I recently turned 18 — stepping into the intimidating, yet thrilling world of adulthood! As I close out one chapter of my life to begin the next while I prepare to go to college, apply for a credit card, and compile a list of ear piercings I’m ready to get, I also want to honor what my childhood has taught me. So, below is a list of 18 things I’ve learned in the last 18 years.
1. Sacrificing a workout to “study more” is rarely effective.
It took me an entire year in 11th grade of sacrificing my afternoon gym sessions or morning runs to realize that more “study time” does not equate to more studying actually being done. Without a proper, refreshing break for our brains, it’s hard to concentrate or stay focused on an assignment. Take this lesson as your reminder to walk around a bit during your study sessions if you ever find that you are having trouble focusing.
2. Be intentional about keeping people in your life.
Stay in touch with that one friend from summer camp who you really bonded with! Set a calendar reminder in a few weeks to text them to see what they are up to. We often lose connections with people simply for the sake of convenience or being too tired to respond to a text message, when oftentimes these people can end up being some of the most refreshing ones to talk to.
3. If you make it a point to see orange cars, you will see more orange cars.
While this applies literally, I more-so mean this figuratively. If I am in a bad mood, then suddenly everything else around me seems way more negative and pessimistic. On the other hand, if I make an active effort to appreciate the little things around me, like the pretty flowers outside my house or the birds chirping (however cheesy that may be), things start looking up.
4. People will always appreciate random gifts!
If you see a little trinket at a shop that reminds you of someone, get it for them! Or if you are learning to crochet, crochet something for your friend and drop it off at their house. It doesn’t matter if it’s not their birthday — everyone feels better when they know someone is thinking about them.
5. Embarrassment is only a mindset.
And I truly mean this!!!! Treat everything like a learning experience (because they are). How could anyone be embarrassed for learning?
6. If you’ve done the most you can to solve a conflict and it’s still not resolved, stop stressing out about it.
This can apply to anything: friendship conflicts, work issues, or sibling quarrels. If you’re in a situation where you messed up but you apologized, took full accountability, demonstrated that you’ve learned from the situation, and did whatever else you could to to repair your mistake, then it’s fully up to the other party to determine whether you can resolve the conflict together. Recognize what is in your control, and let go of what isn’t.
7. Yes, “over-studying” is a thing.
This one goes out to the Type A students who overthink all the content they learn in class. If you feel like you understand the content, test yourself one more time and then deem yourself prepared. It’s not worth redoing a practice test for the fifth time and fatiguing your brain the night before a test when you already know all the content.
8. But — time blocking is key to making sure you aren’t under-studying.
Time blocking is a time management technique where you divide your day into increments, dedicating a block of time exclusively for doing a specific assignment. Google Calendar is a great tool for this, and is probably single-handedly the reason why I made it through 11th and 12th grade.
9. Be close with your teachers.
On the topic of academics, getting to know your teachers can often make or break a class experience. Just staying a few seconds after class to ask a question to a teacher or asking how their weekend was on Monday morning can make a world of difference with your teacher-student relationships. Your teachers are on your side, and it never hurts to lean on them for support.
10. The best song to drive with is “Losing You” by Solange.
Specifically, with the windows rolled down, volume cranked up, and sun shining on your face. I get excited just thinking about it!
11. Expect to be bad at a new hobby, and don’t let that stop you from trying it!
I spent a lot of my middle and high school years being scared of starting new passions because I hated being a “beginner.” What I realized, however, is that it’s unrealistic — and straight-up unproductive — to expect yourself to excel at something at the start. Where’s the fun in learning something that you are already perfect at, anyway?
12. It’s not “cool” to be sleep-deprived.
Instead, you just feel groggy for the next few days as your brain struggles to conjure whatever chemical is needed when our bodies don’t have enough rest to live normally. I feel like I’ve all too often heard people flaunt how they only got 4 hours of sleep before a test or had to pull an all-nighter to finish a presentation. If anything, I think it’s more impressive to have gotten a full eight hours of sleep before the biggest test of the year.
13. Give energy into people who are net-positive in your life.
At a few points in school, I noticed my peers dedicating a lot of energy into people who didn’t care about them or who weren’t adding a net-positive to their life. People obviously go through ups and downs in their relationships, which is why it’s important to focus on the net-positive. In general, focus your energy on people who uplift you — after all, you don’t have unlimited energy.
14. A lot of minor issues in high school can be solved by a good night’s sleep and a good meal.
I mean the late-night spirals about getting FOMO (fear of missing out), stressing over finding an outfit for that super-duper important event next week, or freaking out over the huge pile of laundry in your room that you don’t have enough time to do. Deep breaths!!!
15. DRINK. WATER.
Because you probably aren’t drinking enough (what helps me get in my daily 100oz is using my 40oz Hydro Flask water bottle).
16. Clean room = clean mind.
Would you rather do your math homework in a makeshift dumpster or a sparkling clean, neat room? Your environment shapes you. As corny as that sounds, setting aside 30 minutes every Sunday evening to clean up my surroundings has helped my life feel a little bit more put together, even when everything around me was falling apart.
17. Workout classes are not *that* scary.
I used to be terrified of working out in front of other people, or falling over on a reformer pilates machine in a group setting. When I was in junior year, however, I ripped the band-aid off and tried a CorePower YogaSculpt class for the first time. Though it was 60 minutes of the most brutal workout of my life, I walked out realizing I had just discovered a lifelong passion for hot yoga. The options are endless when you realize that the scariest part is starting (although, it helps to bring a friend for the first time).
18. Take advantage of the local flea market.
Paly has a flea market every 2nd Saturday of each month! You can find super cute jewelry, new silverware, or $1 Beanie Baby plushies all in the same parking lot. Utilize of the local resources around you!!
The last 18 years of my life have been everything it was supposed to be: stressful, exciting, happy, scary, thrilling, joyful, and much, much more. I am forever in debt to my family, friends, and teachers for shaping me into the person I am today, and I certainly wouldn’t be here without the support from those around me. I’m also positive that I am going to learn exponentially more lessons in the next few years, and — though I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit scared to be an adult — I am so excited to see how my life unfolds.
