Where were you in life at 19?

When I was 19, it was my first year of community college, I was living at home, taking 15-18 credits, had 3 jobs, paying for everything myself- except rent. I saved all my extra money for college when I would be living on my own in my own apartment when I would transfer to a 4 year school.

I was never super into drugs/alcohol/partying.

I think you are doing great!!! Setting yourself up for an early success for sure! Keep up the good work!

19 was a pretty crazy year for me... I finished off my A-levels in Mai (my birthday is in April) and finished up school. After that I kindof just hung out for about 6 months and traveled alot. I also worked part time in a restaurant.

In September/October I moved out into my own apartment and left for college - that was a pretty huge change for me back then.

I also met my SO just before my 20th birthday.

When I was 19 I was living with my parents, going to school, and working as a barista/cashier/sandwich maker in a Caribbean/island/surf themed gas station (yes I'm serious, yes in Kansas- the most landlocked of the United States.) I had the best pet hamster EVER (named Squirrel) and had just met and started dating the girl I'm marrying in a few months.

I was working on my undergrad, living in a 7' x 17' dorm with a random-selection roomie who turned out to be great. It was the first time I was unemployed since I was 13yo, though I volunteered a lot and by the time the year was out I was working school breaks in a QA lab and working for a prof during the school year. I had a betta in a bowl named Captain Jack, and posters covering every inch of wall space (to be fair, not much wall) and thought learning to play the guitar would be neat

Met my hubby but we weren't even friends and didn't start dating til later.

- I turned 19 in January 2010.
- I had a little boy who would be turning 2 that year.
- We moved out of my Mom's house and into our first apartment in April.
- Got the first member of my "zoo" the following May (Trixie).
- Spent some time doing all the wrong things with all the wrong people for the majority of that summer.
- Found myself in a new relationship that October.
- Got the second member of my "zoo" (Honey)
- Broke up with that man, when he told my then best friend that he had hopes of getting me pregnant so I'd be "stuck with him".
- Found out I was pregnant early November.
- Got arrested for petty theft when my then best friend stole a wallet from 'The Bay' (charges were dropped).
- Found a family to adopt the baby by December and officially began the journey of my life that would lead to where I am today.

If I hadn't made the decision I'd made, I would be an unemployed, stay at home Mom living on welfare with 2 children (M & L), struggling with my depression, mild agoraphobia and living in daily fear of my ex's.

Instead, I am a 23 year old woman, engaged to be married September, stay at home Mom of 2 children (M and S), planning our future, buying a house in 2015, working 2 volunteer jobs because I can, doing photography, keeping a positive outlook, NOT living in fear of my ex (we won full custody last year and terminated my ex's rights), making friends again, and NOT living on welfare!
I also see the family who adopted my son quite often. Best decision I ever made.

When I turned 19 I had just graduated from the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior 5 months prior and had started my dream job at a service dog training organization!!! I was beyond grateful and excited, and I had recently been given a training apprenticeship position and loved every single moment of it.

Duke was still reactive at the time and I was finally getting a lot of the benefits of learning from my one million mistakes with him and we were finally working together with positive reinforcement and were on our way towards making some serious progress.

I still partied a lot with my friends, some had moved away for Uni/ college, etc but we still had the most amazing times when we were together. 6 years later they are still among my most important loved ones in my life despite us not walking the same path schooling wise.

I loved hiking and camping and still do and tried to go as often as possible with friends

I did, and still do read a lot, so Harry Potter got a lot of my time back then lol.