What would I tell my 18-year old self?

Have you ever heard the old saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side?” Looking back at my 18-year old self, there are some things I wish I would have taken to heart. Leaving high school and being an adult can be a difficult transition for several students. After all, many students have grown up living under their parent’s roof for 18 years, to now living entirely on their own- making their own decisions, paying bills and trying to navigate this thing called life.

Trying to navigate your way through life after high-school can be challenging. Trust me, I’ve been there. There are some things I wish I would be able to go back and tell my 18-year old self…

  • Relax! If you decide to go to college, these are truly the best 4 years of your life. Even though studying for tests, keeping up with assignments in class and sitting through lecture halls can be exhausting you will never get back the time that you have in college! Trust me. I tried to rush through college as fast as I could because I couldn’t wait to finally make money.
  • Don’t rush the now. I have always been the type of person to look forward into the future. A piece of advice I wish I would have listened to more is… Enjoy the NOW! The present is a gift- enjoy it.
  • Take Risks. I don’t mean the dangerous kind.J Step outside of your comfort zone and go travel abroad (if you can) or go try out a new club/organization. You never know who you could meet or what you could learn about yourself!
  • Always be true to yourself. As I have talked about before, trying to navigate your way through adult life is hard! A piece of advice my mom always gave me (that has stuck with me to this day) is to always be true to you. Sticking up for what you know is the right thing to do and being a good leader and role model for others will only help your future success!


Meghan - ICAN Hiawatha Center