We all are imperfect people who make mistakes. It’s an inevitable part of living. When we mess up, how do we react? As our own worst critics, how do we go about forgiving ourselves? Though this is not a sure-fire way, if you consciously take each step, it might help you recover emotionally.

1. Start small. Think of a person you recently hurt.

“I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him.” – CS Lewis

2. See yourself as a small child standing before that person.

“A moment of self-compassion can change your entire day. A string of such moments can change the course of your life.” – Christopher Germer

3. Ask for forgiveness using the phrase: “I hurt you when I _______. I am sorry, and I hope that you will forgive me. I will work hard not to do this again.”

“I forgive myself for having believed for so long, that I was never good enough to have, get and be what I wanted.” – Ceanne DeRohan

4. See the person forgiving you, coming forward to give you a hug.

“Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” – Brene Brown

5. Feel forgiveness take hold of you both.

“I now choose to release all hurt and resentment.” – Louise Hay

6. Practice this throughout the day, but also at the end of each day.

“If you don’t love yourself, you’ll always be chasing after people who don’t love you either.” – Mandy Hale

This exercise may seem foreign, and you can tweak so that it works for you. Ultimately, just remember this – Yes, you may have messed up, and yes you need to seek forgiveness from the other person/people. We all have been in your shoes in one way or another. Let yourself love yourself. Let go of your mistakes and forgive yourself.

Billy Wilson is a freshman at Kansas State University with a 4.0 GPA after his first semester. Or rather, I should say former-freshman. 

After but one semester of school, Wilson has decided to drop out of college because he believes that is a scam. 

See his Facebook post, conveniently available to the public, here: Billy Wilson's "Fuck College" Facebook Post

Now, don't get me wrong, I understand a lot of this young man's points. He seems incredibly intelligent, and college very well may not be for him. However, after being in the college system a bit longer than him – 3 years longer in fact – I'd like to address some of his concerns in his post. So, as a college senior entering into her final semester of college (and didn't give up after a mere one), here goes nothing: 

1. To address your first point: "Yes I have dropped out after finishing my first semester (with a 4.0 GPA). And it's one of the best choices I've ever made. Not because I am averse to learning, but actually the exact opposite." 

Billy, everyone learns in different ways. Just because it wasn't how you believe that you can best learn doesn't mean that others cannot and do not. I'm not sure that more needs to be said, because, odds are, you agree with me.

2. To address your second point: "YOU ARE BEING SCAMMED." There's a lot more text here, so I'll do my best to summarize. College many times leads to debt, textbooks are overpriced, teachers may not always have experience, income vs inflation vs cost of college increases are not proportional. Does that about summarize it? Not well, but we'll keep moving on.

College does indeed lead to debt. In fact, the average student graduating in 2015 owed over $35,000. That is an absolutely enormous amount, to be sure. However, many jobs that require a degree (not all, no absolutes necessary here) will pay more than those that do not – thus helping you pay that off in a quicker time. 

I'm not sure where you are getting that teachers don't have experience in their field. Maybe it's because our majors are different? As a chemistry major, my professors are known for their research – it's how they keep their jobs. Groundbreaking research has been done by those in that department, so I'm not sure how much more experience you expect of them. Maybe we've had different experiences though, and I can respect that.

Of course textbooks are overpriced – it's a business, and simple supply and demand laws of economics. I actually agree with you in the sense that updates to editions every few years is ridiculous. However, oh little freshman, purchase the older edition and check page numbers with friends. There are many ways to save money that most freshmen don't know, and this such a small point relatively to the overall price of college.

So is college expensive? YES! I agree! Does that make it a scam? Not in my book, but let's keep going.

3. And to your next point: "Colleges are REQUIRING people to spend money taking gen. ed. courses to learn about the quadratic formula (and other shit they will never use) when they could be giving classes on MARRIAGE and HOW TO DO YOUR TAXES."

Oh boy, okay. So, as a STEM major, the quadratic formula has actually been super useful. (Crazy, I know – when I learned it I thought it was useless as well.) It's so funny that this is the example that we pick sometimes. To me, that is useful, but knowing which forms are architecture came from which era is not. To someone making a living with history, documentaries, and other just as valid careers, they couldn't care less about the quadratic formula.

I am SO thankful that I don't have to take a marriage class from my university. I'm actually engaged to be married after graduation, so I might have a bit more to say about relationships than you (I might not, but I feel like 3 years at this time of life is a lot of time and experience). You can't teach a lot of it, and every culture and subculture has a different perspective on what makes a good marriage work. If it bugs you that much, buy yourself some self-help books. They can be helpful, but you'll realize everyone has a slightly different take. Pick and choose what works for you, and please don't make me take a class on it.

