18 Things I Learned While 18

It's so weird to think that today is my last day being 18 when I remember my 15th birthday as if it was just yesterday. I've learned a lot of things in the past year that I thought were important enough to share. 18, thank you for being a good year to me!

o n e

Grades aren't everything. Getting all As is a rewarding feeling, but constantly stressing out and losing out on time spent with friends due to schoolwork isn't worth it.

t w o

Treasure the time you have with the people you love. College sneaks up quickly, and suddenly your best friends are no longer there to hang out whenever; spend time with them when you can. I also had to put my dog down a year ago today

t h r e e

Sometimes the unexpected choices end up being the best choices. I always said I would never go to the college I now attend just because of how close it is. Little did I know I would actually want to be close to home -- and now I love the decision I made.

f o u r

Working while in college is hard -- but worth it. I work four mornings each week and go to school. It can be super tiring, and there are definitely days where I really don't want to get out of bed for work, but it's always worth it in the end.

f i v e

Love is one of the best things to experience. I've had the same boyfriend for over four years now, and I'm grateful for every day I spend with him.

s i x

Taking care of yourself is important. To be honest, I've let my body get out of shape due to senior year being so hectic. I'm getting back on track, and choosing to be healthy feels good.

s e v e n

Change is a good thing. For a while, I debated on whether or not I should completely rebrand my blog. I finally took the jump in June and could not be more thrilled with the outcome!

e i g h t

Having a couple of really good friends is better than having a lot of okay friends. I only have a select few friends, which I always thought was a bad thing because so many people seemed to have so many friends. I'm actually so content having a few best friends that I can always rely on no matter what.

n i n e

Setting aside time for yourself is okay. In my free time, I love to read and blog. Doing things for yourself in order to relax is always a good idea.

t e n

Always be grateful. Not to be negative, but any bad thing can happen at any time in life. Always be thankful for what you have because it could be gone in the blink of an eye.

e l e v e n

Whenever you get the opportunity for something awesome, always say yes. Sometimes things only come by once, so if you're able to agree to it, do it. No time for regrets!

t w e l v e

Don't be afraid to put yourself out there. This past year, I got back into participating in tweet chats and talking with some awesome ladies. It was super eye-opening and made me motivated to grow my blog and start planning my super business. Grow your network because those contacts will come in handy at some point in life!

t h i r t e e n

Drink more water. I've gotten into the habit of cutting back on soda and drinking more water. I've noticed that I've felt more energized, and I want to keep that going.

f o u r t e e n

Don't sweat the small things. I've realized that in the bigger picture, the small things really don't matter. Don't waste energy worrying over things that will be irrelevant in a year.

f i f t e e n
Find something that interests you and pursue it. I really focused on managing social media and blogging this year because they are two things that I love. Find something that you love and focus on that because it will bring you nothing but happiness.

s i x t e e n
Life is short; buy the shoes. I've done my fair share of shopping this past year due to having more hours at work ... and I've come to the conclusion that a girl can never have too many clothes! #SorryNotSorry

s e v e n t e e n
Choosing the healthier meal instead of the tasty meal is hard but worth it. This year I really focused on my health and learned how important it is to eat healthy. Although you might really want that cheeseburger while out to dinner, you'll be thanking yourself later when you choose the salad.

e i g h t e e n
Do what makes you happy. This is probably my most important lesson. 18 has been the best year for me so far because I only did things that would make me happy -- which is one of the most important things in life.

What have you learned this year?