20 things I have learned/discovered in my 20 years of existence

1. It’s all about who you know

2. Everyone in Rhode Island has mutual friends and family members. There are maybe 2 degrees of separation, as opposed to 6.

3. The poorest people I have ever met are also the nicest. The richest people I have ever met are douche bags.

4. Every place I have ever lived has also been inhabited by a secret sock thief. His one purpose in life is to steal one sock out of every pair I own, and send it off into another dimension where I will never see it again.

5. Boys can always be replaced.

6. Being gay is normal. Unintentionally, like 50% of my closest friends are gay. They have taught me that liking the same sex is not necessarily a characteristic or a trait that shapes their personality and identity, it’s just a fact.

7. A smile goes a long way, and can send infinite messages.

8. Running sucks. A lot.

9. Traveling, whether it means flying to East Africa or taking a drive with no destination on a beautiful Sunday, is what makes me happiest and what teaches me most of life’s lessons.

10. Don’t put regular soap in the dishwasher.

11. Time is precious and I need to savor every moment that I am young, because I know one day I’ll miss my youth extremely bad.

12. Pot is the best medicine.

13. You’re allowed to have more than one best friend, and they can all be of equal importance to you.

14. A lot of things you love can also be things you hate, or have hated at some point in life. For example: boys, money, the rain, beer.

15. Scents have just as strong of a tie to memory as visuals.

16. It is very rare for someone to be both street and book smart. It’s usually one or the other. My GPA may not be a 4.0, but I’m quite the hustler.

17. Not wearing a condom is not worth it.

18. Reading a lot and often is the best way to become a great writer.

19. My dad is my best friend and favorite person to talk to.

20. Taking time to reflect on life and all it throws at you is super important and beneficial. Even more beneficial is writing these reflections down so you can look back on them in the future.