As we get older, more responsibility is heaped onto our shoulders, along with grades, jobs, and social lives; we have to find time to take care of ourselves. Taking good care of yourself means feeling good, looking good, and living well. Falling asleep at a reasonable time means being able to get up in the morning without being rushed and leaving time for your morning hygiene, such as brushing your teeth and showering. Good habits lead to making other good habits, while bad habits breed worse habits. Falling asleep late means being rushed in the morning to get to school on time. Besides forgetting to brush your teeth, you might be late to class or get in a car accident because you aren’t awake enough to drive safely.
The best practices to remember are the easy ones. Getting in the habit of eating a healthy lunch won’t lead to over-snacking or running through McDonald’s as soon as school lets out. Washing your sheets and pillowcases will lead to clearer skin and less oily hair in the morning. Becoming an adult means making good choices for yourself, whether they are the easy ones or not. Taking responsibility for things that matter is part of a teen’s training for the future. In other countries, teenagers are taking care of their families and working full-time jobs, overstressed by the amount of obligation they have. Yet in our country, we have the luxury of being able to choose what we can and cannot take care of as teens. If you’ve been taking care of yourself and others, do not envy the children whose parents care for their every need, these children will grow up harboring unhealthy behaviors. A healthy amount of responsibility is essential to help us grow and mature as people. So remember the next time you stay up for just one more hour of binge-watching Netflix or put off that geometry homework because it’s just practice, right? Remember that these are the habits that construct your character.