8 Bits of Advice From and 18-Year-old

8 Bits of Advice From and 18-Year-old

Shout out to Bri @ PaperbackBrii for allowing me to use some prompts mentioned in her 18th Birthday post back in November. Please go follow her blog as well because she’s the coolest and practically my twin 🙂


 

Welcome to The Inbetween!

I am calling today The Inbetween. And no, this isn’t the space between worlds in Stranger Things; today is the day in-between two important birthdays. Just yesterday I was pronounced an adult at my 18th birthday party on the shores of Adelaide beach, and tomorrow I will celebrate two years of blogging on Jasper + Spice with a nice 4am wake-up call.

So to celebrate my coming of adulthood, I have compiled a list of 8 bits of the most important advice that I have learned throughout my 18 years of existing upon this earth.

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1. You are NOT a ‘mature adult’.

You will never be a ‘mature adult’ no matter how many times you say it allowed to yourself. No one is a mature adult. When we grow up, we are expected to ‘mature’ and conform to the societies standards of an adult. In reality, the only way to grow old is to leave your childhood behind. yes become more mature and gain more knowledge but never stop being a child.

2. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

You’ve probably heard of this from just about everyone you know, but please hear me out!

Being a teenager is all about routine. Wake up early, get dressed, brush teeth, eat breakfast, go to school, come home, homework, sleep early. But some of us teens like to be spontaneous, going to bed late, waking up late and groggy in the morning. It becomes an endless cycle which leads to loss of time before school and the one thing everyone seems to sacrifice is BREAKFAST.

But why sacrifice breakfast? An English study reported in The Guardian newspaper showed that “while 68% of pupils eat before leaving home, 32% do not”, and trend is not only seen in England, rather all over the world, with 1 in 5 South Australians a going adolescents going to school on an empty stomach.

A 2013 Australian study showed that children and adolescents who skipped breakfast were much more likely to have inadequate intakes of thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, magnesium and iron. A lack of these vitamins lead to decreased concentration levels in class, which results in poor/ declining grades.

Solution: Even if you get to school with two minutes to spare you can still eat. The truck is to pre-pack your bag with enough food that you can have a snack when you get to school, especially if you know that you run on a tight schedule in the morning. I published a post detailing the benefits of packing your food the night before which is worth taking a look at if you are usually tight for time.

3. Sanitary items must have place in every purse and bag you own.

This isn’t just for my female readers out there. If you are a kind and caring human being – or just one that menstruates – please do not put yourself in the same position I ended up in and put a few pads/ tampons/ or alternative method of capture in every bag you own. You never know when that black tote you bought when you were 12 will match your outfit when you turn 17 and bam! you (or a friend) is stranded in the bathroom all bloody and out of faith.

4. Always bring a jacket.

Please hear me out! Your mothers are probably nodding along with this and saying “I told you so”, but believe me you will (whether you think you do or not) need a jacket. As we are all aware, no one can accurately predict the future and whether can change in an instant. I have been caught in bad weather many times, and watched my friends run for cover as I calmly pulled my hoodie over my head and strolled after them. I only have my WOG mother to thank for this.

5. Use a coaster when handling hot drinks.

This may sound like a funny thing to you, but trust me it is a normal thing I hear whenever I grab a hot drink.

Me: *walks into loungeroom with hot tea*
Mum: get a coaster out
Me: *is still standing at the door*
Mum: don't put that on the table
Me: *sighs heavily*

That is a real conversation with no exaggerations between me and my mum. Though this may sound utterly ridiculous; if you spill liquid (especially hot liquid) on a timber table, the table will stain. It is never appealing to see a table with water rings all over it.

This has also taught me manners and to respect the furniture and items in both mine and other people households that I am blessed to have and use. I make an effort to ask for and use coasters at other people’s houses as a show of respect.

6. You will miss school when you leave.

Okay, maybe you won’t miss the actual school – although I kinda do – you are guaranteed to miss the routine that comes with attending school. In reality, I am lost and I have no idea what to do with all the freedom I now have. I also don’t see my friends anymore and unlike the weekends where I would be relieved to be separated for some time, I have to stop myself from saying “I’ll show you on Monday” because there are no more ‘Mondays’. Now I actually have to make an effort to see them.

7. LISTS. LISTS. LISTS.

I made a post all about this in the Back To School Series (2016) I did on this blog last year. The post is titled To Do Lists Printables and includes many types of printable To-Do Lists as well as tips for creating lists to get work done efficiently and on time.

8. Don’t do Drugs and Stay in School.

So I needed 8 points and I only had seven when this post needed to be published, and this is what my friend had to say. I believe it speaks for itself.

Please please please respect your body, your mind, and your soul. Value your education because you are part of the next generation of great minds and you have been given the potential to do something great. Use it. Also use the resources available to you to assist in your journey to greatness and knowledge, because now in the 21st century, there are all sorts of resources and people willing to help you reach your final destination.

The people who have sent you to school and the people who are proving you an education believe in you and you should believe in yourself. They want to fill your mind with knowledge and help you become a better person. Please do not throw your life away or some cheap thrill.

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And lastly, here are 2 big pieces of advice that I have learned from the two years that I have been running this blog, Jasper +Spice.

2 Best Pieces of Advice From 2 Years of Blogging.

1. Schedule Posts Ahead of time

2. Follow other (like-minded) blogs to increase blogger interaction

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Stay Happy, Healthy, and have a Lovely Day!!

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Thank You so much for reading and I hope to see you all back here again Wednesday 🙂

bree xoxo - 8 Bits of Advice From and 18-Year-old


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© Jasper+Spice 2017. All Rights Reserved. Please do not use without permission. This post was not sponsored, photo is my own. Instagram @thebookishbree. Goodreads (jasperandspice). 

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Comments

  1. Great advice, I’m turning 18 soon so I’m kind of scared but wxcited at the same time. I have no idea what life has taught me yet so I might have to make a list too😂☺

    • I’d love to read your list! Mine is more compiled of things that my mother has said to me. 18 is quite exciting though I haven’t done anything cool yet 🙈

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