17 Lessons I Learnt at 17

It was my birthday on August 5th, and I really wanted to write a post about the 17 lessons I learnt at 17, so here it is!

1. Take the opportunities that you know will help you grow.

I started writing content last year and soon started working in multiple organisations and gained some experience too! This helped me develop my skills as well as helped me meet a lot of new people with a lot of stories to tell. I also got into the habit of juggling schoolwork with work and even earned my first commission.

2. Rest isn't something you have to earn.

You don't have to complete your entire to-do list to take a break. Rest is important for how you function, and it shouldn't just be seen as a reward for getting everything done. So just stop and take a break whenever needed! Don't be guilty about it!

3. Failing one exam doesn't make you a failure.

When I started 12th grade in April, I was very overwhelmed by the amount of things I needed to do and got really anxious about my exams and eventually ended up flunking my accounts exam. Did I feel really bad about it? Yes. Did I also consider it as a milestone? ALSO YES!

Well, that setback helped me figure out where I was lacking and also helped me improve in the next exam.

4. True friendship survives distance and time.

When I entered 11th grade, my friends and I ended up going to different schools, and suddenly our schedules looked nothing alike! We had to get creative about spending time together, whether it was studying over video calls, meeting up once a month, or even catching up for just a few minutes whenever we could. Despite the distance and our busy schedules, we somehow always found a way to be there for each other.

5. Sometimes you can do everything right and still lose.

I participated in an MUN this year and submitted everything on time and exactly as expected. However, due to some unfair decisions by the chair, I ended up losing despite having done everything I was supposed to. It was definitely frustrating, but it taught me that not every loss reflects your effort or ability. Sometimes, things are simply unfair, and all you can do is learn from the experience and move on.

6. A lot of people aren't what they seem to be.

Some people can have many qualities that make them seem like genuinely good people, but their actions can tell a completely different story. I've learnt that someone's image or the good things people see in them don't always reflect who they truly are. are.

7. Your instincts deserve more credit than you give them.

This was one of my lessons last year too, but it's honestly so important that I had to include it again this year. Just listen to that tiny voice in the back of your mind! It's never wrong, and you will thank it later!

8. Learn to be comfortable with discomfort.

Growth is awkward. A new routine is awkward. Not knowing what you're doing is awkward. You don't need to eliminate discomfort; you need to stop treating it as a sign that you're doing something wrong.

9. You don't have to make sense to everyone.

Some decisions will make perfect sense to you, and absolutely none to somebody else, and that's completely okay! Some people might think you are doing too much; some might think you are doing too little. At the end of the day, if it makes sense to you, it is the right decision or choice.

10. The clock is ticking, and you don't get lost time back.

Considering the fact that this is my last year of high school and also the last year before I move out, I realised that the clock is ticking faster than ever and I need to make the most of the time remaining!

So the lesson lies in not taking the time you spend with people for granted!

11. You don't owe everyone an explanation.

Sometimes we end up overexplaining or just explaining our decisions or actions to people who don't deserve it!

You can explain yourself once. But if someone has already decided what they want to believe about you, writing them a 35-slide PowerPoint isn't going to change their mind.

12. It always works out in the end.

Well, not necessarily in the way you imagined, and not necessarily immediately. But eventually, you look back at something you were devastated about and realise, “Oh. That's why that happened.”

Because what's meant for you will always work out for you!

13. Surround yourself with people you can grow with.

Surround yourself with people who help you figure out things, always have your back, and grow with you.

Recently, I had some issues with my study routine because I wasn't able to figure out how to do self-study alongside classes and school, so I told my friend about it, and she pulled out a diary, and soon we both were figuring out how to make the best out of the very insufficient 24 hours of the day heheheee. Now, that's someone you need to surround yourself with because no matter what, they will always help you grow with them!

14. “I don't have time” usually means “I haven't made time.”

Earlier this year, my teacher asked me to stop writing so much because I was spending too much time on content writing, LinkedIn posts, and my blog. My first reaction was to figure out a way to write while also keeping up with my schoolwork.

In the end, I figured it out! I learned that there’s always time for everything if you make it happen. It's all about prioritising what really matters!

15. Rejections and disappointments can be redirections.

Whether it's applying for a position, submitting work for a competition, or hoping to get into somewhere you really wanted to be, rejection is inevitable. I've learnt that a “no” doesn't always mean I wasn't good enough; sometimes, it simply means there's something else waiting for me. Not every rejection is a setback; some are just redirections.

16. Some temporary people leave permanent lessons.

Not everyone you meet is meant to stay in your life forever, and that's okay. Some people may only be a part of your life for a short while, but still teach you something that stays with you long after they're gone. I've learnt to appreciate people for what they brought into my life, even if they weren't meant to stay.

17. Embrace the weird.

A lot of people seem to have lost the uniqueness of their personalities, and no one seems to have even a tiny bit of quirk or whimsy to them anymore. I think that's why I've learnt to embrace the weird parts of myself, whether it's my painfully lame jokes, my random voice notes to my friends, or my funny-sounding laugh. I don't think everything about a person needs to be polished or “cool” all the time; sometimes, the little weird things are what make someone memorable.

Well, that's all the lessons for this year!

HAPPY SEVENTEENTH TO ME!!!!

Love,

Ash