20 Things To Do Before I Turn 21

I finally finished my list! I made it into a cute poster that will hang above my bed to remind me everyday to work on these things this year.



1. Sell art, crafts, clothes, etc. on Etsy
I've been slowly but surely starting to create arts and crafts. I have lots of ideas, so this year I'm working on actually creating the things I think about creating. So far my ideas include; dresses, screen-printed t-shirts (original graphic designs), sleep masks, aprons, pillows, purses, hair accessories, jewelry, mobiles, chandeliers, paintings, collages, and other types of art.

(t-shirt graphic)

2. Finish draft of The Little Pink Book
I've been writing articles for The Little Pink Book for about a year. Click here to see what it's about and some things I've written for it.

3. Road trip
I don't know where. I don't know when. I don't know with who. I don't care. Let's just go, baby!

4. Save money
I know this is a very vague goal, but what can I say? I just need money. It's life.

5. Read the Bible
I already started reading it a while ago. I'm not Christian (although I was raised Presbyterian and my dad was a minister), I just find religion interesting. I'm interested in it more as history than religion.

6. Learn French
I bought a cd/book set a while ago to learn French but I haven't started it yet. I really love the language and Paris is on the top of my places to visit. I'm so jealous of bilingual people. I think it's so amazing to be able to communicate in more than one way. I already say some phrases in French on a daily basis (Qu'est-ce que c'est ?) but my goal is to finish that cd/book thing and be able to have a French conversation.
7. Have a website
This isn't just about having a website, but having a reason to have a website. This kind of goes with selling stuff on Etsy, because that would be a reason to have a website.

8. Create my own fragrance
I love perfume! I love smells! I want to create my own signature fragrance (or more than one). Not sure how yet, probably a store like The Body Shop that has all those fragrance oils you can combine to create your own scent.

9. Sell cakes
Everyone tells Kim and I we should go into the cake business because our wedding cake for Addie and Mike was so amazing. Next semester I have Cake Decorating class, so I'll hopefully learn lots. Cake decorating is what I want as a career (among other things) so I really want to do this.

10. Make friends
I really only have three best friends and a few people I'm friendly with. I think I should have friends. But this isn't something I'm going to try really hard to do, I'm just going to be open and hopefully people like me...

11. Have all-nighter in Kemptville
One of my favorite things to do and I haven't in a looooooong time. My friends and I like to walk around town, play in the cemetery, hang out at Tim Horton's getting free ice and water, push each other around in shopping carts in the mall parking lot, steal letters from signs, and just get up to no good.

12. Enter every contest/draw
Growing up, I remember my Grandma was always winning stuff and lots of stuff in her house was stuff she had won in draws. My mom told me it wasn't that my Grandma was really lucky or won things more than other people. It was because she entered so many contests and draws. So I am going to enter any (easy) contest and draw I can so I can win more stuff!

13. “No rules, no fear.” (no excuses!)
The quote is from The Jane Austen Book Club. It just really stuck with me. I later decided I needed to add "no excuses". This should keep me from not trying new things because I'm afraid, or I make up an excuse.

14. Finish a script
I have a lot of movie ideas that I work on occasionally. I want to actually develop one of my stories enough to write an actual script so I have more than just ideas to show for all my work and research.

15. Write a story
I've never been that good at creative writing, but I love creating stories. So this one is sort of a challenge to myself to develop my creative writing skills. And I can share a story with people, but not everyone can read a script.

16. Make music
I used to write lyrics and songs all the time, but I haven't in a really long time. I also haven't gotten out my guitar in too long. I want to get musical again.

17. Get a pet
I've had hamsters in the past but I think I want to get naked rats (you have to get more than one, or else they get cold being naked and all) or a bunny. I already have names picked out. Rats: Johnny Mullet, Pooter, Penis, Willy Pajamas. Bunny (black and white with floppy ears): Mr. Buns (from Ruby Gloom)

18. Get a job
I've never had one. I need money!

19. Lose 20 pounds
It's not exactly about how much weight I lose, it's about how I do it. I need to start eating healthy (I somehow manage to be an extremely unhealthy vegan) and exercising. Plus, I gained the weight being all depressed so I need to lose all this weight that came from a bad time in my life.

20. Get involved with a charity
I was stumped thinking of one last thing for my list until I realized I should add something that isn't just for me, but something about helping other people.


My Tips for Making Your Own List
Just because your birthday isn’t recently passed or coming up soon doesn’t mean you can't make your own list. You always have time.

- don’t include things that you know you’re going to do anyway like “read 25 books” or “make art”
- include goals that you will have to work toward
- include special things that you will have to plan for and make time to do (ie. road trip)
- include things that you can continue to work on/learn/do through out the year that will leave you with a sense of accomplishment in the end (ie. learn French)
- don’t include things that you know you won’t keep up with (ie. start an exercise routine)
- don’t be too vague; you need to be able to look back and definitively say whether or not you accomplished that goal

I hope this inspires you to make your own list and do some amazing things this year!