Hi. My name is Will Blosser. I am a graduate student, student-newspaper-lackey, and audiophile. As I’m sure you can tell from my writing, I’ve got it *all* figured out–and recently, I turned 23! 23!!! God! I feel like I was just 19. Where do the years go? Have I grown older and wiser??? Well, I feel older, certainly… but wiser? I don’t know.

Seeing as you only turn 23 once (for now?), I thought I’d write about what I’ve learned in my more-than-two decades of life; maybe to give my younger peers (or self) some advice, or to offer a chance to recollect for our older readers. And, cheekily, I’ve broken these reflections down into 23 headings! Hah! Some may be more… brief, let’s say, but they all come from the heart. Happy birthday, me. Here are 23 lessons I’ve learned in my 23 years of life.

1. No one likes a critic–which is why it’s so important to be one. Curate your tastes. Let yourself be snobby every once in a while.
2. Learning an instrument is one of the best things you can do for yourself–mentally, physically, artistically, and even spiritually. 
3. Read more books. 
4. Dating across the political spectrum never works out. 
5. Nostalgia will kill you. Do NOT fall for it. 
6. Don’t do drugs, probably.
7. Listen to new music every week. New genres monthly.
8. Buy physical media. Paintings, photographs, CDs, cassettes. Whatever.
9. It’s nice to pray before meals–even if you’re an atheist.
10. Basketball is the best spectator sport by a wide margin. 
11. Become a socialist. 
12. Go outside.
13. Love is always worth it, even if it doesn’t last.
14. Community college rules. 
15. Write poems. It doesn’t matter if they’re “good.” Read poems often. 
16. If you can, travel. Meet new people, try new things, and be a gracious guest in other people’s worlds.
17. Say no, sometimes. Stick up for yourself.
18. Look at the stars often. Try to find constellations you may know.
19. Learn to cook.
20. Forgiveness is great, but it’s yours to give. Don’t feel pressured to forgive those you haven’t, or to hold grudges that aren’t yours.
21. Go to therapy.
22. Make a lot of friends. Tell them you love them. 
23. Don’t take life advice from 23-year-olds.