New Year’s Day: wrapped in blankets, splitting headache, and watching "SpongeBob Squarepants," I'm trying to figure where the hell my wallet is. Like any other twenty-something, I partake in a New Year’s Eve celebration of debauchery and setting resolutions to be a better person (really decided this during shots). So leaving the party, I lost my wallet in an Uber, woke up on New Year’s Day in a hungover panic. After many phone calls with my Uber driver and driving four hours to South Jersey to meet up with the driver, I finally got my wallet. Fortunately, all of my belongings were still intact. Through this experience, I gained some important, much-needed life lessons.

Panicking doesn’t fix anything.

Initially finding out I lost my wallet, I freaked out. My dear friend tried to calm me down as I was nervously pacing the apartment shouting, “Oh My God, I'm going to die,” and, “This is the worst day ever.” However, panicking and freaking out won’t help me fix the problem; it will only drive me and my friends crazy. I learned in order to fix a problem, you have to take a deep breath and move forward.

Persistence is key.

When faced with the obstacles, giving up seems like the easy route, but accomplishing a goal or fixing a problem is much more fulfilling. While trying to find out where my wallet was, I had many moments of just giving up and canceling all of my cards, but there was a small voice in my head pushing me to get it. I persevered, made many phone calls, and drove great lengths to get my belongings and when I finally did I felt proud and relieved.

There are good people in the world.

Between the Uber driver that gave me back my wallet, my friends who calmed me down, my mom coming with me to get my belongings, and the other Uber patrons who didn’t steal my stuff, I realized there are good people. When losing possessions, especially money, you always hear of stories of people stealing, or cab drivers not giving a wallet back. I thought for sure my stuff was going to be gone, but people will always surprise you.

Don’t put everything in your wallet if you’re going out.

I must be delusional to bring everything important (my license, debit card, and credit cards). I do not know how to make this tip sound profound, but really, don’t carry everything important with you to a party.

Don’t feel pressured to do something you don’t want to do.

Being young, there is a societal pressure for young people always having to go out and doing something big for New Year’s Eve. It is pressured fun. You are deemed lame or lonely if you stay home or do something low key. Honestly, standing in a dirty house listening to bad EDM remixes, standing around strangers dry humping each other, I realized I should have stayed home. At home, I had my family celebrating, fireworks, better alcohol, delicious food, and my bed. I promised myself not to succumb to societal pressures. Life is too short to do things you don’t want to do and care what others think. Do you, even if that is playing with fireworks with your 10-year-old cousin or dancing on table at a frat party.

Appreciate what you have.

I visited a different school for a New Year’s Eve party, and it made me appreciate everything about going to school in Charleston. I appreciated the culture at my school, the people, and the city itself. Sometimes going out of comfort zone makes you appreciate the things you have; your hometown that you think is lame, your school, and having your possessions together.

If this is the worst thing to happen to me in 2016, I’m in good shape.