I actually would like a class on how to do your taxes, though so far it has been pretty straightforward with some guidance from family. I'm not sure that this would be a good use of time for everyone either.

4. And onto your last point: "Gosh there are so many more reasons I could add, but just comment if you disagree or have reasons to add. I'd love to add to the discussion." 

I love that you put this in there. I was kind of, not even kind of, very irritated with you until I read this. I appreciate the fact that you are so open to discussion. It makes you seem more reasonable and relatable, so thank you for that!

Look, I get it. College is expensive, and a lot that you learn will not be used everyday. However, what you don't use from that biology class, someone else will. What you use from that business-finance class someone else will forget in a day and not need to worry about. It's a cookie-cutter system, it's impacted, it's imperfect. But is it a scam? I'm not convinced.

I would like to add that I am more than aware that college is not for everyone. College is not for everyone just like trade school, going straight to work, the military, or any other path is. We all have our own path, and I'm glad that you have your own entrepreneur endeavours to pursue. (Wilson owns his own company, RaveWave, as well.)

Just because college wasn't for you after one semester doesn't mean that it's not for everyone. Don't call my path a scam, especially when I have 3 more of experience at it than you. 

What can your underwear, your undergarments, your panties, your delicates, tell you about your relationship? Actually, a lot more than you would think….

The “first date” panties 

Whether you’re looking for sex on the first date or prefer to wait a bit, these will be one of the nicer pairs you own. 

You want to feel sexy and confident, and nothing does that like your nice panties. They’ll also most likely match your bra.

The “first-time” panties 

Yup, these make all of you look flawless. They are hot, too skimpy, and not always comfortable but so damn worth it. 

And, again, they’ll match the bra – they might even be the same set as the first date set.

The “we’ve been doing this for a bit” underwear

As you two get better and hotter, the underwear becomes less and less of a concern. 

These are still sexy and make your ass look amazing, but at the same time they might not always be your best, and that’s okay. 

The “meeting the parents” panties 

Yup, this is a thing. 

You want to dress to the best, so you wear panties that will show off no panty lines whatsoever, and your bra will make you look good but still modest, so who cares if they match. 

These are still functional, but they also still have to be somewhat sexy because who knows what happens after you leave his parents’ house. 

The “on my period but don’t want him to know” panties 

All shades of red and pink are on call for this.

Sure, we’d love to be open about all of our bodily functions, and we’ll get there. However, for now, it’s time for underwear that will match and problems Mother Nature throws your way.

The “on my period and don’t care if he knows” underwear 

At some point, he’ll know, and he might even be the one running to the store for tampons. 

These are functional, most likely stained, and you couldn’t give a shit because they are the real soldiers in your life. And, oh yeah, what bra? 

The “just moved in together” panties 

These are a little more fabric than your “first-time” panties, but not by much. 

They’re cheeky, cute, and still comfortable to sleep in. 

Playful and sexy is the name of the game here, and they will probably match the bra. 

The “actually moved in together” panties 

These are pretty similar to your actual period panties. You don’t care what they are, and you want to feel comfortable. 

Plus, he’s seen them all since you share a drawer. 

The “spicing it up” panties

These might be purchased for a holiday, or his birthday, or something like that. 

Now that he’s seen all that your underwear selection has to offer, you have to remind him that you can still pull off sexy and hot panties as well. This might not even be just panties, but more lingerie. 

The “who cares” underwear  

By this, I mean nothing. Good ol’ commando. 

Whether you’re not wearing anything under your sundress, pajama pants, or sleeping naked, we all know that this is his favorite…and our favorite too, because how much more damn comfortable can you be?

You’re 21. You’re excited about your birthday. You’re ready to have some fun with your friends. You can finally legally go to a bar! 

There’s one problem. You’ve just turned 21. So you’ve never been in a bar (legally, anyway). Though obviously everyone’s experience is different, here’s some things to possibly expect so that you know what you’re walking into:

Someone will want to buy you a drink. If your friends coming with you to the bar know it’s your birthday, which is the reason they’re there, they will most likely want to buy you a drink. That’s a lot of free drinks, which is great! At the same time, that can make it incredibly difficult to pace yourself. 

Which brings me to the fact that it will be tempting not to pace yourself. You’re excited, everyone around you is excited, and you want to have a lot of fun. You can easily lose track of how many drink you’ve had and how many you’re putting them back if you’re not careful.

