I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22! My birthday was on the weekend, and it’s always a huge occasion. To celebrate, I wanted to share 22 pieces of advice/ life lessons. I graduated from university this year (during a pandemic), got my first full time job, and I feel like I’ve learned a lot recently that I wanted to share. So, here’s 22 things I learned before turning 22!
☆ Travel
I haven’t travelled at all since starting university four years ago, except for one two day trip to Vancouver. It’s something I highly regret because you will have the most free time in university. I started a full time job the week after I graduated, so I never got a break after school time off. Travel while you don’t have full time responsibilities and bills to pay.
☆ Save as much money as you can
Try to put money into your savings account as much as possible, whether you’re working full time or part time. I also recommend getting a part time job if you don’t have one. I started working retail halfway through my university years and I wish I started earlier. It’s a great experience and a way to meet people. It’s also nice to have extra cash, which leads into my next point.
☆ Don’t be scared to spend your money
It’s important to save money, but don’t be afraid to spend money. You worked hard to earn that money and you deserve to treat yourself. Before your early 20’s will be the time in your life where you’ll have little to no responsibilities (in most cases), so have fun and spend your money without fear. Don’t spend every dollar you have, but don’t be afraid to order an extra drink when you go out.
☆ Go out as much as you want/ can
Something I learned during the pandemic was not to take time with friends for granted. I used to go out every once in a while, but I turned down lots of offers to hang out with friends because I either didn’t feel like getting ready or wasn’t feeling spontaneous. It was something I highly regret, especially after the pandemic when all I wanted was to go out with friends. You don’t need to say “yes” to every offer, but hanging out with friends is never a bad idea.
☆ Get as much experience for your resume as you can
When I started job hunting I realized how many jobs require lots of experience, even entry level jobs. I did a few internships during my university years and I almost wish I had done more. There is no such thing as too much experience and it will help you out in the long run. Internships are also a great way to make connections.
☆ Enjoy your time off
Once you graduate, you’ll be working full time and you won’t have as much free time to do the things you enjoy. Yes, you’ll have evenings and weekends, but working is tiring and it’s easy to burn yourself out from trying to do too much. Enjoy whatever time off you have because it doesn’t last forever.
☆ Don’t take school for granted
I’m officially graduated and done with school, and I didn’t miss it until everyone around me began preparing for back to school. Working and being an adult is fun, but sometimes I miss the carefreeness of being a student. I also miss back to school shopping. Appreciate it while you have it because your school years will fly by and you won’t even know where they went!
☆ Spend as much time with your friends and family as possible
Spend as much time with your friends and family as possible because life catches up with you fast. Before you know it, you’re moving out and your friends are moving out, and sometimes even away, and you’ll wish you spent more time with them. I still live at home, but I know I’ll be moving in a few years, so I really prioritize spending time with my mom. One of my best friends moved away to another city the week after we finished classes and I wish I spent more time with her. You never know what life is going to throw at you so spend time with the people you care about.
☆ Do the things that scare you
I lived so many years of my life being scared. I was scared of failure and of looking dumb. I was scared of not knowing things. I missed out on so many opportunities that would have been fun because I was scared to fail. Remember, no one is perfect and you’re not going to know everything. It’s okay to do things even if you might fail, and no one will laugh at you or judge you for not knowing things. One professor of mine said that the only thing stopping you from achieving what you want is yourself. Once you get past the roadblock of fear, there’s no stopping what you can do.
☆ Put yourself out there
This kind of relates to the last point, but put yourself out there. Compliment strangers on their outfits or make small talk with the barista at your local coffee shop. You might make a new friend. At the very least, you’ll have socialized for the day. You never know who you might meet and what experiences could come from putting yourself out there.
☆ Be confident
I know this is one is easier said than done, but being confident is a mindset. Take some time to recognize your insecurities and where they stem from. It’s easier to move past them once you do this. Wear clothes that make you confident and surround yourself with people who lift you up. Wake up everyday and believe that you’re confident and you’ll become a whole new person. You don’t need to look a certain way to be confident — you just need to be confident. Fake it til’ you make it.
