Intellectual Woman | Get To Know Me

Part 91: The Birthday Tag

Hey everyone!

It's me, Roy. I'm back again with another birthday tag! I "created" this tag last year on my birthday (I use the word creative loosely because I'm sure this exists somewhere else) to list 19 (19 being my age at the time) things I've learned or accomplished in the past year.

This year, I turned 20! My birthday was December 8th, and it was wonderful. We're still celebrating this weekend with Thor: Ragnorok and one of my favorite restaurants!

However, before all of that, I have another list for you. This is 20 things I've learned in my 20 years (plus a look back on my goal for this year was, as I listed it in my previous birthday tag). And at the end, I'm going to list a new goal for this coming year as my 21st thing.

 Enjoy!

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Last year, I listed a group of things I wanted to accomplish or do in my 19th year. "In my 19th year... How can I just pick one thing? I will be healthier. I will be smarter. I will be more independent. I will write more books. I will learn more about myself. I will get more sleep. I will read more. I will meet more people. I will love more. I will create a life I leap out of bed in the morning to live." Let's see how my 19th year holds up to what I wanted, shall we?

1. In my 19th year...I've learned just how important it is to love what you do. This past year, I've really come to understand that saying. I know now how important it is to love the work you do. Whether it's a career, a hobby, or a gift, you have to love it. Give it your all. Let it consume you. Do something every day that makes you leap out of bed in the morning. I don't care if that's martial arts or baking. Teaching arithmetic in Africa or becoming a gold-medalist skier. Do something that makes you feel alive, that makes you burn, that makes you think, "This is what I was born to do." For me, that's writing and studying law. I love it, and this year I've accepted that even more.

2. In my 19th year... I've learned to love the hustle. I've always been a procrastinator, my entire life. I always waited until the last second to do anything. School, chores, work, I always waited. But now that I'm in college, I can't procrastinate. This twentieth year has taught me to hustle...and to love it, actually. I love moving. I love moving forward. I can't tell you how bad it makes me feel to be stagnant. I hate the feeling of not getting something done, even if it's just something small like making your own breakfast. Make yourself keep moving. Be a speedster. Make everyone jealous that you never stop moving forward.

3. In my 19th year... I cut off all my hair. As some of you might not know, I used to have hair down to my waist. It was sooo long. I loved it. But it was so heavy and I just wanted a change. So, over the past year, I've slowly chopped most of it off. At its shortest, my hair was just below my chin. I loved it, it was a nice change, but I'm growing it back out again so it's easier to style. But I'm so glad I cut it off. It was worth it, and it was something I thought I didn't have the guts for.

4. In my 19th year... I think I've finally let go of some of the things that have happened in my past. You don't know this, but I had a rough early teenage-hood. We moved a lot, my Dad lost his job, and we moved to a town that was a living hell. I was taken advantage of by someone who I thought was my friend. She, and others, hurt me deeply. I was depressed. I was anxious. And I have hated her for years for that. But this year...I've finally let it go. I've been able to let it go for good. I forgive her, not for her but for me. And it's the most freeing feeling in the world. 

5. In my 19th year... I flew by myself across the country. I flew from the east coast to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for a week-long science conference. This was the second year I've gone, but they moved locations this year. This is the same conference were I practiced public speaking (I mentioned this in my last birthday tag.) I was so nervous to fly alone. I had never done it before, and I'd only flown once before when I was sixteen. But I loved it. It was a great trip, and even though there were a few bumbs (a delayed plane, a nearly missed layover flight, and a lost suitcase), I had one of the greatest times of my life. I found myself in New Mexico.