Written by Shannon Mitchell

Published on December 19, 2015

1. I have a lot of first-world problems. C’mon!  Who else can genuinely complain about the coffee machine’s malfunction or spotty WiFi? Obviously there are worse things that can happen, but I realized I make these situations a bigger deal than I should.
2. This world is a terrifying place, especially America. Tragedy after tragedy seems to rock our nation once a month now. From shootings to an abundance of racial tension, it’s as if our country has become a ticking time bomb.
3. This world is a great place, especially America. Despite horrendous acts of human nature, our species can really surprise one another with creativity and ingenuity. 2015 brought us new gadgets, hilarious memes, and thoughtful deeds.
4. How to find my credit score and its importance on my future. Seriously! Look up your score online, but make sure the website doesn’t ask for credit card information. They will charge you somewhere down the line.
5. Why face-to-face communication is more important than ever. Texting doesn’t convey my sarcasm as well as I thought. It also takes too long to type something I could have said in less than 20 seconds. Talking in person allows me to gauge the other person’s reactions.
   

   Photo by Anne Davis. Used with permission.

6. To check my pockets every time I leave anywhere. I can’t stress this enough! A quick pat down saved me tons of time I would have spent going back inside to grab my phone or keys.  
7. Hard work is hard. Anyone in the restaurant biz or customer service can agree with me on this one. Dealing with dozens of different (sometimes unforgiving) personalities while standing for almost eight hours straight is difficult. Add in scurrying the equivalent of a football field while making sure that a table gets their drinks in a timely manner and you’ve got quite the task on your hands.
8. Why my parents act the way they do. They grew up in a completely different time, for starters. Back in their day, TVs were fairly new and walking everywhere was common. Their parents raised them with a thick skin and weren’t as accepting. I know mine love and want the best for me. But it took some figuring out of the reasons behind their antics.
9. The importance of education. No one can take away the decade and a half I have spent in school. Yes, there are times when I want to drop my classes and just work. However, every lesson I’ve learned in and outside the classroom has shaped the person I am today and it will continue to do so.
10. I am who I am. I have struggled with loving the skin I’m in for years. However, this year I woke up and realized this is the body I will have for the rest of my life. So I better wise up and stop worrying about parts that jiggle or why my hair isn’t longer.

What about you? What did you learn in 2015?  Let us know by commenting below.