Hello! I recently turned 16 this week and I'm writing a MyTake inspired by @Clo917 :)
After reading her MyTake: Life Lessons I've Learned in 16 Years
I thought that I'd like to do one too because it looked fun! ^_^
I know, I've still a lot to learn, and in terms of life I've barely seen the tip of the iceberg but it'll be interesting to look at this next year when I'm yet again one year older. :P
1) Time Waits For Nobody
I started secondary school in September 2014. It's now September 2018, yet being that silly little year 7 kid, 11 years old, dreading walking through the gates of 'big school' feels like yesterday. Now I look at my younger brother who is the Year 7 kid this year, and honestly, he's doing so much better than I was.
Literally so much has happened in the past 4 school years. Now it's my final one, it felt like it'd never end yet I've got less than 6 months left at this school.
How time flies.
2) Friends Aren't Always Forever
Nicely linking to me leaving school in less than 6 months, I've also come to terms with leaving my friends behind. I've known some of these people longer than others some for 10 years, some for 5 years, others I only met last year. But I've become close with a lot of people, but the sad thing is I have a few months left with these people at school.
It's weird to think I won't be seeing them almost every day next year, and I really hope I stay in touch with everyone through the internet and stuff. But I know it's not going to be the same as seeing them face-to-face. Some people I used to be really close with in primary school, I haven't even spoken to ever since I left primary. It's unbelievable how much can change in a short period of time.
3) Cherish The Present and Plan The Future
I haven't got long left at my school less than 110 days (minus school holidays), and I haven't got long left with my friends at school either so I'm just going to cherish the time I have left here. And that doesn't mean sitting around the table at lunch and showing each other memes. It means having a laugh with each other physically conversing, playing our card games, discussing our life once we leave school, revising for the exams. Actually seeing each other, not just sitting with each other.
And as for the future, yes it's scary but we have to plan it. Otherwise, everything will just be dropped on us and we'll freak out. And always have several backup plans, in case your ideal plan goes wrong. It's always better to plan ahead so you're always prepared. My dad has always said to me: "Fail to prepare, prepare to fail." Such truth xD
4) Not Having a Phone Isn't a Bad Thing
When I was 12, all my friends were getting phones and when I asked my dad for a phone, he refused me one telling me I don't need one. As a 12-year-old I thought it was absolute rubbish and I thought my dad was just being silly.
But actually, phones have caused so many people, so many problems I'm glad I never had one when I was younger. I still don't have one.
The amount of drama girls would argue about at school, over a comment on an Instagram post or something, the amount of time girls spent taking selfies calling themselves ugly, yet crying if somebody else agrees with them on that. The mental health issues they've caused people. Especially young minds, which are fresh and easy to influence.
I'm glad I had none of that I was younger, and I'm actually one of those people my age who doesn't see a phone as the equivalent to oxygen. ;)
5) Failure Is a Learning Curve
Every time I've failed at something, I've been sad about it and because of caring about it I've learned from it. It's impossible to find a human being who's lived their life seamlessly.
I used to beat myself up about failing at things, mainly tests like when I failed my science exams at one point. But beating myself up about it wasn't going to get me a better grade. Going over my paper, seeing where I went wrong and revising those weak points, and practicing exam papers was going to get me a better grade. Learning from my failure was going to get me a better grade.
Because I failed, I learned a better way of studying and now my grades are improving.
6) Meeting Different People Only Opens Your Mind
As I've grown, I've met new people throughout life. Each and every person has told me something new, whether that be about culture, personal opinions, sexuality, or just everyday things it's helped me have more of an open mind, as when they tell me something, I get told from their perspective which helps me see things in a different light.
I don't always have to agree with their viewpoints on certain things, but if somebody explains to me I can see why they would think a certain way about something.
7) Everybody Is Privileged In Certain Ways
Though we can't see it, we're all privileged one way or another. Sometimes we can only see aspects of our life which are rubbish and we wish that they weren't but there are actually lots of things which we are blessed with that we don't realise.
For example, I live in a wealthy country. That's a privilege. Even though my area isn't the greatest at least I have a house to live in, a family which cares about me. That's a privilege. My school is far for the best school, at one point it was rated the worst school in my city but I am privileged enough to get a free education.
Even the little things which we don't think about often, make us privileged because some people in other parts of the world won't get that. And we should appreciate that we are privileged enough to receive them.
8) Role Models
If anybody has younger family members they'll be able to relate to this. None of us ever asked to be role models, and we may not even get told we're role models, but younger members of the family always are watching what we do, looking at us learning from us. We didn't ask them to but they are so there's no point in whining about it. All we can do is pave the path for ourselves and hopefully, they should follow positively in our footsteps.
I have a younger brother, and though he sometimes claims to hate me, and I do the same. But he doesn't hate me. He was the first to remind me it was my birthday this week, he was the first person I saw on my birthday and he looks and learns from me. So I have to show him the best example I possibly can so he learns positive things from me as an older sister.
9) Tea Is Great
This is a less serious one, but tea is great. Seriously, I can't remember the last time I skipped a day without tea. Even in Ramadan after my meal we had when our fast was over, I'd always have a cup of tea. It's always good to sip on whilst watching TV, revising, or reading. For any situation really.
It's just great.
10) Spider-Man Is AMAZING
Spider-Man is amazing. Full stop. Even for my birthday, one of my best friends got me a Spider-Man photo with a print of Tom Holland's signature. She thought he actually signed it, but unfortunately he didn't, but it's really pretty anyway so I don't mind.
He's been my favourite superhero since childhood. Just his backstory, his powers, his suit, he even watched his eye being eaten once. I love it all of it.
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