The bar will be sleazy, that’s just how they work. Unless you purposefully pick out a high class bar because your friends know the right places, the bar will be sleazy. The seats will have a kind of weird stickiness to them, the bartender or guy carding you might eye your cleavage, it’s just the atmosphere that is created.

As you’d probably expect, the lighting will be dim. Most bars tend to have dim lighting – not all, but most. This adds to the slightly sleazier atmosphere but also can make you feel like you’re mentally away from everything else you left at the door. 

If you’re going on a weekend, the bar will be loud. If a quieter night out with your friends is your thing, choose where you go wisely. Some bars are really popular spots and can make it difficult to hear yourself thing.

Luckily, most bars have some sort of food menu. Take advantage of this – most likely since it’s your birthday, your friends will pay. A plate of fries can help you to stomach all of that alcohol you’ll be consuming and keep the night fun.

The bartender will take your credit/debit card if you ask to open a tab and will not give it back to you until you close the tab. It makes complete sense and is in good hands, but it can be a little unnerving if it’s your first time in a bar. Odds are though, if it’s your birthday this won’t be a problem for you.

Some bars have specialty mixed drinks and online menus, and this can be helpful to streamline ordering your drinks. It will also give you confidence to order drinks fancier than a light beer or glass of white wine, and odds are they are specialities for a reason. 

Finally, you’ll be carded, and it will be an exciting experience. It’ll be the first time that you’ve been carded for alcohol, and you’ll remember it. Have fun, be safe, and throw it back!

Weddings are an amazing day – the one day that we are told it is our special day and that it is not only okay to make it about ourselves, but expected. So, while we’re told it’s “our special day” and to act like it, it’s amazing the expectations that others will put on us. 

There are many different expectations you’ll experience as a future bride while planning your wedding. Some relatives may expect specific traditions. Some people may expect alcohol or a certain type of catering standard. Some may expect you to dress a certain way and choose a certain dress, or at least level of modesty, based on what they view as appropriate. 

This is unavoidable to an extent, because everyone has expectations whether they mean to or not. There will always be that one family member who is a little too outspoken and critical about, well, everything. There will always be that friend who likes to make it about them.

That’s really what I would like to talk about for a moment. Our friends are wonderful, and that’s the whole point of the bridal party. We want our best gal pals to be with us on our special day, because we wouldn’t want to spend it with anyone else. Bridal parties are supposed to be a positive thing and a fun experience and, for the most part, they are.

However, nothing shows a friends true colors like not being picked for a bridal party they were expecting to be a part of. Rather than being happy for you and a pretty much guaranteed invite (just as guaranteed as family), they have to make things more about them. 

So ladies, if you have a friend getting married, listen up: Do not ask her if you will be a bridesmaid. 

Your friend, the bride, a girl that you love and care about, has found the man of her dreams. She is happy with this one after the how many relationships you’ve seen her in. Please just be happy for her too. Do not set yourself up – if you do, you risk being disappointed. Then, suddenly, something that is 100% her choice is her fault if she doesn’t “pick right.”

Which brings me to my next point. There is no “right” bridal party. If the bride wants to include more family members because it is important to both her family and the groom’s family, then that it okay. If you friend wants to ask all of her housemates to be her bridesmaids, then that is okay. If she wants to ask all of her childhood friends, that is more than okay. Ultimately, it is all more than okay, it is great! The bride can pick whoever she likes – and sometimes there are more factors than you know.

If you are asked to be a part of the bridal party, that is fantastic! If you are not, that’s okay! It’s not a direct reflection on your friendship, I promise. It’s probably a combination of a lot of things. I mean A LOT. Who will complement the groom’s groomsmen? Who will get along with each other best? Who will family be wanting to be included? Who on the groom’s side will the relationship help? What do you have going on in your life that will make it difficult to commit to being in the party? (Maybe you and another girl have conflicting personalities, maybe a cousin needed to be included, maybe you have a kid and the bride knows you really need to focus on your child, there are so many reasons.)

Now, fair warning, if you expected to be a bridesmaid and were not asked, odds are you will feel disappointed. It’s okay, those feelings are natural. However, do not do one thing: do not ask the bride why you were not selected. She is under a lot of stress and pressure with wedding planning and life, and really there is no right answer to that. Value the friendship with the bride and her happiness on one day over what was probably a difficult decision she made for more than just herself. 

So please, as a future bride, I plead with you ladies: genuinely find it in yourself to be happy for your friend. Do not ask you friend to flat out be in the party, and do not question the decision after it has been made whether you get in or not. If you want to ask your friend something, ask her how you can help. She will be so grateful, trust me. 

