19 Things Everyone Should Know Before They Turn 19

Everyone talks about turning seventeen and eighteen as if they're the biggest milestones in your life, but no-one ever talks about turning nineteen. Is it because your legal rights haven't changed and it's basically the same as being eighteen? Probably. Here are some things you should really know at any age but I'm going to use nineteen because I think it's been neglected.

1) Having the latest Michael Kors handbag isn't the be all and end all.

Soon enough you'll have an epiphany like Homer did in The Simpsons Movie, and realise that material things aren't what make you happy. It's the friendships, the relationships, the bonds we form with other people that really do the most for us.

2) Don't aim to get married in your twenties.

You might think you're head over heels in love and you can't imagine life without your significant other but try not to think too far down the line. Thoughts about marriage never end well, especially if you guys are on two very different pages about your relationship.

3) College degrees don't always guarantee jobs.

You may have a first class honours degree in Politics and French but that doesn't mean you're going to be the next Michael D. Higgins. Also, studying subjects like dentistry and medicine doesn't guarantee you a job either. So don't get cocky dentistry students, you're in the same damned boat as us media kids.

4) Travelling does broaden the mind.

Explore the world, go on holidays with friends, plan future J1s. Do everything and anything you want, provided you can afford it. Travelling is amazing and you can learn so much about yourself from just a few days away. You'll also learn a hell of a lot about the people you travel with.

5) The gym is not the enemy.

Now is the time to bust your ass and break a sweat, not when you're pushing forty. Take care of your body now so that it's less of a chore when those first few rolls start appearing on your thighs.

6) Plans don't always go the way you thought they would.

Even if you have them worked out to a tee. Fear not, all will work out in the end. Sometimes we have to make changes that we weren't expecting and that can throw us a bit, but as long as we don't let those changes hold us back, everything will be okay. Eventually anyway...

7) Money does run out.

It's not like when you were seven years old and your mam's pocket was a bottomless pit. Oh no, at nineteen you're paying for college accommodation, public transport and even your own McDonald's. Be wise with your cash because it won't last forever, especially when you have €5 pizza deals staring you in the face.

8) Debt isn't just an adult thing.

Believe it or not, mom and dad won't always be there to lend you money and cover your ass. Keep tabs on how much you're spending so you don't have to always borrow money from your begrudging friends.

9) Men need an extra ten years to reach maturity.

Something I think we all know by the age of five.

10) Don't take your debit card with you on nights out.

Just don't.

11) College essays are NOTHING like school essays.

1,500 words might not sound like a long essay but when you literally have no fucking clue what to even write for your first sentence, it's damn long.

12) Trust your instincts. Always.

If something feels right, go for it. Don't waste time thinking about all the things that could go wrong. Life's regrets are sometimes life's greatest lessons anyway.

13) Socialising will always involve food or alcohol.

And if it doesn't, you're not being very sociable. Dickhead.

14) If it's a good day, socialising will involve food and alcohol.

Twice the happiness, twice the bliss.

15) Making to-do lists is not geeky.

It's actually extremely beneficial, especially if you tend to leave things pile up and then stress out at the last minute.

16) Sometimes, making to-do lists lasts longer than doing the things on the list.

Because everyone needs their to-do list to sound and look on point. If not, what's the point in even doing the things on the list?

17) You need at least an hour to get ready for college.

That's if you don't want to go in looking like a hobo. If you're like me and you prefer the extra fifty minutes in bed, looking homeless will be a regular thing that most people will get used to.