Almost Twenty-One: Reflections + Lessons

I'm turning twenty-one next week and I'm feeling pretty neutral about it. Twenty was exciting last year, and one of my friends threw me a surprise party and I wanted to weep because it was the cutest thing EVER. However, yesterday I was realizing that my birthday is in a week, and normally I'm excited by this point, but I'm really not this year.

Source: Gaelle Marcel. unsplash.com

I think it's because I've woken up. I've been realizing that life is rough. I mean, I LOVE my life, don't get me wrong!! But I feel like I'm constantly running from one thing to the next, trying not to cry about graduation being in six months, and I'm always looking for my next cup of coffee.

Also I feel like I've grown up. Not entirely though. I've got tons that I still have to learn, I know that for sure. But. 

I've realized that life isn't all sunshine and rainbows (however, a good amount of it actually is). 

I've noticed that people who are a good forty years older than me still don't have it all together (which is lowkey relieeeeving). 

I feel like I'm becoming my own person (even though I wish my mom was here at all times tbh).

Since I'm all mature and grown now (HAHA imagine), here are a few things that my almost twenty-one year old self has really found to be helpful and important, especially within the last year.

Getting eight hours of sleep.

Tbh, nothing is more annoying than people who complain about being tired when they went to bed at 3AM, knowing FULL WELL that they have an 8AM class... Go to sleep at 11PM, wake up at 7AM, you'll feel rad. Trust me.

No one has all the answers.

I wiiish I did. But being twenty has really taught me that I don't. But like, no one does. That's another thing that twenty has taught me. I can no longer ask my parents or teachers to solve all of my problems. Some of them? Sure. But I have to figure out a lot on my own and sometimes just go with the flow. Which is okay, apparently.

Rest.

I'm not talking about when you're asleep. I'm talkin about the type of rest that you get when you're awake. My life has been very go go go lately, and I've been crashing because I'm not taking enough time to rest while I'm awake. Prioritize that self-care, ladies and gents.

It's okay to ask for help!!!

I HATE admitting when I'm not doing okay. It's one of the worst feelings for me. I like to appear well put together at all times. But that's not realistic. Plus everyone has problems. It's okay to show that you do too. 

Honesty and vulnerability are SO. GOOD.

Both can be hard. But what's the point in lying about stuff? And vulnerability and honesty oftentimes make you more relatable tbh. Because we all have problems (see previous point).

Trust God. Always always always.

This should be my first point, but it's my last because Imma go out with a bang. Plus, all of my previous points build up to this one. Because God has all the answers. God will give you rest. God will help you. And this very last point is what gets me through every day. Because growing up is hard. Life is hard. But God is stronger and more powerful than anything we face. And His plans are higher than mine (and yours), and He's gotten us this far, so how much more can we trust Him with the future?

Here's to another year of the twenties, another year of bumbling through life looking for coffee, another half-year of Bible college, and another year of living for the Lord. To Him be the glory.