20 Things I Have Learned in 20 Years

My freaking birthday is TOMORROW!! Can you believe that?! I'm still processing over the fact that I'm going to be an official legal adult. It can't get crazier than this. I still look like an 18/19 years old and I've been watching Good Luck, Charlie for the past few weeks now. I've always been the type of person who likes to reflect on life and myself. Today I'm going to reflect on what I have learned in the past twenty years.

ONE

I still live with my parents and this experience has made me appreciate them more than ever. It really does make up the time when I wasn't super close to them beginning of high school. I try to take in the moment because I know I'll be moving out pretty soon and won't be able to see them as frequent as right now. Since I'll be staying in town, I do plan on visiting on the weekends and of course calling and texting them at least once a day.

As for relatives.. There's going to be times where life gets busy and you won't see them as much as you used to and that's okay. I feel like I should make an effort to communicate with my cousins. There's also going to be times when they will push you to the side and "forget" about you. It will hurt, but you will move on.

Learn from your positive and negative family experiences to build on how you want to raise your family when the time comes.

TWO

You must learn how to live each day by yourself. This is a good thing because it's one of the best ways to learn about yourself. Being by yourself is a good thing. You can't always rely on others to have your version of fun. I'm so glad introvert time is becoming a popular concept, it's about time!! I started learning to be independent in the spring semester, but this past summer and fall semester has marked when I officially accepted that I like being independent. It will definitely help me prepare for next semester when I transfer to an university! Independence is key.

Danielle Carolan also explained that being by yourself is okay! 

THREE

 Change is good.

We evolve, it's who we are as humans. Do change when you want to improve yourself. It can be anything from becoming healthier to wanting to do better in school. However, it's never worth it to change yourself to gain approval from other people. Like, ew who cares what they think of you.. It's their problem and not yours. Walk away from those people and surround yourself with better people because they will truly love and accept (tolerate is okay) everything about you. Those are your people.

The way I have changed is through authenticity. Authenticity is the quality of being true or real. I strive to be like this everyday because there's no shame on being true to yourself. It can be hard and nerve-wrecking because being yourself doesn't always guarantee acceptance. Yeah.. I have no explanation for that except people can be mean and judgmental. That's just life and sadly normal. I find that being authentic has helped me grow as a person, make good friends, and connect with other people. I'm just so proud of myself for never changing who I am just so I can fit in with the crowd. Not to be dramatic or anything, but this was a learning experience for me. I never thought that I would lose friends over this, but it's okay. These weren't my true friends and better people will come along.

FOUR

People in your life are most likely temporary.

When graduating high school, you're going to realize that you were friends with certain people because you saw them five days a week and you won't know your true friends until start college. This concept still applies in college. If you want to maintain a friendship, then you must put in the effort. However, don't put in the effort if the other friend isn't doing anything. It's too much work and you're not going to be happy. You deserve better.

It's normal to drift apart from friends. Personally, I drifted apart from my friends because we are all super busy and I guess it's about priorities. It's a good thing that I live in the era, where social media exist, so I can still connect with the friends that I used to be close with in the past. The only reason I would stop being friends with someone is if they don't accept me for who I am or acted fake towards me. I'm not the type of person who would get into drama. I'm too busy to get involved in that situation. Helloo, I'm trying to get into an awesome Public Health Masters Program and a health profession school in the city of somewhere that's probably competitive.

FIVE 

It's okay to be undecided about your career.

I'm in my third year of college and I'm not too sure how I want to give quality care to patients someday. It's been kind of scary to not know because I'm halfway done with college. However, I have figured out my interests; public health, traveling, and patient advocacy. To be honest, there's one more interest, but I prefer not to share it right now. Thanks for understanding :). As I mentioned before, I want to get a Masters in Public Health because that's what I like now and hopefully it will help guide me to figure out what I want to do in the medical or healthcare field.

What I can advise you is, figure out what you like and dislike and let that create a path for you to know what you want to do in life. You're not alone. Make a visit to the career and advising center your college campus or the guidance counselor's office if you're in high school. They will help you. If you're not in school, I bet there are plenty of career resource websites and books at the local library and there are always career fairs held around town.

Remember what Obama said,"Worry less about what you want to be, and think more about what you want to do."

Read more:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/24/barack-obama-returns-fray-chicago-first-speech-since-stepping/

SIX

I'm terrible at this. I hope to say yes more because it will help me grow out of my comfort zone and hopefully have less regrets. I want to be more content my life. I need to put myself out there and be social. I shouldn't let the little things to hold me back. I deserve some fun! I've always noticed whenever I do say, I find myself feeling good and I need to like that more often.

WATCH FOR MORE ENCOURAGEMENT

                                      

SEVEN

One of the coolest thing I did in the spring semester was re-establishing my favorite organization that I was apart of in high school, PeaceJam. It took time and dedication to get it running. I'm so glad I had people (my leadership professor and people from leadership and involvement center) to support me in this process. I'm not even for sure if it would even happen if wasn't for their help.  If you want to start something, then do it. Ask for help. I wish I had started PeaceJam way back when I started freshman year, but I was somewhat lost and too nervous/lazy.

