22 Things I Learned at 22
22 was probably one of my best years. It was my senior year of college, I got to travel to South Africa, made some new friends, and moved to France! There are a lot of things I learned at 22, and I wanted to share them, as I believe they most were important life lessons. Some statements are more serious than others, as I wanted to make this as fun of a read as possible for everyone:
1. Step out of your comfort zone.
I definitely did A LOT of that this year. From traveling solo in South Africa, to moving half way across the world for a year, I definitely would say I stepped out of my comfort zone. It's important to do so every once in awhile because who knows, a great experience/memory could be made from it.
2. Being confident does not make you cocky or self-absorbed.
I used to be so shy and lacked so much confidence in myself. It really wasn't until senior year that I got out of my shell, and began to be my own person, and became more accepting of myself.
3. Don't care about what others think of you.
No matter where life takes you, there will always be people who may you may not see eye-to-eye with, and will judge you or dislike how you are as a person. But if you are yourself, and are happy with the person you are then you shouldn't care about what they think of you. You are happy, and that's all that matters.
4. Sometimes you need ME time.
I like to think of myself as an extrovert, but there are times when I need to 'recharge' after being with people all day. That always includes alone time whether it's having a spa day, watching some Netflix, or reading a book; I find that self care is so important.
5. Pizookies are by far the BEST dessert out there.
After cheer practice one day, Tara and I went to one of the local restaurants for some food. They told us that one of their desserts was $3 that day, and is so every week. Thus the addiction began! It started to turn into a regular Tuesday affair, slowly bringing in more of our teammates to join as well!
6. Don't miss out on the little things.
Being that most of my 22nd year consisted of my senior year at UMW, I made sure to go to every event, as it would be my last. I also would go to all of the small hangouts and study dates my friends I would have, as some of my best memories are from those hangouts!
7. You can't please everyone.
There are going to be times in your life when you don't please everyone. Whether it's your personality, beliefs, actions, etc. it's hard to please EVERYONE. You have your friends and support group, so you do not have to worry if someone else isn't on your side.
8. Your friends will HATE you for it, but take tons pictures and videos.
Trust me, I am the queen of making sure pictures and snapchats are taken when hanging out, and although it can be annoying at times, your friends will thank you later for it, as you can remember the memories that were made that day/night from looking at the photos or videos.
9. Don't be shy.
I made a lot of new friends senior year. Some were from mutual friends, but some I just took the courage to say hi to them if they were in a class with me or in the same place. Just by saying hi, I now have some new life-long friends.
10. Cheer was one of my saving graces.
Doing Cheer always caused a lot of stress on me. I am pretty competitive, and always wanted to do well in practice. By senior year, I tried to look at it for more fun as I wanted to enjoy my last year. Although I would still stress about some things, it was always nice to have a break from homework, school, or just everything going on outside of cheer. I had so many amazing teammates and friends that made my last year the best year for cheer.
11. Hide your credit card from time to time.
I definitely am a firm believer of retail therapy, but when your credit card bill is through the roof, it may be time to take a break. Over the summer, I ended up giving my credit cards to my dad, so that I wouldn't get tempted in spending money, and honestly it worked for the most part (accept for in American Eagle - when I found out they could do account look up - biggest regret). So, if you're trying to save some money, take your credit cards out of your wallet, and keep them in a safe place until you feel as though you've saved a bit.
12. Dancing and singing is good for the soul.
Whenever I was super stressed out or sad, I would put my music on blast, normally would just start out listening to the music while I cleaned my apartment or cooked, but after a couple songs I was dancing and screaming the lyrics out. I always had a change of mood after listening to music, so it became a regular thing for me to do whenever I was upset.
13. Face your fears.
While in South Africa, I faced two of my biggest fears: the first being my fear of heights, and the second being my fear of the ocean. While in South Africa, I bungee jumped off of the tallest bridge (708 feet) which was one of the coolest things I ever did. I also swam in the ocean with seals which was in fairly deep water, where I normally steer clear of (if I can't touch the ground then I'm not going in). I was really proud of facing two of my biggest fears, as these two experiences were some of the coolest things I've ever done.
14. VOLUNTEER ABROAD!!
One of the greatest experiences was spending time with the kids in Capricorn, South Africa. Their smiles after a day at the camp or the day care just made my heart melt, and I always was s excited to go everyday. It was so hard to say goodbye on my last day, but hopefully I'll go back again soon. I 100% recommend checking out IVHQ and the 100's of volunteer opportunities they have abroad. You will not regret signing up, and going to a new place and giving back.
15. My other saving grace: my friends.
I always knew my friends were sweet, kind hearted, hilarious, and filled with so much joy; but I never thought that they would help me out of my funks. Whenever I was stressed about school or life, they were always there for me. Whether it was retail therapy, ordering or making dinner together, getting coffee, or just hanging out and watching Netflix they always knew how to make me feel better. I have always known how lucky I am to have them in my life, but I just never knew how much they really mean to me. And if y'all are reading this now: you know who you are! Love and miss you guys <3
16. Moving across the world is not easy.
Although France is the most beautiful country I've visited, it hasn't been the easiest adjustment. I'm away from everyone and everything in Virginia, and have to adjust to the French practicalities (which are MUCH different). However, it is an experience I know I will never forget and will always have stories to tell.
17. Don't be afraid to speak your mind.
Sometimes being blunt or sharing your true thoughts about something will help you understand it better, as well as give you some clarity. I used to keep quiet and not say anything, but at 22 I really just spoke my mind a lot. It really helped me keep a clear mind, as well as maintain a healthy life by not keeping everything bottled up all the time.
18. It's okay to not know your next step or not know what you want.
You are reading the blog of the most indecisive girl in the world. I constantly don't know what I want or what to do about something, but it's okay. The answer will always come to you eventually.
19. If you do know what you want, make it happen.
As most of you know, I have been wanting to travel to Santorini for years now. When I booked I was hesitant because of the price, but it is the one place that I have always wanted to go to, so I decided to just go for it! Now I'm headed there in less than a week! If you want something, you'll make it happen.
20. Always check expiration dates.
I learned the hard way that my Swiss passport expired after arriving in France. Being that this is what I was going to be living on for the next year, my first two weeks in France were pretty stressful. Like my USA passport, I thought it was valid for ten years!
21. Don't ever make a list like this.
This took me way too long to complete. Never again. Even the gifs were hard to find. Sorry!
22. YOURSELF before anyone else.
You are the only person you have to please. Your health and happiness is so important. I have stated it many times in this post, but it really is the most important thing for yourself to worry about. Don't let somebody get in the way of your own happiness or health!
