Things I Have Learned This Summer

The summer after senior year of high school is said to be the last summer of ones youth. Maybe known as the last chance to be reckless and to have fun without responsibility. For me this was partially true. I had fun, saw my favorite artist J. Cole. I spent nights with friends that turned into early mornings. I even had some moments that I could never forget. However, this was only a portion of my summer. The rest was a big wake up call. I lost some people I thought would never fold. I realized things that I didn't see before. I felt like it was in fact the last summer of my youth. This is because it was the first of adulthood. This is what I uncovered.

1. When People Show You Who They Are, Believe Them
All that glitters is not gold. Sometimes when we meet new people or even interact with people whom we have known forever, we have these preconceived ideas of them. I have met people who I immediately vibed with and thought we would rock forever. I have developed friendships over time that led to me trusting them fully. Unfortunately, the same people have switched up on me out of no where. The crazy part is, I used to keep them around anyway. I figured well maybe it was a misunderstanding, maybe they had a bad day, or maybe I'm trippin. I didn't want to believe these people who I've came to know and love weren't actually who I thought they were. This all changed  this summer. I had to come to terms with relaity. Sometimes people only show one side of them. When they show their whole self to you and it is not what you expected, don't make excuses for them, believe them and take precautions.

2. To Change the World You Have to Change yourself.
I often think about why people do the things they do. Lying, cheating, predjiduce, munipliating, all these things and more are things I call people out for and try to change. However, recently I have been introspective of my own behaivor. No, I don't intentionally do any of these things but sometimes I catch myself slipping. There are times when I act selfish, times when I tell "white" lies, or times when I can come across as rude. Does this make me a bad person? No, it just means I am human. Make no mistake, that is not an excuse for doing these actions but rather a reminder that it is normal for humans to do shitty things. The things is we have to catch ourselves doing it so we can try to but a stop to it.

3. Don't sleep on the people that are good to you.
I have noticed that people love complaining about what they don't have rather than admiring what they do. (Guilty) I'm sure all my other millennials can relate to at one point in time scrolling down their timeline and seeing post from a familiar face that sounds like "I have no friends :(" but you are their friend or "Nobody cares about me" when you just spent an hour on the phone consoling them. People just complaining about all the toxic people in there life but forgetting the loving. More often than not, those same people reject the people that have their best intentions, whether its family, friends, or a lover. I have did this and the people I have slept on are some of the greatest people in my life. I didn't necessarily reject them but rather took them for granted. It is important to show gratitude for everything and everyone you have. You never know how much your life can change without them.

4. Adulting is hard
Surprise, surprise! Transitioning from a teen to an adult isn't a breeze. Since I am out of high school I have gained a lot more responsiblity. I have learned how to schedule my appointments, argue with financial aid, and discovered that car insurance is high af when you are a new driver. I suppose adulting wouldn't be as hard if I wasn't broke. But then again like they say, "Mo money, mo problems." So with that being said, I am still adjusting.

I have grown this a lot this summer from learning these things but I still have ways to go. I'm sure my first year of college will teach me quite a bit as well. Wish me luck 😬😅.