here are some of the lessons I've learned through the hardships:

1. Don't jump into anything without thinking.

Sometimes, the brain can trick us into making very rash decisions. In those cases, it's important to take a step back and really think about what's in front of you. In some cases, jumping in headfirst is crucial, to avoid overthinking. But, in other cases, you do actually have to consider your options and wonder if the one in front of you is really the best one.

2. Don't blame yourself for other people's mistakes.

Some people have to be free to make their own choices and their own mistakes. I've learned that, no matter how hard you try, you can't reach some people and you most definitely can't change them. For a while, I blamed myself for people pulling away and leaving me alone, and thought that maybe if I tried harder, reached out more, they wouldn't have done that, or made the mistakes they happened to make. I found out that, even if I try my hardest, some people won't change and will never change, and all I can do for myself is to just let them go, no matter how hard or painful that may be for me.

3. Cherish the things that made you smile.

As I mentioned, there have been few ups this summer, but the ups have been truly spectacular. During the downs, I've started to learn that all I can do some days is cherish the little things that made you smile a day or week before.

4. Thank the people who have been there for you.

With a lot of people moving on and pulling away, it's important to reach out to the people still there, especially the people who have been there during the downs. Letting people know how much they mean to you is simple but good and wholesome for both parties.

Summer is a time for learning and growing, and I've certainly done a lot of that this year. These lessons will definitely be able to carry through the school year and hopefully, the rest of my life.