I wanted to share my own experience of 2020 and the lessons I learnt. We are taught to learn by venturing out into the world, but this time I learnt some lessons from the comfort of my own home.

So here goes… 20 life lessons I learnt in 2020, a revolutionary year.

Be more accepting of mistakes

As much as perfectionism may make you work your best, it can sometimes be detrimental to your health. Therefore, I would suggest remembering that no one is perfect and everyone commits mistakes and you have to accept and learn from these mistakes. Mentions go to Smile2Jannah who posted a video with Hamza Tzortsis a few years ago and Hamza mentioned something like this.

Create an identity of who you want to be.

This year, I really questioned my goals, ambitions and my purpose in life which is pretty good because it really allows you to carve out your own future. As Tim Han (the CEO of Success Insider) suggested, you should create an identity of who you want to be and then pretend you are that identity.

You don’t need to have an issue to have a story

I remember watching this TED talk from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie saying that she sometimes lied to people saying that she had a terrible childhood as it may sound ‘inspirational’ or because other writers do it, when in reality she had a wonderful childhood. This is to show that you don’t need to come out of a dark past to be successful in the future.

Don’t be afraid to stand out of the crowd.

This year, I stepped out of my comfort zone by creating my own podcast and promoting to people around me. This may have been difficult in the beginning, but now I am happy and thriving in terms of my podcast Alhamdulillah.

You will always get haters.

Speaking of my podcast, I then realised that some people were not very supportive when seeing me create my podcast and doing something a bit out of the ordinary. You just cannot please everyone and there will always be people who may be jealous or insecure about you. You can’t fear hate as if you do, you may regret reaching your deathbed having not accomplished your goals.

Be cautious of strangers

Do not trust strangers blindly, even your best friends, as once upon a time, your best friend was also a stranger. Even your closest friends can leave you. Don’t panic but be aware of what you tell people.

Learn to have fun

Nowadays, it seems that the only way of having fun is by using your phone and scrolling through social media. That may be one form of entertainment, but there are so many other forms of entertainment to check out, such as playing games, chatting to your family and friends, exercising and even organisation.

Have other extracurriculars

This year, I really broadened my horizons and introduced some extra-curriculars into my life such as my podcasts and my Instagram pages ‘@surobiscribbles’ and ‘@thechatlibrary’. Again, this helped build my brand, kept me busy and helped me to have something to do alongside academia.

Don’t be a passive reactor, be a creator.

Another lesson from Tim Han that I learnt is to not just depend on your emotions based on your environment and current circumstances, but instead take control of your thoughts and almost have a strong mindset to determine your emotions based on what you want your brain to think. You control your brain, not the other way round.

When uncertain, list out the pros and cons.

There may be some decisions you have to take in your life, and I realised that you may need to put your thoughts in pen to paper. If you want to make a decision, make a ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ list or a ‘for’ and ‘against’ table and list out all the factors. This helps you to see exactly your thoughts in front of you.

Everyone fakes it till they make it.

Everyone who you see is faking it till they make it. So do the same. 

Learn to forgive yourself.

In Islam, it says to not let guilt eat you up. Forgive yourself for any mistakes you have made in the past. Seek Allah’s forgiveness. And then just move on. This can make you feel quite peaceful. If you are finding it hard to see the positives and forgive yourself, speak to someone and get help.

You are not missing out on anything in life.

Do not ever think you are missing out on something in life. For example, if you have taken the decision to study instead of party with good intentions, just believe in Allah’s plan. Don’t think you are missing out on anything in life.

Accept yourself unconditionally.

Self-acceptance is vital. This was also mentioned in one of my favourite books so far which is known as ‘You Are A Badass’ by Jen Sincero. Self-acceptance helps with self-belief and self-love too.

Life is short, simple and sweet.

Life can have many obstacles. But, also, life is not that hard. If you live with the mindset that life is extremely hard, then it will be hard. Always believe that life can be beautiful and everyone is trying to make the most of it despite their problems. 

Always thank God.

As soon as you lose gratitude, it can impact everything. Please do stay grateful and thank God for everything you do. An example of this is when one of my posts in ‘@thechatlibrary’ Instagram page was liked by ‘@salamgirlpodcast’ who are two quite famous podcasters. Also, they reposted one of my posts in ‘@surobiscribbles’ on their story. I thank Allah for that.

Consume positive content.

This year, there was a lot of negativity in the news and people going through hardship. However, you must ensure you do not get consumed in it, however hard it may be. Listen to motivational videos, read self-help books and stay with positive people.

Have a good support system.

Speaking of positive people, you need to have a good support system especially if you are a teenager going through a lot or someone who is quite busy. These people can be there to help and support you and obviously, return the favour. Being giving really makes you feel better.

Don’t be ruled by the ego.

The ego is sometimes one of the biggest enemies for humans. If someone attacks you, you may immediately feel like you have to respond something back or gain revenge. Just relax. Don’t take anything personally.

Emotions are a temporary state of mind.

Remember that if you are going through a low day, your anger, frustration, nerves or sadness is temporary. Similarly, if you just achieved something, that happiness, thrill or excitement will not last forever. You need to remember that life moves and life is too short not to enjoy it.

