Making a comeback: 20 things I've learned since 1994

Its been a while. I guess I did become one of those people who starts a blog, uses it for a little while, and then abandons ship—or so I thought. I thought Kaki Does Things was pretty much done for until I did something that was so worth blogging about, I couldn’t not blog about it. Something so life-changing and once-in-a-lifetime: I turned twenty. I know that turning 20 was inevitable, but after reflecting on my two awesome decades of being on this earth, I realized that I've learned a thing or two. I wanted to write and post this on my actual birthday, which was March 14^th (Pi day!), but I was so busy having a fabulous spring break that I never really got around to it. But better late than never! And as a shiny new twenty year old, I decided that I’m going to start blogging again. So stay tuned, I have big things in store!
So like I said, I’ve been on this earth for twenty glorious years. 2011 might have been more awkward than glorious, but still glorious in its own short-haired “I’m discovering who I am” type of way.

 

 

Okay, still pretty glorious. Nice phone.

 

 Here is a list I have compiled, in chronological(ish) order, of the 20 greatest things I’ve learned in the past 20 years.

1. The “popular” girls at pre-school may not let you play Spice Girls with them…that’s when you have the best opportunity to do your own thing and totally rock at it. For me, it was learning how to fill up a water gun so I could squirt them.

2. Every extrovert needs an introvert best friend to keep them grounded. I met mine in kindergarten when I was fascinated by how long she could go without talking. I love you Nea.

3. If you want to play soccer with the boys, all you have to do is ask. This translates to adult life too—if you ask for something, people will usually lend a hand.

4. You can start a fire at recess with a magnifying glass and a piece of mulch. Again—I love you Nea.

5. You shouldn’t walk dog while wearing roller blades. Especially if your dog likes to chase birds.

6. Grandma will let you eat what you want, when you want.

7. You’ll never regret reaching out to someone.

8. No matter how badly you want to be the middle school mascot, you should probably be tall enough to wear the costume…wait, no. Be the middle school mascot because it’s so much fun.

9. If you’re too nervous around him to eat anything other than a granola bar for lunch, he’s probably not the one.

10. When you realize he’s not the one, don’t change who you are in order to make him the one. You deserve to eat more than just a granola bar.

11. The weirdest things happen at the back of the marching band bus on the way to football games.

12. Your true friends are the ones who still hang out with you when your hair looks like someone’s mom cut it in the 70’s. (see above)

13. If you actually study the material, you’ll do well on the test. I've learned this and its opposite quite a few times.

14. Everyone sees things differently: I thought 11^th grade physics was the worst thing to ever happen to me, but my teacher loved physics because he loved understanding how God’s world works. Talk about a different perspective. I was still terrible at physics, but it changed the way I saw it.
14a. God is present in everything

15. We can’t read people’s minds, the technology just isn’t there. You’ll never know what people really think about you, so don’t let that stop you from just being as YOU as possible. Who cares what other people think? (again, see above photos.)

16. God is real. I didn’t know where to put this on the list because I learn it every single day.

17. Jesus is truly present in the poor. When we serve them, we serve Him.

18. College is like an alternate universe. It’s weird and its crazy and it’s awesome. Your friends become your family. A Kurig coffee maker is sometimes the fountain of life. You might go to the hospital a few times or bring home a spare dog.  But somehow, these are our glory days.

19. Don’t be afraid to apologize and ask for forgiveness.

20. The best and most exciting place to be is just outside your comfort zone. Even if it makes you feel like this:

I love myself.

 

I feel like I've just written an article in Chicken Soup  for the Teenager's Soul. Hopefully this is more like a chipotle burrito for your soul though. New and exciting things coming soon on my blog that I can't wait to share with you! Happy Friday!

"To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation." -Life of Pi by Yan Martel