20 Things I've Learned at 20 Years Old

It's time to grab a bottle of champagne, eat my body weight in cake, and play 'In Da Club' by 50 Cent on repeat because it's your gal's birthday!!!! Or, at least, it was yesterday. But I'm still on a massive high after what was a truly lovely day, during which I laughed, cried and was spoiled more than any other year. I'm now 20, officially an adult, and moving into the third decade of my life. This is a decade in which I will wave goodbye to full-time education, find a job, move out of my parents' house and perhaps even get married and start a family of my own. And, in my opinion, this all sounds like Stephen King's next best-seller. But, if I've learned anything in my 20 years on this little planet we call Earth, you can't always plan these things out. And alongside that little life lesson, I've also learned... 

1.) I was such a cute baby. Look at those cheeks. A grandmother's dream. 

2.) Try more foods. When I was younger, I was the fussiest eater known to man. I used to cry when I was given food because I just didn't want to eat it, and now I cry when I don't get any. Especially since becoming a vegetarian, I've become a little more experimental in trying new foods and look forward to cooking and meal times a whole lot more. And tomatoes and mushrooms aren't all that bad either. 

3.) Try more music. Through secondary school, sixth form and even uni I've been exposed to musical genres I never thought I'd be interested in. 13-year-old Ellie was a hardcore fan of The Wanted and would have rolled her eyes at the idea of listening to anything else. Now, my playlists are probably as varied as they come, ranging from soft, atmospheric movie soundtracks and scores, to one very angry man screaming in my ear. It's never a dull moment on my Spotify. 

4.) Moving out of your comfort zone and doing things you don't want to do can often be good for you. This can apply to tiny little things, and to massive life changes. I can't think of a better example of 'moving out of my comfort zone' than literally moving to uni in big scary Southampton, from my little cosy village, with its biggest scandal in recent memory being when someone threw a rock into the face of the clock in the clock tower. I've harped on a lot about how uni was a gigantic and very scary change, but no doubt it has shaped me into a person I'm much happier being. I've learned so many new things, met some absolutely incredible people, and feel proud of myself for how far I have come and how much I threw myself at something I was terrified to do. 

5.) Celebrate you. And remember, if you are proud of yourself, that's amazing! Don't be afraid to say so. Sometimes it's okay not to be so humble. I remember being terrified of sharing my blog with the world on my Instagram stories for the first time, but I was so pleased with what I was publishing, so why not publicise it? 

6.) You'll grow into your teeth. ^Thank God.^

7.) Don't settle for less than you deserve. In relationships, friendships - even if you think you got didn't get the grade on an assignment you thought you aced, don't let it slide. Confront the issue and keep striving for the best. 'Nuff said. 

8.) It's okay to put yourself first sometimes. Kind of similar to the last point, but sometimes your needs and concerns are just as important as other people's, if not more so. I'm very much a people-pleaser, so learning that it's absolutely 100% okay for me to move away from a situation that was hurting me, while perhaps compromising the other person's feelings, was a difficult one to tackle. Of course you want to do your best to make everyone happy, but it shouldn't be at the expense of your own happiness. You get me? 

9.) Be kind. That being said, kindness doesn't cost a penny. So please, be kind to one another. It works wonders. 

10.) Stay hydrated, kids. Stock up on that H2O otherwise you get poorly. Ellie, I'm speaking directly to you. 

11.) I will never be as tanned as I was in this photo. And I've come to accept it.

12.) Nothing will ever compare to the feeling of a good gig. Being the massive music fan that I am, the kick from seeing your favourite artists live, doing what they do best, is incomparable to anything else. 

 13.) There will always be people that don't like you. And that's okay, because there will always be people that do, too. You can't please everyone. 

14.) In the wise words of Ava Max, "you don't have to fit into the format". Being different is so much cooler than I thought it was 5 years ago. It makes you interesting, and it's far more fun to be the quirky one than a replica of another person. 

15.) When you have hair like mine, longer is always better. In gross, sweaty days like this, I've always been tempted to just snip it all off. But I've always got to remind myself of the 2017 incident, when I wanted to look like Lucy Hale and have a cute little bob - my curly hair wouldn't let me, and it went triangular. Looking like Hagrid every time you brush your hair is a worthy sacrifice to make. 

16.) Reading is cool. Nothing sounds more appealing to me than snuggling up in bed with the fairy lights on, rain battering against the window, and a steamy cup of tea in hand as I indulge in another chapter of a great book. 20 going on 80, by the sounds of things. 

17.) Keeping up-to-date with politics is probably important. Especially as a student/young person, I want to know how my vote, and political decisions and changes made, will impact both my future, and the future of our country and its relationships. So I should probably start paying closer attention. 

18.) Never, ever, ever take anyone for granted. Appreciate the people who go out of their way for you, and let them know that you love them often. 

19.) Winged eyeliner! Well, kinda. I'm still nowhere near perfect at it, but I'm much better than I was 5 years ago, when the wing was never actually attached to my lashline. 

20.) Growing up is scary. Sometimes there is nothing I'd love more than to be 5 years old again, walking into Toys R Us and feeling like I'd gone to heaven, with my biggest care in the world being whether I should ask for a new Barbie or a new Bratz doll. But while becoming an adult is terrifying, it's also rewarding, inspiring, and pretty darn exciting.

There's still so much I've got to learn and so much I want to improve on and experience (psst - little hint as to what an upcoming blog post might be there). Thank you to everyone who made my 20th Birthday so special!!