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18 Things I Learned by 18

Disclaimer: Photo found here, edited by TBC Disclaimer: Photo found here, edited by TBC

My birthday is coming up in a few months (can you tell I’m excited for summer?) and I thought it’d be fun to do a recap on 18 things I’ve learned in my 18, almost 19, years of life. I’ve found turning 18 to be somewhat of a beautiful mess. Living away from home and being placed into a pool of complete strangers, all while being expected to maintain a complete sense of normality (because growing up is normal, right?), has been quite a ride. Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

1. You can’t please everyone, but the effort doesn’t go unappreciated.

2. Fake it ’til you make it.

3. Mind/matter always.

4. Nothing haunts you like the things you didn’t buy.

5. Going to the gym is not only for losing weight, but for ensuring you live a long and fruitful life.

6. Let go of what you can’t change.

7. Reading books makes you a better person.

8 Agree to disagree.

9. People change, and it’s okay.

10. Trying to be someone else is a waste of the person you truly are.

11. Work then play.

12. Maturing is realizing how many things don’t need your comment (Quote by Rachel Wolchin, but SO true)

13. Humans have a tendency to get in the way of their own success.

14. Never be a shamed of who you are.

15. Your parents can teach you a lot if you let them.

16. Plans will change, but everything will fall into place when the time comes.

17. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.

18. Laughter is the best medicine.


Holly Habeck

Holly is a millennial travel and lifestyle writer based in New York. With ten years of experience in digital publishing and photography starting with her work writing for College Fashionista and Her Campus at Ithaca College, Holly has been featured in publications such as Southern Living and Lonely Planet. She enjoys sharing her travel expertise as well as lifestyle inspiration in categories such as home décor, DIY beauty, and fashion. More importantly though, Holly is a true Hufflepuff, and her Starbucks order forever remains a grande Iced Sweet Cream Cold Brew. When she's not writing or editing photos for this site, you can find her reading anything in the Sarah J. Maas universe or cuddling with her chihuahua x pomeranian pup Pixie.