Top Ten Tuesday: Freebie!

Hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.
Today, we get to pick our own topic. So I'm picking something that really only slightly has to do with blogging: Top Ten Things I've Learned This Past (School) Year.

1. Blogging is a HUGE commitment and harder than I thought. No way did I expect to be this caught up in book blogging. I thought I'd post once a week or so, on random things that came to mind. SUDDENLY I discover this giant book blogging community, and Top Ten Tuesday, and Classics Club, and readalongs, and challenges, and.... now I feel guilty if I don't post at least three times a week!

2. I have awesome parents. I mean, I knew this before, but this year I have been especially grateful for having parents who are super involved in my life, but not TOO involved. They have somehow found that perfect balance of guiding me, but still letting me be who I am and sorting out my own problems. I love them ever so much!

3. How to change a tire. Yup. I had my first flat last month, and now I know how to change a tire. I'm an independent woman! WOOT

4. The way to a man's heart IS through his stomach. In fact, the way to ANYONE'S heart is through their stomach. If you give people food, they will like you.

5. If you are putting up posters in a Starbucks, and a cute barista offers to help, don't get all "independent woman" on him - let him help you, for heaven's sake! Well, that was rather specific, wasn't it... :-P It translates to the broader life lesson of - "Accept help gracefully." You don't have to do everything by yourself, and people like to know they're being helpful.

6. Money is important. I knew this one before this year too, but I didn't REALLY understand how important money was. My parents payed for my clothing and food, and I didn't buy expensive things or ask for the newest gadgets or whatever. But now with this whole college thing - sheesh, my personal savings don't even cover a year at university! (And I'm not going to an expensive one, by far.) I have a new appreciation for the value of money. :-P

7. Books are my zen. Everyone has their zen - the thing they do or the place they go to escape from the world and rejuvenate. My mom gardens. My sister goes to work out. I read.
Of course, I did know this to some extent - I wrote my general college application essay on it. But I didn't realize just how dependent on books I was. A few months ago, I had a week where I wasn't reading anything for fun - just school assignments. And I was also super crabby, argumentative, and easily annoyed. Coincidence? I don't think so.

8. Everything really works out the way it's supposed to. I (along with my mother) was nervous about this whole college application process. What if I don't get into any of my top programs? What if I get into both of my top programs - which do I pick? Little things like that - uncertainties - nagged at me. But ultimately, it all worked out for the best, and I'm looking forward to this fall with no qualms about my future! (And guess what - I got into one program and not the other - problem solved.)

9. I really don't like makeup. I've made the decision that I won't force myself to wear makeup just because I'm going to a party (and my sister's wearing it). If I feel like wearing it, sure. A little lipstick here and there, too. But otherwise - why put myself through the hassle? I can make myself feel pretty with clothes and accessories. And I always end up forgetting I'm wearing makeup and smudging my eyeliner anyway. :-)

10. Blogging is way more community oriented than I realized! When I started blogging, I never thought that there were these huge book-blogging communities and networks. I thought I'd post, and somehow people would read it. (Yeah, I was super naive.) But over this past year I've spread out and discovered so many fun things around the blogosphere like Top Ten Tuesdays and the Classics Club, and also had so many great book discussions in the comments of someone else's post. It's such a fantastic experience!

What about you? What "life lessons" (profound or otherwise) have you had this last year?

~Sophia