EIGHT

Smart studying, asking for help when needed, effective productivity will lead you to become successful in school. It's okay to slack-off, but remind yourself WHY you want to aim high/achieve your goals. It's always lovely to have that satisfaction of achievement. Remember to give yourself a break every now and then because you deserve it.

NINE

It times to find your person or people. 

When in college, you're not sure if you'll see the people that you once met ever again. It may seem hard to make friends, but it will happen because you will make an effort to get out there to meet people. It's okay if it takes a little longer you meet your gal pals. I'm going through the same thing. I have learned that you shouldn't rush in something like this,it takes time. I like to focus on myself and let the people come into my life, like a surprise gift from God, and then just go with the flow. Trust me, you want good quality friends. I think I'll be okay if I don't find my people until grad school. Look at Meredith Grey, for example, it seems like she didn't find her people until she start her internship/residency and way back when, she cutoff her friend from medical school. Be patient.

TEN

I don't mean like go on a search, but you could start by talking to your professors. Professors can do more than just helping you with a concept. If they feel comfortable enough, they can share their story of why they become a professor. You would be surprise at their journey. You want a mentor that can understand and connect with you, whether that's also wanting to be professor/educator or having the same interests as them. Your mentor doesn't have to be a professor. It can also be your old middle or high school teacher (don't forget about your favorites) or someone that you volunteer with from an organization. Sometimes a mentor can simply be a role model that you probably will never meet and that's okay. Reading their memoir or following them on social media can be enough

ELEVEN

The 2016 Presidential Election was my first time voting. It's something that I will never forget. It was an experience to witness a woman to be nominated to represent a major political party as the presidential candidate. History was made. I was part of history by casting my vote. It's important to exercise your rights. Speak out, get involved, be aware of what's going on. Keep in mind that some people from other countries are not able to this. The next election, the midterms, is on November 6, 2018. This is election is very important because it's our chance to end Trump's term through voting for the candidates that are against him. It's important to know your state legislatures, u.s. senators and u.s house of representatives.

TWELVE AND THIRTEEN

It's okay if your study methods changes almost every semester. What's really important is that you're doing what works best for you. Even medical students are realizing that the methods they used during college are no longer effective while studying for their exams.

Be productive during the summer by taking classes, volunteering, intern/working, or traveling. It's a great time to explore,catch up with course credits, gain experiences and community service hours, and possibly to make some money. Don't forget to take pictures, try to have fun, and rest. Summers are going to end before you know it.

FOURTEEN

Learn a skill. 

Last week or so I've been learning about photography! I've been wanting to do it for a long time and now's really the time to learn something new while the equipment is available to use. I got the chance to edit some of the pictures that I took on campus. Other than that, I also want to learn about video editing. Apparently it goes hand and hand with photography. As a health/science related major, it's nice to take a break and get into my creative side. I was told that it's important to have a hobby to cope with stress from classes.

FIFTEEN

Don't be afraid to ask questions. 

Repeat after me, "There is no such thing as dumb questions." Asking questions is a sign that you're curious about something. Your curiosity is what going to motivate you to read or study more. Expand your horizon, be open to ideas that you never heard of, challenge yourself. Being stuck sucks, trust me. I wish I have spoken more to my U.S History teacher from high school. He was always open to conversations with his student about literally anything. Stay hungry. Be the nerd of something.

SIXTEEN

I understand that the person who you look up to is perfect, but what about you? You deserve some credit. You don't want to rely on someone for your happiness or try to be like them. It always lead to disappointments. I got really annoyed when my favorite vlog/bloggers, who are always speaking up for equality, attended Coachella.. Anyways, surprise yourself.

SEVENTEEN

YOU have to make time for self-care.

No matter how many times I ask people for advice on working out or being healthy, it's pretty much useless until I start applying the advice I receive to myself. I'm currently taking a Nutrition class and yet I still haven't made much change to my diet and lifestyle..whoops. Honestly, my problem is not being consistent and making the time to plan meal preps. I really like my how professor even encourages us to eat healthier. If you're struggling like me, YOU GOT THIS. We should never give up. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle now will pay off when we are older, causing be less stress and more energy to live life to the fullest.

EIGHTEEN

Less screen time isn't boring. Try it. I haven't been on my phone or watching tv as much as I used to and I've been lovin' it. I've been able to get more stuff done. It's important to not to get suck up on social media because you just might miss out on something that's currently happening in your surroundings. As Taylor Swift once said, "I hope you witness something so amazing that you weren't able to take a picture of it." I can't find the exact quote, but I remember she said something along those lines.

NINETEEN 

Take your time when creating your own path. Don't quit unless you really have to. Life is short and too precious to just live with no purpose/impact. As always your impact does not have to be worldwide. Simply focus on how you can create a positive difference in your community. The day after my birthday, I start teaching elementary school students about leadership and service. I get to introduce them to the world and how it has improved by the actions of 13 heroes of peace (Noble Peace Laureates).

TWENTY

Live each day with giggles and awkwardness. Go through all types of emotions. That's how you live. Definitely a story I would want to know about. Write about it when you get the chance.