I’m 20 years old. The government doesn’t allow someone my age to buy a bottle of wine from Target, but for some reason, I’m supposed to have the rest of my life wrapped up neatly in a 30-second elevator pitch.

I’ll confess I have spent more money at Urban Outfitters than required, and often, what I buy isn’t necessarily cute. This brings me to my first point: Don’t buy things you don’t love because of the brand.

For the person tipping, it’s easy to move on from leaving a zero on the tip section of a receipt or pressing one simple button. For the employee on the other end, though, tipping impacts both their paycheck and their livelihood.

Even though I’m an off-campus student, I still need to eat. I buy a meal plan so I don’t have to worry about packing a lunch, there’s no money coming out of my pocket and I can maintain ties to campus life.

If you’re feeling insecure about being seen with your lunchbox on campus, just know that I will proudly be sporting mine. Having a lunch prepared by myself and eating it where I can relax in the middle of my day is a small blessing I look forward to.

Next time you’re taking a break and scouring your streaming services for something to watch, though, give reality TV a chance. Its lighthearted, competitive, down-to-earth nature might be just what you need.