30 Things First-Year University Taught Me

1. There are only 168 hours in a week.

2. Productivity and happiness should have a positive relationship. When it turns into an inverse relationship, it’s time to cut back.

3. Public transit can really screw you over.

4. First impressions aren’t always accurate. Give people a chance.

5. It’s okay to ask for help.

6. You’ll never feel ready for anything. Do it anyway. The build-up is often scarier than the task itself.

7. Writing shitty first drafts is always better than writing nothing at all.

8. Even the greatest artist would be nothing without self-promotion.

9. Food trucks are God’s blessing.

10. Carry cash.

11. Kindness and success do not have an inverse relationship.

12. There is definitely such thing as a stupid adult. Some people never grow up.

13. There are many facets to every issue and every person learns and experiences lessons differently; even the most confident people can be wrong because they have only experienced the few viewpoints available to them.

14. It is possible for a woman to look in the mirror and think she is beautiful.

15. You will always end up back where your heart belongs. Recognize that pull. Recognize your passions, your talents, and follow them.

16. Functional relationships don’t come around every day. Communication, compatibility, and balance are the keys.

17. You think you know what you’ll major in. Think again. And again.

18. “Art is not water; it is wine.” (Prof. Nick Mount)

19. The worst experiences are a learner’s fuel.

20. Don’t compare to everyone else. It’s okay to not always be the best.

21. There is nothing wrong with being a Barista if you absolutely love being a Barista.

22. It is so much easier to blurt out what makes you unhappy rather than keep it in and sulk.

23. Make food. Bring food. Or else you’ll be stuck every day making a choice between being healthy and having money.

24. There are a lot of things in life that can be explained with the principles of economics (i.e. relationships, etc.).

25. Learning how to rest well is just as important as learning how to work well.

26. Slow days are necessary too.

27. Appreciate the good things and feel lucky for the people in your life.

28. Everything — relationships, exercise — is possible with effort.

29. No one has their shit together.

30. It’s okay if you miss the train. Another one will be along sooner than you think.