Lys' corner: between ideas & caos

There’s something funny, and also very intentional, about the first post I make on this blog being published on my birthday. I wanted the day I started this new project to be special, and for the first topic I write about to have a meaning that stays with me for the rest of my life.

March 31st, 2026, and I’m turning 19. My last year as a teenager has arrived, and I won’t lie: I feel just as much excitement as I do fear about what that means.

However, throughout all these years of figuring out the world, I’ve faced losses, challenges, happy and sad moments, goodbyes, and doubts. But I’ve learned something from each of them, and I hope what I’ve learned will help me face this last step of adolescence and prepare me for adulthood.

These are 19 things I’ve learned in 19 years of life.

1. You’re not always going to be liked by everyone, don’t waste your energy trying.
2. You are your own biggest critic, so stop being so hard on yourself.
3. Never make fun of other people’s interests.
4. Having hobbies helps you discover different sides of yourself.
5. Explore your creativity, especially in this era of artificial content.
6. Study. It sounds basic, but academic performance can open doors you never imagined.
7. Take the risk, so you don’t spend the rest of your life wondering: “what if?”
8. Many people will judge you, but only you can choose which voice to listen to: theirs or yours?
9. If you only focus on how far you have left to go and not how far you’ve come, you’ll never reach your goals.
10. Some people are only meant to be in certain stages of your life, and when their role ends, they slowly fade away.
11. The best friendships are the ones that stay the same despite time and distance.
12. There are challenges you’ll have to face completely alone (even if you don’t want to), and you have to learn how to be independent.
13. Find your own comfort space and routines, they will be your best support during the hardest moments.
14. Never stop learning, whether it’s art, science, history, math, or your career. Always try to keep growing your knowledge.
15. Don’t wait until you feel confident to start something new, confidence is often built along the way.
16. Never neglect the people who supported you during your worst moments, be reciprocal.
17. Don’t let your privileges blind you from the reality outside your bubble, sometimes that bubble can become a toxic place.
18. You’re not late or early, you’re just following your own path.
19. God has power over everything.