It’s crazy how aging completely changes your perspective. When I was in grammar school, I thought that people who were 20 years old were so old. In high school, I thought that 20-year-olds basically had their life together. But now, having just turned 20, I understand that these views were anything but true.

As I was ending my year of being 19, I was anxious. I always believed that there would be more adulthood to turning 20, so it felt weird to know that I was still watching some of the same shows I watched when I was in my first years of high school and unsure of what I would actually do after college. However, being surrounded by thousands of other 20-year-olds in college made me realize that 20 is all about a new beginning.

Turning 20 isn’t about having your life together, it’s about getting your life together. 20 is your intro to your 20s. It’s the year before you can legally drink and, in many cases, the year before you graduate college. It is where you start to figure out your strengths in college and what path you want to pursue. It’s where you finally declare your major or minor, if you haven’t already, and feel like you’re getting big things done. It’s when you finally figure out who your real friends are. Even more, it’s when you appreciate your family more and truly see its importance in your life.

Sooner or later, everyone turns 20. Yet it’s important not to panic when you do. Ending your teen years is definitely scary, I’ll admit it first-hand. But it’s also exciting to feel like you’re getting your life together and to know that you are maturing. Don’t look at 20 and panic, look at 20 and embrace your new start. Use your 20^th year to set the grounds for everything you want to achieve throughout the rest of your 20s.