☆ Find a work-life balance
Finding a work-life balance is extremely important for your mental health. I was a bit of a work-a-holic in school. I was doing assignments all the time, and it was a habit I had to break when I got a full-time job. There are no scheduled “hours” for schoolwork, so I would stay up all night studying or doing assignments. This was something I continued doing when I started my full-time job until I forced myself to only work during my work hours, unless it was an important assignment that needed to be done immediately. Work is important, but so is living your life.
☆ Don’t shy away from criticism
You’re always going to face criticism no matter what you do, so it’s good to learn how to deal with it early on. I never liked criticism because it felt like I was being told off for doing something wrong, but I realized in the last few years that criticism is constructive and it’s not meant as an insult. It’s all about perspective and you can choose to ignore criticism and pretend that you’re perfect, or you can graciously accept criticism. You’re going to make mistakes and there’s always going to be room to improve, so don’t ignore any criticism thrown your way.
☆ Don’t worry about being old
I used to work retail with a bunch of people younger than me and they constantly told me I was old, and for a while, I believed it. I would bum myself out thinking about my birthday because I didn’t want to be “old,” but then I realized “old” is subjective. You’re only as young as you feel and you’ll never be as young as you are now.
☆ Learn from the people around you
There are so many life lessons to be learned from the people around you, even if it’s just a stranger you meet by coincidence. I love talking to people and hearing their stories and it inspires me all the time. Take the time to chat with people around you and learn more about their life experiences. Everyone has experienced something different and everyone has a story to share.
☆ Break down your walls/ be approachable
I have always been a very independent person, but I realized lately that I’m also super unapproachable because I sometimes come off as cold. I was listening to a podcast and they said that once you open your mind to being approached then you’ll come off as approachable. I thought about that a lot and it’s changed how I react to people when I go out. I’ll smile at people passing on the street or make eye contact when I used to look at the ground or my phone.
☆ Treat people with kindness
Yes, I’m taking Harry Styles’ advice and saying treat people with kindness. It is so easy to judge and to lose your temper, but everyone has difficult days and it’s easier to let things slide than to let it ruin your day. Be kind and be positive and you’ll see that reflected back in your life.
☆ Write down your goals, and discover that it’s okay to not achieve them
I love making lists and making goals for myself, and it’s something that I think everyone should do. The key is that you shouldn’t set timely goals because they’re not productive and you’re only setting yourself up for failure. For example, goals like wanting to get married by a certain age or wanting to buy a car by a certain age aren’t ideal because you’ll only feel worse when you hit that age and aren’t close to your goal. Those goals don’t determine your value or success. Learn how to set goals that won’t disappoint you, but also learn that it’s okay to not achieve the goals you set out for yourself. Everyone has different journeys.
☆ Invest in a capsule wardrobe
I am a shopping addict, and my wardrobe is bursting at the seams. As a teenager, I bought tons of trendy clothes that I barely wore and that weren’t doing anything for me. I recently did a huge closet purge and got rid of half my closet, and I realized the importance of having a capsule wardrobe. Focus on buying pieces that are good quality, can be mixed and matched, and will last a few years. Stay away from pieces that will only be trendy for a few months. Once you start building your capsule closet then you’re set for life. You only need to buy a few pieces at a time so I recommend starting as soon as you can.
☆ Be independent
You’ve only got one life to live and it’s important to live for yourself. I am all about being independent and doing things to better myself. Learn how to cook, do laundry, budget, etc. so that you can be the only person you need to depend on in your life.
☆ Live in the present
It can be so easy to get caught up in the future and even the past, but it’s important to live in the present. I used to spend hours looking through my old photos reminiscing on the past, which is great to do every once in a while, but I did it so often that I missed the past and frequently wished I could go back. I also spend a lot of time worrying about what the future holds. We always wonder how time passes by so fast, but it’s because we’re so caught up in what’s behind us or what’s next. Appreciate every moment you have as it’s happening or else life will fly by.
☆ Have fun
Most importantly, have fun. Every moment of your life can be the best experience ever if you let it. Have a positive attitude and outlook on life and you’ll enjoy every moment.
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