13 Things I Learned Before I Turned 20

1. Chocolate milk is a hangover cure. Drink copious amounts on the morning after. I don’t know why it works, but it does. Don’t drink it mixed with vodka though, no matter how much you want that boy to think you’re funny.

2. There will be a number of times in your life that you are alone. You will be the only single one and your friends will leave you behind to go on triple dates to the Cheesecake Factory. You will meet someone when you stop looking. In your art history class, on the sidewalk, in the organic section of the grocery store. It doesn’t matter where but i guarantee it will happen.

3. Hair grows back. You can always redye it. Remember that. Try the trend that everyone else thinks is stupid. Cut it all off. Dye it pink at some point. Everyone needs to.  New hair is sometimes a new beginning.

4. Yes, you should drink on a sunday night when you have a test in the morning. Yes, I realize this is bad advice. Yes, you should do it anyway. The memories are more important than that test. I promise. You can show up hungover. Your professor will not know the difference and will also not care.

5. Never say no because you don’t know how. Say, “I don’t know how, teach me.” Never miss an opportunity because you’re afraid of messing up or looking stupid.

6. You’re going to do just as many stupid things sober as drunk. You won’t always be able to blame the eighth shot of tequila. Accept it and move on.

7. It doesn’t really matter how you did in high school. No one cares that you were in the top 10%. No one cares how you did on the SAT. You’re going to spend the rest of your life probably worrying that you’re not good enough based on what one bullshit high school teacher said to you. They’re only right if you let them be.

8. Never keep toxic people in your life. It’s okay to delete their numbers and unfriend them on facebook. You’re going to meet a lot of people in your life. You’re going to become friends with a lot of those people, but you’re only going to stay friends with a few. Keep the people who are worth the effort.

9. If you love someone, you’ll know. If you’re ever unsure, dump them and find someone who makes you feel like your entire body is on fire and you never want to be extinguished.

10. They tell you to photograph everything, but there are memories that you can never crawl back into no matter how hard you stare; there are memories that you will never want to share. Those are yours. Put the camera down once in awhile and Just Be.

11. Stop feeling so damn old. You’re young still. You’re allowed to make mistakes and date the wrong people and eat the fucking icecream cake. When you’re old, you’ll only regret the “what if”s.

12. If you can avoid it, don’t hurt other people to make it to the top. Don’t throw your friends under the bus; don’t gossip; don’t pity date; don’t keep secrets, even to protect someone you love. It always comes back to bite you.

13. Today is a bad day; tomorrow will be a good day. Your life is a mixed bag and nothing is guaranteed but the good days will come.