My 25 At 25

These are things that I, Rhonda, have known to be factual during my first quarter-century of life:

1) You define your own life. Don’t let others write your script. -Oprah

2) People lie.

3) Credit cards are not the devil. But you must learn to use them (and credit) to your advantage.

4) Contraception is not a bad word.

5) State-funded programs are for the needy. Sign up if you’re in need.

6) NEVER argue with anyone over age 65. They know everything and will always win.

7) People grow and grow apart. That’s life.

8) Everyone won’t be your friend. Some are just there to give you good laughs or buy you drinks, and that’s called being nice. You don’t owe them for that.

9) Do some research and learn your car. Don’t take the mechanic’s word as bond (refer to #2).

10) Incoming phone calls after 10pm should go unanswered unless they pertain to your job. 99% of the time, the call is not an emergency and you KNOW this.

11) Try everything once, good or bad, and don’t take anyone’s word for it. That way, you create your own outcome and never have to say, “Well I heard…”

12) Nothing good comes from eating the whole bag of $4 chips or more than 5 Oreos at a time.

13) Wear a scarf at the first sign of cooler weather; something my Granny would call “pneumonia weather.” For some reason, it saves you from catching a cold.

14) People think their religion is the ‘right’ one. Follow what’s in your heart because you won’t discover the truth anyway until you die.

15) Technology will keep changing. Remember how cool you thought Nintendo-64 was? Or playing Snake on your Motorola? Yeah, just wait till next year.

16) Everything costs money (unless you live with parents). Spend it!

17) If you don’t like Ice Cube, Tupac, Dr. Dre, or Snoop, then never turn on the radio in LA. Ever.

18) Hair will grow back. Eventually.

19) There are few things on this earth more beautiful than Usher, Lamman Rucker, Ndamukong Suh, or flowers respectively.

20) Never settle! That one flaw about him/her/that car/that house/that job will make you miserable if you commit to it.

21) No one under age 24 knows what it means to be in love. Studies show that your brain’s frontal lobe (responsible for higher cognitive emotions and problem solving) isn’t fully developed until at least age 21. So there.

22) If it’s on sale, wait a while, and it’ll be on sale again for less. That’s why Macy’s has a “1-day sale of the year” every weekend.

23) Olive oil loses it’s flavor as it is heated.

24) It never hurts to pay it forward. One day, you’ll wish someone paid you something…or anything!

25) Every child deserves to see both parents when they awake and fall asleep. Children are innocent and shouldn’t be subject to their parents’ immature behavior or premature decisions.