(Written by a very wise and opinionated Gen-Zer)

Whether you’re a teenager, a fellow Gen-Zer, or a millennial, I’m pretty sure you will relate to this list somehow.

These are lessons I learned the hard way and the easy way. And 2020 sure had its own magical, sadistic effect on a couple of them. So, without further ado, let’s get straight into it.

1. You’re getting older, and life’s getting shorter. So, remember all those things you’ve always been afraid of doing? You should go and do them.

2. No one remembers your mistakes or embarrassing moments except you; don’t over-think things.

3. Spend as much time as you can with your parents. One day they won’t be there to hug you when you cry, to cook you dinner, or make you smile, and you will regret it.

4. Books are an entirely different world; and (plot-twist) they really do make you smarter.

5. Your only worst enemy is your comfort zone. It’s good and safe to be inside it, but God, leaving feels ten times better.

6. You’ll never find anyone who you can be yourself around as much as your high school friends. No matter how successful you get, or how much you accomplish, never forget them. They’re your biggest supporters.

7. Maybe he doesn’t like you back, but who cares? That’s just the universe’s way of telling you that you’re not ready for such a commitment yet. You need to invest your emotions in something for YOU and ONLY YOU.

8. Re-watching The Perks of Being a Wallflower or The Breakfast Club whenever you’re feeling sad is a remedy and a medicine of its own kind.

9. Falling in love with the wrong person makes you one stop closer to finding the right one.

10. Getting a new haircut has a massive positive effect on your self-confidence and the way you see yourself. Go get that trim!

11. If you’re an introvert, read Quiet by Susan Cane. And then go out and try to talk to some new people, because life shouldn’t mostly be spent alone.

12. You can do anything, if you have the right Spotify/Anghami playlist playing in the background.

13. “People come and go. Some are forest fires, others are cigarette breaks.”

14. As F. Scott Fitzgerald very eloquently put it “There are all kinds of love in this world, but never the same love twice.” So, stop comparing people to others.

15. You’re your own hero. Stop looking for someone to make you feel better about yourself, tell you how beautiful you are, or save you from that depression. Because chances are, that someone will never come. And you’re all you have. So, go and save yourself.

16. The book is almost ALWAYS better than the movie. FIGHT ME.

17. Please make room for quality time with your favorite food, drinks, friends, movies/books, and away from stress. Your mental health is a priority, I can never stress this enough.

18. Keep a journal. Write to remember, and read to forget. Not a fan of writing? Let it be a vlog channel, drawing sketch or a photo album. Record your moments: both happy and sad ones. And look at them later on to reminisce and see how far you’ve gone.

19. You need to have something to believe in. Whether that’s a God, a person, a concept/goal, or an object. Something you can grab onto when you start losing hope; a reason to continue living; something to get you out of bed in the morning.

20. We’re all going to die anyway, so you might as well start living your life and accept change.