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9. Go to Paris with the man/woman you fall in love with.

I went to Paris during my French Exchange last March. I absolutely fell IN LOVE with the city. While I usually tend to veer towards the more adventurous vacation adventures, Paris was breathtaking. It really is one of the most romantic cities ever. The view from the top of the Eiffel Tower at night? Might as well be on ecstasy (maybe that's too far, but you get the point).

Probably one of my favorite pictures of me ever.

8. Invest in a nice pair of socks (preferably SmartWools).
Socks make winter so much more enjoyable. Warm feet make everything better. SmartWools are like a godsend, they're perfect.Trust me, the $17 or however much you spend on yours will be worth the money.

My first pair. LOVE THEM.

7. Watch every episode of "That '70s Show"
Seriously. It's worth it. As long as you're not some television snob who doesn't appreciate the simple comedy of sitcoms and a little bit of bad acting at times, "That '70s Show" is great to kick back to. It's hilarious and I love the story if you follow the episodes in order. While the 8th season isn't quite worth watching, once you're into it, you can't not watch it. It'll bring you back to simpler times and it's completely relatable as a teenager. It's on Netflix! Once Friends is on Netflix, I'd suggest it as well :) (So one told you life was gonna be this way *clap clap clap clap clap*)

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6. Travel outside of your comfort zone.

In the 6th grade my parents decided we were going to Israel. I was terrified. Israel was all over the news for violent outbreaks. It ended up being one of my favorite trips yet. It always felt like an adventure. At one point our bus was pulled over because there was an Israeli prison raid on a West Bank jail. Men with machine guns got on our bus and shined flashlights to find we were only tourists and let us continue. While it may have been terrifying at the time, it was something I'll always remember. I could literally see the prison being raided in the distance. We got back to our hotel and turned on the news to see the story on TV. The next day, even though people strongly advised not to, we took a cab to see Bethlehem. Because Bethlehem was in Palestinian territory, we could only take a Palestinian cab because of the previous events from the night. While I was terrified out of my mind, especially when we asked him to take us back yet he insisted we go to his friend's store, I would have regretted going all the way to Israel and not see the place where Jesus was born. Throughout the whole trip there were always army men just strolling along with machine guns slung over their shoulders. That trip may sound insane to take a 6th grader on, my parents knew what they were doing. They gave me experiences of a lifetime. While I don't want you to go taking trips into complete war zones, go some place exciting, please.

For more on the prison raid: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/10/world/main1390347.shtml

My parents and me in Bethlehem.

5. Be part of an student exchange program/study abroad.

It is entirely worth the money. Last spring break I took part in an exchange program with my school with some students in France. My experience was only two weeks, but they were two fantastic weeks. I made such great friends and I absolutely loved my host family. I wish I would have tried to speak more French, but I'll always have another chance to go back ;) I can't wait to take part in studying abroad when I get to college.

Me and my host sister :)

4. Stay off of social networking for a month, but not while you're traveling (that doesn't count).

Taking a break from social networking could turn out to be the best thing you've ever done for yourself. Also, if you haven't, clear out your friends list and followers of all the negative people and people you don't even know. Especially once you're out of high school. Just cause you have more friends/followers than me, doesn't make you cooler than me, in fact it probably makes you lamer for spending so much time trying to be "social". Granted, I'm kind of wasting my time writing this blog, but at least it helps me think of things and use my imagination (or at least it will when I have more posts).

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3. Travel to your home country.
Where ever you're from, go there. Doesn't matter how little it is in your heritage, you need to go there. It helps you get in touch with... well, yourself. If you live where you're from... well then congratulations, but you should probably get out and see the world since apparently none of your relatives have.

My first time in Vietnam when I was like 3. Get on my level.

2. Cover your walls with pictures.
It's a good way to remind yourself of the good times you've had, and it livens up your dull room. It's so much fun to put together, and sometimes it's nice to be a little nostalgic, ya know? It's something I'll definitely be doing to my dorm room.

 1. Own a dog or two.
Really. They're more than just animals, they're the best companions you could have. If you've never owned a dog in your life, get on that. Sure cats are great and just as adorable, but they'll rarely love you like a dog does. I know I can always come home to my dogs on a bad day and they'll comfort me, I can come home on a great day and they'll be excited for me! It's a must for everyone (unless you're allergic, I guess...).