"And now, the moment we've all been waiting for…" the proposal!

At some point in your relationship with the right person, you begin to realize that this is actually the right person. You have serious conversations about the future together. You begin to discuss marriage and life after that. At some point, it really does dawn on you that this incredible person is the one that you want to spend your life with.

Your person, your man, the love of your life, has clearly been having the same thoughts, because now he's down on one knee! He's proposing! What's actually going through your mind with all of this?

You'll most likely be trying to catch up on what's happening. He's been planning this and working on what to say, so it's not a surprise to him that this is happening. However, if he surprised you, it took you a moment to register what was happening. In that moment, he was talking and you were still realizing the importance of the moment. Did you miss anything?

You might be concerned about what he chose to say – but not that much. What he says is important, to be sure, but as long as the basics are there ("I love you," and of course "will you marry me?"), you might not be as concerned about that as you think. He may choose a long romantic speech, and he might keep it short and sweet – and it will be more okay with you than you think. You'll be loving it either way. 

You'll probably be thinking about what to say in response. It's one word, "Yes!" You say it all of the time – but this is one of the most important times. You don't want to mess it up, and with a mixture of emotions and possibly some tears, you do actually have to consciously realize that you have to respond.

You won't actually be that concerned about how "all out" he went. Maybe he went full-on romantic comedy and pulled out all of the stops, or maybe he kept it simple and honest. Either way, you'll be so much more thrilled about the fact that he is proposing and professing his love to you than you will be about how he chose to do it.

You might be a bit concerned about the ring – but only a little. The ring is an important aspect of the whole experience, so it makes sense that you'll be concerned about it. However, it won't be to the extent that we're led to believe. It might be more of a curiosity as to what he decided to pick, and maybe a concern about if it will fit well – but it won't be about if it's "the most perfect ring in the world." It will instantly become the most perfect ring for you.

You won't be worried about what you look like. Odds are, there will be pictures, and you'd think that you'd want to look perfect for the moment. Of course that's a plus, but it won't matter if your hair is perfectly placed or in a messy bun or wet after a fresh shower, it really just won't matter.

You probably won't be that worried about what your nails look like, despite what you may think. Sure, the idea of perfectly manicured nails is fantastic, but there will be more pictures. If your nails aren't perfect, that's completely okay – embrace the picture taking, and then get them done for the engagement photos. It won't be that on your mind, even if it does occur to you for a brief second.

You might be thinking about what to do next – but that will come next. It might, for a fleeting moment, occur to you who you should call first, but you'll quickly be pulled back into the moment with your man. It's difficult to think about things like that when you're in the middle of such a life-changing experience. 

You will be preoccupied with the fact that you love this man so much. You'll be overwhelmed by how excited you are to make this commitment to him and to your lives together. You'll be genuinely so full of love and joy that the little silly things like when, where, how, and all the other details just really won't matter. You love him, and he loves you, and you're newly engaged! 

I decided that, after getting a good buzz going, to take to writing a blog post (rather than drunk texting I guess). I had no real idea about what I wanted to actually write about, but at the time I really didn't care. 

I'm really glad I did…though the revising of typos after was a bit of a task…

2 drinks in:

So, I'm here, writing this post, rather than actually being out doing anything. Man, for a Friday night, I really have a life. *sips last bit of wine from glass*

Why do people knock boxed wine? This individual box tells me how many glasses are in the little box. It's like a dollar per glass like this, and I actually know! Nothing wrong with that! Just means I can buy more…I should buy more… 

3 drinks in:

I'm hungry…but that involves movement, why…I should stand up…and now everything is spinning, maybe that was a bad idea…nah, it's fun, and food is worth it.

Grilled cheese sounds amazing right now…oh wait, I have leftover pizza, definitely leftover pizza.

*Insert first snack here*

Why does food taste so much better when you're drunk? Two pieces of pizza microwaved on top of each other is the bed grilled cheese EVER. (Post edit: It was only okay – the grease on the counter the day after was kind of gross though.)

4 drinks in:

My bed is swallowing me up. *giggles* This body pillow is the softest thing I've ever ended up cuddling. This is amazing.

What am I even watching? Have I seen this episode before? I think so…or was that just from restarting it ten minutes ago? I should restart it again since I wasn't really watching.

*Insert second snack and water here*

Cookies dipped in ice cream is kind of the perfect chips and dip combo. Why don't we have this at parties instead of chips and dip? 

I should go back to my fluffy pillow…a pillow that is fluffy is a puffy! A puffy! That's where the word comes from! (Post edit: No drunk me, no it is not.)