Yesterday, my parents celebrated my birthday early, because I’ll be at college during my actual birthday later in January. Usually, I reflect about being 1 year older AFTER my birthday, but since I’ve been having this ‘early celebration’ for a while, so I thought I’ll jot down some of my thoughts about the big two-zero now.

1. Turning 20 is amazing. The moment when the tens-digit of your age changes is always a milestone.
2. Turning 20 brings much introspection. I am near the middle of my college career, and my thoughts about occupations, relationships, and ‘oh no what am i going to do with my life’ are all slowly conglomerating into this fantastic but subtle transition from teenager to adult.
3. Turning 20 gives me strength. To my surprise. I feel more energetic now than I have ever before, but I have to give that energy direction and purpose. Kind of like an adolescent padawan — full of the youthful force, but not sure where to use it and how to use it correctly.
4. Turning 20 reinforces me to keep an open-mind. Looking back, all my life experiences — the places I lived in; the high schools I went to; the jobs I worked at — they all taught me one, simple, universal truth about human beings: we all have a story. Not necessarily a story to tell, but a story; it could be simple, complex, sad, happy, exciting, plain, but it is a unique story. Some told their story to the world and inspired millions of people; some shared their story with their close families; some kept their stories to themselves. Such a beautiful world we live in! Misunderstandings happen, and people are sensitive, especially among the young adult population; I aspire to be someone who is willing to listen; I aspire to be a story listener.
5. Turning 20 scares me, just a little. Well. I guess I am not scared by the fact that I am turning 20, but more likely by the fact that time inconspicuously flies by. Time has an interesting property to be warped in our perception; I guess it’s not something that can be explained by physics, but it seemed like yesterday when I was posing for a photo in front of my kindergarten in China, before my first day of school. However, I believe time is fair. We all age the same; it is up to us to decide what we want to accomplish every year.
6. Turning 20 excites me. I look forward to all that I will learn, all that I will experience.

Here’s to a great year.