It seems cheesy to think that a long time ago, I wished I was in my twenties. I yearned for the freedom of adulthood, encapsulated by just enough youth to keep you feeling vibrant and infallible. It seemed like being in your twenties meant trying new things, meeting new people and just getting a chance to experience life before the responsibilities of adulthood piled on.

Now that I'm in my twenties, however, it's a whole different story. There have been many ups and downs these past few years that have shaped how I choose to approach the future. Every twenty-something can agree that these years are just as much about learning as they are about experiencing life. You learn a lot about yourself, the people you choose to surround yourself with, and your impact on this world. Most importantly, however, is that you learn about your mistakes. There are many that will happen and will continue to happen as you go through these prime years, and each mistake is more painful than the last. Regardless, you do learn a lot about what it means to be an adult, and each lesson brings you further in tune with yourself and what your purpose on life is.

1. Embracing your true self.

Everyone remembers their cringe worthy self in high school, right? The kind of kid that wanted to make sure everyone liked them, that they fit in and had a cool group of friends?

How stupid we were back then, thinking validation from others made us inherently "better" or "worse" selves? Why did we place so much emphasis on trying to have friends that thought we were so cool?

I remember being around friends who didn’t even like each other, but stayed together for the sake of their so called "image." I was completely dumbfounded by the lengths people would go to hide their true personalities. People, including myself, were living disingenuous lives that depended on others perceptions.

As we grew up however, we noticed a shift. No longer did we care if our personalities clashed with someone else. They were simply not meant to be in our lives. It was refreshing to see everyone finally embrace the person they really were.

Being in your twenties means knowing who you are and being okay with it. You no longer have time for meaningless relationships or small talk with people you hate. You realize that it's better to be who you always wanted to be than to pretend for people's validation. And being "cool" is no longer "cool". Having good friends, a great job, and worthwhile experiences is what makes you happy, and being yourself is the key.

2. Not everyone has your best interests at heart.

Your twenties not only bring you responsibilities, weight (unfortunately), and stress, but it also brings you a little wisdom. This wisdom can help you determine who should and shouldn't be in your life based on the kind of person they are.

Everyone knows someone they've cut out of their life because being in a relationship with them was more exhausting than meaningful. By this time in your life, you begin to see people for who they really are, especially which of your friends care if you succeed and which don’t. You realize that these people are only there to put you down or undermine your success, and the relationship feels like a burden more than anything.

Cutting out people who bring you negative energy out of your life helps you appreciate those who are there for the right reasons. For most of our lives, we choose to ignore our intuition about others, but being in our twenties helps us take the metaphorical blinders off. We realize that for our health and happiness, sometimes being tough and walking away from those that hurt us is better in the long run.

3. Not every responsibility is a burden.

I remember feeling unbelievably overwhelmed by the numerous responsibilities that came with adulthood. No longer were my parents or teachers responsible for my life. These new responsibilities were a weird change, and I reacted just as most twenty-somethings do: avoid them as much as possible.

I realized, however, that these responsibilities were gifts. Learning to manage a bank account, buying groceries, focusing on career aspirations, and many other obligations were tedious to deal with but enriching nonetheless. They taught me a lot about the concerns my parents dealt with, how finances can really take a toll, and how important it was to be proactive in what you want out of life.

Our twenties are meant to push us to our breaking point, and although our responsibilities can weigh heavily on our shoulders, having the strength to deal with them teaches us a lot about ourselves and what we're capable of.

4. Education is vital.

Have you ever tried arguing with someone who clearly didn't understand something just because they had no background on the subject? I know you all have, considering the political climate these days.

But I don't just mean politics. Science, math, literature, law, economics, etc. are all topics we encounter not only in the classroom but in life. Something that resonated with me when I entered my twenties was how much I paid attention to the knowledge I received. If I came across a topic I was unfamiliar with, I immediately googled what it was about in order to learn more. Why? Well partly because I’m just a curious person, but I also did it because I wanted to be well-versed in topics I didn't know about. I never wanted to encounter a situation where I would mistakenly defend a viewpoint that I wasn’t at least familiar with.

Knowledge is power. Learning about new concepts, ideas, and innovations not only helps you stimulate your brain, but also keeps you connected with the world. Those who refuse to learn about other viewpoints or don’t care to learn about other ideas or subjects are only limiting themselves. As people enter their twenties, there is an abundance of new ideas and concepts we learn from others, the world, the internet, and even ourselves that can not only change our lives, but help us understand society as a whole.

5. It's okay to seek help.

I think I can speak for many of us when I say we like to do things without others helping us. It's a nice sentiment to do well on your own for whatever endeavor you’re seeking to accomplish. However, sometimes what we strive for is beyond our reach, but not impossible. All we need is a little help.

I'll be the first to admit that I HATE asking for help. It makes me feel weak, unintelligent, useless and I don't want to put myself in a position of subordination. But, it's wrong to think this way. I've come to realize that asking for help doesn't make you seem incompetent. It shows that you're willing to acknowledge any weaknesses you have and are proactive in improving them.

6. It's time to focus on yourself and your aspirations instead.

This one is gonna sound selfish, but your twenties mean thinking less about others and more about yourself. Back when we were younger, there weren't high stakes in our lives, so forgetting to study for a quiz because you were helping a friend through a breakup wasn’t majorly taxing. But now, choosing not to go into work or sacrificing something equally as big for someone else might be more detrimental. Of course, be a decent human being and help someone when they're in need, but start thinking about whether or not certain concerns are priorities for you.

If your best friend needs you every time she breaks up with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, maybe you should just give her a call next time instead of running over with ice cream, especially if you have other priorities to deal with. It's time to think about yourself more. The steps you make now count for the rest of your life, and if those friends are truly your friends, they will understand your reasons instead of making you feel bad. If they don't, you know they were never true friends to begin with.

7. You have so much more potential than you realize.

Being in your twenties means succeeding at certain things, but it also means failing at others. However, that doesn't mean you can't succeed again. Like I mentioned before, your twenties are a learning experience. You will fail, you will question your goals (both career and personal) and you will ask yourself if all your efforts are worth it. I'm here to tell you they are.

You may or may not believe it, but every one of us has the potential to succeed in anything we do. Just because there are setbacks, or people who don’t believe in your dreams, doesn’t mean you still can’t achieve them. You realize at this age, after many successes and failures in your past, that you can overcome anything that stands in your way. It may seem difficult at first, but you were able to survive twenty-something years on this earth with everything you've been through, so you can certainly conquer whatever is in your way now. You have more than enough potential to rise above any circumstance.

Your twenties may seem like an uphill battle right now, but don't forget that there may be a wonderful view on the other side. Keep going. You have so much more to discover.