Maybe it’s a few too many shots on a Friday night, a failed exam you weren’t prepared for, or a painfully awkward walk of shame the morning after.

Mistakes are an ancient practice that have come to define as what makes us as humans, we all make them and they make us.

It always seems as if when life starts coming together, that’s when you should be prepared for it to all fall apart. That’s just how life goes sometimes.

This isn’t your first time traveling down life’s bumpy road and it definitely won’t be your last.

Mistakes are a positive thing, given that they don’t become habits. Mistakes teach us the do’s and dont’s in life. I’ve learned a lot in college so far, but not just in my 8 a.m. lectures. Some of the most important lessons I’ve learned came from the experiences I’ve gained outside of the classroom. There are some lessons that I would preach to  everyone, not just incoming freshmen.

Always have a back-up plan. Whether that means a designated driver or setting six alarms for the morning, always be prepared. If something could possibly go wrong, expect it to.

If you are questioning a decision or place, don’t do it. Don’t be there. If you don’t know if it’s a good idea, it probably isn’t.

Low-key is always your best policy. Not everyone needs to know how much you drank last night. Keep your secrets secret and your friends close. You don’t know who is listening and you don’t know what they will do with your business.

I recently made a mistake that is altering my life. At first I was heartbroken and angry, now I am sad and occasionally overwhelmed. Soon I will be on my way and looking back with yet another lesson under my belt.

The hard times you endure in life serve their purpose of reminding you to be grateful for the times you find yourself blissfully happy.

Keep making those mistakes. Keep taking those risks. Without those mistakes and lessons, you’ll never know yourself. If you don’t occasionally find yourself completely and utterly lost, you’ll never find yourself. The only real mistakes in life are the ones a lesson was not taken from.