A year has just begun. January, one of my favorite months of the year, is on its halfway to end, which means I’m turning a year older again. I’m still questioning myself if my 18 years of existence in this world is that meaningful, as I somehow ends my adolescence period.  Well I really don’t know tho, I’m not even sure if I have become the eighteen year old me I envisioned myself when I was still playing toy trucks or while I’m already studying elementary algebra. But anyhow` those 18 years have taught me different things that has formed and makes me who I am today. Just listing down 18 sentences seems that easy, but enumerating and reminiscing the lessons from your past experiences is even harder because of, you name it,nostalgia. 18 slots cannot suffice the life learnings I have earned already, but here I listed down just some that are memorable.

1. Everything is temporary.
   
2. Everyone is different, learn to accept each other.
   
3. It’s really a small world after all.
   
4. Excellence is better than perfection.
   
5. Hustle, but do not overwork.
   
6. Everyday is a miracle, always be thankful.
   
7. You cannot please everyone.
   
8. Appreciate the little things.
   
9. Do not compare your beginnings to others’ successes.
   
10. Always rinse-off negativities.
    
11. Believe in yourself always.
    
12. Do whatever your heart tells you.
    
13. Dot not ever take for granted the people beside you.
    
14. Physics is hard and Calculus even harder.
    
15. Grades doesn’t define a person’s abilities.
    
16. Work in silence, let your successes be your noise.
    
17. Failures are ladders to success.
    
18. Life goes on but remember God has always the best plan for you.
    

As I write this, mixed emotions fills my heart, a funny thought intrudes my mind, “I’m turning 18 now, I can be put up in the jail already haha”. I remember the experiences of my eighteen years, a roller coaster ride indeed. In my younger years, honestly, I tried not a lot of things, I’m afraid so, but those even being few, still majority of which I failed, but however I was still able to accept those failures. Eighteen years of committing mistakes, of achieving successes, making choices that turned out into worse outcomes, and rushing into a lot of decisions without taking matters seriously into consideration,  or even stopping for a while to contemplate on how the result will be. But nonetheless, I never regret the things that happened in the past for they formed me and I have become the person that I know to myself today.

I think it’s normal to feel depressed seeing people and hearing news about your friends that are of your age achieving great things and doing good so far and there you at the corner, still figuring out how to ask for another pitcher of service water at a restaurant. It seems unfair tho.

By this moment that I am about to turn eighteen, I am slowly accepting my fate that I am not a child nor a teen anymore soon, heavier responsibilities awaits me, and I am also preparing myself for the turmoil and amount of pressure I am about to dive into. By this age, I became eager and ready to experience greater days, explore beyond known boundaries, discover new things, and just be out there and enjoy the remaining days of freedom that after sometime soon I will need to give up.

As I turn 18 this 20th, memories of the past fuels me to face the uncertainties of tomorrow that awaits for me. There’s no assurance of what may happen in the future, we don’t know of what we may reach of the endless possibilities, but two things are for sure, I’m eighteen now and everything will fall into place.