These follies of mine;

I’m 21 years-old and I have no idea what to do with my life.

There. I said it. 
It feels like I’ve thrown so many balls into the air and now I’m stuck trying to catch them all at the same time. Yet amidst all this anxiety and uncertainty is a silver lining. Despite having the most emotionally and physically-exhausting time during my last semester at university, I have come to learn from my experiences. Emerging from the tears, sweat, and curse words of the past few months are a set of rules to live by. You might call it advice, or you might even call it a load of bullshit but I see these rules as the results of a cruel and excruciating experiment that has been tried and tested.

I am certain that this list will pull anyone out of a rut:

• Take time to relax when you don’t have time to relax; your sanity will thank you.
• Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts and don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.
• Keep in touch with people who make an effort to keep in touch with you.
• Don’t allow yourself to get comfortable in your daily routine; it will only make you lazy.
• Learn to love yourself before you learn to love others.
• Feed your mind and soul with things that make you happy.
•  Be optimistic even when things aren’t going your way; the energy that you put into the universe will return to you.
• Challenge yourself by doing things that scare you or put you out of your comfort zone.
• Communicate; don’t assume that people know how you feel or what you’re thinking. It will strengthen your friendships and save your relationships.
• Don’t make assumptions about people; you will only hurt yourself in the end.
• Stay true to your instincts and never compromise your character to please someone else.
• Get to know your family and appreciate the time you spend with them.
• Take photos and make videos, but don’t forget to live the memory in present time.
• Work hard when you need to; don’t waste your time and energy on things that don’t matter.
• Don’t regret anything; every experience is a learning experience.
• Be spontaneous even if it makes you look silly.
• Always ask questions instead of choosing the path of ignorance.
• Don’t be afraid of your own ideas.
• Laugh as much as humanly possible.

Finally, the last rule is to never lose faith. Whether it be faith in God, faith in your loved ones, or faith in love or humanity. Believing in something keeps us hopeful, humble, and curious.  

So, what now? I just made a list of rules to live by and I’m still unemployed and uncertain of my future.

I’m 21 years-old and I have no idea what to do with my life, but I’m working on it.

…and that’s ok.