Take Birth Control

As a grown up, I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through experience. many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe there are somethings that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. You may not agree with all of them and they may not work for everybody, but each is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

# 36 TAKE BIRTH CONTROL

I know you all just gasped collectively, but this is an issue that needs to be discussed. My nieces are certainly not old enough for this conversation, but many nieces are and 75% of nieces get this discussion from their aunts, not their moms. I am certainly not recommending that everyone go out and start having sex. Actually just the opposite.
First, I would like to say this. It is highly unlikely that you will marry the boy you are so in love with in high school. It is also highly unlikely that you will marry the boy you date for all of your freshman year of college. Finish high school. Graduate. Go to college. Get a degree. Figure out who you are before you make the decision to become a parent, because really, every time you have sex, you are making that decision, either consciously or not.
If you are going to be insistent and do it anyway, take birth control. Use condoms. In today's society there are so many ways to get free birth control that not using some form, or as many forms as you can, is just pure stupidity on your part.
You want to have a life and if you get pregnant at 16 or 21 or at any other time before you have at least attempted to have that life, you could very possibly spend the rest of your life regretting it. So many people, young and old, get caught up in this whole place where they will do anything to fit it. "All the cool kids are having sex." First of all, you have no proof that this is true. Second of all, all the cool kids wouldn't be so cool if they all had babies on their hips.
Just something to think about.

Recommended Watch: Fifteen and Pregnant

At the very least...

As a grown up, I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some I learned in school and through experience. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of advice for all the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

# 25 If you meet someone that you really want to have a conversation with, but just don't have the time, at the very least give that person your phone number.

This is a rule that I am actually still trying to teach myself. Twice in the last month, I have serendipitously ran into someone that I really wanted to have a conversation with. Both were men that I immediately felt a tiny connection with. One of them was outside a theatre. I was waiting for my roommate to come out after his show. This really handsome man came up to me and asked if he could borrow a pen. We chatted very briefly and then my roommate came out and all was forgotten. We went to dinner and when I came back down the street the guy was still sitting, waiting. I got about halfway down the block, on my way to an audition, realized that I really would like to at least have coffee with this guy. I wrote my number down on a scrap of paper and went back to the steps he was sitting on and... HE WAS GONE! Ugh! I had finally gotten up the nerve up to give him my number and, really... he was gone.
Then yesterday I literally ran into this really hot guy coming out of the elevator at the building where I am rehearsing for the show that I was auditioning for when I met the other hot guy. Hmmm... perhaps my destiny is somehow connected with this show.... but anyway, I digress.
I was waiting for the elevator and the door opened and this tall, beautiful man walked out. I batted my eyes at him coyly, politely said "sorry", and got on the elevator. We totally made eyes until the elvator doors closed.
I was so early for rehearsal... I absolutely could have gotten off the elevator and at the very least given him my number. But... I didn't. I don't know why I didn't, but I can't seem to stop wishing I did.
All I'm saying is this... you don't have time to learn their entire life story... fine. You don't have time to grab coffee... fine. But, if you think even for one second that this person will still be on your mind tomorrow... then please, at the very least give this person your number. They may not call you. They may throw your number away as soon as your turn your head, but at least you will have the confidence in knowing that you did all you could do and you got the ball out of your court. This advice is for me as well as all of you.