You may all look at my age in awe and say "Grown up? Really?". Do not let my young age of just 18 fool you. Unlike most of my friends I learnt valuable lessons from a really young age and I'm here to share them.
Not everyone is going to like you.
Ok this one took me sometime and you'd think from all the bullying I experienced that I'd learn not everyone likes me. But actually no. I mostly learnt this lesson from friends. Yes friends. Most would only hang out with me simply because they felt sorry for me but most often the case they didn't like me. That taught me that it's better to be alone than around others who bring negativity to you. That negative force hurt me more than being alone.
Making fun of others won't make you feel better.
I went through a bitter streak in my bullying days and saw the need to become the bully. I am not now but at a young age I was frustrated and wanted everyone to know how I felt hence why I bullied them. And trust me it does not make you a better person at all. If anything it messed me up more at the time because I had more hate from others as well as more bullying. At the end of the day you're hurting yourself as much as you're hurting the person you tease.
School over boys.
It is no hidden fact that at 18 I have never dated or had a boyfriend and you know what I'm glad. Seeing how the emotional strain distracted my friends from their studies made me think relationships aren't worth it. Yeah sure having someone to love is always fun but not when it gets in the way of your school work. Call me a nagging mom but it's the truth. Boys can wait, your dreams can't.
Be yourself
We grew up believing that if you look a certain way and dress a certain way and act a certain way, then you'll be popular and loved. Eh wrong. I went through a stage where I forced myself to dress in colours I hated and listened to pop bands I didn't like. Yes it got me friends. Many of them. But I was so. Damn. Miserable. I hated acting a certain way in order to be liked. It was an emotional strain everyday. And around the age of 15 I started showing my true colours. Yeah that's right I like to wear darker colours and listen to rock, so what? That made my social circle so much smaller but my happiness that much higher.
Care less.
Ok I don't mean don't care about anything at all. Obviously care about important matters such as school or your family or your friends. But the small things just don't care about them. This also took me a long time to learn because I'd be offended by basically anything. And that hurt me emotionally because I mistook that as more bullying. It really wasn't. I stopped taking things to heart and am more lively and happy and easy going now. Most importantly I am no longer as hurt as I was when I took everything seriously.
You're going to have to be a grown up soon.
I am 18 and in no way shape or form do i consider myself an adult. I don't pay bills or work. I live under my parents roof. The day I become independent is the day I become living as an adult. And that is going to take a strong maturity level. You cannot be a kid forever and live in this fantasy bubble that your parents are always going to take care of you. Your parents aren't always going to be here. They are here to prepare you for your future life of living alone. And if you're constantly acting like a child how will that benefit you in the long run?
These are just some of the things I've learnt so far and knowledge never hurt anyone
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