If you’re reading this, perhaps you too spent the year as a 25 year old and perhaps you also learned some life lessons and witnessed a lot of self-growth. Below is my list of the 25 things I learned as a quarter of a centurion.

1.

First and foremost, this one’s to all the lazy girls out there: it is not okay to wear last night’s pyjama t-shirt to work. I don’t care if it doesn’t smell bad. You need to take pride in your appearance as it will change your whole attitude for the day. People will also be friendlier to you, it’s a sad reality.

2.

Screw being ladylike. As a kid, you were probably taught to be nice and polite but this is just societies way of keeping you at a level that it is comfortable with. You are not rude for speaking your mind and more often than not, you can still do it in a respectful way. So, don’t repress your emotions or be afraid to actually tell people how you feel. Being straight up takes off a lot of pressure.

3.

Do not mistake lust for love. Lust is self-serving and love is self-sacrificing.

4.

Break all the rules, over and over again until everything you thought you knew has been completely dismantled and only then will you truly find the right way—your right way.

5.

Choose books over Netflix, it’s less passive and might actually inspire you.

6.

Don’t take anyone’s shit. Stand your ground, no matter the cost.

7.

It’s okay to say no to sex – you don’t owe anybody anything.

8.

Exercise and stretch every day. It’s amazing how quickly climbing the stairs can feel like climbing Mt. Everest if you don’t keep fit. True story.

9.

”Positive Vibes Only” is a bullshit mantra. Avoid overly positive people who don’t want negative vibes in their lives. These people are selfish. They will not be there for you when everything becomes a disaster or when you just need a good venting session. It’s good to be positive but we’re also human and sometimes things are shitty and it’s okay to both feel shitty and talk about the shittyness.

10.

Rid yourself of guilt and do not allow others to take you on a guilt trip. As long as you know when to apologise, and are able to learn from your mistakes, then you have nothing to feel guilty about.

11.

Know when to quit but also don’t quit if your anxiety is sky rocketing through the roof – you’ve got to stick it out as things will become easier and it will all pay off in the end.

12.

Don’t always believe the cute things that your crush says. People talk a lot of smack and actions always, always speak louder than words

13.

Accept that time passes and stop obsessing about your age. You’re lucky to be here and this moment is the youngest you’ll ever be again.

14.

Instagram is fun but treat it like you would a trashy magazine. Everything on there is fake and is used to fill a void. More importantly, don’t compare your behind the scenes with someone else’s highlights reel.

15.

Practice radical kindness in every aspect of your life. Like me, you’re probably a bit of a shit in some way but that doesn’t mean you can’t be kind also.

16.

Know when a chapter has ended and stop trying to revisit it.

17.

Do the dishes every day – your mental health will thank you for it.

18.

Don’t take no for an answer when it comes to hustling. Keep going, it’s a numbers game and you’ll get there.

19.

Don’t be an observer if you see someone else in danger. Chances are everyone else is waiting for someone to do something. So be an actor, you might actually save someone’s life.

20.

Gently and frequently exfoliate.

21.

Don’t rush. Hasten slowly because once you find where you’re meant to be, part of you will look back on the time when hundreds of possibilities were in front of you and you’ll wonder what the hell your rush was.

22.

Do not be afraid of the misdirections, instead bounce from each one like a pinball.

23.

Keep your brows fierce. It’s amazing what a good threading and tinting session can do to your appearance Talking to you, fellow pasty-skins.

24.

Do not become complacent. Complacency is one of the greatest dangers to our society and our planet. Care about what effect you can have and aim to do something that leaves the world a little better than how you found it.

25.

And finally, if you feel lost and haven’t quite found your thing yet, then keep moving towards what you think you might enjoy. And if you don’t even know what that is then; take a course, explore the world, talk to all kinds of people about all kinds of things, do an internship – heck do seven! Learn from your past, ask thousands of questions, experiment with every aspect of your life and walk boldly with one foot in front of the other – even if you don’t know where you’re going. Because chances are, you’re not really lost, you’re just on your way.