20 Things I Learned After College

1. It is far less practical to hold onto someone than it is to hold onto what they teach you.

2. You should surround yourself with the people that are the yoga pants of your life. The comfortable, dependable, and unconditionally hugging ones you could never live without.

3. Forgiveness isn’t something you do for other people; you do it for yourself.

4. Wanting to be alone and wanting to be left alone are entirely different things.

5. If you live alone, TLC reality shows make great background noise.

6. The Time Warner Cable guys put on really funny hospital booties before they will walk into your apartment.

7. The IKEA delivery guys just wear their normal shoes.

8. No liberal arts college diploma can teach you how to assemble IKEA furniture.

9. Anyone who has made your life difficult up to this point is a gift, because they have shown you who you don’t want to be.

10. Being able to find out what someone’s soul needs and giving it to them without them asking is the sweetest kind of love.

11. Reusable grocery bags are really helpful.

12. You are probably going to have to buy a microwave.

13. Goodbyes are gifts, because they aren’t something we are promised.

14. When it’s real, you won’t be confused by it.

15. Sleep is important.

16. You can’t fix people, but you can hug them and love them and listen to the thoughts they share with you, and that is even better.

17. Apartment-hunting on Craigslist has twelve times more variety than the most exotic box of chocolates.

18. Bring someone with you when you go apartment-hunting on Craigslist.

19. Nothing can set you apart from a crowd more than having patience.

20. You aren’t the only one realizing these things, and your other loved ones going through the same thing are just a phone call away.