The Poiema Life

A lot has happened the past year so in the spirit of turning twenty-two today, I figured I’d talk about twenty-two things I learned throughout college and in my few months post-college.

College is always an interesting, transitional time for people. Most have left home for the first time and you’re meeting new friends while trying to figure out the stage of halfway adulting. Enter into full adulthood and that ish is scary. Terrifying, actually. Bills, maybe a completely new city, a full time job, and no afternoon naps anymore. You definitely can’t skip work just because you feel like sleeping in and avoiding all responsibilities. And it’s so exhausting, finding time to workout is rough then add a social life on top of it and this is why five hour energy shots and planners exists.

So, here are the things I’ve learned in my short twenty-two years:

1. Your parents will become your best friends and you’ll no longer see them as people who are in charge of you but rather people you can turn to for advice, wisdom, and unconditional love.
2. A fitted sheet is impossible to fold and understanding how an air mattress fits back into its’ box is mind boggling.
3. Sometimes staying in your bed all weekend and getting some R&R is the best thing you can do.
4. If you don’t like someone, don’t use them for entertainment or lead them on because it makes you uncomfortable for thirty seconds to tell them, “Hey, I like us as just friends.”
5. Sometimes you have to forgive people without ever receiving an apology.
6. You don’t have to go out every night to have fun. You don’t have to go out at all to have fun.
7. It’s perfectly acceptable to have dance parties in your living room while blaring throwbacks with your best friends. Those are the nights you’ll remember most.
8. It’s ok to establish your own beliefs and thoughts about things that are different from your family’s.
9. People over paper. Every day.
10. Community is necessary because when life gets hard, uncertainty creeps in, and you’re drowning in anxiety, these people will be there to help you navigate it while speaking truth into your life.
11. Even during the hardest times of your life, you can still have joy. Joy isn’t the same thing as happiness. It’s putting your faith in God and remembering His promises. It’s having hope.
12. You can be honest and straightforward without being mean.
13. You don’t have to or need to go out with every boy that asks you on a date.
14. Growing to love your body the way it is instead of wishing for your old high school body is key. You’re not 16 anymore.
15. Stay off the Discover page on Instagram if you struggle with the comparison game.
16. Confrontation is never easy or fun but necessary.
17. You’re not superwoman or superman. You can’t do every thing and be everywhere.
18. It’s not a lie, guys. Singleness is in fact a blessing and you’ll learn so much about yourself and Jesus during this time.
19. Moving to a new city is terrifying and lonely. You may cry during the better part of the drive, but you’ll eventually make your way and feel it turning into home.
20. Getting out of your comfort zone will be uncomfortable and scary, but you’ll grow as a person and it’ll end up being worth it.
21. Feeling like an adult but also not feeling like an adult at all is a real thing.
22. Quality time with friends and family is one of the most fulfilling ways to spend your time. Share your life with the people you love most.

I haven’t experienced a whole lot of life and I still have a lot to learn. Some of those things listed above may change. I may change my perspective or learn something new, but at the end of the day, it’s all about embracing the life you’ve been given.

Here’s to twenty-two. A new year to learn, grow, and experience life.