13. DON’T BE AFRAID OF CHANGE

Change is inevitable, especially at this point in our lives. You’ll constantly be moving, falling in and out of love, starting new jobs, losing and gaining weight… 25 is a time of fluctuation. How we view our situation can dictate how we respond to it. If we perceive change as a chance for opportunity as opposed to loss, we can better react to a given situation.

14. PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE

The future might seem like a long time away, but then again, I never thought I’d be 25. Time waits for no one and life continues to progress. Today I’m 25, tomorrow I’ll be 40, and the day after, I’ll be 60, lying in bed, thinking back to all the things I should  have or could have done. Time is such an extremely precious resource. Everyday should be executed with passion and perfection. Then, little by little, we prepare ourselves for our life dreams that take months and years to achieve.

15. IT’S NEVER TOO LATE

Preparing for the future is a way to ensure success. That being said, I don’t think it’s ever too late to start. As long as you have the passion, the drive, and the discipline, anything can be accomplished within good reason. There is no such thing as “I’m too old!” Unless you have children depending on you for food and clothes, it’s never too late to take a chance. Instead of finding excuses for why you can’t achieve a certain goal, make the impossible possible with hard work and a positive attitude.

16. SEX IS NOT A BIG DEAL

I waited a long time before having sex. My first time was last year at the age of 24. I am so grateful that I was raised by parents who taught me the value of respecting my body and loving myself for who I am. As a result, I’ve never once felt pressured by anyone (myself included) to have sex. Lately, it seems like girls are actively trying to get rid of their virginity. They use sex as a way to validate themselves – as if sleeping with a guy is the only way to get him to like you or your value is dependent on how many men want to have sex with you. This is all so wrong… and it makes me sad to think that a young girl might have sex just because. It’s important to find the right person and to feel mentally and emotionally prepared. That being said, a lot of unnecessary fear and guilt was instilled in me around the topic of sex. I was never once educated on what sex is or how it happens. What little I did know was tainted by the media and by what my (Catholic) friends taught me: “pre-marital sex is a sin!” Ultimately though, once you’ve reached a level of physical, mental, and emotional maturity and you’re in a loving and mutually respecting relationship, sex is just sex. No need to rush, no need to feel pressured, but also, no need to feel afraid or guilty. It should be something special and something shared intimately, but also, something to be enjoyed and looked forward to.

17. BUT HAVE SAFE SEX

Most importantly though, practice safe sex! I don’t think it’s rude to ask your partner to get tested and have them show you their records. In fact, you should get tested as well and take the necessary precautionary steps to ensure you’re protected from any STD’s and unwanted pregnancies.

18. SPECIALIZE IN SOMETHING

How will you stand apart from the crowd? Everyone is graduating from high school, attending college, and even furthering their education at grad school. What can you offer to the world that someone else can’t? If your worth was directly extracted from your skills and what you provided society, how valuable are you? This is obviously an extreme way of thinking, but I do occasionally need to slap myself awake and face the music. I don’t even think going to college or grad school is necessary. What’s important is that you possess a skill or a set of skills that are not easily accessible or attainable. This increases your value to society and ultimately comes to define who you are. Find your skill, perfect your craft, and consume yourself in it. You’ll be successful no matter what.

19. I DON’T NEED A DOG… AT LEAST NOT RIGHT NOW

My entire childhood was one long tantrum for a puppy. I thought I was a dog whisperer. I would legitimately lie down next to dogs and stare into their eyes for hours, believing we understood each other and shared a special bond unknown to mankind. Now, at 25, I realize how unnecessary a dog would be in my life. It’s a luxury: expensive and time consuming. It limits your options for housing in Los Angeles, and unless you work from home, it’s unfair to your pup. There is a time and place for everything and now is not the time or place for a dog, no matter how cute :o.

20. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE INSTAGRAM

If you don’t have Instagram, I can’t stalk you, therefore you don’t exist, therefore you are irrelevant. LOL. But seriously, Instagram is basically your social resume. It captures your aesthetic, values, and goals. It can become a powerful tool for your brand so use it to your advantage.

*Take this one with a grain of salt. LOL.

21. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE LINKED

LinkedIn is like Facebook’s older brother – a boring social network. Keep it up to date and professional.

22. LEARN HOW TO COOK

Have at least three solid meals that you can prepare for your friends and family. It’s fun, it’s cheap, and maybe you’ll end up impressing someone ;). At the very least, you can feed yourself.

23. HAVE ARTISTIC OUTLETS

Find something aside from work and friends that you enjoy doing in your spare time. This can be cooking, drawing, listening to music, learning guitar, etc. Frivolous knowledge is sexy!

24. I’M NOT A BABY ANYMORE

This has probably been the hardest thing I’ve had to come to terms with in 2016. I AM NOT A BABY ANYMORE. I wish I could be. I wish I could crawl into bed, hug my mom, and cry until all my sorrows disappeared. But gone are the days that I can ask for money, gone are the days of three home cooked meals, and gone are the days that anyone cares. It’s time to grow up and become a self sustaining, independent young lady.

25. WORK HARD PLAY HARD EVERYDAY

Everyday is a gift. Use it. Wake up and learn something new. Wake up and better yourself. Wake up and accomplish something you’ve always wanted to. And then party allllll nighttttt longggggg. Only if you want to though. My ragers are thrown in my living room while wearing sweats and watching Chef’s Table. With a tub of Haagen-dazs Brownie’s A la Mode.