As I start to wrap up my 22nd year of life I thought I'd share with y'all some of the things I've learned this year!
For years I have been compiling a list of random things I have learned with each new year of my life.
I started writing them down ages ago with the intention to eventually give them to my future children (this was all very pre-Ted Mosby I assure you). Full disclosure, I am very single with basically no prospects in sight, so this life lesson list is going to be a freaking novel by the time I give it to my kids.
Anywho, It's been a year since I graduated college (which is completely weird to wrap my head around) and these are some of the things I have learned this year by moving half way across the country to Los Angeles, fluctuating between employment (extra $ for nutella) and unemployment (Netflix marathons), entering into the adult/working world, realizing Taylor Swift songs are pretty dang accurate, and truly being on my own for the first time.
So here they are... a list of a bunch of fairly random things I've learned during year 22 :
I started writing them down ages ago with the intention to eventually give them to my future children (this was all very pre-Ted Mosby I assure you). Full disclosure, I am very single with basically no prospects in sight, so this life lesson list is going to be a freaking novel by the time I give it to my kids.
Anywho, It's been a year since I graduated college (which is completely weird to wrap my head around) and these are some of the things I have learned this year by moving half way across the country to Los Angeles, fluctuating between employment (extra $ for nutella) and unemployment (Netflix marathons), entering into the adult/working world, realizing Taylor Swift songs are pretty dang accurate, and truly being on my own for the first time.
So here they are... a list of a bunch of fairly random things I've learned during year 22 :
- Maxi skirts are great for work, unless you have a rolling chair.
- Be outside more, it makes more of a difference then you think.
- Always say yes at work, but only if you'll have the courage to go back to your boss later after Google has failed you and say you actually don't know the answer.
- No matter how cute that puppy in the window is, don't do it. You're not ready.
- You don't need to brunch every weekend, even if it seems like everyone else is doing it (maybe just go ahead and avoid Instagram on Sunday mornings all together).
- You should always keep a blanket/towel in the car just in case a friend wants to take an impulsive drive to the beach for a late night venting session. And extra clothes in case you get into a car wreck in an embarrassing Halloween costume.
- Call your grandparents more.
- Breakfast for dinner is amazing and highly underrated.
- If a King & Queen come to your place of work with their young daughter (the princess) make the extra effort to smile and wave at the princess so she feels included in the room full of adults. Princesses get lonely too.
- Maybe double check and make sure your caps lock isn't on before you send a company wide email...
- A little perspective goes a long way.
- Just because it looks like everyone else has their life together doesn't mean they do.
- If you are going to carry out your groceries in your bare hands on principal (because no one wants to pay an extra 10c per bag thankyouverymuch) make sure you have your car keys in hand before you leave the store.
- Don't forget to act your age.
- Once you get over the very irrational fear of pooping at work, you can basically run the world.
- You will get a parking ticket in LA, the sooner you accept that, the better.
- In order to take complete advantage of your roommate being out of town you must spend the entire day without wearing pants. No exceptions.
- One crockpot makes allllll the difference.
- Don't underestimate the power of a good jam sesh in your car, and completely OWN IT when you make that awkward eye contact with the person in the car next to you. Basically be more like this guy.
- Always be nice to cashiers, even if they aren't nice back.
- Staying in touch is a 2 way street.
- When a gang of Mexican hooligans try and convince you they just want to "borrow" your campfire pit for a few minutes to cook their taco meat, do the polite thing and let them! ...but when 15 of their closest friends show up & stay for the entire day, just laugh it off and remember it'll make for one heck of a story someday.
- When you move to a city that doesn't have Sonic, remember McDonalds has $1 drinks.
- If you have the money, take that trip to see your best friend across the country, your lives will only get more costly and busy as you get older.
- Ice cream can fix almost anything.
- Don't compare your actual life to your social media life.
- Get in the habit of sending handwritten letters to friends & family, it's worth the cost of stamps.
- On that note, If you are going to send more than a card in the envelope, you will have to add more stamps...
- If you can master the art of blow-drying your hair in the car every morning, you will have several extra minutes to continue your dream about the fully believable life you'll someday live with Harry Styles (or whatever beautiful British boy is your soul-mate in the future). 100% WORTH IT.
- You're never too old for a Disney movie.
- Make more memories and less purchases.
- When you start a new job, put a bowl of candy on your desk because, "If you bring food, they will come" (heck yeah Field of Dreams can be applied to office life!! That movie can be applied to EVERYTHING).
- When you see something cool on the side of the road, pull over. You'll always regret not taking a picture of that rad space cowboy mural or leaving that perfectly good lava lamp behind.
- When your voice accidentally jumps up a few octaves as the cute guy at work comes by your desk for candy (see what I mean? Gold mine.) play it cool & LAUGH IT OFF. Chances are he found it funny too.
- Road rage is dumb. But don't worry, I'm looking for a cure.
- When a sweet little old lady says "Thank You!" over the phone, maybe don't combine 'You're Welcome!' and 'No Problem!' and tell her 'Your Problem!!" and then hang up...... your relationship will never be the same.
- Don't be late to work (if you're my future kiddos, this will be a very real DAILY struggle).
- And if you are running late just go ahead and assume you will spill that glass of orange juice all over yourself and every slow driver known to mankind will be out on the road on your way to work. You've been warned.
- Stop saying "I can't even". JUST FINISH YOUR SENTENCE ALREADY.
- Be pleasant on the phone, even if you are calling to complain. You have NO idea what the person on the other end of the line has going on in their life.
- You don't have to wear your Sunday best...but try and look at least semi-decent when you go to the grocery store. You never know who you'll run into (but 9 times out of 10 it will be your mortal enemy looking like she's just stepped out of the latest issue of Vogue).
- There are some REAL crazies out there. Just be aware of that. At all times.
- If you drop your phone pretty much anywhere except your bed, it will break (I mean duh, but somehow I am still always surprised by this one).
- Sometimes you'll just really never know until you ask.
- Maybe learn how to pronounce your bosses name before answering his phone line? Just a thought.
- When someone hands you free tickets to a concert YOU GO. Even if you don't like the band that much. They might surprise you! Or at the very least you can people watch all their crazy fans (definitely worth the trip).
- Learn the names of the security guards, receptionists, assistants, and pretty much anyone else you see on a daily basis. There is NO reason not to.
- Just go ahead and assume your neighbors can hear you. Unless you want them to forever look at you differently after you butcher some Celine Dion.
- Perhaps measure your door BEFORE you buy a couch (see picture).
- Talk slower. No matter how much you wish you could sound like a Gilmore.
- If you have the sudden intense need to dance while you are at work (if you're my child, you absolutely will) just mosey on over to the bathroom and bust a few moves. Weird? 100%. But it's pretty much the only place Big Brother (and by that I mean future YouTube viewers) won't be watching.
- If you're doing Disneyland without a DoleWhip, you're doing it wrong.
And that's it! I mean I'm sure I've learned many more things this year, but these were the main ones I wanted my future kiddos to take away. Because ya know what? Life is a little happier when you send someone a hand written letter in the mail and you will get in a car wreck if you're wearing a costume and it's not Halloween... That's just life.