Hello Everybody!
I think a decade has seriously passed since I last posted, or maybe it is just Spring doing what it does best (makin’ people busy). Either way, I am happy to be back and I’m ready to put this blog into full force now that I am OFFICIALLY DONE with SCHOOL. Never would have thought that I would see the day where I don’t have to take an exam over excel.
Maybe the tests and the long frantic studying hours I won’t miss, but the memories and friends that I made, oh I will for sure miss those. It is still weird to think that I’m not going back next year. I’m trying to get it through my brain that I will never have to climb the awful straight up and down stairs in Colden Hall, that I actually loved because they kept me in shape. I can’t even fathom that my best friends are not just a quick 2-5 minute drive away from me. It is all still so weird.
Oh and don’t even get me started about “adulting.”
It is not a real thing unless you give into the fact that you are an “adult.”
It is merely just a term to describe people that work jobs and pay bills… which most of us have done in high school.
So what I’m starting to do is not “adulting” or “beginning my life” (I started that May 20, 1997 when I was born). I am just continuing to “bloom” and creating new paths for me to walk down. That is waaaayyy more exciting than “I’m finally #Adulting!”
Anyways— This post was not supposed to be a rant. It is about all of things I have learned by being twenty. I graduated from college at 20 years old, so I feel highly qualified to relay all of the information I learned back to you. Take everything I say with a grain of salt.
1. Find Your Best Rocks
When I say “rocks” I mean your support system. The people that keep you sane, the ones that you can trust, the people that make you want to do better and be better. Being twenty is hard. You fall a lot, but you achieve a lot as well. It’s the biggest learning stage in life aside from when you are in Elementary school and you need good people to help you. It’s impossible to do it on your own, no matter how hard you try.
2. Take Time for Yourself
I’m not talking about taking five minutes to get on instagram or watch a movie. I’m talking about doing something to seriously better yourself. I have always seen sports or the gym as a way to take time for myself because I felt like I was improving my actual well being. Back in the day, I used to write all of my thoughts down because it improved my writing skills. Taking a nap is even a way to take time for yourself. For some reason, we think we are invincible and don’t need sleep but we are HUMAN and we have to rest our bodies.
*p.s. getting your hair and nails done, laying out in the sun are also examples.
3. Be a Nice Person
This doesn’t even need an explanation…just be nice. During our commencement ceremony, our key speaker brought this up several times. Without a doubt, remember it.
4. Do Not Let 1 Thing Ruin It All
Everyone makes mistakes, but your mistakes do not define you. So, don’t let them rule you! Instead, learn from them and grow. Use your mistakes to help you guide your judgment so you are smarter the second time around when the same problem approaches. If I let one of my mistakes rule my life, I would not have graduated from college or have started this blog. I wouldn’t be half the person I am today. Don’t be that person who has one bad thing happen and their life spirals out of control. Learn, Overcome, and Conquer.
5. Compete With Yourself, Not Others
This is such big lesson in life. You should be focused on being the best person that you can possibly be. Instead of trying to compete with someone else, learn from them. If they have awesome hair, ask them how they got their hair to be like that or who their hair stylist is. If they light up a room the second they walk in, take notes. There is absolutely no reason to talk badly about someone who has something you may not have. Instead, learn from them!
6. Be Confident With The Things You Do
CONFIDENCE IS KEY… need I say it again? Faking it till you make it is also a real thing.
7. People Care Less About You Than You Think
Don’t take this to heart, just realize not everyone cares. Accept and move on. If you are happy with yourself, nothing else will matter because you are no longer looking for acceptance.
8. Make Your Time With Others Count
I was watching an episode of “The Middle” and one of the characters almost had a near death experience and realized that she needed to really think about how she was spending her time with others. She specifically said, “Isn’t it just so crazy that every time you talk to someone that could be the last thing they ever hear from you? Like those could be your last words?” Now I am not saying speak to people like it’s the last time you will ever see them. But make your words and time count. Be present and engaged in conversations. Stay off your phone when you are talking to someone (I still struggle with this).
9. Don’t Be Afraid to Stand Your Ground
If something isn’t right, stand up for yourself! Trust your intuition and don’t be afraid to upset people. You iz smart and you know what iz right.
10. Learn Something New Everyday
There is no harm in learning. Learn from your family, your significant other, your friends, your role models, or even learn from Youtube. Knowledge is power.
11. Don’t Wait For Things to Happen (Again)
Waiting for things to happen is awful… like I seriously hate waiting. Don’t wait for that guy to text you or wait for your ex to come back. If things are meant to be, they will happen and they will happen without you sitting there and waiting. Oh and don’t wait for your second chance… second chances rarely come around. If they do, take full advantage of it, but don’t expect the same situation to present itself.
12. Be a Little Fearless
It is fun to take risks every once in a while. Don’t hold yourself back if it’s an experience you think you will like and get a lot out of. Everything is a little scary at first.
13. Do Not Give Up On Your Dreams
WHY WOULD YOU NOT PURSUE YOUR DREAMS??????
Maybe little freshman Hayden wrote in her journal that she was going to move to Manhattan one day and pursue fashion. Maybe now she is moving to Manhattan, not the one she was thinking of in New York, but the one in Kansas. And maybe now she writes a “fashion-ish” blog, but hey she’s happy and as far as she is concerned she is still pursing her dreams. She didn’t give up nor is she going to give up.
14. Save Your Money
Yeah take the time and seriously listen to your dad about money. You probably do not need to drop $100 at Forever 21 on clothes that you will wear once. Save your money for stuff that you will have for a long time. I save everything for traveling. That’s what makes me happy and provides me with some memories that I hold near and dear to my heart. Save up for things that are important to you. I hope that you go open up a savings account today if you do not have one already. Saving accounts are a blessing.
If you are reading this, give yourself a pat on the back!!! I applaud you because this post was so long. I felt like I needed to write it and I really hope that some of my points make a difference in your life. Even if it’s a small one…
by Twofold Media 
