Life at 19

19 is an extremely pivotal time in your life where you experience newfound independence and make crucial life choices. Who we are vs who people want us to be: Our independent journey is inevitably complex. A lot of the time, the media influences our choices and can promote changing to please others and meet their expectations. When you’re 19 and fresh into adulthood, it is important to know that even when you think you’ve met society’s expectations, they will always come out with more, making it impossible to keep up. The moral is, just be yourself and follow your own path. Hobbies + interests + passions: As we step into adulthood there is a lot of room for openness to explore new interests. However, because this is a time where most people focus on their career path, we often get lost in pursuing an interest that is “impactful” rather than personally fulfilling. It can be so easy to lose sight of what highlights your personal happiness. Find comfort in knowing that you can experiment with so many hobbies and passions without committing for life. New connections: Communication gets wonky when you no longer see your old friends everyday. It can be so difficult to keep up with everyone and foster your relationships when you keep meeting new people. Because the more people you know, the more people you have to make time for. Your circle is expanding and it can be tricky to be available to everyone 24/7. Huge life decisions: Will you go to university? Take a gap year? Head straight into the workforce? Work for a few years and pursue uni when you’re older? Healthy habits: Making huge decisions and having newfound independence is very anxiety inducing because of the pressure to be successful. Even though work and your social life can seem more important, don’t forget about sleep, diet, mental health, and exercise. Fear of making the wrong decision: It’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed by the variety of choices and opportunities that exist when you’re 19. Remember that the nature of fear stems from uncertainty of the future. However right now in the present there are no decisions currently set in stone. So there’s heaps of room of change and trial and error. Resilience is key for understanding that setbacks is an essential part of the growth journey.