These were some of the lessons I learnt this year. These are my personal lessons, and if you have any lessons that you learnt, comment down below.

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Thank you so much for reading, and have a lovely day!

If you live in an international country, you may have to move to a new school and make new friends and if you live in the UK, you have to start your GCSEs. Nonetheless, you want to get prepared and as I am a 15-year-old teenager who has just finished Year 10 in a pandemic, I think I am in a good position to tell you some tips on Year 10. Take the tips with a pinch of salt and at your own will.

Try to make notes or revision material as you go along.

Some people may underestimate Year 10 and think that they can just take all their notes and only revise in the last month of Year 11. This is too much pressure and stress. So especially if you have started your GCSE curriculum in school already, please start making notes, flashcards, mindmaps or whatever works for you from day 1.

Have other side projects.

A lot of teenagers say that ‘they don’t have enough time’. That is wrong as everyone has the same 24 hours in a day but it’s all about how you use it. Have extracurricular activities inside or outside of school or make your own platform such as a website. This will help build time management skills but also look good in your personal statement for college.

Keep on top of your work.

This links to my first point but keeping on top of your work meaning doing your homework and revision on time saves a lot of energy, time and unnecessary stress. Make sure to write down all your homework in a planner.

Make to-do lists every day.

Speaking of writing your homework in your planner, have a planning system that works for you and make to-do lists every day.

Don’t get involved in arguments/fights.

However juicy that argument between Susan and Chanelle may be, it’s just not worth your time and stress. The drama may be tempting to join but the cons are much higher than the pros so stay out of the drama.

Have a good support system.

This is extremely important especially as a teenager entering a new confusing phase of your life. Please have someone in your life who will guide and help you out. Avoid this person being a friend at school but instead make a teacher, counsellor, parent or older sibling your mentor.

Be yourself. 

Peer pressure can get high in secondary school but stick to your own values and the ones that will make you and your loved ones proud. If you don’t want to listen to music because of your religion, don’t listen to it. If you don’t want to go out late at night, then don’t.

Learn how to deal with stress.

Stress may be something that you see in these crucial years but please learn how to deal with it. Whether it’s telling someone how you are feeling, writing it down or taking a break, learn how to deal with it.

Learn from your corrections.

If you get a bad score in your exam paper or if you have committed a mistake, don’t beat yourself up about it. Just learn from the corrections, have the intention not to repeat the same mistake again and move on. 

Stay healthy.

Many teenagers end up having wings and chips every day and then feeling tired and low afterwards. Every now and then, you can treat yourself, but please try to avoid unhealthy foods. With that being said, it also does not mean that you have to go on 20 different diets if it is not needed. Just make sure you exercise regularly and eat well.

Those were my top ten tips to survive freshman year of high school and Year 10. Comment down below which year of high school will you be going to. Please share this article with any of your secondary school friends. 

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Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!

Of course, as a disclaimer, you can use this list if you are not 15 yet to maybe accomplish some of these things and if you have passed 15 years of age, then you can check to see if you can do these things. And it is your choice if you want to do these things, do it at your own risk and you can accomplish these at any age.

Have a bucket list or set of goals. This really gives that sense of motivation and push for who you really want to become when you are older. 

Have a side project. Don’t neglect the fact that nowadays, skills are also very important alongside grades to get into good colleges, universities and jobs. So, if that’s your aim, join an extracurricular activity or create something new, like a podcast.

Have at least one reliable support system. I have found that my best friends in life are my family. Don’t neglect your parents as a teenager as many people regret that later in life.

Understand that peer pressure is not the way to go forward. Peer pressure drives many teenagers at this age but it really isn’t worth it.

Develop certain habits. Mastering certain habits such as making a daily to-do list and cleaning your room often are quite helpful.

Know how to edit photos. I think this may be a life skill that everyone can learn and I think it’s p

Know how to cook/make at least 5 good recipes. Even if you are not a great cook, try to learn five simple recipes that you can make at any time for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Know how to have your own me-time. Learn to spend time with yourself and not be covered in guilt and negativity but in a positive light.

Know how to do grocery shopping by yourself. Only do this if your parents allow you but I think whenever I have done this, I have felt this sense of renowned independence. 

Know how to have fun without the screen. What a lot of people are guilty of is finding that the only way to relax is looking at a screen. That is wrong. Find other traditional ways of having breaks too such as going for a walk. 

Know how to clean your room regularly. Cleaning your room is something that you may not like to do but if you want to live alone, you will be compelled to do it. It really doesn’t take that long.

Know how to manage money. Ask your parents if you can have your own bank account and learn to manage the money and not just spend it all straightaway. 

Have your own signature. I have changed my signature a few times but know I am quite stuck to one, so have a consistent signature of your own.

Know that it is okay to have low days (but you need to get back up). All teenagers go through low days but remember it is okay and all you got to do is get back up.

Those were 15 things I think every teenager should try to know. It is okay if you don’t know all of them. 

If you want some more juicy tips and advice, check out my other links such as my podcast.

Also, surf around my website.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!